A Midterm-Taker's Guide to the Perfect Study Break

Any college or high school student knows how stressful the mid-to-late October stretch is in the Fall semester. It's when tests, projects, papers and quizzes start to build up and stress is at an all-time high. As a pre-med student, I know just how hard this time of the year is, but I try to take time out of studying to relax and rejuvenate. I think it's important to take some time for yourself while also focusing on your studies! These are some study breaks I've taken this midterm season, and I encourage everyone should try to take a little time off as well!
My favorite study break involves my favorite pastime: eating! New York is one of the culinary capitals of the world, so my friends and I love to take advantage of the amazing food that we can find in our area. Arthur Avenue is a Fordham favorite, so we always like to explore the restaurants and bakeries around the area. Cannolis from Madonia Bakery on Arthur are one of my favorite treats if you ever want to "treat yo' self!" My friends and I also love to go to brunch in the city. Last week we went to Jack's Wife, Frieda in Soho. I would definitely recommend it!

Brunch from Jack's Wife, Freda in Soho

In the city that never sleeps, there are infinite things to do. My friend, Matt, and I found out that our favorite Instagram dog celebrity, Marnie the Dog, was having a meet and greet in Greenwich Village. We decided to take some much deserved time off from studying and go. We got to meet Marnie and take a picture with her, which was so much fun!

Matt, Marnie the Dog and I!

Although midterms is a stressful time of the year, it's still very important to take time to yourself, explore the city and enjoy the beautiful fall foliage (especially before the winter!).

Weekend Update

Heather Richards

This past weekend I took a bus to Washington DC to visit my family. They flew in from Chicago to see the Andrew Wyeth art exhibit at The National Gallery of Art. We spent the weekend exploring a couple of museums, eating food, and hanging out together at the house. I really enjoyed the opportunity to see my family, sleep in, read, and explore DC!

A good book and a hot drink make for a very relaxing day

Nicole Pieri

This weekend I focused most of my time on finishing school work before Thanksgiving break. It was very relaxing to stay on campus with the beautiful fall scenery and take my time with my work after a busy week. I was able to finish my work and catch up on my sleep, which was much needed, so it was quite an enjoyable weekend!

I love exploring our beautiful campus

Erica Restaino

This weekend, I met up with some friends from high school. We all go to different colleges in NYC, so we like to meet up every so often. This weekend, we went to Ellen's Stardust Diner. At Ellen's, the waiters and waitresses are aspiring actors and actresses trying to get onto Broadway, so they sing while you eat. It was a ton of fun, and the food was great!

The talented staff at Ellen's Stardust Diner

Beauty In The Bronx: Fordham Foliage

It is way too tempting to not jump in those leaves

Fall is a magical time of the year. The leaves are changing, the weather is starting to come to a comfortable crisp temperature, and when you walk on campus at night, you can start to smell the musky odor of the fireplaces burning. Fordham in the fall, or any season for that matter, is the epitome of magic. Fordham’s Rose Hill Campus was placed on Buzzfeed’s College Campuses that were made for Instagram. Their argument? The beauty that is Keating Hall in the Winter, Spring, Summer, and of course Fall.

One of many snowfalls last year!

Fordham is busting with piles of colorful leaves, pumpkin décor, and sunset skies that are always mesmerizing. The Fall is a great time to visit Fordham not only for it’s beautiful campus, but for the surrounding attractions that the Bronx has to offer. Across from the Fordham entrance gate, the Botanical Garden welcomes visitors with strings of white lights, signifying that the holiday season is not too far away! A traditional attraction of the Botanical Garden (also known a the BoTans to Fordham students) is the Holiday Train Show. All of the miniature New York City landmarks that are recreated in the Holiday Train Show are created entirely out of natural objects like tree branches and acorns. From the massive Brooklyn Bridge replica to Grand Central Station, the show is a Fordham student and Fordham Family favorite!

When you come to our beautiful campus, be sure to snap a picture of Keating Hall, the statue of Saint Ignatius Loyola, or one of the staple Fordham skies, post it to Instagram and tag @FordhamAdmissions!

Weekend Update

It's never a bad idea to bring home cupcakes!

