NYU Berlin Blog

Student voices

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Going Solo, Growing Strong: A Semester at NYU Berlin

Thinking about studying away on your own? In this NYU Global Notebook article, Sabrina’s semester at NYU Berlin shows how a solo leap can become community, confidence, and real academic growth.

Choosing to study away solo can feel daunting—but Sabrina Satterwhite (Gallatin ’25) found that a leap into the unknown became a semester of genuine growth at NYU Berlin. Within a day of moving into the Residence Hall, the “people-to-bathroom ratio” worries gave way to new friendships, shared dinners and laughter—and even meeting her best friend on the benches outside the dorm. Although she wasn’t a music or studio art major, Sabrina was welcomed into a vibrant community of artists and musicians, soaking up Berlin’s colourful cultural life through RA-led trips to the opera and the Philharmonie, student craft nights, potlucks, and informal performances. [Read more…] about Going Solo, Growing Strong: A Semester at NYU Berlin

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A Walk Through Neukölln

Walking alone through Neukölln, I encountered a Berlin few tourists see — a layered, vibrant, and tension-filled neighborhood where resilience and marginalization meet in everyday life.

By Mattis Nurit*

From the moment I stepped out of the U-Bahn at Hermannplatz, the atmosphere felt different. The streets were alive with a mix of languages, cultures, and rhythms that revealed a neighborhood in constant negotiation — between old and new, exclusion and belonging, surveillance and creativity.

As I walked through the streets around Hermannplatz, I was drawn into a vibrant mix of people: Young and middle-aged adults, predominantly from Middle Eastern, Turkish, Arab, East Asian, and African backgrounds, filled the sidewalks. The shops mirrored this diversity — selling goods from nearly every part of the world. And yet, signs and menus were written in German, signalling an overarching framework into which these global identities are folded. [Read more…] about A Walk Through Neukölln

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Berlin’s Club Culture: The Aesthetic Battle Against Gentrification

By Kersti Jin*

There’s always that one painting, statue, or photograph we can stare at for hours, lost in its details, captivated by its presence. Perhaps we’re doomed to eternally search for metaxy, a term Simone Weil borrowed from the Greek to describe humanity’s longing for the good and the beautiful. But beauty, Weil also argued, “always promises, but never gives anything.” It’s a strikingly cynical take—one that encapsulates our relentless pursuit of aesthetics, a pursuit that doesn’t just unfold in art galleries but in every space we inhabit. Aesthetics shape our experiences, define our sense of belonging, and imbue our surroundings with meaning. Nowhere is this more evident than in urban environments. And in a city like Berlin, where history is etched into every brick, aesthetics become a battleground between authenticity and economic imperatives.

[Read more…] about Berlin’s Club Culture: The Aesthetic Battle Against Gentrification

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Global Learning: Raghav Dembla’s NYU Berlin Experience

Raghav Dembla is an upcoming global scholar whose academic journey has taken him from India to New York, from there to Shanghai and now to Berlin. In this blog post, he shares his thoughts on studying at NYU Berlin, reflecting on the city’s culture, his role as a Global Equity Fellow, and his future plans.

By Raghav Dembla*

I always thought of Berlin as a liberal-leaning center for both academics and culture and I wanted to explore that while also seeking out opportunities for myself to continue my studies in my post-graduate degree here. Additionally, I was inspired by the courses at NYU Berlin that centered on the German intellectual tradition. Having studied in Asia and America, I thought Berlin with its centrepoint in both Europe and European polity would give me a greater understanding of the continent. [Read more…] about Global Learning: Raghav Dembla’s NYU Berlin Experience

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Neues Kreuzberger Zentrum: The Profitwurm and Functional Marvel

Neues Kreuzberger Zentrum
Von Boris Niehaus (www.1just.de) – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30780899

By Jack Bobley*

The Neues Kreuzberger Zentrum stands as a striking edifice that captures immediate attention upon emerging from the Kottbusser Tor U-Bahn station. This colossal bright-yellow structure houses over 300 units, forming a horseshoe shape around the central plaza and extending boldly over Adalbertstraße, facilitating traffic with a two-lane underpass. Satellite dishes adorn balconies, and graffiti adorns seemingly inaccessible spots, adding to its unique character. Rising ten stories above ground for residences, with a two-story base housing cafes and shops, the NKZ dominates the skyline, impossible to overlook.

Within the plaza, a vibrant mix of produce stands, takeout joints, bars, art galleries, offices, and even a casino intertwine with the NKZ, creating a bustling microcosm of the multicultural essence of Kotti, the affectionate moniker for the area around Kottbusser Tor. The complex’s integration into the urban landscape is remarkable, with pedestrian underpasses, staircases, and balconies revealing more businesses at every turn. What strikes me most about this scene is that the defining landmark, the architectural marvel of the neighborhood, is a public housing project.

[Read more…] about Neues Kreuzberger Zentrum: The Profitwurm and Functional Marvel

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Squatters – Berlin’s Ultimate Housing Justice Pioneers

Squat in Berlin

By Julia Meyers*

I have recently been working on a list of places to visit in Berlin when friends and family visit during the following months. What sites or experiences could possibly sum up this city in a way that reflects its culture as it really is, not as curated by the tourism industry? What small pieces of the city are truly reflective of Berliner history and tradition? It’s a trick question, but I have a working hypothesis: The Berlin Squats Tour.

I’ll be honest, I am partly kidding. I might have a sort of ethical dilemma turning people’s homes into tourist destinations. But if a tourist is attempting to discover what a city has to offer in terms of culture and history, Berlin’s squats serve this purpose beautifully. [Read more…] about Squatters – Berlin’s Ultimate Housing Justice Pioneers