Six Flags Fright Fest

A few weeks ago I had the chance to go to Fright Fest through Campus Activities Board (CAB). Since I am on the executive board for CAB, my co chair and I helped organize an event where we were able to take 55 students to Six Flags Great Adventure located in Jackson, New Jersey. Students who attended this trip were able to get free tickets and transportation to and from the park!

Fright Fest is an event Six Flags has been throwing every year for the past 24 years. This event begins on September 19th and ends on November 1st.  Fright Fest includes family-friendly “thrills by day,” and “fright by night” attractions in attempt to provide activities for every visitor. These “fright by night” attractions include scare zones, haunted houses, terror zones, and nearly 200 zombies walking around the park. As I am not a fan of scary things, I was a little nervous to see how my “fright by night” experience would turn out.  

Upon arriving to the park I was surprised at how intensely decorated the park was for Halloween. I guess Six Flags doesn’t call this event Fright Fest for nothing. The main fountain in the front was blood red and there was Halloween decorations all over the park. Since we got to the park around 1 PM the “thrills by day” attractions were in full swing. Although the park was crowded we still got to go on about 7 rides and still have time to get our faces painted. 

Fall Themed Face Paint

However as soon as the clock struck 6 PM people dressed up as zombies, clowns, demons, and other characters began to walk around the park without breaking their character. Although it was very scary seeing these people, I was extremely impressed by their costumes and how well they were able to keep character. Another aspect that added to the “fright by night” attractions was that the park was split into different zones. These zones included a circus filled with scary clowns, an asylum, and a butchery. It truly was frightening!

Although I was scared for most of the time that I was at Fright Fest, I really did enjoy the time I spent there. I had not been to Six Flags for years and it was really great going back and seeing what has changed. That being said, at Fordham there are endless chances to embark on your own adventures with you friends by your side. Whether it be Fright Fest, apple picking, or Times Scare it's important to take advantage of these opportunities to make the most of your time at Fordham!

One of the Fright Fest Actors

Mockingjay

One of the many student oriented clubs on campus, CAB, had tickets available for the Hunger Games: Mockingjay the Friday before it was released in theaters. Being the crazed fans my friends and I are, we posted up in McGinley and waited in line for our chance to claim some of the limited free tickets. This seems like a pretty basic process, but in reality, it is quite the event. The line filled up quickly and there was a flood of people wrapped around two flights of stairs. I sat there with my friends and fellow line dwellers used that time to catch up and hang out. As a senior, I realize how important these experiences are and how having them available to me is something that I will truly miss about Fordham. Although we sat online for a long time, it was a time when the community came together to enjoy the presence of one another.

The Mockingjay

On Thursday evening, we hopped on the Ram Van where the theater was a short two blocks from Lincoln Center. Attending the opening night of a major blockbuster film is something that is always exciting and somewhat overwhelming. We arrived an hour in advanced to join an impressively large group of our peers all eagerly awaiting the opening doors. The whole theater was buzzing with anticipation. Besides being incredibly convenient, the whole night was an excellent representation of the work/play balance that Fordham offers.

After a full day of interning and night class, it is easy to get caught up in momentum of the busy week and forget all the ways one can de-stress. Having the city at our disposal and all the awesome programs Fordham offers (many times for free) is one of the many reasons why I am proud to be a Ram.

Blog By: Kristen Hefferan-Horner

Concerts and Performances in NYC

We got a good spot for Grouplove at Rumsey Playfield!

One of my favorite things about living in New York City is having the opportunity to see endless concerts, shows and performances! My friends and I try to attend as many concerts in this city as we can. Some of the most famous stages in the country are in New York, from Webster Hall to Madison Square Garden. Last week, my friends and I saw Grouplove and Portugal. The Man in concert. The venue was at Rumsey Playfield in the middle of Central Park. The beautiful New York skyline in the background made this concert even more awesome.

This weekend was the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park. In order to win free tickets, you had to help raise awareness for extreme poverty around the world on the Global Citizen website. A lot of my friends won these free tickets and got to attend the festival, which was amazing! Performers such as No Doubt, Fun., Carrie Underwood and The Roots were featured live at the festival. Jay-Z headlined, and Beyonce also made a surprise appearance! According to my friends, the experience of singing along to “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z in the middle of Central Park was unmatched.

My friend, sophomore Habin Lee, got this awesome panorama of the festival!

Cold War Kids performing right on campus!

New York is one of the music capitals of the world, and it is often one of the highlights of the performer’s tour. Other performers my friends have seen include Kanye West, Young the Giant, Vampire Weekend and Kodaline. A performer always comes to Fordham’s annual Spring Weekend in April. Last year, Cold War Kids and Cartel performed along with DJ Enferno. Other performers that have been featured in previous years include Grouplove, MGMT, Third Eye Blind and Andy Grammar.

There’s always an awesome concert to see in New York City, which is one of the countless benefits of living here!

New York is full of the best surprises

One of my favorite things to do in New York is to walk around on sunny days and enjoy the incredible weather. This is especially enjoyable now, as the seasons begin to change and Fall starts to set in. It won't be long before these summery, lovely days are gone, and I like to make the most of them while they last. My favorite area of the city to wander is lower Manhattan. From the Village to SoHo to the Lower East Side, there is always something exciting waiting around every corner. These neighborhoods are perfect for a leisurely afternoon stroll, and there are always new cafes, coffee shops, bookstores, galleries, and other surprises waiting to be discovered.

