Washington Square News
Housing 2019 Guide
Letter From the Editor N
ew York City has a lot of hells: Times Square on New Year’s Eve, Penn Station at rush hour, the halal cart line at 3 a.m. on a frigid, drunken Saturday night. But apartment hunting in New York City tops all of those. Unlike the aforementioned hells, whose frights are merely fleeting, the hunt can last anywhere from a week to six months — that is, if you’re putting down a down payment for some luxury apartment in a Midtown high-rise. (You rich b-tch.) If you’re an NYU student, you’re fighting it out with the East Village rascals or the Bushwick baddies, or maybe you’re taking the safe route and just battling on the NYU Housing portal grounds. No matter what your situation is, finding a place to live isn’t a smooth ride. Roommates, grumpy landlords, broker fees, IKEA furniture, parents helping (or not helping) — these are the great woes of moving. But fear not, for the WSN Housing Guide is here to ease some of your back-aching pain. No, we’re not StreetEasy, Craigslist or the peak hub of New York City real estate, NYU Free and For Sale, but we’re here to present the pros and cons of NYU’s upperclassmen housing options, the bleak side of inclusive housing, a nosy peak into other NYU students’ off-campus apartments and some really aww-inducing photos of emotional support animals. I dedicate this issue to the gas leak in my apartment, my landlord George and the New York Fire Department. Without them, I wouldn’t have been exposed to such poisonous gases and then saved from those very same dangers. Oh, and shoutout to my new stove. My former stove — rot in hell, you gas-leaking whore.
Pamela Jew, Under the Arch Managing Editor
Table of Contents
03_______________NYU Housing Options 06______The Suite Life of Faculty Children 08______________Outside the Checkbox: Invisible in NYU Housing 10__________The Secret Life of Emotional Support Animals 12_________________The Monthly Grind: Paying Your Own Rent in New York City 02
14________Getting Creative in the Bedroom
NYU Housing Options By SAM KLEIN Managing Editor Photos By
ALANA BEYER, POLINA BUCHAK, MIN JI KIM, SAM KLEIN, GAVIN KOEPKE, VERONICA LIOW, JUSTIN PARK, ALINA PATRICK, KATIE PEURRUNG
*Housing rates based on 2018-19 academic year.
Alumni Hall 33 Third Ave.
PROS • • •
You live by yourself Possibly the most central location of any upperclass residence hall There’s a new H Mart opening downstairs! When? Who knows!
CONS •
Cost Per Semester: $11,065 Subways: Walk to Campus: 15 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single
• •
Why are you paying this much money to live by yourself? You don’t even actually live by yourself because it’s suites Kitchen and common room are tiny
Broome Street 400 Broome St.
PROS
• • •
Immediate convenience to Little Italy, Chinatown, SoHo and NoLiTa Bodega in the building Two dogs live in the building
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $6,803$9,643 Subways: Walk to Campus: 10 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double, Triple
• You have to apply to live here and fulfill other Residential College responsibilities (such as two 500word essays a semester). • No dining halls nearby • Very few rooms available every year, because current residents have guaranteed spots.
Carlyle Court 30 E. 16th St.
PROS • • •
Right next to the Union Square Greenmarket The courtyard has swinging benches Practice room for dancers and musicians
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $6,803$9,643 Subways: Walk to Campus: 10 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double
• You have to go outside from two of the towers to reach the study lounge. • Many rooms don’t have a door separating them from the common area. • Only two elevators per tower
Clark Street 55 Clark St.
PROS
• • •
Not exclusively for NYU students, so you can make other friends. Located right next to Brooklyn Bridge Park A lot of community events
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $5,752$9643 Subways: Walk to Campus: 15 mins. to Tandon Rooms Available: Single, Double, Triple
• • •
It’s a bit of a walk just to get to Tandon. The elevators aren’t very efficient. Rooms are pretty small.
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Coral Tower
129 Third Ave.
PROS
• •
•
Duane Reade beneath the building Very convenient to three dining halls (Palladium, Burger Studio, Harvest Table) Large common areas
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $6,803$9,643 Subways: Walk to Campus: 15 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double
• Facilities are a bit on the older side. • Elevators tend to break down. • Room quality varies a lot, even on the same floor.
Gramercy Green 310 Third Ave.
PROS
•
It’s the newest, fanciest dorm — intended originally for luxury condos. Facilities include dishwashers, multiple lounges and a fitness center. You get to say with a smug smile that YOU live in Gram.
• •
CONS •
Cost Per Semester: $6,803$9,643 Subways: Walk to Campus: 25 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double, Triple
• •
Along with Lafayette, the furthest dorm from campus. Nobody wants to hear you talk about how great Gram is. If your friends decide to go out in a fun neighborhood, it’s a long walk home.
Greenwich Hall 636 Greenwich St.
PROS
• •
•
Feel like a gazillionaire with your West Village residence Lacks the popularity of Palladium or Gramercy, so you’ll have your pick of rooms. Fancy high ceilings
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $6,803$9,643 Subways: Walk to Campus: 10 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double, Triple
• No subway nearby (except, you know, the PATH…) • Nothing nearby is affordable • All of your non-Greenwich friends live far away.
Lafayette Hall 80 Lafayette St.
PROS • • •
Pretty much every subway line is next door 25-cent dumplings three blocks away Luxurious high ceilings
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $5,752$9643 Subways: Walk to Campus: 20 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double, Triple
Othmer Hall 101 Johnson St.
PROS
• • •
04
Right on the Tandon campus Every floor has its own lounge. Excellent subway access for efficiently getting to the Washington Square campus
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $4,782$8,818 Subways: Walk to Campus: 1 min. to Tandon Rooms Available: Single, Double
• Rooms are fairly small. • First-years live there, too. • It flooded last year. Doesn’t mean it will necessarily happen again.
• Campus is an eternity away. • The immediate neighborhood is vaguely empty. • Not much natural light in the rooms
Palladium Hall 140 E. 14th St.
PROS • • •
Access to the best campus food without leaving the building Palladium Athletic Facility (if that’s your thing) The L train will — surprise! — remain open next year
CONS •
Cost Per Semester: $8,282$11,065 Subways:
• •
Walk to Campus: 15 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double
Everyone else wants to live here, too. Rooms average on the smaller size. Card readers instead of keys for the dorms, and you can get locked out of your bedroom.
