My Birthday Weekend at Fordham!

Fordham's New York City location is ideal for academia, internships, and jobs, but going to college in New York is also perfect for celebrations! Whether you're in Manhattan or the Bronx, Fordham is a great place to gather friends and family for special occasions. This weekend, I celebrated my birthday at Fordham and in Manhattan with my friends and family. 

On Saturday, my friends and I took the D-train from Fordham's Rose Hill campus down to Manhattan's Lower East Side for a lovely birthday dinner. Getting to Manhattan from the Bronx is very convenient, which makes it easy for my friends and I to leave campus for work and for fun! My friends and I had so much fun at the restaurant, and I was happy that everyone had fun at my birthday dinner. The friendships I have made during college are amazing, and I am so happy that Fordham connected me with such wonderful people.  

My friends and I had so much fun celebrating my birthday in Manhattan!

On Sunday, my birthday celebration continued closer to my home at Fordham's Rose Hill campus in the Bronx. My family drove to campus from New Jersey, and we went out for a birthday lunch on Arthur Avenue, the Bronx's Little Italy. Arthur Avenue is right across the street from Fordham Rose Hill, and is home to many authentic restaurants, bakeries, and shops. Most of Arthur Avenue's restaurants are Italian, but my family decided to try something new and took me to a Mexican restaurant called Estrellita's. The food was delicious, and the restaurant was only 5 minutes from campus! 

My family and I at Estrellita's on Arthur Avenue

Fordham has given me so much over the last three years, and its endless opportunities for work and for fun never disappoint. Celebrating my birthday at Fordham again this year was a great reminder of how lucky and happy I am to attend such an amazing school with so much to see and do. I am so proud to be a Fordham Ram! 

A Midterm-Taker's Guide to the Perfect Study Break

Any college or high school student knows how stressful the mid-to-late October stretch is in the Fall semester. It's when tests, projects, papers and quizzes start to build up and stress is at an all-time high. As a pre-med student, I know just how hard this time of the year is, but I try to take time out of studying to relax and rejuvenate. I think it's important to take some time for yourself while also focusing on your studies! These are some study breaks I've taken this midterm season, and I encourage everyone should try to take a little time off as well!
My favorite study break involves my favorite pastime: eating! New York is one of the culinary capitals of the world, so my friends and I love to take advantage of the amazing food that we can find in our area. Arthur Avenue is a Fordham favorite, so we always like to explore the restaurants and bakeries around the area. Cannolis from Madonia Bakery on Arthur are one of my favorite treats if you ever want to "treat yo' self!" My friends and I also love to go to brunch in the city. Last week we went to Jack's Wife, Frieda in Soho. I would definitely recommend it!

Brunch from Jack's Wife, Freda in Soho

In the city that never sleeps, there are infinite things to do. My friend, Matt, and I found out that our favorite Instagram dog celebrity, Marnie the Dog, was having a meet and greet in Greenwich Village. We decided to take some much deserved time off from studying and go. We got to meet Marnie and take a picture with her, which was so much fun!

Matt, Marnie the Dog and I!

Although midterms is a stressful time of the year, it's still very important to take time to yourself, explore the city and enjoy the beautiful fall foliage (especially before the winter!).

Important Things You Learn As A Fordham Student (Outside The Classroom)

 1. New York City

Whether you come to Fordham as a New York native or having never stepped foot in the city before, every Fordham student graduates a proud New Yorker. You will learn the ins and outs of the Bronx, Manhattan, and even Brooklyn and be able to rattle off your favorite or go-to restaurants off the top of your head. The Subway? After a few missed stops and a couple mess-ups, you will soon be directing foreigners on their underground travelers. The D train will always have a spot in your heart and a favorite funny memory to go along with it. 

2. Great Italian food

 

Being right next to the famous Arthur Avenue, also known as “the real little Italy”, you will learn to appreciate real Italian food. From awarding winning eggplant parmesan at Mike’s Deli to a late night slice of Pugsley’s pizza to a one dollar mini cannoli at Palumbo’s bakery, you’re Italian food needs will be well exceeded. Hate to break it to you, but Olive Garden will never be the same.

3. How to live courteously with others

Dorm living forces you to be more aware of your surroundings (and your messy tendencies). You will learn to take care of your own belongings, in hopes that your friends do the same. Whether it is taking out the trash or simply not throwing your clothes all around the room, you will become more organized and learn to share the responsibility of cleaning.

4. Time management

Amidst your five classes and say for example-four clubs, a volunteer program, and need to exercise, socialize, and sleep- you will learn the importance of time management as a Fordham Student. In order to carve out time to hop onto the train and enjoy a beautiful day in Manhattan, you must plan ahead and in order to ensure your work gets done on time.  Especially in the month of April when class loads get heavier, the weather gets nicer, and Spring Weekend approaches, students learn to prioritize and balance work and fun schedules. 