The beginnings of a beautiful day

Yesterday was one of those days where the city demanded to be explored. The weather was perfect, and I had very little work to do. My dad also came to New York for a surprise visit. We headed downtown, no particular destination in mind. It was a gorgeous day in the city, quite possibly one of the last true summer days this year. After a quick brunch near Bryant Park, we headed down to the Village, with the intention of going to a few art galleries. On our way there, we walked through Washington Square Park, where we stopped to watch some street performers dance. They were incredibly talented and interspersed their performance with jokes. While we were enjoying their performance, I was pulled in to help with a stunt!

Performers in Washington Square Park

The dancers announced to the crowd that they would be jumping over the heads of the people they pulled from the crowd. I was, understandably, quite nervous. However, my nerves were quite unnecessary, as the trick was over before I even realized it had started. This is what I love about New York. Your day will always be filled with surprises, and you never know what lies around the next corner. We did wind up at the art galleries we intended to visit, where the art dealers tried to convince me I needed an original Picasso for my dorm room. I very rarely make plans when I decide to have a "City day" exploring downtown, as experiences like the ones I had this weekend may not happen otherwise.

Right after I found out people would be jumping over my head

Walking through the Village

Tuesday Evening at the Highline

Yesterday, my friends and I decided to go to the Chelsea Highline!  After a long day of classes and lectures, we decided we deserved and relaxing evening.  One of the many benefits of attending Fordham University is its proximity to the city.  In just 25 minutes, you can go from being on a beautiful, secluded, green campus, to being in the heart of Manhattan.  Once we arrived in the city, we took the 1 train to Chelsea Highline.  The Highline is a gorgeous walking trail which features spectacular views of the city, modern architecture, and beautiful plants and streams.

Tested out the panorama setting on my phone... success!

After walking along the high line and chatting for a while, we decided to stop along the side to watch the sun set.  It was beautiful!  It made me reflect on how lucky I am to be a Fordham student.  In high school on a random Tuesday night, I would be at home, completing homework and watching Netflix under the covers.  Now, here I am in New York City, watching the sun set and enjoying the city with my best friends.  After watching the sun set, we decided to go out to dinner together!  We went to a delicious restaurant called The Meatball Shop.  They are only located in NYC, so if you are in the area, I highly recommend you check them out.  Here, I had a meatball sub on fresh focaccia bread with a garden salad... yum!  After, we all had one of their signature ice cream sandwiches which was a great ending to the day.


I would call this Tuesday a success!  Although not all of my Tuesday evenings are as fun and eventful as this one was, I am blessed to have the opportunity to go to amazing places with great people when I have free time!

How to Boogie Down in the Bronx

Living at the Rose Hill campus I, along with many other students, have grown to know and love the Bronx.  In the past year and a half while here, I’ve come up with four of my favorite parts of the Bronx. 

Arthur Ave

Coming from an Italian family who loves to eat great food, my first choice is an easy one: Arthur Ave, the original Little Italy.  Arthur offers its guests great Italian restaurants, bakeries, food markets, festivals, and a discount to Fordham students!!  One of my favorite pastimes on Arthur is to eat at one of the restaurants and then get a cannoli at Palombo’s for 20% off!  If you’re more into the cooking part of food, then Arthur is still your place.  Borgatti’s pasta and Casa della Mozzarella have you covered!  Both shops make their food right in the store and will even give you a life story of their travels from Italy free of charge!

Palombo's Bakery

City Island

This next one is a place that I wish I went to more: City Island. It’s great for a nice fall day where you’re still trying to hold onto the summer, or a warm spring day where you’re just starting to feel the summer!  After an easy bus ride to the island, you’ve teleported away from the busy city into a small fishing oasis.  When I first went there with some friends, we took the bus to the very last stop, in front of Sammy’s Fish Box.  We took one look at the building, saw Santa relaxing on the moon and knew this was the place for us.  The multi-course meal and best vanilla custard ever just confirmed our faith in Sammy! After that huge meal, you should take a stroll, work off all of that food, and see the island.

Sammy's with Santa on the Moon

Yankee Stadium

I don’t care if you’re a Yankee’s, Boston, or another (less fortunate) fan, but everyone should make at least one trip to Yankee Stadium; it is the Cathedral of Baseball after all!  The stadium is the sixth subway stop from Fordham Road, and when you walk out from the subway, you can see all the glory and history that is Yankee Stadium!! Often times throughout the year, residence halls and Campus Activities Board, CAB, even give out free or very discounted tickets.  If there isn’t a sale on campus, you can still buy a $20 ticket and enjoy the game with the legendary Bleacher Creatures.

Sitting with the Bleacher Creatures 

Bronx Zoo/Botanical Garden

This final place is a two parter that every student has probably done many, many times: Go to the Botanical Garden and Bronx Zoo.  Both are literally across the street from campus and very welcoming to Fordham students.  The Botanical Garden is free for Fordham students, and on Wednesdays you can get into the zoo with a donation of your choosing!  These are great places for a relaxing afternoon walk or activity on a beautiful day.  Many students go for runs through the Garden, stroll through the flowers, or simply mingle with the various animals at the zoo.

The Botanical Garden during a Halloween exhibit

Although many view New York City only as Manhattan, Fordham helps everyone to realize that there are so many activities we can do without even leaving our own borough!  So get out and Boggie Down in the Bronx!!

Public Service Announcement: For your own safety, try not to wear non-Yankees apparel around the Bleacher Creatures.