Second Street 321 Bowery
PROS
•
You can tell all your friends back home that you live on Joey Ramone Place. Proximal to the East Village and the Lower East Side More bar options than you
• •
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $5,440$10,956 Subways: Walk to Campus: 15 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double, Triple
• • •
Small, peculiarly shaped rooms No dining halls nearby No convenient subway options (except the F)
Senior House 47 W. 13th St.
PROS • • •
Spacious kitchens and bathrooms Fairly quiet, with only 180 residents You don’t need to enter your birthday to tap in.
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $6,803 $8,282 Subways: Walk to Campus: 10 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Double
• • •
It’s complicated to navigate between towers. There isn’t a huge sense of community. Some rooms lack closets and overhead lighting.
Seventh Street 40 E. Seventh St.
PROS • • •
In the heart of the East Village Very few residents (90 people) make it a tighter community. Emphasis on sustainability, including compost facilities
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $8,282$9,643 Subways: Walk to Campus: 10 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Single, Double
• • •
You have to write an essay to get in. No elevator; no air conditioning Overall, facilities are on the older side.
University Hall 110 E. 14th St.
PROS • • •
Burger Studio is downstairs. Next door to Palladium Dining Hall and Palladium Athletic Facility Dunkin’ Donuts downstairs
CONS
Cost Per Semester: $8,282 Subways: Walk to Campus: 15 mins. to WSP Rooms Available: Double
• • •
Most of the residents are first-years. You’re going to eat at Burger Studio an unhealthy amount. How come Palladium gets a 13th Street entrance?
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The Suite Life of
Hundreds of undergraduates populate NYU residence By YASMIN GULEC Under the Arch Editor
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Photos By KATIE PEURRUNG Under the Arch Multimedia Editor
lena Victoria Chirinos jumps up and down in her sparkly silver skirt as NYU students trickle into her sixth-floor Third Avenue North Residence Hall apartment to celebrate her 10th birthday. The party is unicorn-themed — mainly because of a rainbow-layered unicorn cake and multi-colored piping details baked by Kathy Lin, a resident assistant in Third North and Elena’s occasional babysitter. “We just decided to do it on unicorns because there was a unicorn cake and if there is a unicorn cake and you have like a Harry Potter themed birthday party it is kind of weird,” Elena said about planning her first-decade celebration.
Elena (left) hugs her birthday balloons with Lin (right), Elena’s occasional babysitter.
The first time I met Elena, she wore an NYU Quidditch T-shirt — as a former Quidditch team member, I liked her immediately, and thanked her for taking out some time during her school break to talk with me.
“I do not have anything to do,” she said, to which her mom quickly responded from the kitchen “Homework, cello lesson [...] But yes, this is the most important thing today.” Elena is in fourth grade — she says she likes it way more than third grade Elena Victoria Chirinos (right) blows out the 10 candles on her birthday cake. Third North resident assistant — and has Kathy Lin (left), who made the cake, records a video of Elena blowing them out. been living in Third North Elena loves living in Third North for two reasons: one, with her father Carlos Chirinos Espin, the Third North as an only child, the RAs and the residents have become faculty fellow in-residence and a Clinical Music and Glob- like her brothers and sisters. The community has become al Health associate professor in Steinhardt, her mother a part of her family. Two, there is a TV room and game Lis Ssenjovu and their multiple fish for two years. Before room, which a lot of her friends do not have. Her friends their move to the residence hall, they lived in Washington get a little confused about her living situation, and she Square Village, and before that, they lived in London until shared that she wants to wear a sign so she doesn’t have to Elena was seven. She nodded her head when I asked her constantly re-explain it. whether she misses London. Though she loves the comContrary to Elena, Joe and Ruby Gary experienced livmunity in the residence hall and her room, she says that ing in a residence hall when they were older. Ruby, now she prefers London, mostly because of their cat, who they a senior in high school, has lived in Brittany Residence left behind. Hall since she was 12, while Joe, now 24, left to attend “We did not want to bring him here because he was an the University of Chicago just one week after the family outside cat,” she shares. “If we had lived on the fifth floor moved into Brittany. Their parents, Steinhardt professors it might have been OK because if he jumps out the balcony Brett Gary and Amy Bentley, have been the FFIRs in Brit— now this is sad — but if he jumped out the balcony his tany for the past five years. With Joe off to college, their brains wouldn’t shatter.” three-bedroom apartment was sufficient in size for Brett, Elena likes doing her homework on the dining room ta- Amy, Ruby and middle sister, Annabelle, who now atble or near the window in her bedroom. Her favorite thing tends Amherst College in Massachusetts. about their home is — and she warns me that it is a little Previously, the five-person family lived in Silver Towers, weird — the shape of the apartment. a three-tower complex for faculty and graduate students. “I like the balcony — we have two,” she said. “And, I However, Joe returned to New York City after graduating don’t know, I like how everything is placed — kind of seems and has been living back with his family for a year and a like it was built for us and our stuff because everything has half, while he works as a medical assistant and completes a place perfectly.” She also loves her bedroom where she keeps all her books, a replica of Hermione’s wand, a small Tardis and her Dum Dum wrappers, of which she claims to have collected over 100. “My bathroom is inside my room, and I like having a bathroom,” she stutters, “ensuite or something? It might not be too clean.”
