New Student Orientation Never Ends

While orientation may seem like a long ways away, the preparations have been in the works for months. Yesterday, hundreds of students scrambled to finish their New Student Orientation Leader applications. Students applying for a leader or captain position eagerly filled out their applications and signed up for interviews before the deadline. Coordinators will review applications and screen candidates to create the perfect team of passionate leaders to orient new students.

Me and my orientation partner!

Each year, the New Student Orientation Leader and Captain positions are highly coveted. Many enthusiastic Rams want the opportunity to give new students the fun and memorable orientation experience they had, and to show that new students made the right decision in choosing Fordham. Those who have participated in New Student Orientation describe it has a great time making new friends, as well as a rewarding experience.

Leaders and Captains arrive at the end of August for training. Training involves listening to presentations from the Deans of Rose Hill and Gabelli, Office of Student Involvement, Residence Life, and Health Services to name a few. In between information sessions, leaders battle it out with other teams of leaders in favorites like the Olympics and Dance-Off. Everyone is dressed head to toe in their team colors, screaming and shouting for their teammates. Those who emerge victorious receive eternal bragging rights and hold a place in Orientation Leader history. 

Weekend Update

Amazing architecture

Megan McLaughlin

This weekend I headed to one of my favorite spots in NYC: the Cloisters. Located at the very top of Manhattan in Fort Tryon Park, the Cloisters is a medieval museum housed in five medieval French abbeys reassembled into a single building. It's like a tiny piece of Europe that’s accessible by the A train.

Who says you can't eat cheap in New York?

Madeline McDermott

On Friday, I used an Amazon local deal to get half-off brick oven pizza in Manhattan at a restaurant named L'asso. Afterward, I went to support my friend and fellow Ram Nicole do stand-up comedy at The Village Lantern in Soho.

Caroline McCue
This past weekend, I went to the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center!  My Grandma is a big fan of the Philharmonic and had two extra tickets.  I brought my best friend and roommate, Lauren.  We got all dressed up and went to dinner at PJ Clarke's, right across from the theatre.  The Philharmonic was an orchestra made up of mostly string instruments and it was truly beautiful, the music was so relaxing!  It was a great night filled with friends, food and music, and I would recommend going before you graduate!

Enjoying a beautiful performance

Caroline Lebranti

Loved catching up in Philly

One of the best parts about studying abroad is becoming friends with people from schools all over the country. This past weekend I took the bus down to Philadelphia with a couple of friends to have a study abroad reunion. Lucky for me, Fordham is so close to great transportation options that visiting them is almost too easy! We did all things touristy like visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art (and ran up the Rocky steps), went ice skating at Penn’s Landing, saw Independence Hall, and even went to a Kevin Devine (a Fordham alum!) concert at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. It was a great weekend and made me realize how easy it is to take weekend trips out of NYC. Places like Philly or New Haven and plenty of skiing or hiking trails in upstate New York are about two hours away, and Boston and Washington DC are about four hours away. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever find yourself sick of NYC, but it’s nice to know that the option to get away is always there!

College students love the snow too!

Claire McGonigle

After track practice on Saturday, my friends and I wanted to spend a little time together and relax so we decided to play in the snow! After a busy week of school work, it was fun to be together and do something silly. Another group of people were building a fort so we all decided to get a snowball fight going which was great!

Outdoor Fun Just Steps Off the Rose Hill Campus!

Sometimes during the semester, it is necessary to take a break from school-related activities to "recharge your batteries." Luckily, there are many nearby that are great for a quick study break and some fresh air! A plethora of options exists in both the Bronx and Manhattan, but two of my favorite places to take a short break are located minutes from the Rose Hill Campus.

From a recent fall trip to the NYBG

Directly across the street from the main entrance to the Rose Hill campus is the entrance to the New York Botanical Gardens. Fordham students receive free admission to the gardens with their student ID, and its close proximity to campus makes it the perfect place to go for a quick change of scenery. Our free admission allows access to the grounds of the gardens, giving students a choice of which part they want to explore.

The Bronx Zoo is just a few minutes off campus, too! On Wednesdays, admission to the zoo is free, which works perfectly for us since many Fordham students have few (or no) classes on Wednesdays! Measuring 265 acres, this unique city zoo makes for a great place to spend a few hours enjoying the outdoors, walking around with friends and learning about the Wildlife Conservation Society's efforts.

My recent trip to the Bronx Zoo included a stop at Tiger Mountain

Fun Fearless Life

Hanging out in the Hearst Tower with a
fantastic view!

Last weekend, Cosmopolitan Magazine hosted the Fun Fearless Life conference in David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. The event was a two day conferences which hosted a variety of speakers, panels, networking events, and meet and greets with the editors of Cosmo. The speakers gave tips on amping up your morning beauty routine, managing money, finding your voice, staying healthy and many other things inspiring people to make the best of their lives. 



Getting ready backstage!

Our big performance!

The Fordham cheerleading team was invited to help kick off Day 2 of the conference. The night before our big performance, we were attended the special VIP party in the Hearst Tower where the Cosmo offices are located. We were able to meet many of the editors and hang out in the company of celebrities like Kelly Osbourne, Chrissy Teigen, and Perez Hilton!

