Issue Number 20 | November 2023
Written by Sophie Henderson , 4D2
School of New York
At the age of 13 , when I first saw the School of New York Times online post , I could never possibly have imagined just what it would lead to .
Upon filling out the application one year later and requesting a reference from my English teacher , I was aware that the chances of me securing a place with the School of New York Times Summer Academy , were one in a million , considering that people worldwide were also applying . However , surely enough – in April 2023 – I received the confirmation e-mail announcing my success in gaining a place in the programme . Two months later , on July 1st , I was packed and on a plane to New York .
Classes and dorms were in the Fordham University School of Law building since it was empty during Summer when law students were not there . The campus was near Central Park , Columbus Circle and most importantly , multiple branches of Starbucks ! My two roommates , Sanaa and Kennedy , were both American , from Chicago and Washington D . C . respectively . There was a slight language barrier between us when they could not understand my accent , but they became used to it eventually and we all found it amusing . It was fascinating to find out about their different lifestyles and cultures . I am glad we still stay connected today .
Summer Academy classes were from 9.30am to 3.30pm , from Monday to Friday and ‘ curfew ’ was 9.30pm , which gave me some time to explore Central Park and Times Square , ( after mastering how to use the subway ). On the first Saturday , I saw my first real Broadway show , ‘ NEW YORK , NEW YORK ’, as well as ‘ Chicago ’, which was , by far , my preferred show . Furthermore , I enjoyed walking the Highline , which is a path featuring nature and interesting buildings across the city of New York . My favourite views were from the ‘ Edge ’, which is the highest outdoor viewing deck in the Southern hemisphere , with a glass floor .
Back at the university , there were various courses to select from , with my first choice being ‘ Writing the Big City- Reporting in New York ’. However , prior to arriving in New York , I was allocated my second choice , ‘ Writing for TV ’. My teachers were real screenwriters , hired by The New York Times . My favourite teacher , Jeff , was an inspiration and he was incredibly interesting . Daily , he would ask me about Scottish desti-
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