All in a New York Minute: A NY Semester Cut Short by COVID-19

Student standing in front of stairs on New York street

Editor’s Note: Applications for the Fall 2021 New York and Washington Semester Program are still available. Submit your application today at https://apps.holycross.edu/stuProgApp. Applications are due May 24th, 2021.

Written by Nicolette Frasco, Class of 2021

My experience during the New York Semester, although short lived due to the COVID-19 pandemic, enhanced my college experience in ways I did not know possible. Independence is the main staple of the program. Although that may sound daunting at first, this freedom forced us to mature in a plethora of ways.

 

I worked four days a week while simultaneously attending a weekly seminar and writing my thesis paper. On top of this, my classmates and I maintained an active social life with each other and the new connections we made through our jobs and the NY social scene. We lived in an ideal location, just one train stop into Brooklyn from downtown Manhattan. In fact, my commute every morning was only 20 minutes from my door to my job in the financial district. I worked at the center of the world’s financial markets while interning at the New York Stock Exchange through their largest market-maker Global Trading Systems. The opportunity to work at such an important institution made every day both fulfilling and exhilarating.

 

Many of my classmates and myself became close with our colleagues and attended functions related to our jobs, such as sponsored events and viewing parties. On top of this, we also networked with Holy Cross alumni on a weekly basis through events coordinated by our professor, which gave us exposure to different types of professions.

 

COVID-19 sent us home only 1 ½ months into our semester and, needless to say, my classmates and I were heartbroken. We all came into ourselves during our time there and learned a new sense of responsibility through our daily experiences. When you live in one place long enough you begin to accumulate your “places.” Like the diner on the corner where we loved to recap our weekends, or the restaurant with an impeccable view of the Brooklyn Bridge. Almost everybody in New York is a transplant and because of that it felt so easy to find our place there. To be one of many enjoying what the city has to offer and making your own way fills you with an electric energy that only New York can give you. 

Forge Your Own Path With the New York Semester Program

Student with mask on walking on New York City sidewalk

Editor’s Note: Applications for the Fall 2021 New York and Washington Semester Program are still available. Submit your application today at https://apps.holycross.edu/stuProgApp. Applications are due May 24th, 2021.

Written by Brandon, Class of 2021

Without exaggeration, I owe my everything to the New York Semester Program. In a narrative all too familiar, my life plans were shot down by a certain pandemic you may have heard of and I was suddenly unsure what I would do after my quickly-approaching graduation, or with my life in general. The NYSP gave me renewed purpose and I am beyond happy to say that as a result of the program I am fully employed and living in NYC.

This isn’t a new concept, but internships prepare you for real-world situations like no classroom can. It doesn’t hurt that the NYSP puts you square in the middle of the fastest and most lively city in America, so you can expect those real-world situations to come in shining, memorable heaps. The NYSP puts you in the beating heart of the commerce, publishing and artistic industries in a way no coursework or lecture can.

In the New York Semester Program, I worked as a writing intern at a small news website based in Midtown Manhattan. As an intern I published more than 700 articles on two websites and earned irreplaceable references and experience. Since then I was hired full time as a writer here in New York City; that happened solely because of my internship. I also fell so deeply, fully and stupefyingly in love with Brooklyn Heights, a place I am lucky enough to now call my home.

The New York Semester Program is an unparalleled opportunity to dip your toes into life, independence, and America’s most beautiful city. You will be intoxicated by a feeling of freedom and what time you don’t spend in a classroom will be spent hardening and developing your love of life. If you are anything like me, I guarantee you will do everything in your power to never leave this city again. I am very lucky to now call New York City, and specifically Brooklyn Heights, my home and I deeply and peerlessly thank the New York Semester Program for giving me a life and career to be proud of.