Students Recount 2024 Solar Eclipse At NYU
A ballerina from New York City stood with her head faced up and her toes flat on the ground, a change from her usual stance. She looked up at the sky in awe of the 2024 solar eclipse.
“It was kind of like a romantic-gothic novel kind of vibe, “ said Veronica Dronsky, 19. “When the moon completely blocked the sun, I heard people screaming which was cool.”
Isabelle, a junior at NYU, waited patiently and excitedly on line for the second time to obtain a pair of the limited supply of solar eclipse glasses provided by the university. “I had to wait in a really long line,” she said. “They ran out so fast.”
NYU offers complimentary “Solar Eclipse Viewing Glasses” across campus
It was a hectic time at Washington Square Park, which practically reached maximum capacity on April 8 for the viewing of the solar eclipse. Possibly equally as chaotic were the three locations at which NYU was providing free eclipse glasses—Schwartz Plaza, the Kimmel Center for University Life and the Paulson Center.
Despite her struggle in obtaining her eclipse glasses, Isabelle, 21, said, “I think it’s worth all the hype.,”
The struggle was clearly very real to get these coveted glasses. “Some people got fake solar eclipse glasses. They got scammed out a bit,” Isabelle said, referring to eclipse glasses recalled by Amazon and other vendors.
NYU freshman, Molly Suglaski, 19, struggled to watch the eclipse because she did not get the glasses necessary. “I did not get to see the eclipse because I don’t have the glasses but I hope the people who watched it enjoyed it. I assume it was like the 2017 one,” Suglaski said.
Another NYU freshman, Archie Dasgupta, 19, struggled more with the overcrowded Washington Square Park. “I appreciated the resources NYU offered, like the solar eclipse glasses and the cookies. However, I believe it would have been beneficial if they provided alternative locations beyond Washington Square Park for viewing the solar eclipse. My friends and I struggled to find a suitable spot, prompting us to venture uptown,” she said.
Washington Square Park filled with spectators to watch the 2024 Solar Eclipse
NYU Graduate student, Eva Coleman, 27, ventured from Brooklyn for a chance to obtain a pair of glasses. “Apparently they are giving out glasses and that’s actually why I came here to campus today,” Coleman said. “There was one in 2017 when I was an undergraduate that I saw that the school also facilitated in terms of handing out glasses and making sure there was a proper area.
Some professors helped facilitate this year as well by starting class late or ending early, or even allowing students to miss class altogether.
NYU freshman Julianna Sanchez, 19, said she wasn’t able to see the eclipse in 2017 so this was her first time ever seeing one. “I’ve always had a fascination with astrology so I am super excited to see the solar eclipse,” she said. “My professor is even starting class fifteen minutes later than our usual start time on Monday so we will be able to see the eclipse when it reaches 90% around 3:30pm. I’ll definitely be standing outside and watching in absolute awe,” she said.
Others, however, were less than excited to see the eclipse this year due to having seen the one in 2017.
Music producer, Tan Omanti, 31, said, “My plans are to not go blind. I’m not gonna lie, I’m fairly excited but not so much because we have had one before,” Omanti said.” “I am most definitely not going to be watching it with friends. They’re more excited than I am and I don’t want to bring down the vibe.”
The vibe was lowered even for some watching. Veronica Dronsky would lower her head disappointedly.
“Some clouds blocked the eclipse the moment it became full so we saw ‘the big moment’ for only a few seconds,” she said, before making her way back to lowering her head and lifting her toes as a ballerina once again.