Your Guide to a NYC Summer Bucket List

Long Branch Beach, New Jersey

As a local New Yorker, my family is always planning vacations to escape the concrete jungle we call home during the summer months. However, this summer was going to be different. My extended family was visiting from Canada and I had gotten a student worker position at the Undergraduate Admission Office. I knew it was going to be impossible to take an extended vacation so my friend, who was also staying in at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, decided to come up with a summer bucket list to complete. We complied our list based on two things: the events had to be free or cheap and within two hours of driving distance for any day trips. So over the month of June, we participated in free yoga and Latin dance classes that were taking place in Bryant Park. Also, many parks around New York City were screening free outdoor movie nights. We caught the all time classic Back to the Future at Bryant Park and Frozen at Randall’s Island. You can drive into Randall’s Island if taking the RFK Bridge from Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. If coming in from Manhattan, a cheaper option is to take the walking passageway or one of the MTA local buses that frequently make trips to the island.

For my water lovers, I was able to able to take multiple free kayaking trips in the Hudson River. The two most popular locations are Pier 96 uptown and Pier 26 downtown. What I really love about the NYC free kayaking program is how accessible and easy it is. I went to Pier 26 a total of three times and every time I went before 10 am, I barely had to wait in line. There is a waiver that you have to sign but the good news is that you do it once, and it’s good for the rest of the season. There are single and double kayaks available as well as free lockers, lock, life jacket, and a changing room. For the perfect afternoon activity with your partner in crime or significant other, Central Park offers daily boat rides that you can enjoy right at the heart of the city. While not free, boating was a lot of fun because of the beautiful location and atmosphere. For people seeking a little more thrill, we did drive out to the Six Flags Great Adventure Hurricane Harbor water park in New Jersey. If you don’t have a car, not to fear! There are group buses that take folks into six flags from Manhattan. For the perfect day beach trip, we headed out to the shores of Jersey to Long Branch Beach. It’s a cute little resort town about two hour drive from NYC but also accessible via the NJ transit as well. Long Branch does a really good job at making us forget we’re still in the tri-state area with its gorgeous sand dunes and palm trees.

Smorgasburg eats at East River State Park, Williamsburg

   Last but not the very least, no vacation is complete without exploring the local food scene! Summer is a great time to dine out in NYC because of the many different food festivals and events that take place. Taking advantage of Restaurant Week, I tried out Korean, Mexican, and Mediterranean fine dining. Another really cool way to explore new kinds of food was going to the Smorgasburg food fair that takes place in various locations around the city every week. They promote 100 local vendors of various world cuisines and it’s basically a one-stop shop for any form of food craving you could possibly want. I tried vegan burgers, Ethiopian food, Hawaiian food, Vietnamese food, as well as a variety of ice cream shops in my visits. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to enjoy NYC that doesn’t have to include going to all the tourist attractions. I completed my first summer bucket list here in my “hometown” and I can’t wait to see which city to explore next year! 

WFUv and Student Employment

This semester, I got the wonderful opportunity to start working for WFUV, the public radio station of Fordham University. It has been operating for more than 65 years and is completely commercial free and listener supported. WFUV plays an intricate mix of folk, classic rock, and alternative music, along with its partner station, The Alternate Side. They also host events, such as the upcoming FUV Dance Party, and has musicians come in for live sessions, many of which are available online as well. 

Not only does WFUV give us, and the tri-state area wonderful music all day long, but it also hires many of Fordham's students. They hire part-time employees and they also have a number of internships available for students, including news and sports. They host workshops for interested students and at the beginning of every fall semester the take applications for interns and student employees. 

This is such a wonderful opportunity for fordham students for so many reasons. Not only is it great work experience and resume material, but it is also a great way to learn and understand this industry. Often time when students are hired in one area, it is easy to rise through the ranks and work various different positions. It is also a great opportunity and stepping stone for other communications positions at radio stations, television stations, etc. Many Fordham/WFUV alums now work for various television stations all around the New York area, onscreen and off. 

This and many other wonderful job opportunities are available for students on campus, through the student employment office. Many students, as a part of their financial aid package receive a work study position on campus, such as desk assistants, event staff, or a library aide. Work study and other various jobs on campus can be a great opportunity for work experience, of course, but it is also just another to meet other incredibly intelligent and hardworking individuals in the Fordham community. 

Want to listen to WFUV and you live in the New York area? Tune to 90.7 FM! 

Work-Study in the Library

Walsh Family Library

Work-study provides students with opportunities to work in all areas on campus.  It is a part of one’s financial aid packet, and if eligible that student can then work part-time in various offices on campus, such as the Ram Van office, Financial Aid offices, or even the library. 

I am one of the lucky few that gets to work at the Circulation Desk in the Walsh Family Library.  Although many might view working in the library as boring, I look at it as one of the best jobs on campus!  I work with students from all years and both colleges.  The full-time workers are great people to work with and they really help the time fly by.  Everyone on the staff is very kind so don’t be shy to approach us!  We love helping people and we will try to assist you in any way we can. 

Please feel free to use all of the library’s resources.  There are over 2 million volumes in the circulating system with books on all topics! Many think that there are only educational and scholarly books in the library, but there are many leisure books, as well.  Not only are there books, but also DVDs and CDs.  There are movies as new as Marvel’s The Avengers and TV Series such as Entourage.  If you can’t find what you’re looking for in Walsh Library, we at the Circulation Desk can help you get it from either Quinn Library at the Lincoln Center Campus or the Westchester Campus Library. 

The library is one of the best places to study on campus.  There are study rooms for groups of 3 or more and desks located on every floor.  I’ll let you in on a secret I learned from my co-workers.  The quietest place in the library to study is in the Microforms and Government Documents Room in the basement.  Hardly anyone ever goes in there!

Work-study is a great way to have a job conveniently located on campus, and these offices work flexibly with class schedules.  A student can schedule to work in-between classes, or even late at night depending on the job.  For example, since the library is open so late, I work from 10pm to midnight on some nights.  I truly love working in the library any time of the day and I am sure that my fellow co-workers will say the same.  

Work Study

I have found that a lot of perspective students are curious about the availability of jobs on the Fordham campus. Luckily for me, I was able to get a job on campus through the Fordham Work Study program as part of my Financial Aid package. Even if students do not receive a work study grant, there are plenty of opportunities for on campus employment if you so desire.  Jobs on campus include working at the library, pool, residence halls, Ram Van, as well as other office work  oriented jobs within the different departments at Fordham. For the past two years, I have been employed by the Fordham Athletics department as a lifeguard at the pool.

Working at the pool has been a great experience. I have been a certified lifeguard since I was 15 and always had a lifeguarding job while in high school. Being able to continue lifeguarding here at Fordham really helped with my transition into the college. My lifeguarding job requires me to work 12 hours per week which has helped me improve my time management skills because I know my homework has to be done before going to work for my shift. The athletics department has a lot of flexibility when it comes to scheduling so I was able to work shifts that help structure days when I do not have many classes. My job at the pool has also given me a front row seat to both swim meets and water polo matches; it has been a great way to follow along with some of Fordham’s best sports teams!

If you’re interested in a job on campus or received a Work Study Grant as part of your financial aid package be sure to contact the Office of Student Employment to find a job that’s right for you!