Tips for a summer intern in NYC/Jersey City

Pratiksha Sharma
Jul 23, 2017 · 3 min read
Manhattan Skyline as seen from the Liberty State Park, Jersey City

Congratulations on bagging yourself an internship for the summer. Now, here are some of my tips on how you can navigate through life in NYC as an intern for the summer.

1.Packing

Before you start packing up your bags, understand the company culture. What sort of dress code are you expected to follow? It would be a shame if you bought an entire wardrobe of formal clothes and your colleagues came in to office with Jeans and sneakers everyday. So, talk about this with your manager before you start packing your bags. You don’t need to have a whole set of new clothes before coming to NYC. You could start working for a week, and then get the clothes you could wear at work- based on the work culture. Don’t forget to pack umbrella or raincoat, because it is going to rain for sure- at some point.

2. Finding Housing

Housing in NYC and Jersey City in general is expensive. Usually, companies provide interns with a list of housing options that are available around the place. NYC summer housing can be great for an intern- especially since it will be almost like living in Campus with RA, which is much more secure. Here are some other housing options in NYC.

Columbia

The New School

NJIT Newark

Image Source

NYC subway system in NYC is pretty easy to navigate once you understand it. First and Foremost- download a PDF Map of the NYC subway in your phone. This way, you don’t have to depend on Google Maps or any other Train Apps that consume a lot of battery life. Focus on the letter numbers for the train rather than the colors- the colors can be a bit confusing. The big White dots are stops for express trains while the smaller dots are stops for local trains. Based on your stop, decide whether it is a local train or an express train. The links below provide a detailed explanation regarding navigating the public transport in NYC and Jersey City.

Navigate NYC Subway

Navigate Path System

4. Networking

NYC and Jersey City provides you a great opportunity to network with people. If you are not interning at the company, you wanted to- don’t worry! You could find someone from that company in LinkedIn and arrange for a coffee/lunch. Meeting someone face to face provides you with the opportunity to leave a greater impression and potentially opens opportunities for you. Make the best out of the time you have by meeting new people, networking with employees of the firm you want to work full time at.

5. Attend Events and visit local places

View from the Tram in Manhattan

NYC is the city that never sleeps- so there is always something to do. Visit local parks and Museums. Go on a free ferry to Staten Island and watch the sunrise. Take a walk at the Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Ride a Tram in the heart of Manhattan. Attend free concerts in Central Park. The list keeps going on…there are just so many things to do. I personally did not use MeetUp but I have heard meetUp is used often here. So, download meetUp in your phone and do fun events with strangers. Below are some links to t0-so things in NYC over summer.

Things to do in NYC over summer

100 free things to do in NYC

Business Insider posted life-hacks for NYC interns in the summer here.

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