Dear Readers

 

Dear readers of October in New York,

The past few years have been a period in time that will not be easily forgotten. First the global travel came to a halt due to the pandemic and now the wars and other conflicts still rage around the world. These times, if anything, make knowing other cultures and countries maybe more important than ever. Thus, after a year-long preparation and planning I had the great privilege of leading a group of students through both the American Studies 2025 course and a memorable October week in New York – it was the 14^th time.

As always, there was a lot to see and even more to experience. There were twenty-six of us this year. We were warmly received everywhere, and everyone, be it our tour guides or the staff in any of the places we visited, went out of their way to help us. A special thank you goes to the Consulate General and the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN for welcoming us for the second time. The Foreign Ministry of Finland as well as the American Embassy in Helsinki have over the years given a lot to my students and the American Studies. I hope we can work together in the future as well. Furthermore, the locals in New York were even more helpful and attentive than any of us could have expected and we will cherish the encounters with them.

I am happy that you found our blog! Do enjoy the accounts written by my students. They certainly had their own favorites on our itinerary. Mine were the Metropolitan Opera, as always, with an extraordinary performance of Don Giovanni; Aladdin The Musical, and our visit to High Line where we met with an American Studies alumna, Heli, who now lives in New York. The enthusiasm the visit to New York evokes in my students is always the best possible thank you from the students one can get.

I would like to thank my wonderfully enthusiastic and active students as well as their exceptionally supportive families. Also, my co-chaperone Pasi deserves to be acknowledged – well done for a first-timer in the Big Apple!

NYC is a city to be experienced in person. I hope there will be new groups of students to do so one day with me.

Until next time, New York!

Love,

Mervi

 

By Ella P. 

P.s. The photos in the October in New York blog are mine unless otherwise indicated.

American Museum on Natural History October 8, 2025

 

American Museum of Natural History

 

We started our journey by heading north of your accommodation as the museum was also located on the west side of the Central Park. It was nice to be inside for a while, since it was raining outside – for the first and last time while we were in New York. We explored the vast museum extensively, but due to the limited time, we couldn’t explore it all. Some of the most intriguing sites were the gem gallery, the massive Blue Whale and the Easter Island Statue. We had tickets for the Invisible Worlds, too. We enjoyed walking through the immersive exhibition. Before leaving, we also went to watch the Space Show, Encounters in the Milky Way. Overall, the visit to the AMNH was definitely worth it.

By Mervi

By Mervi

Photo by Eetu

NYU and Washington Square Park

 

NYU New York University 

 

October 3rd was our first full day in New York. After a long and quite draining day of travelling, the city welcomed us with sunshine and a clear sky. It was almost as hot as during the summer in Helsinki, but a cool breeze made the temperature - dare I say - perfect. We started our first day with a private bus tour around the city. One of our stops was Washington Square Park, which is located in Greenwich Village. The park serves as the heart of New York University’s campus. All the other buildings of the campus are set around the premises of the park.  

 

We wandered through the park for a hot minute. It was full of tourists, New Yorkers, and especially students. Some were enjoying their lunch with friends, while others were buried in their books. We even saw a woman in her graduation gown posing for graduation photos with a photographer. The park truly felt like the heart of the campus, it was alive and vibrant. 

 

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to go inside the university buildings as a group. However, visiting the park and soaking up its atmosphere was a wonderful substitute for experiencing the campus and student life first-hand. 

Photo by Fiia

Columbia University Bookstore

 

Columbia University Bookstore

Photo by Anastasija

Unfortunately we couldn’t visit the Columbia University campus due to the restrictions still in place in early October but we did get to visit the Columbia bookstore.

The store was huge and it wasn’t only books. You could find magnets, posters, hats et cetera about Columbia university but the most fascinating part for me were the clothes. It was insane to see school merch on a brand like Lululemon. The brand is known for their athletic clothes and has become more and more popular in recent years.

The bookstore was amazing as it held books of every kind, from religious books to sci-fi novels. The staff was also really helpful which was wonderful to see.

Columbia University was founded in 1754, which makes it one of the oldest universities in the country. However, the bookstore was opened in the late 1990’s. Some might think that it’s a separate building but the store is actually a part of the original Lerner hall.

Upper West Side and Columbus Circle

 

Columbus Circle Upper West Side and West Side YMCA 

 

The Upper West Side is not your stereotypical New York neighborhood. Its tree-lined streets, small cafés, bookstores, and modern design give it a more relaxed and welcoming atmosphere from the rest of Manhattan. The Upper West Side is home to places like Lincoln Center and American Museum of Natural History. It is also considered one of the cultural hubs of Manhattan. The Upper West Side is one of Manhattan’s high-end neighborhoods. 

 

Just south of the Upper West Side lies Columbus Circle which has a completely different mood. It’s bright, busy, and filled with people. It is a major tourist destination and traffic circle located at the southwest corner of Central Park where Broadway, Central Park West, and 8th Avenue meet. The most famous part of Columbus Circle is a monument of Christopher Columbus made in 1892. The other three main things around the Circle are the USS Maine National Monument, Trump International Hotel and Tower and The Deutsche Bank Center.  

 

The West Side YMCA is Community Center located on The Upper West Side near Columbus Circle. It has a wide range of programs from sports to art for every age group. It also has a dormitory which was quite a culture shock. The staff was welcoming, though, and the gym looked great. I probably wouldn’t stay there again but would happily use their other services.