Who Doesn't Love a Good Field Trip?!

Believe it or not, field trips do exist in college! And when you go to school in the best city in the world (although I admit I am biased), the field trips and experiences outside of the classroom can be amazing.

Being an English major, I've visited sites such as The Wall Street Journal, The NY Times offices, and I've attended numerous lectures hosted on Fordham's campus and in the city featuring famous authors and prominent people in the advertising and journalism fields.

The NY Times building! 

Art history class? Chances are your professor will take you guys to The Met. Sports marketing class? How does a Yankees game sound? Whatever subject or field you plan on going into, I promise that the city can and will be used for your benefit.

Today, my journalism workshop class got a private tour of The Wall Street Journal, which was AWESOME! We toured all of the offices and different departments and had an in depth talk with a Fordham grad who works as a writer for WSJ. He gave us tips and tricks for after graduation and told us if we ever needed help or advice to feel free to contact him. The alumni network at Fordham is so strong, and he was super helpful!

A cool shot I took at the WSJ today!

No matter what field you're going into, the city is a great resource that you'll learn to take advantage of. As Father McShane, Fordham University President exclaims, major in what you want to major in and minor in New York!

A NYC Fall Weekend

After a few busy weeks at school, I knew it was time for a fun-filled, NYC weekend! Although late September weather in New York can often be cool and fall-like, the forecast for this weekend was beautiful, with temperatures in the 80s and sunshine predicted all weekend. I knew it was the perfect time to take advantage of the nice weather and experience a few of NYC's outdoor offerings.

I spent Friday night at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park for a Broken Bells concert. This is one of my favorite places to see concerts, because I am always in awe of how amazing it is to be able to see live music in Central Park, where you can turn around and see the bustling city through the trees behind you. The 4 train from Fordham and the 6 train to 68th street left us near the entrance, while Fordham's intercampus RamVan gave us an easy way to get home after a short walk to the Lincoln Center campus!

Broken Bells at Rumsey Playfield

Saturday afternoon, I made my way back to Central Park for the Global Citizen Festival, which was a free event featuring performances by No Doubt, Jay-Z, The Roots, fun., Carrie Underwood, and Tiesto. Created in order to urge people to take action against extreme poverty and other issues, the festival included statements by world leaders and other individuals in support of these positive changes. The all-day event was extremely cool and seeing so many people gathered in the middle of New York City to take action was even cooler.

The Roots performing at Global Citizen Festival

Sunday morning, my friends and I took the MetroNorth train (right off campus!) to Grand Central and hopped on a subway downtown so that we could walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.  Afterwards, I stayed in the city to enjoy the beautiful weather, finding a spot in a park downtown where I could do my homework before heading back to the Bronx.

A perfect day for walking the Brooklyn Bridge!

By the end of the weekend, I had fallen in love with New York City all over again and was grateful for the easy access I had to such cool activities from Fordham's campus!

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

What does Back To School mean for you?

When discussing back to school plans and events for college students, it’s pretty standard to hear about football games, pep rallies, dances, and on campus activities. Back to school for a Fordham Ram, though, is all of that and more.

What I love so much about going to Fordham here at Rose Hill is that we get all of those super college-y fun experiences like basketball games, raffles, school sponsored dinners and events, we also have the subway, metro north and the Ram Van all at our finger tips to take us to Manhattan, one of the most fun places in the world (I am biased, though).

So what did back to school mean for me? Yes, it did mean sporting events and wearing our school colors and buying books and catching up with friends. I think a lot of college kids would give you similar answers such as those across the country. But, back to school for me also meant finding new and super yummy restaurants, getting the best gelato in little Italy, perfecting my skills in hailing cabs, and some of the best museums and street fairs in the world.
 

Exploring my favorite city!

Sure, you can’t deny that you can get a great education somewhere that isn’t in New York City. But I feel as though my Fordham education is not only fantastic academically on campus, but the element of the city gives me access to outlets and opportunities that my friends at state schools or suburban campuses simply don’t have.

One of my new favorite restaurants, Freemans!

 Next weekend I’m going record shopping with my friends in SoHo and then to see a play. What are YOUR weekend plans in college going to be?

Why Fordham?

Three years ago, I was in the midst of making the big college decision.  I never had my sights set on one dream school or an ideal program.  I had ideas about what I wanted from my college experience, but I had a lot of trouble deciding which school would actually transform those expectations into realities!