Danielle Smith

This weekend I took a trip back home to Long Island to visit my family. To get home I generally take the Ram Van into the Lincoln Center campus and then walk to Penn Station. On my walk to Penn Station, I passed a Baked by Melissa where I bought cupcakes to surprise my family (and have a few myself)! I loved spending time with my family and they were especially grateful that I brought home cupcakes.

Expressions Dance Alliance takes on the Botans

Gianna Rosamilia

This weekend Expressions Dance Alliance had their biannual photo shoot for their recital at the end of the fall semester. Some of the girls from the company got together and walked over to the Botanical Gardens to take pictures to promote the show, "Dreamers". The Gardens are absolutely beautiful this time of year. The weather was perfect, and it was an incredible day to spend outside with everyone. Not only did we take some awesome pictures for flyers and footage for our promo video, but we got to enjoy the gorgeous scenery of New York's Botanical Gardens, which is free to enter with a Fordham ID! EDA's show this semester takes place at 8 PM on November 21 and 22 in Collins Auditorium, and features student-choreographed lyrical, jazz, contemporary, and tap dances!

Great food, great sights, and great fun!

Emily Tanner

This past weekend I went to ‘Broadway Bites’ in Greeley Square Park! It features a bunch of different vendors of the yummiest food in NYC, from Italian to Mexican to Thai, even some baked goods! It’s called a ‘pop- up market’ and will be on Broadway until November 15th. I had a super fun time in Manhattan with my friends trying all of the different cuisines and just hanging out in the best city in the world.

We loved the laser show

Kirsten Simons

This Friday after work, some friends and I went to get dinner at City Bakery in Chelsea. We had incredibly delicious hot chocolate with our meal and then headed to Brooklyn for the New York Festival of Lights. The festival took place under the Brooklyn Bridge, and it was incredibly fun. The festival featured art from several different artists, all of which centered around lights of all kinds, everything from Christmas tree lights and lasers to fluorescent lights and projections on the side of the bridge.

A beautiful trail at the Botanical Gardens

Anna Romagnoli

This past weekend I took a study break in the Botanical Gardens right across the street from the Rose Hill campus.  It is free for Fordham students and a great place to go on a walk or run and enjoy the fall weather!

Escaping the City: A Daytrip to Breakneck Ridge

The variety of things to do, places to explore, and opportunities to take advantage of in New York City is truly astounding. Nevertheless, it is still a city, and cities (as densely populated areas with countless buildings as tall and far as the eye can see) categorically have certain limitations. Namely, nature and green space is conspicuously restricted. Although Fordham's Rose Hill campus achieves an impressive balance between grassy areas and the buildings they surround, I sometimes find myself craving an inversion of the urban landscape: nature as far as the eye can see interrupted only by the odd building or two, rather than the other way around.

Campus is even more beautiful in autumn.

To this end, my friends and I recently took a daytrip to go hiking. Although none of us have a car at school, there is a Metro North Railroad station just outside campus that enables practically door-to-door transportation to Breakneck Ridge, a mountain with a number of trails along the Hudson River in Cold Spring, NY.

Hiking at Breakneck is very popular with New Yorkers in the fall, so our train was standing-room only.

The train stop is about 300 feet from the entrance to the trail, which begins with a steep uphill climb. This ended up being the most challenging and tiring section of our hike, with some nearly-vertical sections that required minor bouldering. The effort was worth it though...

Looking south back towards NYC - over 50 miles away.

The view from the summit was astounding.

The view west across the Hudson. Hardly a cloud in the sky.

Although I'm originally from Massachusetts and very proud of New England's reputation for breathtaking vistas when the leaves begin to change color in the fall, I'll admit that I was impressed with the landscape at Breakneck.

A group of birds of prey circled nearby throughout the day.

The park offers a variety of terrain on several trails marked by colored tree markers along the way.

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is just visible across the river from the southern end of the park.

We had packed lunches and ate on the mountain. Including breaks, our hike took about 5 hours from the time we got off the train until we reached the village of Cold Spring.

A great place to stop and take in the view.

After visiting the town of Cold Spring (where we each grabbed a well-deserved ice cream), we hopped back on the train and headed home.

There may not be any mountains, but Edwards Parade is still a great place to spend time outdoors.

