“When I’m not running after deadlines, I’m running late for events organized by the Office of Graduate Affairs.”  At least, that was the thought racing through my mind when I was navigating my way to Chelsea Piers before the last call for boarding the cruise ship at 5:30 p.m. My friends and I boarded the ship in time, but not before having to go through a series of misadventures: trying to get a taxi cab, surviving nearly being run over by a tour bus, taking the subway, and locating the pier. The cruise started shortly thereafter. Although a bit winded from the earlier ordeal, I decided to head to the upper viewing deck, where I was greeted by the spectacular Manhattan skyline as the sun began to set over the horizon.

Lady Liberty. Photo by Leo Sorel.

The “Sunset Cruise” was the latest event organized by the NYU Law School Office of Graduate Affairs (OGA) for the LL.M. community. From Chelsea Piers, the cruise ship sailed south for Liberty Island, site of the Statue of Liberty, passing other famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center site, Battery Park, Ellis Island, and Governor’s Island before heading toward the three suspension bridges: the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Williamsburg Bridge.

At some point in the trip, I joined a large number of LL.M. students that had congregated at the topmost deck to socialize and to take in the sights. I ruminated on how easy it was to get lost exploring New York City on foot. The city was, after all, a concrete maze where one could get caught up  in a constant, frenetic rush up and down Broadway. Viewing the city from the water, however, lent me a different perspective. The city was almost tranquil as one scene unfolded into the next while the ship traversed New York harbor. Then my reflection session ended, and the stillness was broken by a collective cacophony of “Wow!”s in different languages as the ship passed the more iconic New York  City landmarks. I was plagued by one crucial question: to photograph or be photographed?

After more than an hour, the ship made its way back to Chelsea Piers. Upon disembarking, my friends and I made our fairly uneventful trip back home. Fortunately, it was easier to get a cab on the return trip. On the way back, I thought about how I nearly missed the Sunset Cruise because I could not get any tickets until a few days before the excursion. I’m glad that I did. And the best part? I got my ticket at half-price.

Leave a Reply