Initially in my college search, I had written off Fordham, because my sister had attended, and, being the headstrong youngest sibling, I didn't want to follow the same collegiate path she took .  Once I looked past my silly worries and allowed my mom to convince me to visit Fordham for a tour, I saw that it had all the things I was looking for in a college experience (and more!).  It was right under my nose the whole time once I was ready to see it!

When attending my sister's graduation from Fordham in 2010, I never expected that she'd be doing the same for me in a few years!

City Life AND Campus Life

One of the few things I was sure of in choosing a school was that I wanted to be in (or near) a city, but I still wanted that traditional campus feeling.  Fordham won me over, for I knew that in 20 minutes I could travel on MetroNorth from bustling midtown Manhattan to the shady respite of the Rose Hill campus.  I'm able to easily travel to the city for concerts, Broadway shows, shopping, meals, and simply to embrace The City That Never Sleeps while still knowing that on a nice, sunny day there's plenty of space on the Rose Hill campus to lay out and read or play frisbee.  Plus, there are tons of opportunities to experience some of the city's best offerings for free or for less through Fordham programs!

Recently took the D Train from Fordham Rd to 34th St. to see an Arctic Monkeys concert at Madison Square Garden

Take the 4 train from Fordham Rd to the Upper East Side & the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Or just stay on campus to enjoy the nice weather

Ability to take a wide range of classes

Since I was unsure of what I wanted to major in, I was always a fan of Fordham's core requirements.  I knew this would enable me to take classes in different disciplines without worrying about falling behind in major requirements by entering my studies without a declared major.  The core helped me realize that I wanted to major in Communication and Media Studies, and my enjoyment of my lower level, core English classes led me to pursue a minor in English.

Arthur Avenue

Last but not least: I wouldn't be telling the whole story if I didn't admit that Arthur Avenue played a large role in my decision to come to Fordham.  I would always look forward to a trip to Tino's with my family and knowing that I could have all that delicious Italian food so close all the time definitely pushed Fordham over the edge!

As cheesy as it sounds, you wind up where you're meant to be.  Best of luck to all making their difficult college decisions!

Father McShane's Fordham Bucket List

A few times a year, the Campus Activities Board American Age Lecture Series invites various speakers to come and speak to the Fordham community. In previous years, they have invited speakers such as Leigh Ann Touhy, who's story was created into the movie The Blind Side, and Jerry Greenfield, the "Jerry" of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. This year, they invited our very own president, Father McShane to speak directly to the students. 

This was an incredible opportunity, and it was a very special moment for our university's president to connect on such a personal level with the students. He wanted to do the speech in the style of The Last Lecture, as if this would be the last time he would be speaking to the students. So, we were lucky enough to hear his Fordham Bucket List: all the things we should try to do before we graduate. (And as a sophomore, I am eager to try to finish it within my next two years). So here it is:

1. Thank your parents.
2. Take your best friend for dinner and pick up the tab. 
3. Tell the faculty member who changed your life what they did for you.
4. Take in a game at Yankee Stadium.
5. Eat food in an epic restaurant that serves food that you've never eaten before. 
6. Hit all five boroughs - "When you ride through the subway, you ride through the world."
7. Ride the Staten Island Ferry both ways, and look at the Statue of Liberty as you come back to Manhattan, the way it was meant to be seen.
8. Walk on the promenade on Roosevelt Island or the esplanade in Battery Park.
9. Take a walk through Wall Street or through Times Square before 11AM. 
10. Volunteer.
11. Go to a Fordham basketball game and cheer as loud as you can.
12. Prepare for your future by:
     a. going on a retreat.
     b. developing a habit of giving.
     c. preparing for the job interview.
     d. seeing the ocean.
     e. visiting and praying at Ground Zero.
     f. visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral.
     g. visiting the Jesuit cemetery. 

I didn't want to explain each one too much in depth because my summarized version would not do his eloquent speech justice. My favorite part of his bucket list, though, was the incorporation of not only the Fordham community, but New York City as well. Part of experiencing Fordham University is experiencing all of the wonderful things that our city has to offer, and Father McShane made it very clear that that was the best way to make the most of your time at Fordham. We are so lucky to have all the incredible things that New York City has to offer right in our backyard. 

Many of the things he spoke of seem implied, like thanking your parents and volunteering, but they were important to be reminded of. On behalf of myself and much of the Fordham community, thanks CAB and Father McShane for such a wonderful opportunity!

