New York State of Mind
Discover the state of New York — beyond Manhattan’s skyscrapers and boroughs.
Think of New York and a flash of iconic images zoom into focus: the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the neon splendor of Times Square, for starters. But venture beyond the five boroughs, and you’ll find rolling green landscapes dotted with lakes, rivers, and quintessential East Coast college campuses. From idyllic small towns to 24/7 cities that never sleep, there’s a corner of the Empire State that’s calling your name.
Winter Wonderland
New York is a four-season state, and wintertime means snow — heaps of it! Downstate, an average of two feet falls each year, but upstate, a whopping 10 feet is the seasonal norm. If hitting the slopes on weekends is your idea of fun, you’ll have 43 ski resorts to choose from, including Lake Placid, two-time Winter Olympics host and home of the 2023 World University Games, where college students vie for gold medals in figure skating, snowboarding, and ice hockey.
Progressive Politics
If you haven’t heard of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman known colloquially as AOC, it’s only a matter of time. Stirring up politics with her boldly left-of-center ideas and youthful vitality, the Bronx native is credited with igniting political curiosity in an entire generation of voters. Serving alongside her is a squad of liberal Democrats comprised of gays, Muslims, vegans, and people of color who not only reflect the constituents they serve, but who are committed to tackling important issues of the day, from climate change to immigrant rights.
Location, Location, Location
Living in a mid-size state — New York ranks 27th out of 50 in size — has its advantages. With Canada to the north, New England to the east, and the Mid-Atlantic coastline to the south, you could be practicing your French in Montreal on Friday, boning up on political history in Washington, DC, on Saturday, and catching a Red Sox game in Boston on Sunday. Student discounts on the state’s broad network of trains, ferries, subways, and buses make exploring an affordable, car-free possibility, to boot.
Past Present
Don’t be surprised if you discover that your first New York picnic is taking place on a former Revolutionary battlefield. With more than 600 museums and historical sites scattered across the state, stepping into — and sometimes onto — local history is an inescapable part of the New York experience. Whether tracing the footsteps of freedom seekers at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center or doing a deep dive into the roots of breakdancing at the Universal Hip Hop Museum, fascinating off-campus education opportunities abound.
Global Village
Just about everybody’s heard of Chinatown, but what about Little Odessa, the neighborhood in Brooklyn with the largest Ukrainian population in the Western Hemisphere? New York City isn’t the state capital, but it is the culture capital, with vibrant micro-neighborhoods where more than 800 languages are spoken, from Arabic to Zhuang. Start your urban cultural immersion by savoring street-stall chaat masala in Queens’ Little India, singing karaoke in Manhattan’s K-Town, or watching a water ceremony at the annual Indigenous People’s Celebration in the Bronx.