A Motley of April Events

Although it was really great to have been able to spend a relaxing spring break at home, I was looking forward to the last event-filled weeks of the spring semester. One of the events that I participated in was being a part of the Holy Week liturgy. As a member of the Schola Cantorum choir, I spent a great deal of my Easter Break and Holy Week rehearsing for Triduum Masses: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil. The rehearsals were tough and filled with challenging music to learn, but all the time that I spent singing with other choir members helped create a bond that got us through the long week. I also had the privilege to cantor for the morning prayers—my first time cantering ever. It truly was a blessed week for me to be a part of, and through the intense rehearsals, I began to realize the miracle of Easter and the importance of understanding the sacred meaning of what Holy Week means to me.

Even as an Outreach Ambassador, I got to help out with Spring Preview on April 12^th, 2015—Fordham’s largest open house event for Admitted Students. I cannot even put into words just how beautiful the day was for this event. With clear skies, Fordham students enjoying themselves on Eddie’s Parade (a beloved green spot for students to hang out), and enthusiastic admitted students on campus, it was the perfect ambiance to show off just how beautiful our Rose Hill campus really is and to talk about what makes our college so special. I remember two Spring Previews ago in which I was in this position of trying to make college decisions and I will never forget the student interactions that I had that persuaded me to want to come here and be a part of this community. That is what makes Spring Preview so special and so easy—ambassadors never have a difficult time bragging about how great their college experience is because everyone’s is unique and special to them in their own way!

Me with the Fordham Ram putting some "horn" hand signs during Spring Preview!

After my shift was done, I headed over to Eddie’s and had a mini picnic with friends. It was wondrous being able to get a tan in and see all the other students enjoy themselves outside of studying and class. Later, I got to enjoy the rest of this beautiful day by also attending the University Choir’s Annual Spring Concert to support my friends in it. It was a lovely afternoon filled with glorious music that filled the University Church that complimented the wonderful day.

The beautiful University Church with University Choir and the Bronx Arts Ensemble.

Although the semester is coming to a close end, it is also one of the most eventful times of the year, with admitted students coming to a decision about schools and extracurricular clubs having their annual spring showcases. It goes to show just how much of a variety of activities Fordham has to offer that truly makes it a community open to people with many interests and outlets to express themselves.

New York Is My Campus, The Rest Of The World Is A Step Away

Newark-Liberty Int'l Airport is a short trip from Fordham

Happy Easter future rams! While this blog has provided an abundance of information on life in New York City, although NYC is the greatest city in the world, as they say it is possible to have too much of a good thing. What's great about Fordham and our location in New York City, however, is that when you do want to get away for a weekend or Easter break it's very easy. 

My Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

If you come from a family like mine, holidays are meant for family time and any opportunity to take a vacation is soaked up to it's fullest. With much of my family in the Great Lakes and the South, driving home isn't such an attractive option when it comes time to go away for breaks like Easter. Luckily for us, Fordham is located in the midst of the biggest transportation hub on the east coast. NYC's 3 airports (JFK, Laguardia, and Newark-Liberty) make up the busiest airport system in the US, so finding a direct flight is never a challenge. The Ram Van even operates as a shuttle between the Rose Hill campus and LaGuardia and JFK during busy travel seasons such as Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring break. If you're like myself and typically fly through Newark Liberty (the east coast hub for United), getting there is a breeze. The cheapest way is to take the D train from Fordham Road down to 34th street, and walk one block over to Penn Station where you catch an NJ Transit train to the airport. The subway stretch takes about 30-45 minutes and will cost you just $2.75 and the NJT takes about 15-20 and costs $12.50. Substituting the D train with Metro-North is also a popular, but more expensive option, as are taxis and car services like Uber.

Cumberland Falls in Cumberland Gap National Park

This Easter, I was lucky enough to go visit my family in Cincinnati, and meet a friend in Tennessee for the day. I flew in direct from Newark-Liberty to Cincinnati (oddly enough the main airport is in Kentucky) and drove a few hours down to the beautiful Cumberland Gap National Park to spend a day with my friend. The best part of my flight is that it was completely free, including my checked bag! 

If there's any recommendation I have for future or current Fordham students who live outside the Northeast Corridor, it's to enroll in a frequent flier program. I've been racking up miles with United since the airline was called Continental, and my flights to New Orleans and Charleston over Christmas and Thanksgiving have allowed me to fly for free between NYC, Cincinnati, and really anywhere I'd like to go.

I love being able to visit my family in Charleston, SC

For those of you who live close-by to Fordham, or are afraid of flying; you're in luck too! Fordham has it's own stop on the Harlem and New Haven lines of Metro-North that serve downstate New York and coastal Connecticut. To avoid back-tracking through Penn Station, Metro-North is also a convenient way to get to Stamford Connecticut and transfer to Amtrak trains to Providence and Boston. From Penn, New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Railroad serve the rest of the NYC area and Amtrak has numerous routes stretching across the country.