Finals Study Breaks both On and Off Campus

Despite the stress with studying for finals kicking in during this time of year, both Fordham and the city itself have been so consistent in offering great ways to take some breaks during this intense time of studying. At Fordham, we have a couple of days after our designated last day of class, which was on December 10th, that are called reading days. Basically on reading days, we spend as much time preparing and studying for the coming of finals and although I spent a majority of my time studying for finals, which was incredibly long and stressful, I still had a great weekend to look forward to in the city and on campus! On Friday, I managed to score some tickets to a taping of Live with Kelly and Michael and went with a couple of my good friends. Although we went primarily to see Idina Menzel, who was promoting her Christmas album on the show, we were surprised when they let us stay for a second show that was being pre-taped for the holidays with Nick Jonas and Sting! We even got some rehearsal footage of Sting’s performance before the actual taping, and I had some serious goosebumps from when he sang a song from his newest Broadway show “The Last Ship.” It also didn’t hurt that Idina Menzel gave us a little wave when we cheered for her during a commercial break. :) 

Some pics I took of Kelly and Michael interviewing Idina Menzel and Nick Jonas as well as a pic of Idina Menzel getting touched up before singing a song off of her new Holiday Wishes album. We had pretty great seats!

I also found it so interesting to see the behind the scenes action that goes on during these live tapings. Seeing Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan go around the studio and interact with the audience during commercial breaks was something I never realized they could do. They were incredibly gracious, took some pics with fans, and were so funny and down to earth with their interactions with us. 

Kelly Ripa at a commercial break. She was equally as charismatic off camera as she was on!

It wasn’t too much fun waiting in the cold, but with good company and a fun experience at a TV show taping, it was definitely all worth it in the end.

With two of my good friends who are also huge Idina Menzel fans. Waiting in the cold was so much better with good company!

Sunday was the beautiful celebration of Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, and I had the honor of being able to participate in two choirs at the 11:00am and 7:00pm masses. Seeing the church filled that day made mass seem so special, everything from the way the candles were set up in the church to seeing everyone light their candles in a solemn procession was so breath-taking and made me appreciate just how despite this stressful time, we can all join together to celebrate the coming of Christmas. After mass, we celebrated the lighting of the Christmas tree, which made me so ready for Christmas to come around. It’s the little things that Fordham does to bring a community together and to lift each other’s spirits up during a stressful time in every college student’s life that make me so grateful to go here. I wish everyone else the best of luck on their finals, a Merry Christmas and safe travels back home as well!

Fordham doing Christmas right. Picture is the University Church and the Christmas tree that was lit during Gaudete Sunday.

Weekend Update

Nicole Chiuchiolo

Finals week can be stressful, and sometimes you just need to get away from all the studying and do something fun. This weekend, I had the opportunity to do something both fun and productive! A few of my friends and I visited the Hayden Planetarium in New York City as an extra credit assignment for our astronomy class. It was an amazing experience, all of the exhibits were completely relevant to what we learned in class. The best part is that we were back to campus in time for dinner… and more studying. A visit to the planetarium was exactly what we needed to recharge!

My friend and me on our way into the awesome exhibit

Marisa Diaz

My weekend was filled with studying for finals, which start today. However, as a break from studying for finals, my roommates and I did Secret Santa to celebrate the holidays!

My roommates and me relaxing before finals

Nicole Cruz

On Sunday, I went to Madison Square Garden to watch the Men's basketball team take on St. John's. It was so much fun getting to see the Rams play at such a famous venue. We even got to see a few New York Knick players warming up after the game!

The Rams warming up before the game

Holidays and Concerts at Fordham

Fordham has always been known for its holiday festivities. Every holiday season, both of Fordham’s campuses are decked out in lights, tinsel, and many kinds of holiday decorations. In addition to Fordham’s glorious holiday appearance, the university has many holiday festivities spread out through the month of December. My favorite way to get into the holiday spirit at Fordham is by attending the university’s annual Lessons and Carols Festival. This festival is comprised of two concerts held on both Fordham campuses. It features The Fordham University Choir, The Fordham University Women’s Choir, The Aily/Fordham B.F.A. in Dance Program, and The Bronx Arts Ensemble.