Studying Abroad: Living What You Learn

Hola from Granada, amigos! Last weekend, my entire Fordham in Granada program united (outside of our class together) for a weekend trip to Portugal, Sevilla, and Cordoba. We visited three separate cities in Portugal, where oddly enough most people prefer to hear you speak English than Spanish, and then the two Spanish cities. Being together as a group is always fun, but my favorite part was experiencing places that, before the weekend, I had only ever seen in textbooks or powerpoint slides.

The most breathtaking real life visits were to the Chapel of Bones at the Church of Carmen in Faro, Portugal and the famous mosque in Cordoba. The chapel was built out of the bones of monks from the associated monastery. It served as a way to create more cemetery space and was also a very much the fashion in southern Portugal in the late 1700s. The Great Mosque dates from the 7^th century and has housed both Catholic churches and Islamic mosques. After the Catholic reconquest of Spain in the late Middle Ages, a church was actually built in the center of the mosque and it is still in use today.

You may think that bringing history to life is limited to students who study abroad, but the truth is that Fordham is surrounded by history, and Fordham professors know how to make the best use of it, and I’m not just referring to art professors who go to the Met. We’ve got cloisters, zoos, museums of all types, opera houses, art galleries, national parks, and historical houses to name a few. Fordham actually offers courses on New York City—Fall 2014 offers new views of the city from the points of view of English and Political Science. So New York City is indeed Fordham’s campus (as Father McShane likes to say), but so are Granada, London, Pretoria, Shanghai, and all of the other places you can study abroad during your four years here. 

Weekend Update

Weekend Update

Between deals you can only find in New York City and some fun experiences that are unique to our Rose Hill campus, students enjoyed a variety of activities this past weekend. Check it out below!

Alyssa Carmusciano
February 17-March 7 is NYC Restaurant Week, where people can visit numerous restaurants and enjoy three course meals for $25 (lunch) or $38 (dinner). This past Friday, I had an amazing dinner at The Capital Grille. I ate a bowl of New England Clam Chowder, filet mignon, mashed potatoes, and a piece of chocolate cake for less than $40! This was a deal I could not miss out on! 

Deirdre Hynes
I met up with my mom and sisters in the city to grab lunch and see a matinee of The Bridges of Madison County on Broadway. 

Laura Bellows
I went to the men's basketball vs. George Washington yesterday afternoon. The final score was GW Colonials 70-67.

The True Magnificence of Grand Central Station

Everyone has their favorite place in New York City. For some people, it's Central Park, or Times Square, or even a certain restaurant. For me, my favorite place in New York City is Grand Central Station. Originally built in 1871, the station has undergone many demolitions and reconstructions throughout the years, until the building that is currently standing was opened in 1913. 

Made almost entirely of marble, many would say that Grand Central Station is one of the most magnificent buildings in Manhattan, including myself. While standing on the first floor, you can look around at the beauty of the marble stair cases and the illuminating clock in the center of the room, with the sunlight beaming through the huge windows to your left. Then you look up and see the beautiful artwork on the ceiling of the constellations as seen from Earth. But then, and this is my favorite part, you take in the beauty and magnificence of all of the people around you. 

Grand Central Station brings people from all over New York and the tri-state area to one place, and that is what truly makes it such a unique place. There are tourists from all over the world and commuters from Connecticut. There are couples taking their wedding photos and two people who have never met before discussing their love for Magnolia Cupcakes (which is located in the lower level). There families coming to enjoy a weekend in Manhattan and college students heading home in the hope that their mom will do their laundry. The people of Grand Central are truly what make it such a special place.

I spend so much time at Grand Central Station because the Metro North train brings you from Fordham into Grand Central, located right in the middle of Manhattan, in about 20 minutes. The proximity into Manhattan is what attracts so many students to Fordham, including myself! But it can be so easy to rush through Grand Central, rushing to get to your train, weaving through all of the people who are around you. But sometimes, if you slow down while you are there, you will remember why there are so many people standing still and taking pictures, or looking up at the ceiling, or simply taking it all in. Because Grand Central is a place of beauty of all kinds.

Minoring in New York City

When making my final visit at Fordham my senior year, Father McShane, University president, gave a very compelling and passionate speech that I will never forget. What stuck out most to me in this speech was his emphasis of how lucky we will be to go to school in New York City. I knew that having Manhattan at my finger tips was something that really drew me to Fordham initially, but I didn’t realize just how much of an impact going to school where I go would really have on me and my peers until after I got here. As Father McShane finished his speech, he ended it with this piece of advice that I will never forget: “Major in whatever you’re passionate about, and minor in New York.” Now, as a second semester sophomore, I feel as though I completely and fully understand what Father meant when he said this, and I have tried my best to heed his advice.