5. Dressing for the weather

Living in New York you will learn how to dress for the weather. On a walk to class in below freezing weather in January, you will probably want gloves, a scarf, and a hat. And if you did not realize that the first time, the second time around you will be more prepared. On the flip side, as soon as the sun comes out in the spring you will be pulling out the summer clothes. 55 degrees in the spring= dressing for 70 degree weather and sitting on Eddie’s. 

6. Networking

Fordham prepares you for the real world. How to interview, send thank you notes, get internships, prepare a resume, and most importantly hot to network. Your classmates, your professors, and Fordham alumni all want to help each other out. Coming out of Fordham you will have an impressive LinkedIn profile and hundreds of new connections and be confident in job interviews.

7.  To Be Grateful

Perhaps the most important lesson you will learn at Fordham is to be grateful. Everyday as I walk around campus, I think of how lucky I am to be here. I thank my parents, my siblings, and all of my friends for helping me get to this point. This lesson will carry you through your life and make you really appreciate all that you have and all that you have accomplished. 

Top 5 Reasons I find the Walsh Turnstile Super Convenient

Back in January the Walsh Gate was converted into a turnstile. This allows students 24 hour access to the gate. While 24 hour access to the Walsh entrance may not seem like a big change here are the Top 5 Reasons Why It Is Convenient:  

1. Dunkin' Donuts Access 24/7

Since Dunkin' Donuts is located a block down from the Walsh Gate Entrance, the new turnstile allows me to walk to and from Dunkin' Donuts safely. It also reduces the time it takes me to get there. I can now run across the street before my 8:30 class in JMH and grab a coffee without having to go around Finlay Hall. 

2. Easy Access for Off-Campus Students 

Students who live off campus are also very pleased with the new turnstile access as it allows them to easier access to campus. Now students have an extra five minutes in the morning before classes!  

3. Easier to Visit My Friends Off-Campus 

Some of my friends live in the apartments directly across from Walsh Gate. I can now visit them quickly anytime I want. 

4. Reduce time to get to Arthur Avenue 

Many students coming back from grabbing coffee or going food shopping down Arthur Avenue are glad that there is now 24 hour access to closer entrance. While it is not a huge deal to walk to Finlay Gate, it definitely saves some time. 

5. Lower Security Cost 

Having the gate open 24/7 is convenient for students. But, having a guard present 24/7 would be too costly. The turnstile is practical and still safe as there is another guard present right down the block and there are security cameras installed by the turnstile. 

New Walsh Gate Turnstile 

Weekend Update

Anna Romagnoli

This past weekend was the end of our spring break at Fordham. I spent this last week in West Palm Beach, FL with my two roommates. It was great to relax, enjoy the warm weather and spend time at the beach. Now that we are back, we are excited to enjoy spring and the rest of our last semester at Fordham!

My roommate and me enjoying the beautiful weather

Erica Restaino

Over Spring Break, I went on a Gabelli School of Business Study Tour to Santiago, Chile! In addition to exploring the city, we attended lectures at a Chilean Jesuit University and visited several companies. Since the Chilean economy is largely connected to its copper export, one of our visits was to Codelco's El Teniente Copper Mine, which is the largest copper mine in the world. It was quite the experience to go into a copper mine and see how the whole mining process works from start to finish. After the cold winter at Fordham, it felt so great to spend a week in the sun and the heat!

Some of us in all our mining gear

Danielle Smith

While I was sad to see Spring Break end I was happy to get back to Fordham to see my friends. Before my parents headed back home after dropping me off at school we stopped at Palumbo Bakery on Arthur Avenue for delicious pastries!

We love all the colorful treats

Senior Spotlight: Kevin Kosciuk

Picture for my last home swim meet!

Name: Kevin Kosciuk

Hometown: Cheshire, CT

Major: Public Accounting

Graduation date: May 2015

Why did you choose Fordham? 

As a student in the business school, being close to the City was very important in making my decision. All of the other quality schools I looked at were not very close to any cities. Also, coming from the suburbs, I wanted to try something different by living close to NYC.

What clubs/organizations/internships have you been involved in? What has been your favorite experience? 

At Fordham I am a member of the varsity swim team and also a member in Beta Alpha Psi (Accounting Society). Outside of Fordham I have interned twice. Both of my internship experiences were great. I also look forward to my third internship this summer with Deloitte. My favorite experience has been being a part of the swim team at Fordham. It was a good experience to be a part of a team and having others as teammates but also as friends outside of competition.

What do you think is the best resource available to students on campus? 

Career services is the best resource available to students on campus. Although is it not a job placement center, they can always help you out the best they can and point you in the right direction as far as internships and possible job opportunities. They were the ones that fixed up my resume and suggested I join Beta Alpha Psi and that has really helped me throughout my time here at Fordham.

What is your favorite personal memory at Fordham? 

My favorite personal memory of Fordham is the first time that I stepped out on to Eddie’s the spring semester as a freshman. I thought that it was the coolest thing to see all of Fordham hanging out there.

Where is your favorite place to hang out at Fordham or in NYC?