The Lessons and Carols Program Cover

I had the pleasure of attending The Lessons and Carols Festival on both the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. I really enjoyed the choirs, the dancers, and the orchestra at both performances. The choirs sang beautiful holiday carols, and there were even opportunities for the audience to sing along! My roommate is in the Fordham University Women’s Choir, and seeing her and my other classmates perform was so much fun!

The Fordham University Women's Choir performing at
their Rose Hill Lessons and Carols concert

The Lessons and Carols Festival is one of many examples of the wonderful holiday spirit that Fordham embodies. Getting into the holiday spirit can be very difficult, especially during these stressful weeks before final exams. Going to holiday concerts like Lessons and Carols, and taking time to relax is very important for college students. Fordham does a great job encouraging students to relax, and to take time away from intense final exam studying to enjoy the holidays. I really enjoyed my time at The Lessons and Carols Festival, and I cannot wait to continue to celebrate my holidays at Fordham!

Weekend Update

It's easy to see why students love Fordham during the holidays!

Linda Mule

The buzz is back on campus! After students departed as early as the Monday before Thanksgiving, Fordham's campus is back to being the fast paced and upbeat campus we know and love. The only difference? The huge wreathes and holiday decor which adorn buildings around campus! The holiday season is upon us at Fordham, with everything planned from a holiday fair with free sign ups to go ice skating in the city, Hanukkah celebrations, and Christmas carols! This is a magical time of year, and students are happier than ever to be back home for the holidays, their Fordham home. 

Just some of the miniature New York landmarks

Shannon Donovan

The New York Botanical Garden is right across the street from the main entrance to Fordham.  Every year they have a Holiday Train Show, featuring model trains on a track that runs through a miniature city.  The replicas of popular buildings and landmarks are made of natural materials like bark and leaves.  It is a holiday must!

One of the hundreds of dolls in the NYC store

Kate Callahan

This weekend my parents came to watch me perform with the University Choir in the Annual festival of Lessons and Carols.  Alumni, students, families, and visitors come from all over to see the show, and for many of them it marks the start of the holiday season.  During some downtime, my mom and I walked down 5^th Avenue to check out the window displays at Saks and the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.  We stopped at the American Girl Place along the way to see some of my favorite toys from when I was a little kid.  The (window) shopping and concert really helped me get into the spirit!

Weekend Update: Thanksgiving Edition

Sara Power

Unfortunately I was not really home for the holidays; however, I definitely made up for it throughout my Sunday! I spent the morning picking out a tree with my family and then travelling back to the Bronx, where my roommate and I got into the Christmas spirit! We've filled our apartment with ivy, holly, cinnamon sticks, bows, miniature trees, you name it! These rams are ready to spread some Yuletide cheer as is the rest of campus, which is currently wrapped up like a present. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but Fordham has a particularly infectious holiday spirit that is sure to get every student excited!

Even a little Christmas tree can spread a lot of cheer!

Allison Misciagno-Bergin

This weekend, my friends and I hosted "friends-giving" in our apartment. We cooked all sorts of delicious thanksgiving food: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and more. We also made custom appetizers with ingredients from our favorite Arthur Ave stores like Casa de la Mozzarella. Overall a great time spent celebrating with friends.

Some of our delicious Friends-giving food!

Deirdre Hynes

I spent the holiday weekend in New Jersey with family, enjoying a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, quality time with my little cousins, and some free time before the last few busy weeks of the semester!

You're never too old for arts and crafts!

Holiday Season: Campus Ministry Edition

Campus Ministry is always planning something, and that especially holds true now that the holidays are coming up!  Over the past month there has been a Thanksgiving Food Drive collecting all nonperishable, canned, and baby foods as well as monetary donations.  The drop-off locations included the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses, making it convenient for all Fordham students to participate.  Countless donations were collected to help provide for our neighbors and friends in need this holiday season.

