RA Outings

Blog by Elizabeth Madock

Ice Skating with my RA in Bryant Park!

This photo of me was taken during my first weekend at Fordham, 

during an RA event on the Hudson River. 

Fordham students live in the city that never sleeps, and that means we have a whole world of excitement and adventure at our fingertips. However, it can be more than a little intimidating for an out-of- town student to pluck up the nerve to explore the Big Apple! If you’re considering attending Fordham but are nervous about trying to conquer the city, fret no more: Fordham knows that new students might be a little freaked out about the prospect of figuring out the D train from the S train and has, as such, developed a way for incoming freshman to get used to the greatest city in the world with a little guidance along the way.



Enter your Resident Assistant. While RAs are best known for hosting floor meetings and helping everyone figure out how the washing machines work, here at Fordham they also host events for their resident students. While these events could be as simple as putting together an end-of- the-week ice cream social for you and your floor mates, or as elaborate as finagling some free hot yoga classes at the trendiest yoga studio in Manhattan, many of the events the RAs put on involve a trip to the city.



During these events, the RA’s know that incoming freshman might not be totally comfortable with the subway system, the order of the streets, or the overall hustle-and-bustle of New York City. Instead of throwing you to the wolves, however, they’ll teach you all the tips and tricks of the trade as you visit such hot-ticket locations as the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a little culture, the Hudson River for some kayaking, or even the Bryant Park ice rink during the Winter Village festivities. Plus, most events are free, as the RAs have a budget to buy the tickets and the Metrocards that might be necessary for whatever you’re exploring. If you attend these events, you’ll begin to gain some familiarity with the way the city works (and when it’s appropriate to run to catch a train!). I promise that NYC isn’t nearly as intimidating once you’ve explored a little with someone who knows their way around, and eventually you’ll be an old pro, hopping on the MetroNorth train to have some adventures with your new friends.