I will admit: I was apprehensive coming to a new school with only three years of operation as a degree granting university (however, NYU Shanghai is celebrating its 10th year anniversary as a study away institution). But, after attending the Admitted Students Weekend, an event where accepted students are flown in to Shanghai to tour the school, sit in classes, and get acquainted with their peers and Shanghai, I have never looked back since. So now, I am narrowing the top five reasons why I love NYU Shanghai (though if you ask me I could probably go on for hours talking about the school).

1) They listen

No school is 100% perfect and NYU Shanghai is just the same. However, what I really appreciate is that our administrators listen to us and take our feedback seriously. They are committed to continually improving the school and I appreciate that.

2) The environment.

NYU Shanghai is a university jointly established by New York University and East China Normal University. Classes are conducted in English but students are required to take Mandarin classes (or take an exam showing that their Mandarin is at Intermediate 2 level or beyond). Half of the student population also consists of Chinese students. This provides an opportunity for International students to practice their Mandarin and ask for Chinese homework help.

However... I must admit that speaking in Mandarin on a regular basis at school is easier said than done simply because the temptation to stick to English is present. But, if you are committed to immersing yourself in the Chinese language, people here are more than happy to help correct your tones and your writing assignments.

3) The opportunities.

Both NYU Shanghai and Shanghai offer students various opportunities to work, play, intern and network.

At NYU Shanghai, students are encouraged to work on campus or start an organization. If that is not up your alley, NYU Shanghai has sport teams such as soccer, basketball, volleyball and offers dance classes. There are also so many interesting talks (given by Professors and scholars) and conferences that take place during the school year. And so even if NYU Shanghai does not have a campus and is a 15-story building, I find it inconceivable imagining a student saying that there's nothing available on campus.

The same thing can be said about Shanghai. There are several multinational companies in Shanghai that welcome international students to intern in their companies. These can range from finance to banking firms, to magazine and cosmetic companies. They often participate at NYU Shanghai's career fairs and actively recruit students be it freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors.

4) The people.

As I mentioned earlier, the student population at NYU Shanghai consists of 50% Chinese students and 50% international students. This provides the opportunity to meet people from different parts of China and from all over the world. Since attending NYU Shanghai, I have gained a deeper understanding of the various cultures present and am constantly learning something new about my friends each day. Best of all, students are really nice (and I sincerely say this) and friendly. Oftentimes, I say hi to students and end up having a 10-30 minute conversation with them.

This friendly, warm, sincere demeanor is not just present within the student body, but the administrators, professors, and staff members are all very welcoming and are open to conversations anytime. They enjoy hearing students' feedback and opinions on various issues and highly encourage students to drop by their office to say hi, ask for advice and questions about school work.

5) The student-teacher ratio

The student-teacher ratio at at NYU Shanghai is 6:1 and I can attest to the fact that class sizes in NYU Shanghai are small. Classes normally have 10-30 students which enables professors to know each student by name. Other core or major required classes, however, do have large class sizes (about 80 students) but students are always encouraged to see their professors or Global Academic Fellows (also known as GAFs, these individuals help students with their respective classes and host writing workshops and more).

6) Shanghai itself.

Shanghai is a beautiful city that showcases Modern and European inspired architecture. Most office buildings are located in Pudong (where NYU Shanghai is located at) while the beautiful European buildings are in Puxi. Many students will tell you that Puxi is the place to be as Puxi has a bustling nightlife and is home to several amazing restaurants and museums. I, too, enjoy Puxi more than Pudong and would not mind living in Puxi in the near future.

And so this here is a summary of the reasons why I love NYU Shanghai. There are days when I still struggle with the Chinese language or with the environment (but that is for another post) but I always remember how lucky I am to be in a community that celebrates diversity and encourages us to follow our passions and know that everything will be alright.