Keating Hall in the snow

Now that Advent is around the corner, kicking off right after we return from Thanksgiving break, those programs are getting planned as well.  On December 3rd at 8pm there will be a Praise and Worship Advent Special, and the following night at 5:15pm there will be an Advent Reconciliation Service.  For students interested in retreats, there will be an Advent Mini-Retreat on December 7th from 10am-2:30pm.  This will be followed by a Fordham favorite, Lessons and Carols at 3pm in the University Church.  (The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear.)  Also, the annual Campus Ministry Holiday Party will take place on December 10th at 5:30pm in the Ignatius Room.

University Church decorated for Christmas

Starting tomorrow, November 24th, there will be Holiday Coat and Toy Drives through December 17th.  They will be accepting donations of clean and gently used coats, gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, and boots in good condition.  The three campuses will also be collecting new unwrapped toys appropriate for children ages newborn to teenager, and each campus will be donating to a different cause.  Toys collected at Rose Hill will be distributed by Fordham Big Brothers and Big Sisters to our local community partners.  Donations from Lincoln Center will benefit Hour Children, and those from Westchester will be given to the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center.  There are endless ways to get involved and help out during the holidays at Fordham!

Nativity Scene by the entrance to campus

Festival of Lessons and Carols

Every December, many members of the Fordham community attend the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols as part of their unofficial start to the Christmas season. Taking place one weekend each year with performances at St. Paul's Church (across the street from Fordham's Lincoln Center campus) on Saturday and in the University Church on Sunday, this event kicks off the Christmas season with music and reflection.

University Church on Sunday, December 8th for this year's Festival of Lessons and Carols

People filled the pews and stood in the aisles of the beautifully decorated University Church to experience this year's Festival of Lessons and Carols. Fordham's University Choir and Women's Choir each perform a multitude of songs, impressing attendees with their beautiful renditions of traditional holiday carols and other musical pieces. Readings and reflections allowed the community to embrace the spirit of the season.

It was a wonderful way to start the Christmas season at Fordham!

Campus Activities Board Holiday Fair

Earlier this week, Campus Activities Board hosted a Holiday Fair in our McGinley Center to celebrate the beginning of finals and ring in the Holiday season. Campus Activities Board had five tables set up, and many other clubs and organizations had tables as well. Some of the CAB tables included stocking and Santa hat decorating, make your own Christmas ornament, Rice Krispie treat decorating, finals prep goody-bags, and a photo booth. 

The biggest attractions of the HolidayFair, however, were the 6 tables lined with Georgetown Cupcakes and the photo opportunity with Mindy the monkey. Campus Activities Board is broken up into 9 committees plus a General Board, and many of the committees had their own special table at the fair. The Comedy Committee really thought outside of the box this year by bringing a monkey and a chinchilla to the fair. People lined up all around just to take a picture with the monkey! Another big hit at the fair was the photo booth. We even had a member of the Executive Board dressed up as Santa for a little bit!

Many other clubs and organizations also had tables at the Holiday Fair as well. For example, the Fordham Marketing Association sold homemade iPhone cases. Some of the booths sold the goodies that they had, while others gave them away for free. However, any of the donations that CAB received went to helping the relief efforts in the Philippines. It was a great way to celebrate the holiday season on campus, and it was also a fun way to kick off finals and the end of the semester. 

Happy Holidays!

Christmas Spectacular

It's that time of year again! The trees are sparkling with Christmas lights and the city is painted red and green. A major tell tale sign of the holiday season is when the Rockettes kick off the season with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Located at the iconic Radio City Music Hall, the Christmas Spectacular is the perfect way to get anyone into the holiday spirit. 

Needing a boost before the start of finals, my friends and I hopped on the Metro North and spent the evening with the Rockettes and Santa. The theme of this years show is full of high spirited song and dance numbers with a modern day technology twist. Through the lens of 3D glasses the audience watches as a mother and daughter learn the meaning of Christmas through a virtual video game complete with flying elves and high kicking Rockettes. If you've seen the show before, you'll notice a change in story line as well as all the crowd favorites. 

