Whether you are a seasoned New Yorker or from a small town on the opposite coast, the city will always have something to offer. It is a patchwork of cultures, communities, languages and traditions, with a tangle of public transportation to match. Here at Rose Hill, students have easy access to a network that takes riders throughout the city. You have four years to explore each nook and cranny of the five boroughs, but we’ll start strong with Manhattan. If Fordham University is your school, you might as well take advantage of your campus and experience your New York City.
The Bronx’s most direct connection down the west side is on the corner of Fordham Road and Grand Concourse, a short walk from campus. The B and the D are elusive trains that run on schedules that even Fordham seniors don’t have down to a science. The B doesn’t run on weekends, so the D, which normally runs express, makes all local stops. But if on a weekday outside of rush hour, you hop on the D at Fordham Road hoping to get off on 72nd St., you’d better buckle down for the express ride between 125th St. and 59th St. That being said, the D can get you deep downtown faster than you realize, so far that you might find yourself at the Grand Street stop in Chinatown, just blocks away from delicious food at college-friendly prices. At Super Taste on Eldridge, you can order 10 pork and chive dumplings for only $4.95. Or, if you’re feeling so inclined, a frozen bag of 50 from behind the counter is $12. At Nom Wah on Doyers St., the oldest tea house in New York, bring cash to eat a stack of crispy scallion pancakes and a steaming pork bun on pink and yellow tables outside.
From a seat on the above-ground 4 train, I once caught a glimpse of Yankee Stadium and a woman kissing a bearded dragon on her chest between the same two stops. Though it gets a bad rep for being farther away than the D (just barely!), the 4 has become my new favorite because it runs express down the east side. For those who persevere, there is a treat waiting for you at the 14th St.-Union Square stop. On Thursdays and Sundays, the Union Square Market plays host to rows of tents throughout the week. With an eclectic variety of offerings, the collection of merchants caters to all kinds of visitors — those looking for crocheted coasters can shop next to friends on the hunt for the city’s best whole wheat sourdough loaf. If it’s feeling like a two-stop day, jump right back onto the 4 and ride up to 77th St., where after a few minutes’ walk on the ritzy Upper East Side, your Fordham ID can get you into the Metropolitan Museum of Art free of charge. With exhibits spanning from musical instruments to Islamic art, this famed building and its steps are home to much more than the annual Met Gala and is always worth a visit (or many).
A Fordham student exclusive, the Ram Van goes directly between the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses for $3.50. Whether you’re commuting down to class or going down to enjoy an afternoon in the city, Birch Coffee on 57th St. and Ninth Ave. offers drinks and baked goods at reasonable prices and honors a discount with student ID. For a later excursion, Sala Thai on 74th St. and Amsterdam Ave. serves some of the best pad see ew, green curry and kao moo kratiam that you will find off any mode of city transit. Finally, settled cozily in the entertainment district, Carnegie Hall is just blocks from Lincoln Center and serves as another locale that can often be more affordable than expected. By checking the website, students can find $10 tickets to select shows through the Student Insider program.
While waiting for the Bx12 on Fordham Road, you can hear street preachers or smell the meat from the man who grills on a shopping cart. Though you might be tempted to sit a spell, if you get onto the bus, in 10 stops, you can get off at Broadway and 207th St. and walk through Inwood to the Met Cloisters. Up a winding hill under trees and tunnels, the Cloisters look over the Hudson and are home to gardens and extensive art collections. Your Fordham ID will also get you an entry ticket to this staple of New York museum culture.
Last but not least is the Metro-North (MNR). This is the most efficient connection to midtown Manhattan and can even now connect riders to the Long Island Railroad and multiple subway lines. For a quick, spur-of-the-moment trip downtown, ride an off-peak train to Grand Central and be there in just over 20 minutes. Some must-sees in this bustling area are the New York Public Library, which offers free entry and allows silent study in the Rose Reading Room, which boasts beautiful ceilings and ornate bookshelves. Behind the library is Bryant Park, which serves as an outdoor movie theater in the summer and an ice skating rink in winter. The MNR is often the most reliable and central form of transportation that gets you (almost) door-to-door in under 30 minutes if you’re willing to pay the varying prices.
Between classes, jobs and trips to the post office, there will always be a new corner of the city to explore. New York welcomes its students with warm embraces and will always give you a subway story to tell your new friends when you get back. First-timers and life-longers, welcome home.
