Tips to Help International Students Feel at Home in New York City

As one of the world’s most exciting cities, New York is a hub for global fashion—and for international students! With its vibrant culture and diverse population, it's no wonder why so many international students come to the city to pursue their dreams of studying fashion merchandising, fashion marketing, analytics, supply chain, and more.

Adjusting to life in New York City can be overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be!

Here are 9 tips for international students coming to the U.S. on an F-1 visa that will help you adjust quickly and comfortably: 

1. Get familiar with the city by exploring different neighborhoods New York City is a large, dynamic city with a multitude of neighborhoods giving you plenty of options for food, entertainment, and sightseeing. Make sure you spend some time exploring—you’ll find pockets of the city that remind you of home and can let you experience other cultures as well.

2. Take advantage of resources offered by LIM LIM College's International Student Services office provides information and services to students concerning international F-1 student status and immigration regulations. In addition, the office is here to support you in adjusting to life at LIM as well as in New York City!

3. Establish connections with domestic students Building relationships is important if you want to truly experience the city with an insider as your guide. It’s easy to find something cool happening every night in this city, and your peers can be a great help in showing you where to look.

4. Get involved on campus LIM College has clubs and organizations related to diversity and the global student experience, as well as academic extracurriculars in fashion merchandising, fashion media, styling, and more. Joining these clubs also encourages you to attend regular sessions and meetings and forge friendships and make important personal connections.

5. Find affordable ways to explore NYC Despite NYC being notoriously expensive, there are still plenty of ways you can enjoy it on a budget. Taking advantage of free museum days, free outdoor films and concerts, or signing up for college student discounts are great ways to save money while having fun in the city.

6. Explore your housing options LIM College’s residence hall is a newly renovated space that’s super close to campus, but if you’d rather not live in such a busy neighborhood as midtown Manhattan, consider quieter areas of the city or even the nearby suburbs. This is also something International Student Services can help with! (Check out this video, featuring one of our international students who commutes to campus from New Jersey.)

7. Use technology Apps like Yelp or Seamless can come in handy when deciding which restaurants are worth checking out (or avoiding!) while apps like CityMapper or Google Maps will make traveling around NYC easy and convenient.

8. Balance work/life/fun It’s important not to forget why you came to NYC in the first place, which is to further your education, but equally important is having fun when you’re not working, studying, interning on CPT, or in class. Check out live music, comedy shows, art exhibitions, etc. Overworking yourself can cause burnout and hinder your progress rather than helping it.

9. Stay organized Achieving balance between all your obligations while living abroad may seem daunting, but staying organized will help. Create calendars mapping out dates for exams, assignments, and deadlines and plan leisure time activities accordingly too.