New York City College Bars, Hotspots and Hangouts

College life in New York City can be exciting-but also overwhelming at times. This article is designed to help you find places where other college kids hang out in the Fall, Spring, Winter, Summer, and during final exams. With thousands of bars and coffee shops in the Manhattan area alone (and many more in Brooklyn and Queens!), you will soon know the few that are "hotspots" of college life and activity. I recommend you start with these:

Faye's on the Square - Located at the edge of Washington Square Park, Faye's is an NYU owned and operated coffee shop that serves Starbucks coffee, breakfast, salads, and more. There are a number of college kids in there at all hours of the day-and not just NYU kids, either. Take advantage of free WiFi (if you're lucky) and find a spot on one of the comfy couches. It won't be long before you make some friends; people go in there to study, work, and refuel on caffeine at virtually all hours of the day.

Coffee Shop - Called simply "Coffee Shop", this restaurant/bar/café is located near the park at Union Square West. The waiters and waitresses are all hip and many young college students and recent graduates flock here for a quick lunch. In fact, there are several university dorms nearby.

NYU Bookstore - The NYU Bookstore is a hotbed of college activity. It isn't just a textbook store; you can find a wide range of trade fiction, nonfiction, and magazines on the upper floor-selection rivals a small Barnes & Noble or Borders. Also consider walking over to the Kimmel Center, an NYU-owned property that has Internet access, tables for studying, and much more.

Bar None - For college students new to the bar scene, Bar None is known for a collegiate atmosphere and is located downtown. The environment on some nights can best be described as "extremely sleazy"-if you are a girl, definitely do not go on your own; bring friends or a boyfriend along so you won't be hit on by creepy old men. Despite this caveat, the bar offers fair-priced brews and tends to attract a fairly large college crowd on Friday and Saturday nights.

Pour House - The cleverly named Pour House, located only a couple blocks down the street from Bar None, is a somewhat cleaner operation with a nice "sports bar" atmosphere. Cozy up next to a nice flatscreen television with your favorite sports team tuned in, or treat yourself to their occasional "happy hour" drinks (some of the lowest prices I have seen in the city for domestic beers). Not as rowdy as Bar None, but a clean and cheap place to go for a drink with some friends after class. The waiters and waitresses there are polite enough, but somewhat dull. Food is okay (standard bar food; quesadillas and buffalo wings) but go there for the cheap booze and camaraderie with friends from class.