Friends in the city for my birthday overlooking the city!

 New York has so many opportunities it’s almost crazy! Educational, social, spiritual, there is something for everyone and any kind of hobby or passion in this city. Are you planning on majoring in English? There are book signings with famous authors in the city all the time. Music minor? This city is basically the music capital of the world; you can always find concerts on a whim here! Business major? The financial district, Wall Street, and so many other business and internship opportunities are in arms reach. The great thing about New York is that it is such a worldly and important city that it can take any major that you are possibly even thinking of, and give you opportunities to excel and obtain knowledge in that field that you couldn’t get anywhere else. Want to study somewhere new and refreshing? Try the New York Public Library or Central Park. The awesome thing about going to school here is that you can take everyday mundane activities and turn them into something so exciting and cultural. If you choose Fordham, you really will be right in the center of the action, where it’s all happening. It really is exciting when you think about it!

A beautiful sunset in Manhattan.

While us Fordham students do work very hard, we do make time for fun as well. Whether seeing a concert, a Broadway show, trying out new and cool interesting cafes, or simply just exploring what the city has to offer, there is always, and I mean always something to do. It’s impossible to be bored here, that’s for sure! By the time that I graduate from Fordham, I hope to have truly minored in New York City, taking all that is has to offer and having it shape me into the person that I would like to become.

Friends and I at a concert in Central Park!

The Tonight Show- Back in New York!

Over the past few months, there has been a lot of talk about the changes in NBC's late night lineup. Jimmy Fallon was to take over Jay Leno's spot as host of The Tonight Show, and Seth Meyers was chosen to succeed Fallon on Late Night.  As of February 2014, both shows were to be taped in 30 Rockefeller Plaza, bringing The Tonight Show back to its New York roots!

Last week, I was lucky enough to score tickets to the final test taping of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon before it began airing on February 17th.  Having been to tapings of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in the past, I knew that I was in for a day filled with a lot of waiting, but it would be worth it for the cool experience!

My group lined up to pick up our tickets and wristbands and then spent some time wandering around 30 Rock before heading back upstairs to line up for the taping. The anticipation built as we went through security and waited on line until we were finally allowed to enter the studio. It was exciting to be a part of a group that was able to see the revamped studio 6B before its big, televised reveal!

My group was seated in the second row on the left side of the studio, where we were able to see the "on-screen action," as well as some of the behind-the-scenes action in the nearby hallway and with the cameramen.  Lorne Michaels even came out to watch part of the show from right next to our seats!

For this taping, Jimmy Fallon performed his monologue, did Thank You Notes, Jon Oliver was the guest, and the Roots performed a Jimi Hendrix cover as the musical guests (serving, also, as the house band throughout the show).  Although it was never to be televised (since it was a test show), it had the same format as the actual show.

I really enjoyed the entire experience and am thrilled to be able to say I've seen The Tonight Show in the same New York studio where Johnny Carson used to host!  It was an awesome, quintessential New York City experience that I'll remember for a long time to come!

Weekend Update

It's Weekend Update time! Students are settling back into school, getting acquainted with their new professors and classes, and the spring semester is in full swing! This polar vortex is forcing everyone to bundle up, but these students know there is just too much to do. Look at what these students did this past weekend when they braved the cold!

Marisa Diaz 

This weekend I took the Ram Van into Manhattan with my roommate and went to Alice's Tea Cup for lunch. The Alice in Wonderland-themed cafe serves delicious tea, scones, and sandwiches. For only $40 we split a pot of chai tea, 2 scones, 2 sandwiches, and chocolate moose with cookies! 

Eva Codispoti

This weekend I went to go see Once the musical on Broadway. It was a

beautiful show with an amazing atmosphere and a great soundtrack. You can even go on stage and listen to the band play before the show starts! 

Shane Yelicanin

This past weekend I was provided the opportunity to see Dr. Dog perform live at Fordham Lincoln Center. The event, Winterfest, was organized by the Campus Activities Board. The show was great, as was the convenience of traveling by Ram Van from Rose Hill.

Kayla Giampaolo

This weekend, my friends and I went to go see Wicked on Broadway. Seeing shows as a college student can get pricey, but there are many options available in order to receive the cheapest tickets possible. Take advantage of things like TKTS booths, student discounts, and lotteries that are located in most box offices the day of the performance. It is a great way to spend a Saturday or Sunday with friends!