“Go, Emory, go,” her dad cheered from behind the crowd. His daughter, incoming Tisch film major Emory Parker, was weaving through the sea of potential class of 2017 students at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.
The family was one of many that came to the city for NYU’s annual Weekend on the Square this past weekend. At one of the first events NYU hosts for admitted students, admissions ambassadors led groups of admitted students through campus to show what NYU could offer those students who confirmed their acceptance.
The Parker family had driven in from Manhasset, N.Y. Sporting a class of 2017 T-shirt — which she had fashioned into a makeshift scarf — Mrs. Parker walked alongside her daughters and Mr. Parker, who had donned “the suit that he only wears to NYU,” according to his children.
Two hours earlier, Lauren Fleming, another admitted student, and her family had arrived from Burlington, N.J., just in time for refreshments and the Steinhardt welcome at the Kimmel Center for University Life.
Though each college held its own welcome this weekend, the ninth floor of Kimmel served as the first official stop for many of the families that arrived. Nervous groups huddled to discuss navigating NYU’s urban campus, and parents forced their children to introduce themselves to others.
The Fleming family was among them, and Mrs. Fleming casually sipped her coffee as Mr. Fleming proudly slapped on his admissions guest sticker and gree-ted the admissions ambassadors. As the group set off, Lauren tried to distract herself from her nerves by flipping through the program. Lauren’s 13-year-old brother, a basketball fanatic, stopped and asked his sister to take a picture of him with the NYU Bobcat.
“Get a picture with my phone,” Eric told his older sister, who responded without missing a beat.
“I am not taking a picture with the Bobcat,” Lauren said.
“No, take a picture of me with the Bobcat,” he emphasized.
Admitted students swarmed the Square this weekend, and their parents trailed not far behind — along with their nerves.
“I’ve been to the area so many times, but now that it’s admitted students’ day, I’m nervous to even walk,” Lauren said.
Emory had earlier voiced her concern that city life would be intimidating. But she looked completely at home as she strolled along Broadway with her sister’s arm draped across her shoulder.
As the family made its way through Washington Square Park, Emory’s father grinned and said, “Look at us all here at NYU.”
His attention turned to a live Shakespeare in the Square performance. Just minutes before, he had joked about his stage fright before his wife playfully interrupted him, saying, “Get over yourself, this isn’t about you.”
Emory said what most attracted her to NYU was the freedom the university’s curriculum allowed her.
“It’s such a relief to know where I’m going,” Emory said. “It’s really cool to be going somewhere. Not only somewhere, but the best place for me in the world.”
As Emory and her parents made their way to their next tour, it was time for questions at Lauren’s program meeting. Her father nudged her forward.
“I thought you’d ask a couple of questions,” he said. “I always have a list of them.”
She responded silently, shaking her head and turning her eyes back toward her sample course syllabus.
After the university welcome, her outlook noticeably shifted from the apprehension she’d shown at Kimmel earlier in the day.
She expressed a sense of belonging, saying, “I’m not going to lie, that made me excited to come to NYU.”
Later, as Lauren walked ahead on the way to Third Avenue North residence hall, her dad looked at his daughter.
“I always loved New York City, but I never got the chance to live here,” he said. “Now, Lauren will have that opportunity.”
And in the building of the Tisch School of the Arts, Emory’s parents waited downstairs as their daughter went to familiarize herself with some of her future collaborators.
“It’s so satisfying to be here, knowing these are the teachers I’m going to have, these are the kids I’m going to be working with, this is my experience,” Emory said. “I think I’m ready to go to a place where I can be immersed in everything at once.”
A version of this article appeared in the April 22 print edition. Michael Domanico is a copy chief. Lyanne Natividad is a contributing writer. Email them at [email protected].
