Education

Crazy guy: Look at you people. All y’all paying eighteen, nineteen hundred dollars rent. I pay two dollars rent! And I get a free transfer!

–Uptown A Train

Overheard by: Heather

Smoking girl: I’m just not going to put all of this money and time into this degree and then take a job that pays less than $100,000 after I graduate. I mean, I’m just *not*.

–Outside Fayerweather Hall, Columbia University

Overheard by: Ladle

Bored street fundraiser for the homeless: Just one penny, people. Just one penny. Blah, blah, blah.

–Union Square Park

Overheard by: Farley

Crazy guy: You motherfucking actors with all your fucking money and shit… I hate you… But boy did I want to be an actor when I was young.

–Outside NBC Studios, 49th & 6th

Overheard by: Ross

Frustrated booth operator, yelling at an argumentative tourist: Lady, this subway hasn’t used tokens in over seven years! And that ain’t even a token… It’s a one collar coin!

–Subway, Spring & Lafayette

Overheard by: NYC Tourists Never Cease to Amaze Me

50-something ticket collector to high school girl: Don’t worry, I didn’t forget your change. (pause) I will never forget you. (walks away)

–Metro-North Train

Mother to young daughter running down the street: Get over here before I make change outta that five dollar ass!

–168 & Broadway

Student: Can you tell us the format of the test?
Professor: There will be questions.

–NYU

Mother: Don't be embarrassed if I teach you some internet safety rule.
11- year-old girl: Yeah, by telling me the million and one things they can do to me.

–97th St & 5th Ave

Overheard by: NYC Kid

Prof: A noun is a person, place or thing. Can someone give me a noun? William?
William: How ’bout…motherfucker?
Prof: That could be a noun, but also a verb or even an adjective…

–BMCC

Overheard by: Professor

Transplanted valley girl: I had so much sex sophomore year, but, like, I could never get a boyfriend!
Guy: Hmmmmm, weird!

–E 6th St & 2nd Ave

Overheard by: pete gunz

Teacher: I may kill you anyway because of that whole desperado thing.
Student: I don’t even know what desperadoes are. I just said it because you don’t like them!
Teacher: That’s reason enough.

–Brooklyn Tech

Overheard by: Liz

Chick #1: Yea, I have a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts…I’m a welder.
Chick #2: A what?
Chick #1: You know, with the mask and the blowtorch and all that.
Chick #2 [waving her hand like a ribbon dancer]: Oooooh, so it’s a sport, right?

–G Train

HS girl #1: I have a question. No. She gotta question, but she makin’ me ask you for her because she embarrassed. What’s “drag school”? Thas where you go to learn howda be a drag queen?
Teacher guy: What? Drag school?
HS girl #2: Yeah, you said you was leavin’ us because you gotta go to drag school.
Teacher guy: Grad school. I am leaving you because I am going to grad school.

–Prospect Park BBQ

Overheard by: Lydia

We Blame Barbie for This Conversation.

All beauty, no brains brunette: No, John, he's not all the way black, his mom is white and his dad is black. He's just like 1/16th black, or whatever that comes out to.
John: Dude, really? I take it math wasn't your strong point in school.

–Bryant Park

Overheard by: Sky

TA guy: There are different types of pains, some of which go all the way to the brain and others that only go to the spinal cord.
Ashley Olsen: So do, like, emotional pains go to the brain?

–NYU Psychology building, Washington Place

Overheard by: bvo