Nothing makes you feel more like a child than a show with dancing toys and Santa narrating the true meaning of Christmas to the audience. The show is also located just outside Rockefeller Center where the tree can be seen standing and ready to be lit. The area is also decorated to the brim with dancing light shows and wreaths galore. 

Whether you're looking to get into the holiday spirit, take a break from the textbooks, or visit a childhood memory, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular is the perfect way to do that. So put on your ugliest Christmas sweater, grab a few friends and go have a spectacular evening in the City! 

Weekend Update: 'Tis the Season!

Happy December! The weather is getting colder and final exams are approaching, but that can't stop the cheerfulness in the air. It is the holiday season, and last week Fordham students headed home - or stayed in the area - to celebrate Thanksgiving. This is a great time to catch up with your high school friends, do holiday activities with your family, and of course, eat lots of pumpkin pie. Let's check in with a few our contributors for this Monday's Weekend Update. We'll be hearing from Madeline, Jessica, and Emma - thanks guys!

Madeline

Like most Fordham students, I enjoyed a long Thanksgiving weekend home with my family. I took the train home to Connecticut and then spent Thanksgiving day in Long Island visiting family. On Black Friday, I made it back to NYC to celebrate Christmas with the Radio City Rockettes! The show really got me in the holiday spirit but now I have to buckle down for the last week of classes and finals before Christmas break.

Jessica

I spent this past week at home (the first time since August) celebrating the holiday near Cleveland, OH. My weekend focused on football. On Friday, I spent time with some friends from high school, and we watched our alma mater (Kirtland High School) win a playoff game and advance to the state championship round. On Saturday, as I watched Ohio State beat its biggest rival Michigan on TV, I continually checked the score of the Fordham game.

Emma

I went home for Thanksgiving break and enjoyed some holiday preparations with my family! As you can see in the picture, I went to pick out my Christmas tree with my family. We went to a tree farm in Princeton, New Jersey!

Well, there you have it! There's a lot going on at Fordham and at home. Have a good week, everyone!

December Preview

December at Fordham can be short and quick – with just a week left of classes, two reading days, and then finals.  But that doesn’t mean that Fordham shuts down for the month.  Not only is the campus beautifully decorated for the season, but also in between studying, writing papers, and packing for the long winter break, students still take time to enjoy themselves with fun campus activities. Every year, the Campus Activity Board (CAB), the club responsible for planning fun events for students on campus, has a Holiday Week. Every day of the week there is another CAB-sponsored activity to get everyone into the holiday spirit.  Some events include a Cultural Affairs Christmas Ticket Raffle, in which students can win $20 tickets for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular or for The Nutcracker, a Holiday Fair, a viewing of the holiday-classic Elf, gingerbread house making, and a trip to go ice skating at Bryant Park.

Another annual tradition is the Peer Educators’ Holiday Scavenger Hunt.  This is a fun event where you and a team of friends are given a list of tasks and clues (related to the holidays) that you must complete or find in the Lincoln Center area.  Prizes are awarded and hot chocolate is given out! A Senior Night is also scheduled for this month.  Senior Nights are themed dance parties, only open to seniors at the Rose Hill campus.  This month, the theme is Santa’s Workshop (I’ll be dressing as an elf!)

This month is also an exciting month for sports at Fordham.  After winning our first ever NCAA FCS home playoff game versus Sacred Heart University 37-27, Fordham’s record-breaking football team travels to Towson University in Maryland next Saturday for the next round of the playoffs.  On the same day, our men’s basketball team plays St. John’s University during the 2013 MSG Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden.

Of course, many more activities will be going on at Fordham this month, but these are a few of the things I’m looking forward to this December!

