If I do end up quitting school here and becoming a resident of NY, what if I go back to Canada and need my original driver's license?
In that case, when you pass your road test, ask the road test examiner how to make sure that your foreign driver license is not destroyed.
How will I prove that I'm a resident if I still pay taxes in Canada?
Normally, a judge considers these facts to decide if your intent is to make NYS a "fixed and permanent" residence.