Fashion for Philanthropy

One of the reasons I love Fordham is its active campus life.  As of this year, there are over 100 clubs on campus which provides for a bustling environment here at Rose Hill.  I feel like this is best captured every year at our club fair where executive board members of each club promote their group.  I always find the fair amusing, as it seems to turn into a competition to see which club can have the most members sign up.  Club members surround Eddie’s Parade and play music, hand out candy, and even run around to bring attention to their table!  It is always an exciting day because it kicks off the school year on a positive note where students can reconnect through organization about which they passionate. 

Treats from our #PSL sale!

One club that I am particularly passionate about is Fashion for Philanthropy, also known on commonly on campus is FFP.  FFP is an outlet for Fordham’s fashion enthusiasts as it incorporates all aspects of the industry from business, design, modeling, and yes, even charity!  The club essentially puts on different events, both big and small, throughout the year to raise money for the Make A Wish Foundation.  For example, this year, we have had a Mac and Cheese delivery bake sale and a Pumpkin Spice Latté station to help kick start the fall season.  I particularly enjoyed these events because it was a great way for club members to bond amidst the forthcoming chillier fall days that lie ahead.  Both were a big hit, especially the Pumpkin Spice Latté station where we even served some fall sweets and treats!  Great for the Halloween spirit!

I would say the club’s largest event is definitely our spring fashion show (we finally decided on a theme, which I am very excited about!).  This time of year is when we begin to primarily focus on the show as there are so many layers to its success.  First, we have to assemble and present a budget to OSLCD (Office of Student Leadership and Community Development) to put on the show with the necessary decorations, props, etc.  Then comes the process of gathering sponsors for the event, which have included in previous years Lord and Taylor, Pura Vida, and Jeffrey Campbell.  Amidst all of this, we also need to meet with student designers to showcase their pieces as well as train models for the show.  Ulitmately, all proceeds from the show, raised by raffles, prizes, tickets and donations go towards the Make A Wish Foundation – it’s a win win all around, and quite a fun production, so stay tuned!

Sponsor's from last year's show.

Pamphlets from last year's show.

As PR Coordinator of FFP, I am in charge of our club’s Wordpress blog account and social media forums.  I really enjoy working with our club members to discuss fashion as it is a creative outlet for us all.  That is what I love so much about this club – it represents a sector that is not typically promoted, and harnesses it in such a way to promote fashion as an art form and as an industry of its own.  There is so much that goes on in the fashion industry, from PR and Marketing, to designing and manufacturing, even law and ethics (which is what I am primarily interested in!), and we try our hardest to highlight all these different aspects for Fordham students.  We work very closely with Career Services to filter internship and job opportunities so that club members have access to such prospects and potential networking outlets.  Our members are definitely very busy – we even have a section on our blog called “Intern Diaries.” 

 

Model from last year's show, showcasing a piece from a Fordham student designer!

Fashion For Philanthropy is a club that has a strong mission and I look forward to see its growth during the rest of my time here at Fordham.  

Happy Halloween!

It’s that time of year again when campus looks exceptionally beautiful due to the fall foliage.  When the leaves change, it’s a signal that Halloween is near.  Campus Activities Board helps students celebrate this holiday with Halloweek, where they host festive events the week leading up to Halloween.  

Keating Hall on a crisp fall morning

One of my favorite events is the annual pumpkin patch, where CAB distributes free pumpkins to students.  This past weekend, my roommates and I carved one of the pumpkins we picked up.  And when I say “we,” I mean that I did all of the carving, but my roommates did help scoop out the seeds, which we roasted and had as a late night snack.

I decided to carve my favorite Disney character, Stitch.  After 3 hours of work I think he turned out well!

The final project 

Posters advertising all the fun activities for Halloweek

Another Halloweek event that I attended was Bingo on Sunday night.  Whenever CAB hosts Bingo, it is a big deal.  Fordham sweatshirts and blankets are highly coveted by students, and the grand prizes are quite impressive; past grand prizes have included iPads and digital cameras.  This year, I won for the first time, and I was actually one of the grand prize winners!  My prize fit the theme of Halloweek because I won four tickets to Blood Manor, a popular haunted house in the city.  CAB was even thoughtful enough to include MetroCards for the trip.  I am looking forward to treating my friends to a thrilling night! 

