Six Steps to Surviving the City College of New York

By Kia Thomas

The following article appeared in the October 2019 edition of The Campus.

Welcome to City College! If you’re a new student, you’relikely to be a little overwhelmed. It takes time to adapt to an unfamiliarenvironment. Here are a few ways you can get to know the school.

Step One: Find yourself a map.

The beautiful, sprawling, historic campus of City Collegecan be notoriously hard to navigate. Many of the buildings look the same,especially in the Beaver Quad. You can download a campus map from the CityCollege website or take a picture of the large map located in the first-floorvestibule of the North Academic Center (NAC).

Step Two: Stay alert while navigating the NAC.

The NAC is ridiculous. Because it was designed to preventstudents from protesting (a direct result of the 1969 Five Demands Takeover),it is extremely difficult to get around. You can only be vigilant by memorizingwhich side of the building you need to enter to get to your class the quickest.Make note of the signs, offices, cafes or security posts you pass.

Step Three: Google is your friend.

Intradepartmental communications are minimal andconflicting. You may get bounced around from office to office without reachinga resolution to your problems. If you need to find an office or department, justGoogle it. Let’s say you’re looking for the Humanities department. Instead ofgoing to the library, then the Student Life office, then finally Humanities,simply Google “Humanities CCNY.” It will save you a lot of time.

Step Four: Explore the CUNYPortal.

The CUNY Portal contains CUNYfirst, CUNYsmart, the VirtualBookstore, Blackboard, DegreeWorks, and FACTS. These tools will be essential toyou as a student of the City University of New York. Take the time to explorethe painfully confusing website CUNYfirst, it is where you register forclasses, check your financial aid, enroll in direct deposit, find your grades,apply for graduation, and so much more. Many professors utilize Blackboard,another digital labyrinth. Sit down and get familiar with these platforms.

Step Four and a half: Remember, your advisors are notyour parents.

DegreeWorks needs to be your best friend. On this website,you can see all your class requirements based on your major(s) and/or minor(s)in detail, as well as the amount of credits you’ll need to graduate. Dependingon what your department is, your advisors are likely overworked and cannot keepup with your academic trajectory and goals. Make sure they keep notes aboutyour appointment on DegreeWorks.

Step Five: Always check (and verify)alternative sources for textbooks.

Textbooks are expensive. Buying directly from City College’sbookstore is NOT your best bet. Unless the textbook is onlyavailable through the bookstore, consider buying or renting your textbooks fromAmazon (unethical, but unavoidable if you’re broke) or another third-partysource. Many websites prey on naïve students looking to find a deal. Do yourresearch before entering your credit card information!

Step Six: Get to know your professors and especiallyyour classmates.

Developing a professional relationship with your professorscan dramatically change your classroom experience for the better. Getting toknow your classmates can change your entire college experience. They can offeradvice, help you get involved with an organization, find a new job or apartment,or form a study group that boosts your grades. The opportunities are endless,so say hey!

Tips and Tricks:

• Make an appointment with financial aid,especially if you are going towards the beginning of the semester. You will notbe seen for at least two hours if you walk in.
• Save your money. You do not need to pay $1.75for Dasani. There are dozens of delis around campus. Benny’s Bookstore hasgreat deals on snacks. If you’re skillful, you can get a salad in the cafeteriafor under $5.
• Visit the NAC Rotunda (where Ristretto Café is)on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when clubs are tabling and WCCR DJs show off theirtalents!
• There’s a website for the shuttle buses:NextBus@CCNY. You’re welcome.
• Keep your eyes on the corkboards around school.They are often full of opportunities, scholarships, job offers, services, andmuch more.
• Get involved with a club or organization! As acommuter school, the campus life can be a little slow, but the best way to getthe full experience is to join an extracurricular you believe in.