Elena Victoria Chirinos sits near her family’s balcony opening gifts from residents who came to celebrate h
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Faculty Children
halls, but so do a handful of faculty members’ children. his medical school applications. dence chaplain Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, finds elevators to For Ruby, making the switch from living in faculty be the perfect place to interact with students. housing to a college residence hall was difficult as a mid“I will have random conversations with them like in dle schooler. the elevator or in the stairs or in the gym when they “It was a lot of professors with kids my age, so it was think I am a student,” she said. very much a neighborhood gang on the block,” she said. She says that her friends think that it’s cool she lives “So it kind of felt [weird] to be taken out of that dynamin a residence hall, but she has gotten used to the excitic. I was very uncomfortable for the first couple of years ing world within the confines of NYU housing. because I was 12, I did not look like a college freshman “I am less excited because it is something I have been and I had my little school uniform on every day.” doing my whole life but I also think it is amazing and However, when she entered high school, Ruby bethis building has so many great resources that I love,” came more comfortable with her living situation. Joe, Batya said. on the other hand, loved moving to Brittany a week beBatya has been living on the second floor of Gramerfore he left for college. cy with her five siblings, her mother and her father for “It was awesome, especially because college freshmen 10 years. Now a high school junior, Batya is in the heat their first week are the friendliest group you can imagof her college search. NYU is on her list. ine,” he said. “Since I looked the part, I ended up hangEven though the age gap has narrowed between ing out with a bunch of them. I actually stayed in conBatya and the residents, she feels a divide between tact for a couple of years, I would come back on breaks them. Most interactions with residents are passive and hang out with them.” small talk. On rare occasions, the residents throw her Since his college years, Joe has become more removed conversational curveballs, such as when a resident from the community, as he is now older than the rest asked her to buy him a cigarette. of the residents. Ruby, now a year younger than the Her favorite thing about their apartment is having current Brittany residents, has been able to relate more her own room. She also enjoys observing residents who in recent years. They both agree that everyone is really are experiencing college life, as she is going to be doing kind. the same very soon. They admit elevator rides with their parents and resi“I think that college age is a very exciting time for dents can verge on awkward. people, and even though I don’t get to know all the stu“Our dad will crack a dad joke in a crowded elevator dents in Gramercy, it is great to watch people come in —” Joe begins, before Ruby jumps in. and see how they interact with each other because that “And it just goes silent,” Ruby interrupts. is going to be me soon,” she said. As FFIRs, Brett and Amy are required to host in-hall Though sometimes she has conflicting thoughts programs throughout the academic year. These various Elena’s birthday cake was the main inspiration for her unicorn-theme about not living in an actual apartment, she does not events shaped how Ruby envisioned her college expe- birthday. The cake had rainbow layers and intricate piping details. take what she has for granted. Batya finds it exciting to rience, pushing her to apply early decision to Williams be living in a building filled with diversity. College. “Sometimes I have said to my parents [that] it is a “I wanted that kind of community and structured little frustrating that I don’t get to live in a house and well aware that they could not live in a similar building if it social life,” she said. “It also drove me to apply early deci- wasn’t a residence hall. in a community like kids my age do normally, but I think sion to a 2,000-person school in the middle of nowhere, “We say that this might be the nicest apartment we’ll it makes me very unique to be able to say that I grew up in Massachusetts.” a college,” she said. ever live in, in the city,” Ruby said. Joe also knew that he wanted to leave New York City, They share that they have a good relationship with the especially because the thought of potentially being in Brit- staff that works in Brittany, especially the public safety of- Email Yasmin Gulec at ygulec@nyunews.com. tany as a first-year and living in the same building as his ficers. parents did not sound appealing. “They will Ruby says her friends think it is very cool that she lives check up on how with college students, although she says their first thought my sports games is that they live in a cramped went, and if I dorm room, with a shared come home late bathroom and microwave they will chastise meals. me a little bit,” “The immediate reaction Ruby said. upon hearing that I live in a There are dorm is I get cool points for very few downthat,” Ruby said. sides to living in They agree that living in a a college dorm, dorm with almost 600 first- according to the year students is a good ice- Gary kids. breaker. And though Ruby “Honestly the living with older kids is per- only annoying ceived as cool, Joe living with thing is elevator younger students does not wait times,” Joe win him any cool points. said. “For me, it’s, ‘I live with On the other college kids!’ for him it’s like, hand, Batya Sar‘I live with college kids…’” na, the 16-yearRuby said as both of them old daughter laughed. of Gramercy They love the location, Green’s in-resi-
Siblings Ruby (left) and Joe Gary (right) live in Brittany Residence Hall with their family. They moved to the residence hall when Ruby was 12 and Joe was just leaving for college.
her 10th birthday with her.
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Outside the Checkbox: Invisible in NYU Housing
In theory, NYU’s gender neutral housing is there to ensure the safety comfort of transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming studen But does it work in practice? By ANNA MURATOVA Under the Arch Deputy Editor Photos By JUSTIN PARK Under the Arch Deputy Multimedia Editor
T
CAS sophomore Evelyn Zheng, who identifies as female, was assigned three cis male suitemates during her first year.
he day is surprisingly warm for mid-February in New York — warm enough for Cameron* to only be wearing a black leather jacket over a flannel. They stand in the sun outside their first-year dorm, University Residence Hall, chuckling as they recount a story about their living situation last year. “I put up a pride flag in my room, and my roommate’s friend asked her about it over FaceTime,” Cameron explained. “She laughed. She responded that that’s because I love colors — I’m an art major. Also, she wasn’t super OK with queer or trans people.” For their entire first-year fall, Gallatin sophomore Cameron, who is non-binary and uses they/ them pronouns and asked to be only referred by their first name, stayed closeted about their gender identity and sexuality until their roommate moved out at the beginning of last spring. “It wasn’t by the fault of anyone but [NYU] Housing [itself],” they said. “I’ve had amazing experiences with [resident assistants] and various people in housing.” Moving into housing as a first-year can feel in-
Gallatin sophomore Cameron* remained closeted about their gender identity to their roommate for their entire first semester.
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timidating, especially once you start considering all the potential issues. What if my roommate ends up being messy? What if they smoke in the room? What if they listen to music I hate or — even worse — listen without headphones? But these concerns pale in comparison to what queer first-years face. Will I have to stay closeted? What if my roommate turns out to be homophobic? Transphobic? What if I get bullied for who I am? For students who don’t identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, inclusive housing is supposed to provide a safe and welcoming environment, preventing gender-based discrimination. Currently, multiple New York City universities offer gender-inclusive housing, including Barnard College, Columbia University and The New School. At some universities, however, the situation is drastically different. In 2016, the University of North Carolina banned gender-inclusive housing, putting LGBTQ students on campus at risk. When Cameron applied for housing in 2017, they said an inclusive housing option was not available for first-years, nor was there a way to indicate non-binary gender identity. The inclusive housing option became available for incoming first-year students who apply to live on-campus only in fall 2018. Executive Director of Housing Services Neil Hanrahan, however, wrote in an email to WSN that first-year and upperclass students have been able to indicate gender identity on their housing applications since 2007, but not indicate living preferences. “In 2015 [NYU housing] expanded the gender inclusive options to allow all upperclass students the option to indicate a preference to live with suitemates regardless of their legal sex,” Hanrahan expanded. But this seems inconsistent with some students’ experiences. On NYU’s Gender Inclusivity page, it’s stated that when a student applies for gender neutral housing, their legal sex plays no role in their placement. When it comes to first-years, most rooms get assigned on the basis of their legal sex, but every student has the opportunity to indicate their gender identity. When applying for housing in her first year, CAS sophomore Evelyn Zhang, who is transgender and uses she/her pronouns, had the chance to indicate her gender identity but couldn’t request inclusive housing. “I’m physically male and identify as female, which is what I put in the application,” she said. Despite this, Zhang was assigned to a room in U-Hall with three cis male suitemates. “I think NYU considered my situation a little and all of my roommates were, in one way or another, associated with the LGBTQ community,” Zhang said with a smile.
g
y and nts.
