Post
by incandenza » Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:02 pm
i'm not sure at what point in the discussion i'm coming in or if another current CUNY student has already said the following... however, CUNY is not and will not be located in long island city at least until fall of 2012. i am a rising 2L and when i applied i was told differently. numerous meetings with the dean and the student body, as well as complications involving the BOE and the NY chancellor have shifted the date. (personally, i am unsure if i will ever attend CUNY while it is in long island city at all as i am graduating in spring of 2013). anyhow, keep in mind that leases are for one year, that your free time will be limited and that you want to live as close to the school as possible. my first semester, i needed to wait until my existing lease ended in december. i loved my apartment, i loved my neighborhood and was extremely well-intentioned when i began traveling nearly 2 hours each way to school. but, keep this in mind. the issue with flushing is not flushing, but that the school is not near a subway stop. therefore, early morning, you will have trouble catching an empty bus due to the amount of other schools (high schools and the like) in the area and at night, the buses only run every 20-40 minutes through that area. you then get to a subway where you must wait again, given the time of night. the express line does not run at certain hours, which can add to your commute, as well. did i do it and pass? yes. but, i was exhausted, mentally wiped out and frequently coming home at ungodly hours. you want to give yourself the flexibility to stay in the library or study with friends. you want to be able to catch a beer in the off chance you have time. i would advise being realistic about your commute, adding AT LEAST 30 minutes to the best case scenario. you should not be commuting more than an hour. i recently moved very close to the school, saw my GPA jump up and have been happier, healthier and more social. it's not easy to get around in flushing without a car. we bring our lunches or get delivery. if we need to go to the bank, we have to make an event of it. if there is an errand to be run, it can take 2 hours rather than ten minutes. so, if you have access to an old car & can live in brooklyn/queens & drive, do it. finally, if you want to live in manhattan, remember that you will be there a full year and you want to have access to the internship opportunities and connections in/near queens where CUNY is located. i survived my first semester living in an ideal location, but i would never recommend it to anybody starting a lease. good luck to everyone. i'm a rising 2L & if you have any questions/concerns regarding CUNY, feel free to ask. best,