Grab your cup of coffee, let’s go!
My first class begins at 11 AM – which is earlier than it sounds when you decide to squeeze in a 30-minute-Pop-ride-date with your favorite Peloton instructor in the morning. In my defense, it is so much easier to find the energy to go to class after having a little dance party, though it is that much harder to make it on time. The campus is about a 25-minute walk from my apartment, which is great for getting those steps in, but not so great when you realize those extra minutes at the coffeeshop are excluded. Anyways, this is New York, getting a cup of Americano is a perfectly valid excuse for being slightly late.
My first class is called Practicum in Fashion Business. Warning: I adore this class because it is exactly what it sounds like: We analyze Chanel’s brand history and compare the business models of Kylie Cosmetics and Savage x Fenty. Like most of my classes, the practicum is discussion-based, so the three hours go by as fast as they can. We begin today’s discussion with a presentation on the past, present, and future of fashion criticism. Then one idea leads to another, and we find ourselves watching a scene from everyone’s favorite movie, The Devil Wear’s Prada, where Miranda is offended by Andrea’s lack of knowledge on the significant differences between the different shades of blue, specifically about Oscar de la Renta’s 2002 collection dedicated to cerulean gowns.
Then, we move on to our main discussion on the state of global sourcing and sustainability in the fashion industry, and do some gross margin percentage calculations to practice pricing strategies for a sustainably produced sweatshirt. Finally, we areassigned a project on denim’s current place in the cultural firmament, and now it’s time for my second class.
I only have 15 minutes to run from the building of this class to the building of my next class, which is never enough even though the distance is barely a few steps. I run into friends, see someone interesting, see someone else interesting, end up following them to the center of Washington Square Park, and start taking photos of the random people who are dancing to the beat of the song the cool band is playing. So, you guessed it, we’re running a tad bit late to class but it’s not the end of the world.
This class is called Ethics and the Internet, which is … interesting. We talk about the epistemological issues that arise as a result of the Internet’s ubiquity, the inevitable prevalence of fake news, the ethical dilemmas of social media, etc. I have to admit it is not as fun, but it is definitely relevant for today’s digital environment.
It is 3:15 PM now and we are done with classes for the day after over 4 hours of a non-stop marathon. To hydrate, we grab an Iced Matcha Latte with Almond Milk and lift that energy right back up as we walk back to Washington Square Park, the ultimate campus. We sit on the grass with a friend from class and talk about the ethics of social media – just kidding, what happens in class stays in class. Some people are skating, others are tanning, and the piano man is performing his art. Very positive vibes as always, but time to move on!
Classes may be done, but assignments are just beginning. So, we are heading over to the library. Yay!
On a typical week, I have somewhere between 50 to 80 pages of reading per class, which is fine when the subject is of interest, but unfortunately that is not always the case. I have been reading about the role sugar played in the globalization of the world for way too many pages now, and let’s just say it’s not my favorite activity. So, for now, I’m sticking to the denim assignment I mentioned above. Did you know that the term denim originated in Nimes, a French city? Apparently ‘de Nimes,’ which translates into ‘from Nimes,’ explains where the fabric was first made and what is named after. Now that you know, it is time to walk aimlessly on the streets of SoHo!
I’m heading back to apartment to cook (whatever microwaveable dinner I bought from Trader Joe’s yesterday). And I am watching Succession in case anyone was wondering. After dinner, I have lots and lots and lots of readings to do, and I have to prepare for my weekly job meeting, which is super fun considering I work in social media. So, I’m calling it a day with my green tea, laptop, and essential oil diffuser. Wait, is that the dryer beeping?
Until next time!
xx
Yaprak
Disclaimer: I have to end by making it clear that none of my days look the same, and every NYU student has a very different day-to-day.
Becoming A New Yorker 