Zhang applied for gender neutral housing her sophomore fall, expecting to be assigned to roommates who identified as women. But the outcome wasn’t what she expected. “I ended up with three cis males,” she scoffed. On top of this, Zhang believes that her request to be assigned to a single room in Greenwich Residence Hall outweighed her request for a gender-neutral suite. This led to a difficult housing situation. Zhang spent the semester in conflict with her suitemates, whom she didn’t feel comfortable talking with. “Maybe that’s because we’re of opposite genders,” she said. “I felt like I had to be quieter than them and used more polite words, as the only girl.” From Zhang’s perspective, her suitemates knew little about transgender individuals and even less about living with one. Despite mutual attempts to talk things out, this disparity in knowledge often resulted in further misunderstanding and, ultimately, silence. In an attempt to fit in better, Zhang purchased boxers, since her usual underwear made them uncomfortable as they perceived her as a male. “First half of sophomore year worsened my depression and anxiety a lot,” Zhang said. “I don’t blame them, the system just isn’t all that great.” At the start of the spring semester, Zhang, who was tired of the escalating conflicts with her suitemates, moved out and turned a new page in her housing journey with three cis women. “Initially, there were three girls with one cis guy,” Zhang said with frustration in her voice. “Why do that, why put a cis-man with cis-women randomly if you can provide inclusive housing for someone who needs it?” As Vice President of T-Party, a club for transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming members of the NYU community, Cameron supports many students who find themselves in predicaments similar to Zhang’s. “NYU tries to be trans-inclusive in their approach to housing,” they pointed out. “However, it does not work out a lot of times.” Cameron has encountered several cases where students’ safety and comfort at their dorm were at risk due to their identity. If necessary, NYU can provide temporary emergency housing for students who find themselves in unbearable or dangerous living situations on campus. Emergency placement gives the university time to find a different housing arrangement for the student. “I know someone who had to move out because they were trans and NYU’s emergency housing would not take them in,” Cameron recalled. In the case of Cameron’s acquaintance, the LGBTQ+ Student Center had to intervene and work with housing directly. “In [emergency] cases, we encourage students
Cameron called for an improved screening process for first-year housing. They’re asking NYU to expand their housing questionaire to make room assignments more precise to gender preference.
to engage with their RAs and professional staff in the residence hall who can work with staff in Housing Services,” LGBTQ+ Student Center Director Chris Woods said. According to Hanrahan, emergency housing can’t accommodate many students at the same time, which can occasionally lead to refusal. “There is not a pool of emergency housing set aside per se,” Hanrahan said. “In the event that any roommate conflict escalates to the point that someone feels unsafe, we would work within our available inventory to attempt to resolve the situation.” If a student is having issues with their housing situation due to their gender identity or sexuality, both Cameron and Hanrahan suggested they reach out to the LGBTQ+ Center. According to Woods, the center consistently works with Residential Life and Housing Services to ensure the comfort and safety of LGBTQ students in on-campus housing. “The LGBTQ+ Center has been working to provide updated training and education to the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services, starting with the professional staff and making our way toward the student staff in the residence halls,” Woods said. Woods explained that the LGBTQ+ Center works closely with Housing Services and has direct, regular communication with them in order to address the specific needs of LGBTQ students in the residence halls. “Most recently our conversations involved the incorporation of preferred pronouns into the housing system,” he pointed out. According to Hanrahan, 2,320 undergrads indicated their gender identity or requested gender neutral housing on their housing application for the 2018-19 academic year, indicating that these options are popular among the student body. CAS first-year Hazel Williams, who is transgender and uses she/her pronouns, is one of those applicants. She currently shares a triple in Lipton Residence Hall with two transgender, female-identified roommates. “The options when applying for inclusive housing were female-identified, male-identified or ac-
cording to legal gender,” Williams said. “I chose ‘female-identified’ as it made me feel the safest.” Williams, who knows other first-years who specified inclusive housing preference, believes that some of the first-year students ended up in singles due to their choice of inclusive housing. On providing single rooms to those who request inclusive housing, Hanrahan pointed out that single occupancy bedrooms constitute approximately three percent of housing inventory. This makes the chance that a first-year who requests gender neutral housing is placed in a single room slim, even if they couldn’t be assigned to an inclusive suite. Living with others who are currently transitioning, Williams encounters a lot of unintentional overstepping of personal boundaries. “One of my roommates often asks me about how HRT [hormone replacement therapy] changed me personally and some of these inquiries are just too personal,” Williams said. “It affects everyone differently and saying something would be giving expectations.” Minor frustrations aside, Williams rates her experience living in inclusive housing as a positive one. “I don’t have to fear gender- or sexuality-based violence, living with them,” she said with a smile. “To knock those worries and fears off the list feels great.” Williams believes that changing the requirement for legal name indication could help a lot of trans students feel more comfortable when applying for housing on campus. “After all, it’s nobody’s business except for the administration’s and the bursar’s,” she said. “Why would your RA need to know? My legal name is still everywhere in the system, even though I recently changed it, and it makes me uncomfortable.” Cameron believes that the safety of LGBTQ students in housing would improve greatly with a better screening pro-
cess for first-years applying for NYU housing. “[The] housing questionnaire is so short; I had to answer four questions,” they said. “Columbia and Barnard, for example, have really long questionnaires. Making them longer and adding an option ‘if you’re LGBTQ-friendly’ is important, especially for the safety of LGBTQ+ kids.” Cameron believes that ensuring the security of LGBTQ students has to be a priority. “Having a bad housing experience can ruin the first year of college for you,” Cameron said. “There has to be a better screening process implemented to ensure safety and comfort of LGBTQ+ kids.” Email Anna Muratova at amuratova@nyunews.com.
After conflicts with her suitemates, Zhang moved in with three cis women, which she preferred — but she was frustrated the change took so long.
