Lessons learned during my first few days in New York

-Wear comfortable shoes. Even shoes you think are comfortable may (more accurately, will almost certainly) prove not to be.

-Dental floss is not strong enough to hang a full-length mirror, even if you twist several strands of it together. Exercise caution.

-Lamingtons are delicious.

-Don’t carry more than you have to. If Saturday night out in midtown seems like a good opportunity to return a desk lamp to your sarcastic brother, rethink it.

-Textbooks purchased at a university bookstore are appallingly expensive. (So expensive that your friend, who studied science in undergrad and is used to shelling out over $300 for a single book, will be horrified by your reported total). Save your receipts and find the same books, brand new, on Amazon for a fraction of the cost.

-Speed chess is actually really fun to watch.

-Always carry tissues/toilet paper. I'll say no more on this subject.