Over 250 incoming students from NYU Shanghai’s Class of 2025 arrived at the gates of the Jinqiao residence halls on Sunday, August 22, where they hugged their parents goodbye before sauntering ahead with their luggage and embarking on a new phase of life at NYU Shanghai. Another 250 students will begin their university careers at other NYU global network sites or remotely, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
To beat the crowd, Yang Zihan, from Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, arrived with her parents promptly at 8:00 AM—one hour early—and was the first to check in. Right away, she was welcomed by Chancellor Tong and upperclass student Orientation Ambassadors. “It felt so ceremonious, it made me feel at ease right away,” Yang said. “I fell in love with this ‘university without walls’ when I visited NYU in junior high...As a high school senior, I began to study hard, aiming to apply to NYU Shanghai. I didn’t apply to any other universities!”
Zhang Tonghe ’25 (left) from Qingdao, Shandong Province, says he looks forward to building his English skills and making new friends from all over the world. “It’s my first day, and I feel like people here are as warm and welcoming as in my hometown.”
Duan Shujia ’25 of Beijing receives a classic class year T-shirt in NYU violet from volunteers. Duan checked into the residence halls with her friend and Beijing No. 4 High School classmate Chen Yiru ’25 (right).
NYU Shanghai leaders welcomed students and their families at the Jinqiao Residence Hall entrance, before students and parents parted ways. Here, Chancellor Tong Shijun, Vice Chancellor Jeffrey Lehman and Provost Joanna Waley-Cohen pose for a group photo with the mother of Yu Qing ’25, from Wuhan, Hubei Province.
Shanghai native Zhu Tianyi ’25 gives her family one last hug goodbye before checking in.
Rain or shine, we're ready to help! NYU Shanghai Orientation Ambassadors - upperclassmen who volunteer to guide students throughout move-in and orientation week - greeted arriving students with umbrellas during a sudden rain shower.
Lawrence Lim ’25 of New Jersey, USA, strikes a pose with roommate Tao Jiayu ’25 (left) and floormate Wang Ruixiang ’25 (right), both from Shanghai. Lim has set a goal for himself over the next four years at NYU Shanghai: Pass the HSK Level 6 exam in Chinese, while working on his time-management skills and becoming “more of an adult.” For the past year, Lim has lived with his grandparents in Shanghai’s Jing’an district and looks forward to exploring more of the city. “The residence hall is nice, with a lot of trees, so Pudong already feels much greener. All the welcoming staff have been very friendly.”
Staff volunteer Qian Chunhao (left) assists Fang Jiayin ’25 (right) from Qingdao, Shandong Province with her luggage.
Upon arrival, students received a “Welcome Home” bag stocked with gifts from different NYU Shanghai facilities, including a fan from the Library and a health toolkit full of goodies from the Student Health Center.
Liu Shuxin ’25 and Gu Wenqin ’25 of Jiangsu Province have been friends since their days at Changzhou High School and are excited to start their new college adventure together.
Orientation Ambassador Stephanie Anderson ’23 and volunteers welcomed students with NYU Shanghai swag and ice cream—essential to getting through a hot Shanghai summer afternoon.
As they settle into their new room, Kevin Liu Dekai ’25 (left) from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and his roommate Hu Hanwen ’25 (right) from Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, talk about what they’re excited to study at NYU Shanghai. Liu wants to major in social science and minor in interactive media arts, and Hu is set on becoming a business and finance major.
After moving into their new rooms, first-year students—and their umbrellas—went on a rainy neighborhood tour guided by Orientation Ambassadors.
“I hope that in these four years, I can explore the outside world and challenge myself to go beyond my own way of thinking,” said Wu Shuli ’25 of Shanghai. “In my studies, in my work, and in the way I interact with people out in the world—everything’s going to change. Only when people change their hearts can they change the way they look at things.”