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The Secret Life of Emotional Support Animals
Puppies and bunnies and kitties, oh my! Getting emotional support animals approved to live in NYU housing is a lengthy process, but for these students, having an ESA at school makes all the difference on their mental health. By NATALIE CHINN Under the Arch Editor
pets. They are a form of treatment for those who struggle with their mental health. “I’ve been in and out of therapy my whole life,” Tisch sophomore Megan Jeter said. “Talk therapy does work for me, but I just [felt] that having an emotional support animal in conjunction with that would be a good treatment plan for me.” Jeter realized that a support animal would be beneficial to her after bonding with her suitemate’s ESA last spring. “I feel like she was emotionally supporting me more so than she was supporting my suitemate,” Jeter said. “I was just like, ‘Oh, this is perfect. This is exactly what I need.’” Although Jeter has pets back home in upstate New York, she wanted to adopt a pet to specifically be her ESA. Over the summer, she found Phoebe, a grey tabby cat with green eyes and an independent personality. Once she got Phoebe, Jeter had to go through the tedious process of getting her approved to live in NYU housing. Students who want to bring their ESAs to school are required to provide several documents
him on my lap because he calms me down,” Licht said. “He helps me stop thinking about whatever I was thinking about.” Photos By KATIE PEURRUNG Albert is also quite popular within their buildUnder the Arch Multimedia Editor ing, Goddard Residence Hall. “There are people in our dorm that will just here are days when Noah come by to see the rabbit,” Licht said. “He did, DeFranceschi’s anxiety runs especially in the beginning, help me meet people.” so high that he struggles to Unlike Licht, Jeter lives in a single room in a leave his dorm room. But since getting suite at Alumni. Even though she prefers to live an emotional support rabbit last July, alone, she likes having a constant positive enerhe has a new reason to get dressed and gy around who she can look forward to coming go outside. home to. “I thought maybe if I had an animal “I like living alone because I don’t like having it would help me because I would have to worry about my mannerisms affecting someto get up and take care of it, and then one else — like how I want to study, how late I I’d have to get up to take care of mystay up — but still having a presence in the room, self, too,” DeFranceschi, a GLS sophoeven though I’m alone, is good,” Jeter said. “If I more, explained. didn’t have her, I would feel like I was even loneliAs someone who deals with mental er in New York than you [already] feel.” health challenges including anxiety Jeter, Licht and DeFranceschi all have and depression, DeFranceschi had a low-maintenance, litterbox-trained animals, difficult first year at NYU. On top of which they all agree are best for students with the transition into college life, he felt busy schedules. CAS junior Kal Talonely at school, especially dese, on the other hand, had to learn without his two dogs and two the hard way how much work it takes cats back home in New Jersey. to care for a dog. DeFranceschi’s rabbit, Chai, Tisch sophomore Megan Jeter sits with her emotional support A first-time dog owner, Tadese adforces him to wake up every animal Phoebe on the floor of her room in Alumni Residence opted her emotional support puppy, Hall. morning to feed him, clean his Olive, right before the beginning of litter or go to the store and buy I thought maybe if I had an animal it her sophomore year. While she no some veggies. would help me because I would have to longer has him in New York City, Ta“I still get up and take care of it, and then I’d dese warns others to carefully evaluate struggle with bringing a puppy to college. After all, a lot of the have to get up to take care of myself, too. dogs cannot easily be litterbox-trained same stuff,” or kept in a pen for most of the day. D e F r a n ce s - NOAH DEFRANCESCHI GLS sophomore “I remember climbing up 17 flights chi said. “But of stairs,” Tadese said about a time at the same Olive got loose in Gramercy Green time, he just Residence Hall. “He ran all the way makes my day for NYU, including a note from a medical proup, and I kept calling for him, and he kept barking better.” DeFranceschi is fessional confirming that an animal will help the back at me.” While most of the other ESA owners can’t one of many NYU student with their diagnosed disability and docustudents who have mentation of the animal’s health from a veterinar- relate to Tadese’s experience raising a puppy in improved their col- ian. After all the paperwork is gathered, students Gramercy, it doesn’t mean they haven’t had their lege experience by can apply for a housing accommodation, which own challenges with pets in the dorms. They’ve getting a support an- allows their pet to live with them. In order for this experienced everything from fire drills — Jeter’s imal and approving to go through, all documents must be reviewed philosophy is “scoop her and go” — to explainthem to live in NYU and approved by the Moses Center and NYU ing the concept of emotional support animals on move-in day. housing. Emotional Housing. SPS first-year Rebecca Licht said the hardest However, maybe the biggest challenge about support animals, or them, have become part about this whole process was finding a room- keeping an ESA is having to deal with people who increasingly pop- mate that was willing to live in the same room are unaware of how serious mental illness and its ular in the last few as her rabbit from home, Albert — named after effects on day-to-day functioning can be. “I feel like a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, I should years. The contro- the Florida Gators mascot, not NYU’s founding versies around ESAs, father, Albert Gallatin. Licht went through three just tell [NYU] I have anxiety and I should bring especially centered different random roommates before the school my dog next year,’” Licht said. “It’s not quite that around their neces- year started, each one eventually switching their easy. You really do have to have a psychiatrist, a sity, are fueled by ev- room assignment for both rabbit-related con- psychologist, that is willing to vouch for you.” These ESA owners want to help dispel misconerything from reports cerns and health issues. She was certain that she wouldn’t find a roommate and prepared herself to ceptions about support animals and how useful Albert, the emotional support rabbit of SPS first-year Rebecca Licht, sits atop of people registering they are for people with disabilities and mental Licht’s bed in Goddard Residence Hall. Both Licht and Albert made the move from alligators as ESAs to go to college without Albert. their home in Florida to New York City. But mere days before school started, NYU health challenges. However, DeFranceschi has airlines restricting Housing notified Licht that it was going to go some words of advice. them. “If you know someone with an ESA, you can ESAs are often confused with service animals, down the list of students not yet assigned to like guide dogs. While ESAs help ease the anxiety housing and ask if they’d be willing to live with ask questions and try to learn more about what they are, but try not to ask [too many personal or depression of their owners through compan- a rabbit. “They called me a week before school started,” questions] with someone you’re not close to,” ionship, service animals are specifically trained to perform tasks for the disabled. Even DeFranceschi Gallatin first-year Siena Tipton, Licht’s room- DeFranceschi said. “Because if someone has an was confused about the difference before he got mate, said. “They were like, ‘Hey, listen, we have a ESA, it doesn’t mean they’re going to tell you all room for you, but the caveat — you’d have to live the details of their mental illnesses.” Chai. Although ESAs are cute and cuddly, it’s im“I had to do my own research,” he said. “But for with an animal.’ I grew up on a farm, so I was like, ‘Yes, I will take it. I love animals.’” portant to remember that they are a part of their a person who it doesn’t apply to, of course they’re So far, Licht and Tipton’s rooming arrange- owner’s treatment. not going to do their own research for fun.” “Just know that, most likely, if the person was The main distinction is that they do not have ment has been a good match. Not only has Tipthe same rights — service animals are allowed in ton bonded with Albert, but she has also devel- able to get [an ESA] approved, that they’re strugvirtually any public space, whereas ESAs are not. oped an understanding for his relationship with gling with something, and they have it for a purAt NYU, ESAs are confined to their owner’s Licht, who has anxiety and depression, as well as pose,” Licht said. dorm room and do not have the same permission obsessive-compulsive disorder. “If I’ll start to have a really high-anxiety mo- Email Natalie Chinn as service animals to enter academic buildings. ment, [Siena will] legit take out my rabbit and put at nchinn@nyunews.com. For their owners, ESAs are so much more than
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Tisch sophomore Megan Jeter adopted her emotional support animal, Phoebe, last summer. Phoebe is a grey tabby cat with green eyes and an independent personality.