On Sunday morning, a few of my teammates and I arrived at Lincoln Center to prepare to open the conference. We were escorted to a dressing room and given clothes from Express’s new active wear line to model while we performed. The best part was that we got to keep the clothes! Right before we took the stage, we had the honor of meeting and chatting with Editor-in-Chief, Joanna Coles. Following our performance we were able to stay and watch some of the speakers for the day, one being Jillian Michaels! The entire weekend was incredible and the advice we received was inspiring. Definitely a memory I will never forget!

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?

10 Things To Do For Under $10

Worried that living in a city will be hard on your wallet? Here are a few activities that Fordham students can do for less than $10!

1. Support the Rams and head to a game!

All campus games are free for students to attend- football, basketball, baseball- you name it! Going to games is a fun way to take a break from schoolwork and support your fellow Rams. Very often there are free giveaways at games such as Fordham t-shirts, hats, and signs.

   2. Cappuccinos and cannolis on Arthur Avenue

A dessert date on Arthur Avenue is an inexpensive, fun, and delicious way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Grab a friend and head to Palumbo’s Bakery to receive 20% off your treat with your Fordham ID. Eighty-cent mini cannolis? Count me in!

3. Explore the New York Botanical Gardens

Open Tuesday through Sunday, the Botanical Gardens offer free entrance to all Fordham Students. Located right across from Fordham’s Rose Hill campus entrance, the Botanical Gardens is a great place to go for a walk with friends or take an afternoon jog.

4. Go to the zoo! (On Wednesdays)

Every Wednesday, the iconic Bronx Zoo is open to the public free of charge (although donations are much appreciated). Take a walk with some friends to see all the animals and be careful to watch out for wandering peacocks.

    5. Experience Central Park

A couple minutes walk from the Lincoln Center campus, Central Park is perfect for playing ball, having a catch, or going for a run or walk with friends. Hop on the Ram Van for only $3 and you are just blocks away from 843 acres of beautiful greens, ponds, and paths.

6. Take an exercise class

The Ram Fit Center offers free exercise classes for all students Monday through Friday- including spin, yoga, strength, conditioning, and dance classes. No signups are necessary and classes are fun, encouraging, and taught by certified instructors. This semester’s class schedule can be found online here.

    7. Go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the AmericanMuseum of Natural History (or both!)

Take a $2.50 subway ride to Manhattan and check out two of New York’s most famous museums. Both museums have suggested admission rates, but have a “pay what you want policy”. Toss in a $5 donation and explore centuries of art and American history.

8. Play squash

Rainy day? Make use of Fordham’s Squash facilities by heading to the Lombardi center and request a couple balls and rackets for a game of squash with friends all free of charge. Bring a bathing suit and hop in the pool to cool off after your game.

9. Order tacos!

Estellita's chicken fajitas and guacamole 

Order $2 tacos for delivery from the Fordham student favorite restaurant Estrellita’s on Arthur Avenue. Add in an order of fresh homemade guacamole and chips for an inexpensive break from campus food. Hmmm hmmm hmmm good. 

10. Follow and like Campus Activities Board (CAB)

Stay up to date on campus happenings by following CAB on Twitter and liking them on Facebook. The student run club is always hosting various free or minimal cost events open to all Fordham Students. Movies are played on a weekly basis in Keating’s largest auditorium and Broadway tickets are raffled off each month. CAB also hosts fun events such as Bingo nights, comedy shows, and even trips to the Empire State Building.

The moral of the story is you do not have to bust your wallet to have fun and eat well as a Fordham student in New York City! Both the city and Fordham offer many activities for students of all interests. Tomorrow, for example, I am going to sign up with free Yankee game tickets through CAB!  

The McGinley Fitness Center

One of my favorite places to be on campus is in Fordham's new state-of-the-art McGinley Fitness Center.  The gym opened just last October and contains over 1,800 square feet of cardio space equipped with elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and treadmills. Each machine even has its own television which I like to watch the news in the morning on my morning treadmill run or elliptical stride. Additionally, there are strength machines along the perimeter of the gym and a separate heavier weight room to really pump some iron. The facility also houses two group exercise studios: a 1,100 square foot main studio and a spin studio for weekly group exercise classes.

View from the Corner Elliptical Machine at 7:30am on a Weekday 

Mastering Yoga Poses 

The Spin Room (Minus the Spinners)

Exercise classes are a great way to de-stress and take an hour break from schoolwork. And the best part is that all classes are free for all full time Fordham students! A schedule is made up each semester consisting of a variety of Zumba, yoga, spin, and strength classes offered Monday through Friday. No signups are necessary and students can pop in to any class convenient for them. My favorite classes are the spinning classes, which consist of an hour of biking and encouragement from the instructor while jamming out to an upbeat playlist. Some instructors are certified students, and others are certified trainers. With finals coming up shortly, I will definitely be attending a least a couple of spin and yoga classes to get my mind and body focused for the hours of studying to come!