Living on Campus as an Upperclassman

The thrill of living oncampus does die out after freshman year at Fordham. Upperclassman on-campus housing at Fordham allows for exciting new experiences and foreshadows the independence of impending adulthood.  Check out my view from the 12th floor of Walsh Hall!

As an incoming freshman, living on campus at Fordham means meeting new people in your hall, attending Res life sponsored activities, hanging out on Martyrs’ lawn, and all the excitements the coming with living on a college campus for the first time. As sophomore year approaches, these excitements tend to come to a simmer as the faces in your hall become more familiar and meeting up on Eddies is a part of your daily routine.

The housing options offered to upperclassman at Fordham promise to renew those freshman year feelings even for students who have been here for a few years. 

Finlay, O’Hare and Tierney Hall present their own diverse experiences that sophomore students tend to gravitate towards. Students who choose Finlay enjoy rooms complete with their own bathroom and not to mention a spiral staircase leading up to a private loft. O’Hare and Tierney appeal to many students because of the integrated learning communities these halls offer. All three halls still embrace a strong sense of community beneficial for second year students who may not know as many of their neighbors as they think.

 

A newly renovated kitchen in Walsh Hall

Campbell, Salice / Conley and Walsh (where I currently live as a junior) halls give upperclassman their own apartment style dorms while still having the convenience of living on campus. While Walsh Hall is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors alike, Campbell and Salice / Conley Hall are strictly junior and senior housing.

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 

That One Year We Learned to Cook...

Yum!

Family dinners with friends!

This past fall, I moved into Walsh Hall for my junior year and opted not to get a meal plan because each room in this apartment-style residence hall has its own kitchen. My roommates and I were eager to learn how to live like *real* adults and prepare each meal ourselves.

The challenge over the summer before move-in was coordinating who would bring what – we didn't understand what we would need and quickly realized we needed to figure out some system of dividing the purchases to avoid all bringing the same thing. Even so, when we settled in at the start of the year, we still somehow managed to each bring pans but forget to bring a paper towel holder…

Fresh pasta from Arthur Ave.

Staying cozy during the snowstorm.

My friends and I heard anecdotes from others about how difficult sharing an apartment could be, but we never really felt the stresses of having both private and public space to take care of, especially since we were already so close before moving in together. We quickly figured out a schedule as to when each person would be responsible for making dinners, washing dishes, cleaning various parts of the apartment, and even making the communal pot of coffee in the morning! It suddenly felt like we were our own little family, and, when our own families came to visit, they were always pleasantly surprised at how responsibly we managed our home away from home.

Dining hall trip!

Every so often, I still stop by the Marketplace – the buffet-style dining hall in McGinley – for a quick bite if I’m in a rush between classes or if I’m meeting a friend. In some ways, I really miss the convenience of on-campus dining (and I really did grow quite fond of the steamed veggies over rice at the vegan station!), but having my own kitchen and being able to make my own meals inevitably made me feel a lot more capable of taking care of myself. This year, my roommates and I learned to grocery shop, pick out fresh produce, make tons of healthy meals, and really bonded over this new level of maturity that we’ve reached.  

Burger night!

Sitting down for a “family” dinner at the end of a long day of classes will always be one of my most cherished Fordham memories.