SPS first-year Rebbeca Licht cradles her emotional support rabbit Albert in her room at Goddard Residence Hall. Licht has had Albert for five years.
Jeter kisses her emotional support cat, Phoebe, who lives with her in Alumni Residence Hall. Jeter was inspired by her previous roommate who had an emotional support animal.
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The Monthly Grind: Paying Your Own Rent in New York City Living the New York City dream is not cheap. It’s even harder when you pay your own way. By YASMIN GULEC Under the Arch Editor
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Photos By KATIE PEURRUNG Under the Arch Multimedia Editor
hoebox-sized apartments shared by four people, bedrooms with hardly enough space for a twin bed and friendly rodents that visit from time to time. Despite the downsides, off-campus housing can be worth it — especially for these students who not only live off-campus but also pay their rent themselves.
Rachel Arbacher Rachel Arbacher is a junior in Steinhardt who lives in the East Village. She lives with two roommates and pays a monthly rent of $1,400 — a price she believes is reasonable given the location. “I’m close to campus, which is convenient; I have my own room, and we have a decent amount of living space,” Arbacher said. “I do pay less for a single room than I would dorming in a double, though, which is something worth considering.” Arbacher made the leap to off-campus housing after her sophomore year. For Arbacher and her roommates, finding an apartment was a difficult mission due to their tight budget and neighborhood preferences. Because of this, they spent nearly 20 hours over the course of four weeks viewing apartments before finally finding their current East Village crib. “It was exhausting, and brokers are very stress-inducing,” she shared. In order to pay for her charming apartment
— on top of a portion of her tuition and her minimal daily expenses — Arbacher works two jobs. By tutoring students in music theory and working as an editor at NYU’s Writing Center, in addition to working full-time over the summer, Arbacher has saved up enough money to be nearly self-sufficient. “I do enjoy the work but it definitely can be draining,” Arbacher said. “It’s hard to balance two jobs, two majors, a sport and music performances — especially when the jobs are one-onone and mentally demanding. But knowing that I’m helping people makes it worth it.” Arbacher shares that there is a satisfying sense of independence that comes with paying all the expenses that come with adulthood, but she makes it clear that she is by no means earning comfortable money yet. “It’s taxing, but at the end of the day it has taught me a lot about financial responsibility,” she said.
Sitting on her armchair next to the window, Rachel Arbacher shared her experience paying for her own rent. She lives with two of her roommates in the East Village.
Jenny Du CAS junior Jenny Du is one of many NYU students that has found a home in the East Village. Although Du doesn’t pay for her rent anymore, she was fully responsible for all her expenses, including rent, this past summer. She paid $1,375 for a newly renovated apartment that had a dishwasher, laundry machine and rooftop access, in addition to being close to campus. Compared to her two roommates, Du’s rent is much lower because she lives in an open-air lofted room. Du made the move off campus last May. Even though it was relatively easy for her to find a place, she found the process of apartment hunting stressful and incredibly fastpaced. “We first viewed the apartment on a Saturday or Sunday, and signed the lease the following Thursday,” she said.
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Jenny Du and her roommate’s cat sit on her East Village apartment’s staircase, which leads into her room. This past summer she footed her entire rent.
If Du could live anywhere in New York City, she would venture across the river. “A high-rise in Downtown Brooklyn by Jay Street-Metrotech [is ideal] because it’s easy to get anywhere in Manhattan or Brooklyn, and, of course, because it has the best view of Manhattan and the Hudson,” Du said. Du paid for rent with the money she made while she worked as a legal and compliance intern at an investment management firm. Her paycheck also covered Wi-Fi, electricity, groceries, books and her gym membership. “I felt much more independent,” she said. “Also, because my parents were already paying my tuition, I wanted to lessen their financial burden. Even though I don’t pay rent anymore, being responsible for it for a summer has made me become more disciplined in my everyday spending habits.”
Cora Lee Womble-Miesner Transfer student and CAS junior Cora Lee WombleMiesner lives in Bed-Stuy with her three roommates for $750 per month. Overtly aware of expensive housing before moving to New York, Womble-Miesner was relieved to find an apartment at such a low cost. In her eyes, it’s a steal. “It’s just that the dorms are really expensive,” she said. “I’ve never actually set foot in one. I transferred from a community college in San Diego, so this is my first experience at a university. In some ways, I feel isolated by living further away, but also I just feel alienated because of the wealth divide.” Womble-Miesner’s ideal apartment is one near campus, mainly for the sake of convenience. That being said, she does enjoy living in Brooklyn — and her 40-minute commute to campus. She knew that when she decided to move to New York City, she would be taking care of herself — as a 23-yearold, she did not expect her parents to be financially responsible for her anymore. Though Womble-Miesner sometimes envies those who do not have to support themselves, she says she would not have it any other way. Her hard work inside and outside the classroom gives her a sense of
accomplishment. “At the risk of sounding like someone’s dad, I think it builds character,” Womble-Miesner said. “This isn’t an easy city to be broke in, and it’s even tougher when you are broke and alone.” She pays for all her living expenses, groceries, utilities, laundry and a fare evasion ticket she got after six months of hopping the subway. “My parents cover my phone bill, shout out to mom and dad,” she said. Womble-Miesner felt lucky to have a paid internship this winter, working at publishing company W.W. Norton, especially because last semester she was working 40 hours a week in a very physically demanding job that was paying her less than minimum wage. Her internship was the first job she ever worked sitting down, with decent hours. The one drawback was that she was restricted to working a maximum of 20 hours each week, forcing Womble-Miesner to find odd jobs from Craigslist to augment her income. “In three months when this internship is over, I will probably get a job at a grocery store, unless I can line up another internship opportunity,” she said. Cora Lee Womble-Miesner sits on her bed adorned with a variety of colored blankets in her Bed-Stuy apartment. She pays for her rent and living expenses with her paid internship and odd Craigslist jobs.