Other events around campus this week include showings of the 80s classic Ghostbusters, a spooky open mic night at Rodrigue's, the student run coffee house on campus, and a raffle for free tickets to see Wicked on Broadway.  

Fordham students love getting into the spirit of Halloween, and you will find many of them dressed up in costume tonight in celebration, sharing ghost stories and scary legends.  If you’re curious about just how spooky Fordham is alleged to be, check out this link to our library’s page on the topic.

Fall at Rose Hill

A picture taken while jogging through the Botans.

Nothing beats the beauty of Rose Hill's campus this time of year- we weren't voted the "12th College Campus Most Made for Instagram" for nothing! The combination of changing leaves and cooler weather makes the atmosphere on campus even more exciting. The Botanical Gardens across the street from Rose Hill are especially beautiful this time of year. Students are seen frequently jogging through the trails or even studying in the gardens. Admission is free to the Botanical Gardens, so I make sure to take full advantage of them during the warmer months!

Keating Hall is also especially beautiful this time of year. It stands tall surrounded by colorful foliage and fallen leaves. Students take advantage of Eddie's by studying, eating, or just hanging out with friends before the weather gets cold. Soon enough, the lawn will be covered by snow, so students are making sure to make the most of these last few weeks!

Keating Hall admist the changing leaves.

With Halloween and Thanksgiving quickly approaching, students are keeping themselves busy with midterms. However, there are also a ton of fun activities happening around campus that students are keeping themselves involved in, such as football games, fundraisers and other campus and club sponsored activities. Fall is beautiful at Rose Hill, and our students love to keep themselves involved in all the campus and the Bronx has to offer.

Weekend Update

The beautiful Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge Park

Amy Caffrey

After a long week of midterms, some friends and I decided to relax by heading downtown and taking a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, one of our favorite things to do! We hung out in the Brooklyn Bridge Park on the Brooklyn side of the bridge, and stayed long enough to see the beautiful view of the city skyline at night across the water.

Foster the People at the United Palace Theatre

Matthew Calhoun

Kicked off the weekend Friday night by going to see Foster The People preform at the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights, one of the most beautiful venues I've ever been to. The next day was spent with friends shopping and dining in Chelsea and SoHo, two of the coolest neighborhoods in Lower Manhattan. Sunday was dedicated to wrapping up schoolwork and studying of course, but not too bad for a weekend that flew by!

One of the Botanical Gardens' picturesque trails

Victoria Cappucci

With fall in full bloom here at Fordham, I decided to unwind this Sunday for a walk through the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are always a great way to de-stress before and after midterms, which we could all use during this time of year! And the best part is that it's free for Fordham students. Go rams!

The choir gathers for one last rehearsal

Kate Callahan

This Sunday, the Fordham University and Women’s Choirs presented their annual fall concert. These groups, which are made up of students from both the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses, come together a few times a year to perform for the Fordham community. Both choirs put on impressive shows and are looking forward to the Festival of Lessons and Carols, one of Fordham’s most exciting holiday traditions!

Weekend Update

Marisa Diaz

This past weekend, I went pumpkin and apple picking at Wilken’s Fruit and Fir Farm in Yorktown Heights, NY. After finding the perfect pumpkin and picking a peck of apples, my family and I waited on line for an hour just to get a dozen of the delicious fresh baked cider donuts. It definitely got me ready for the fall season!

A beautiful day for pumpkin picking

Abby Collins

Visiting the Central Perk replica in SoHo

This weekend I traveled down to SoHo with a couple of my friends from Fordham. Getting to downtown Manhattan from Fordham’s Rose Hill campus is incredibly easy! We took the Metro North down to Grand Central and then took the subway the rest of the way. We went to go see the replica of Central Perk that sprung up recently in honor of the 20th anniversary of the first episode of “Friends”! The line was about two hours long but it was worth it in the end to see the iconic yellow couch that was in almost every episode of the show! After wrapping up in Central Perk, we strolled around the streets of SoHo until we came across a large Italian festival that was going on, in honor of San Gennaro. The festival went on for about fifteen blocks, all of which were full of celebration. There was enough food, music, and liveliness to brighten my whole weekend!

Nicole Cruz

On Sunday, Fordham hosted its annual Senior Open House.  Thousands of prospective students and their families attended various events throughout the day to learn more about Fordham.  As part of the Rose Hill Society, I helped in getting the families where they needed to be and showing them around campus.  We had a lot of fun!

