Before I came to NYU Tel Aviv, I never thought that I would be the only NYU Shanghai student studying here. I was aware that NYU Tel Aviv tends to have a smaller student body compared to other study away sites, but the fact that the number of students reached an all time low this semester surprised me when I got here. With eleven students coming from three NYU different campuses (one from Abu Dhabi, one from Shanghai and nine from New York), Tel Aviv creates a more intimate environment not only between students themselves but also between students and staff, including, most importantly, professors. Therefore, I think Tel Aviv will be a very unique study away experience for most people.There are abundant academic and career opportunities available in Tel Aviv. One of the most effective ways of getting involved in the local community and understanding Jewish culture is by taking part in internships or volunteer work. With a reasonable amount of school work, students at NYU Tel Aviv are able to discover the city using the knowledge they learn from class. The classes are mostly project and field trip based, therefore, by the end of semester, students are able to present mature and well-designed final projects which will also come very handy in the future if you are ever required to show what you learnt during study abroad at NYU Tel Aviv. For example, one of the classes that I am taking is called “Journalism: Reporting Armed Conflicts”. Not only will we have at least 3 organized field trips, we will also have to conduct our own research and present a special subject report by the end of the semester. We share the resources with each other and make the most out of it. Another class that I am taking is called “Negotiation and Diplomacy”. For this class, we will go to Cyprus for a weekend in order to understand the culture and origin of several conflicts. Therefore, NYU Tel Aviv provides a significant amount of sponsored field trips. You don’t need to be worried about trying to get around the city by yourself because by the end of the day, everyone will feel like they gained a lot of knowledge and understanding from this intensive experiential study away. At NYU Tel Aviv, interacting with people is basically required due to the intimacy of the community. It is very beneficial for people who want to get the chance to interact with professors. The professors here come from different backgrounds and are very intelligent and patient with whatever questions students may have. Since the community circle is very small, making friends here is not very difficult either. People are less cliquey and more friendly, making it seem like which school you come from no longer matters since right now we are all in a new country together.Tel Aviv is an amazing city. With an tremendous amount of history and an incredibly open mindset, this city has recently become a must-see destination in the Middle East. You don’t need to pressure yourself to learn anything before you come here, just come with an open mind and curiosity, and Tel Aviv will be an ideal study away site for you if you want to create a schedule that goes at your own pace while also getting the most out of the city. This article was written by Amy Zhao. Please send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Amy Zhao