Izzy Stein Despite St. Marks Place being notorious for drunken crowds and late night noise, CAS junior Izzy Stein isn’t bothered. Her two roommates, who are also her best friends, and the location trump St. Marks’ infamous character. “I really like it. It is expensive, but it is fun,” she said, laughing. “Get to walk past seven different bars on my way home everyday so it is good to fight temptation.” The apartment is sizable and clean, according to Stein, although it may not be worth the price tag. “I feel like for me to justify paying how much I am, I would have to live in a mansion, but I think that just means I am cheap,” she said. Stein has been financially independent since she was 18, and has worked as a bartender, waitress, dog sitter and salesperson at different points in her life. She recently quit her retail and dog walking jobs at Madewell and Rover and is currently working at an Israeli restaurant called Spiegel and as a tutor. With her earnings, Stein pays for everything from eating out and groceries to her phone, internet and electricity bills. All these expenses make her money-conscious. “In the summer, I literally refuse to turn [my air
conditioning] on,” she said. “It is there for decoration.” Stein was in NYU housing until this year. She last lived in Lafayette Residence Hall. Even now, paying $1,600 rent, she pays less than what she paid for NYU housing. She says that campus housing used to be challenging because she always had to sign in her family members who often visited her — though she sees why campus housing might seem like an easier option. “You pay for everything in the beginning [for campus housing] and then forget about it, whereas now I have to make sure to remember to send the check every month and that I have the money in the account and I do not touch it,” she said. Her busy work schedule helps pay for all her expenditures, but worries the parents of the first-generation student who place great importance on Stein’s education. “My mom was really stressing about how much I was working and she really wanted me to focus on school,” she said. “She offered to get another job on weekends and I was like, no. I like working. It keeps me busy. “
Izzy Stein stands in front of her kitchen counter in her apartment on St. Marks Place. Stein moved off-campus last semester.
Michael Marinaccio Beyond the invisible boundaries of NYU, CAS junior Michael Marinaccio lives on East 116th Street with his two roommates, with a monthly rent of $900 each. “Compared to apartments back home and even in Brooklyn, I think that we’re definitely overpaying,” he said. As a transfer student, he had less than a month to find an apartment before classes began, and said the process was crazy. “The first time I ever visited [New York City] was actually to sign for my apartment,” Marinaccio said. If he could get any apartment he wanted, Marinaccio would live in a Midtown studio, but for now, he’s in Spanish Harlem, where he enjoys working as a restaurant server. “I’m hoping to score a job on campus as a tutor,” he said. “I also work odd jobs on the side.” Marinaccio has been a server for six
years and shares that the thrill of being able to financially support himself never wears off. His earnings cover all his monthly expenses including his monthly unlimited MetroCard, groceries, rent, clothing and nights out. “I pay for all of my extras myself,” he said. “I also send a chunk of my money home to my family to cover any expenses that they need help with.” The ability to provide for himself makes Marinaccio feel like a real adult. “Sometimes when I send the rent check in, I just smile because I’m living the stereotypical student-in-the-city dream,” Marinaccio said. “I do get a little anxious at times because one bad night in the restaurant could force me to postpone grocery shopping in order to make rent on time.” Email Yasmin Gulec at ygulec@nyunews.com.
JUSTIN PARK | WSN
Michael Marinaccio sits at his desk in his apartment in Spanish Harlem. He pays his rent by working as a server.
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Getting Creative in the Bedroom They say you shouldn’t mix work and home life, but for these students, that’s impossible. After all, their roommates are their collaborators. By BELA KIRPALANI Deputy Managing Editor Been Stellar Not everyone gets the chance to go to the same school as their best friend. Gallatin sophomore Sam Slocum got lucky. Born and raised just outside of Detroit, Slocum and CAS sophomore Skyler Knapp grew up together, sharing a love for music and Ben Stiller. The pair then moved to New York City, both applying to live on the F.A.M.E. (Featuring All Musical Endeavors) floor of Brittany Residence Hall, where they met Nando Dale, Skyler’s first-year roommate. “The first day, Skyler and I were just chilling, and then Sam comes over and I didn’t even know they were friends or whatever,” Dale, a Tisch sophomore, said. “Anyways, we start jamming and it just felt awesome.” The name Been Stellar originated when Slocum and Knapp were still in high school. “I wanted to have a name that had a double meaning,” Knapp said. “On one hand, Been Stellar kind of sounds like a play on [Ben Stiller’s] name, but also to me it sounded like a passive-aggressive way of saying ‘I’ve been fine. How’ve you been? I’ve been stellar.’” Recently, they met the real Ben Stiller, something that they had only ever joked about. Slocum, Knapp and Stiller, who went to high school with their friend’s mom, met at (Le) Poisson Rouge, where Stiller was hosting a private event. “It’s funny because all throughout high school, people were always like, ‘What if you meet him one day?’” Slocum said. “And it was always just a joke, and then I’m sitting there looking at Skyler and looking at Ben Stiller, thinking ‘This is so weird.’’’ Slocum, Knapp and Dale currently live togeth-
er in a triple room in Gramercy Green Residence Hall, where open guitar cases and crates of vinyl records litter the floor and posters of Radiohead and “Twin Peaks” adorn the walls. “I remember one day I was just laying in bed and Sam was just playing these chords, and I remember being just like ‘Whoa,’” Dale said. “So I had to come out of my room to see what he was doing.” The trio spends their free time jamming in their apartment, coming up with ideas and experimenting with sounds. “It’s like we’re all so comfortable with each other at this point, and us living together has made our song-writing process so much easier because we all trust each other and we all know each other,” Knapp said. “We know that we’re being sincere and genuine when we’re telling each other feedback and we’re all on the same wavelength when it comes to what we want things to sound like.” Slocum, Knapp and Dale have added Tisch sophomores Laila Wayans and Nico Brunstein to the band as a drummer and bass player, respectively. In terms of their vision for the future, the young musicians naturally hope for success, but ultimately want to make music that they are proud of. “It’d be great for this to work and we’re really hoping it does,” Slocum said. “But, beyond that, we’re doing it to make an artistic statement that satisfies us personally.” Been Stellar released their first album in June 2017, titled “Sells Out,” and are working on a new EP slated for release this year. Along with recording music, the band has performed at shows all over New York City, which can be very time consuming, especially for full-time college students. However, as busy as life gets, they will never give up writing and playing music. “[Music is] just always there,” Dale said. “We play for it, we work for it, we enjoy it.”
