Monday marked the first day of classes for NYU Abu Dhabi's Class of 2014. Since then, the Downtown Campus has been bustling with students filing into classrooms, studying in the library, enjoying lunch breaks in the café, and picking up supplies from the bookstore.

"It has definitely been exciting," said Lan Duong, from Fountain Valley, California (US). "The first week hasn't been that draining — it's just getting used to the classes." A sentiment echoed by Ben Higgins, from Dallas, Texas (US). "It's been nice," he said. "The workload hasn't really picked up yet, but the intellectual standard can already be seen in every class." For Ahmed Al Masaood, who hails from Abu Dhabi (UAE), this week has been an "amazing experience." "So far, so intriguing," he said. "It's great seeing all the students who have come from all over the world."

As well as growing accustomed to their class schedules, many students are also getting settled into life in Abu Dhabi. For Duong it hasn't been difficult. "I personally haven't gone through culture shock," she said. "I love it here already. It's only been a week and I already feel at home."

Friendships are also beginning to form. As Higgins said, "I've met and introduced myself to a lot of people, but think I've established a couple of really good friends I can talk intimately with."

Overall, the students seem excited and raring to go. "It's a wonderful campus with a lot of amenities," said Higgins. "I'm just waiting to try everything out!" And in a nod to his hometown, Al Masaood noted, "I don’t think another place would be able to rival what NYUAD has accomplished."