Being Thankful for Fordham

Every year for Thanksgiving at my house, we go around the room and tell each other all of the wonderful things we are thankful for. Overdone and cheesy, I know, but tradition is tradition. This year, I couldn't help but be thankful for my amazing school, Fordham. I'm thankful for all of my great and interesting classes and all of the things I've learned in them. I'm thankful for the excitement of New York City that I am fortunate enough to have right in my backyard. And most of all, I'm thankful for the caring people that I am surrounded by everyday in the Fordham community. 

I'm extremely thankful for my wonderful Fordham friends!

But it's always nice to come home and be around family, especially since I'm from Texas, and I don't get to come home that often. I always envy the people who live in the tri-state area because they usually take a train home, which means that they don't have to deal with airport security, flying, and baggage check. Fordham, however, makes at least one portion of the flying process much easier. During school breaks, the Ram Van has a shuttle service to and from LaGuardia Airport and JFK airport that is open to all students. The ride is usually only 30 minutes and it costs $20, which is much cheeper than a cab. They help you with your bags and drop you off right at your terminal. I've used it so many times, and I can proudly say that I am definitely thankful for the Ram Van. 

Even on a rainy day, the Ram Van is there to make sure we all make our flights home!

Spending time with my family and loved ones this Thanksgiving has been perfect, and a much needed break. We all spend time together cooking and baking in the morning, watch the parade, and then we eat and watch football, like every good Texan family should. We think about the year we've had while we eat too much, laugh too much, and talk too much. 
I always enjoy getting to come home and relax a little bit, but I know that once this turkey coma wears off, I'll be ready to be back in New York at my wonderful school!

Celebrating Thanksgiving with all my loved ones in Texas!

So from everyone here at Fordham, we would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a Happy Hanukkah! 

The Holidays In New York City

This is my favorite time of the year.  Everyone starts decorating for the holidays, lighting up trees and playing festive music. As soon as Thanksgiving was over, I started playing Christmas music non-stop in my dorm.  What’s even better is that there is so much to see in New York City during this holiday season.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Photo courtesy of Stan Honda / AFP - Getty Images

One of the biggest celebrations is the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center, which took place on November 30^th.  People from all over went to Rockefeller Center to see performances by Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé, and Cee Lo Green just to name a few.  It’s such a great experience to be able to go because you get to see performances from a bunch of great artists (for free!) and just be surrounded by people who are also there enjoying the holiday season.  Although I was not able to make it to the ceremony this year, I am definitely planning a trip to go see the tree.  It’s so beautiful and wonderful to see the 74-foot tall tree lit in the center of such an amazing area.  Not too far from the tree is the ice skating rink, where one can go and watch the people, from beginners to professionals, ice skate.  Also, throughout the season, all of the department stores decorate their windows to depict stories.  Anyone in the New York City area must go and see them! The windows at Macy’s Department Store in Herald Square are my absolute favorite because they are always so elaborate and well done. 

Macy's Herald Square Christmas windows

Photo courtesy by Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images

Even though the semester is about to end and crazy finals week is coming soon, I cannot help but be happy.  Rose Hill is just as beautiful with lights and wreaths decorating the buildings.  It also makes me happy to see all the decorations people put on their doors in the dorms and just getting into the holiday spirit.  It truly is “the most wonderful time of the year”.  

Happy Holidays from I am a Fordham Ram

The I am a Fordham Ram student writers are currently on winter break until January 18th. Enjoy the holiday season and we'll bring you more candid insights into the Fordham experience when we return!

CAB Christmas Market

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Festival of Lessons and Carols

Students and faculty are back from Thanksgiving break rested, rejuvinated and ready for the final push of the fall semester. Junior Gina Ciliberto shares one of her (and the University's) favorite celebrations of the Christmas holiday: the 20th Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols featuring the Fordham University Choir and the Bronx Arts Ensemble, held at the Church of St. Paul's the Apostle in Manhattan. Hear more about the evening of music and cheer below:

Fordham College Rose Hill: Stay Tuned: Lessons and Carols: "This is just about my favorite Fordham event of the year. The Festival of Lessons and Carols features the Fordham choirs singing Christmas ..."