Arthur Avenue is probably my favorite place to hang out around Fordham. The food and the markets in the area are all delicious and it is nice to live so close to it all.

What are your plans/goals/aspirations for post-graduation? 

Post-graduation, I will be attending graduate school for one year here at Fordham to get my Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting. I then aspire to start working for one of the “Big 4” accounting firms in New York.

TL;DR - Spring is Pretty Cool...

Snow days are great – and we had quite a few of them this year – but I think we can all agree that Fordham’s so ready for spring to get here. For the past few days, we’ve had consistently warmer weather, which basically means spring’s right around the corner. And very few things in this world are as absolutely beautiful as Fordham in the springtime.

Saturday concert - Spring Weekend 2014

When I was visiting colleges, I made sure to visit all of my top choices during all of the season changes, just to see how different the atmosphere was between the fall, winter, and spring, and let me tell ya…. Nothing beats spring at Fordham. The campus is truly reawakened and reinvigorated. I went around and asked some of my friends about some of their favorite things about Fordham in the springtime; here’s a list of what everyone can agree on! 

1. Sitting on Eddie’s.

2. Eating lunch on Eddie’s.

3. Meeting friends after class on Eddie’s.

4. Playing Frisbee/football/WHATEVER on Eddie’s.

5. Tanning on Eddie’s.

6. Eddie’s. (Or Edward’s Parade – the large grassy area outside Keating. You can’t miss it.)

7. Attending Spring Weekend, the final weekend of the spring semester before the start of finals. There’s a DJ on Friday night, a concert on Martyr’s Lawn on Saturday afternoon, the Under the Tent dance on Saturday evening, and a comedian act on Sunday. Definitely a memorable weekend each year.

SPRING BREAK EXCITEMENT
Can't wait to see these palm trees again...

8. Being able to wear skirts and shorts to class after months of wearing 3 layers of heavy sweaters and still somehow managing being cold.

9. Opening the windows of your dorm/apartment after huddling in 3 layers of blankets and still somehow managing being cold.

10. That one tree in front of Queen’s Court that blooms pink flowers.

11. SPRING BREAK is NEXT WEEK. 

12. Fordham landscaping in general (it’s on point, you guys…).

13. ICED COFFEE.

14. Walking down Arthur Avenue and eating lunch or getting a cup of coffee and sitting OUTSIDE for a change.

15. Going to the city because it’s finally not sleeting anymore…

16. And finally: realizing that graduation for the seniors is only a few months away, which means we’ll be saying goodbye (for now but not forever) to some of our best friends while simultaneously saying hello to a new class of freshmen – the newest additions to our Ramily. 

Either the graduation tent going up or
the spring weekend tent coming down...

What do you love about springtime at Fordham? 

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And... the not-so-fun part about spring:
early morning finals study sessions...

Father Phil's Bucket List

There are always tons of things going on around Fordham, several which are organized by the Campus Activities Board (CAB).  Last night in Keating 1^st Auditorium, CAB hosted an event called “Father Phil’s Bucket List.”  He gave the students some inspiration about how to best spend their time in college, and how to take advantage of all that Fordham has to offer.  Father Phil started off with a quote from Howard Thurman:  “Ask yourself what makes you come alive and do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”  He spoke about the importance of discovering our personal mission and delving deep into all that we do.  He also said we should expand our minds by learning another language and reading more, both for school and leisure.  He discussed how following the news will help us to formulate our own opinions on current issues, giving us the tools to engage in critical thinking and meaningful discourse.

The view on my way home from studying abroad!

Father Phil also encouraged the students to go out and see the world in whatever way they can.  He talked about how much travel can broaden our horizons and change the way we see the world.  Through visiting other countries and continents, we can immerse ourselves into other cultures and learn not only about these people, but also learn more about ourselves in the process.  Here at Fordham there are countless study abroad programs available to students in various locations and for different lengths of time.  Whether it is a weeklong study tour, a month in the summer, or a whole semester, you can find a program that best suits you and your academic career path.  Father Phil also spoke about the importance of serving those in need, following in the Jesuit tradition.  Fordham has endless opportunities to help others not only in the local community, but also across the country and beyond through programs like Global Outreach.

Eddie's Parade at sunset

Another point that Father Phil spoke about was appreciation for nature.  He discussed the beauty that surrounds us here at Fordham, both on and off campus.  Just across the street from our main entrance is the New York Botanical Garden, where students can enter for free simply by showing their Fordham ID.  He also encouraged students to eat well, especially since just outside campus is Arthur Avenue, the heart of the Bronx’s “Little Italy.”  This area is lined with delicious Italian restaurants, pizzerias, and bakeries to explore.  Students can even visit Manhattan by the Ram Van, Metro-North, or subway.  Father Phil talked about the importance of exercise and, fortunately, Fordham has great gym facilities and even intramurals for students who want to participate in sports on a recreational level.  He ended with an old Italian proverb:  “With hard work and determination one can climb a mountain.  With Faith and imagination, one can move it!”

My intramural flag football team