Future Fordham Rams

Go Rams!

Nicole Chiuchiolo

Fordham was bustling with activity this weekend! There was so much going on. On Friday night my friends and I had a blast at Ram Town. Ram Town is the kickoff to the basketball season where they introduce players and give out free food and prizes! On Saturday I attended the Theatrical Outreach Program’s production of “Our Town” in Collins Auditorium. Not only was it an amazing student produced and student directed show, it was also free! On Sunday I had a blast at Senior Open House! I was able to give tours, interact with prospective students, and hang out with the Fordham Ram!

Ya Can’t Buy Me Love: Because CAB Gives You All You Love For Free

It’s Fall. The temperatures are decreasing, but the beautifully changing colors of the leaves make up for that sudden chill that you secretly love. In the name of all things Fall, however, where can a girl go pumpkin picking and apple picking in the urban jungle? Never fear, we have two things on our side: 1. We are in New York, anything, even apple orchards and pumpkin patches, are within an hour radius. 2. Fordham’s Campus Activities Board wants you to experience Fall- for free. Yep! You heard me! Free!

The hay-ride to the orchards! 

Campus Activities Board is an organization on campus, which organizes events on and off campus for free. Their Weekend Activities Committee organizes events almost every weekend, again for free. Last year, I picked pumpkins in front of the McGinley Center and got to decorate them, all while enjoying hot cider- can you say amazing?

So many apples, so little time.

I ate as I picked. Multitasking is a great skill.

This year, I went apple picking with Campus Activities Board (CAB for short) at Wilkin’s Family Fruit Farm! We signed up the Wednesday before in the McGinley Center and got the opportunity to pick our very own bag of apples for free! That Saturday, we met in the parking lot to find a HUGE Coach Bus waiting to take us an hour north. Upon reaching the farm, we were given apple bags to fill to the brim for free! After running through the orchards, we got apple cider donuts and warm apple cider- truly a treat to our already sweet day. 

I took home more than fifteen apples. I had so many I had to give them to my friends back at campus!

This was also a great photo-shoot with friends opportunity. 

CAB has many events like this every week! In addition to trips, they also hold raffles where you can win sporting event tickets and Broadway tickets. They also have a holiday air with includes horse and carriage rides around campus, a live monkey, food trucks, decoration making, and so much more!                                          

CAB is one of my favorite organizations on campus and they do an amazing job on getting the whole student body to take advantage of the surrounding city and New York as a whole, because after all, New York is our campus.

A NYC Fall Weekend

After a few busy weeks at school, I knew it was time for a fun-filled, NYC weekend! Although late September weather in New York can often be cool and fall-like, the forecast for this weekend was beautiful, with temperatures in the 80s and sunshine predicted all weekend. I knew it was the perfect time to take advantage of the nice weather and experience a few of NYC's outdoor offerings.

I spent Friday night at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park for a Broken Bells concert. This is one of my favorite places to see concerts, because I am always in awe of how amazing it is to be able to see live music in Central Park, where you can turn around and see the bustling city through the trees behind you. The 4 train from Fordham and the 6 train to 68th street left us near the entrance, while Fordham's intercampus RamVan gave us an easy way to get home after a short walk to the Lincoln Center campus!

Broken Bells at Rumsey Playfield

Saturday afternoon, I made my way back to Central Park for the Global Citizen Festival, which was a free event featuring performances by No Doubt, Jay-Z, The Roots, fun., Carrie Underwood, and Tiesto. Created in order to urge people to take action against extreme poverty and other issues, the festival included statements by world leaders and other individuals in support of these positive changes. The all-day event was extremely cool and seeing so many people gathered in the middle of New York City to take action was even cooler.

The Roots performing at Global Citizen Festival

Sunday morning, my friends and I took the MetroNorth train (right off campus!) to Grand Central and hopped on a subway downtown so that we could walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.  Afterwards, I stayed in the city to enjoy the beautiful weather, finding a spot in a park downtown where I could do my homework before heading back to the Bronx.

A perfect day for walking the Brooklyn Bridge!

By the end of the weekend, I had fallen in love with New York City all over again and was grateful for the easy access I had to such cool activities from Fordham's campus!