Gallatin sophomore Sam Slocum (left) and CAS sophomore Skyler Knapp (right) started their band, Been Stellar, while in high school. Now, they live together with fellow bandmate Tisch sophomore Nando Dale (center) in Gramercy Green Residence Hall.
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Tisch sophomores Ben Kaufman-Shalett (left) and Cooper Ernst (right) live together in and create video content for their young production company, Interstellar Studios.
Interstellar Studios In NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Film & TV program, there are students who spend entire semesters writing, planning and filming passion projects. For Cooper Ernst and Ben Kaufman-Shalett of Interstellar Studios, that’s a typical week. “Interstellar Studios is a young production company that strives to make our own content as well as doing a lot of commercial work,” Ernst explained, sitting on a stool in his tiny Alumni Residence Hall kitchen. “Our idea is to try and fund our passion projects by doing work with larger companies.” Tisch sophomores Ernst and Kaufman-Shalett met in a writing class during their first year. Well, actually, they met before class when the two tagged along with some classmates to Dos Toros to grab some burritos. “We look at our watch and see that class starts in like a minute,” Ernst said. “So we get our burritos and we take off running as fast as we can. I remember I ate my burrito on the way — I didn’t even know that was possible to do in a full sprint. Thus was the start of a beautiful friendship.” When asked how to describe their working relationship, Kaufman-Shalett quipped, “It’s not much different from our friendship. We find the most mundane things and try to make them funny.” Working together on a business can be all-consuming at times, especially when you live with your co-worker. “In film, working a nine-to-five is not a real thing,” Ernst said. “And then when you live with the people you work with, it’s really, really not a real thing.” “So, we’re always on 24/7, thinking about films, working on films, wanting to do film,” KaufmanShalett added.
Steinhardt junior Thomas Paparella (left) and CAS junior George Matsuo (right) lounge with their guitars on Matsuo’s bed as they discuss Human Girlfriend’s upcoming EP, which they recorded this past summer.
Alumni Residence Hall where they brainstorm
Ideas and jokes flow constantly between the two — after always arguing over who has the better beard, Kaufman-Shalett suggests that he and Ernst make a video, in which they battle it out to see who can grow the longest beard. A few days and some animation effects later, the Beard Battle video was born. Ernst is the self-described visual effects editor and animation guy, while Kaufman-Shalett balances the roles of cinematographer and editor. So far, the two have worked on different commercials for clients, while simultaneously creating original content for their YouTube channel. “I would like to get to the point where one week, we do a commercial project and the next we do a personal project,” Ernst said. “That’s a hard process. You’ve got to build a client list in an already competitive market, and I think our model for the way that we do things is we’re going to do it better, faster and cheaper than anyone else.” According to Ernst, the ability to produce their own content has played an important role in each of their lives, since falling in love with film at a young age. “I use film as an outlet for dealing with the stuff in life,” Ernst said. “So, I think when things are more complicated and there’s more stuff going on, there’s more to draw from.” Ernst and Kaufman-Shalett have a business-first approach to their company, and are always looking for ways to expand and produce interesting content. “This isn’t us messing around and putting our school projects out there, this is us — this is business,” Ernst said. “Money is involved, and there are jobs and careers and job titles.”
Human Girlfriend Meet Thomas Paparella and George Matsuo — two lanky boys with long, curly locks cascading over their eyes. Paparella kneels on the floor of their Lower East Side apartment, his feet tightly tucked under him, his fingers dancing ever so lightly on an olive green Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. Matsuo sits on the windowsill, the sunlight flooding into the room, with his head bobbing as he softly sings and strums along on a Yamaha acoustic guitar. The two met in 2016 as first-years at NYU Paris. They quickly became friends and began playing guitar together, eventually performing weekly at a local Parisian bar on Sundays. “At the end of our freshman year, we released two unrecorded albums,” Paparella said. “It was the most productive part of our entire lives.” Their band is now called Human Girlfriend — but it wasn’t always. “The original name was Les Tigres, which is like the band Le Tig, but I was like, ‘It’s fine,’” Paparella said. “Then I went to a party at the end of freshman year and the first person I talked to said ‘You know you’re named after another band.’” During their sophomore year, the pair lived together in Gramercy Green Residence Hall, which was where they met their drummer and current roommate, Steinhardt junior Jared Shaw. “It’s definitely a rewarding and exciting experience to be able to take part in creating and shaping original music, which we think has its own unique style and genre,” Shaw said. The indie rock group has since added bass player, Steinhardt junior Tom Miritello, after meeting him during the summer when he helped record their forthcoming EP. Currently, Miritello is spending the spring semester in Prague, so fellow Steinhardt junior Jimmy Kavetas is subbing as bass player for Human Girlfriend’s live shows. Juniors in Steinhardt and CAS, respectively, Paparella and Matsuo have now lived together for almost two years, and love the way it affects
their music writing. “We’ll be playing and we’ll keep trying things until something sparks,” Matsuo said. “Or one of us will come to the other with something that we worked on, and if it resonates then we move forward.” Matsuo grew up in Los Angeles and Japan, whereas Paparella hails from Rye, New York. Paparella’s close proximity to the city allowed him to visit on the weekends and gave him his first exposure to venues they now play. “I remember in like the 10th grade, coming to St. Marks and getting drunk like an idiot, thinking I was so cool,” Paparella said. “And then I would go to shows with my dad in the city all the time, so that’s why playing these venues is really cool.” Matsuo and Paparella describe their music as throwback ’90s, but their list of musical influences is varied and extensive, including Twin Peaks, Fleetwood Mac, New Order, Velvet Underground and Gunna. While neither had performed live much before coming to NYU, Paparella appreciates the passion and organization that Human Girlfriend brings to every show. And it’s a plus that he can count on the people he collaborates with — his friends — to all stay in tune and keep on the same page. “It’s nice to actually stand behind a band that you like the music that’s coming out of it and you’re not worried that someone’s going to mess up the entire time,” he said. “That being said, we all mess up multiple times, but I think [only we] hear it.” Human Girlfriend has released three songs — “A Ripened Pear,” “Opposite People” and “Empty Saddles” — and will release an EP in March. Tom Miritello was formerly the Audio Engineer for WSN. Email Bela Kirpalani at bkirpalani@nyunews.com.
Paparella (right) and Matsuo (left) mess around with some chords in their Lower East Side apartment. They make up half of their indie rock band, Human Girlfriend.
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