[Courtesy of Twitter]

The Bronx has more to offer than Arthur Avenue establishments.

Fordham University’s administration loves to remind students that the Bronx has a lot to offer in terms of food and entertainment, but the spots they highlight are almost exclusively along Arthur Avenue. Having been here for over a year, I am certainly no stranger to Arthur Ave. and the various establishments that call the street home. From Prince Coffee Shop to Enzo’s to Estrellita’s to Last Call, I feel almost as if I’ve seen it all, and I’m only a sophomore. Although becoming a regular at these spots is no crime, that’s not really my style, and I’m sure others can relate. There’s something to be said for trying new things, visiting new places and meeting new people, and the only way to do that now is to go elsewhere.

A girl can only have so many variations of pasta and *insert sauce variety* before she starts to wonder about the Yemeni cuisine just east of campus or the story-book-themed Tortoise & Hare Restaurant near Van Cortlandt Park. But my trips throughout the Bronx this year have shown me there’s so much more than just food at these spots, even if it was my stomach that got me there. I mean, by all accounts, Little Yemen is amazing, and Van Cortlandt is cleaner, less busy and much bigger than Central Park.

So why did it take me a year to check out these spots? Convenience is certainly a part of it; almost all of these locations necessitate a bus ride or at least a longer walk than the one to Michaelangelo’s. And when you’re in a pinch, Belmont establishments will suit all your needs, but there are plenty of times when I’m not in a pinch. I plan day-long trips to Bushwick and purchase scheduled tickets for museum exhibits and outdoor concerts. I make restaurant reservations along Arthur and in Manhattan. So why not make plans to go to the South Bronx for a quick thrift trip? Or east past Webster for a different reason than just getting to the D train?

Sometimes the tricky part is awareness. Most of the places I go to in New York are recommendations from people I know or places I’ve seen on social media. And I’d say that Fordham definitely plays a role in that as well. The social culture certainly favors Arthur Avenue, but so does the administration. Their newsletters often highlight events south of campus, and they routinely encourage visiting families and prospective students to explore the Bronx by “checking out the real Little Italy on Arthur Avenue.” Still, as much as these influences prop up the street, Arthur’s biggest supporters are our very own Public Safety officers.

Public Safety routinely advises students to stick to the streets of Arthur Avenue and Fordham Road, clearly favoring the culturally white Little Italy over other neighboring areas. Their presentations at incoming student events and New Student Orientation every year highlight this mentality. I know Public Safety has a responsibility to keep students as safe as they possibly can, but encouraging students not to stray from Arthur lest they encounter… what? Real Bronxites? Or maybe they’re worried that we’ll run into more feral cats. Of course, when you go out into the city in any neighborhood, you should be aware of your surroundings and practice street safety, but you shouldn’t ignore an entire area just because Public Safety hasn’t deemed it “Ram Safe.” Nearly all of us have access to smartphones, meaning you can research neighborhoods, pull up a map or call for help with the touch of a button. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking the bus to Little Yemen for a change of scenery, and the fact I even have to spell that out is more than a little disappointing.

In the past few years, Public Safety has been refining their “Ram Safety Corridor” map, which is essentially a list of businesses along Arthur Avenue and Fordham Road that promise to be a safe haven for any Fordham students who may be in danger while in the area. While this program is great for students remaining in the area, especially when going out late at night, it doesn’t even begin to address all the possible situations that a student may encounter while exploring the rest of the Bronx. 

Fordham’s Public Safety should be encouraging students to practice street safety all throughout the city by offering specific advice that can be used in a variety of situations. Rather than telling students to stick to Arthur, we should be teaching them how to avoid dangerous situations by traveling in groups, staying off their phones and not wearing headphones. We need to inform students of all the resources available to them while they’re out and about. We should be offering Public Safety sponsored self-defense classes. Public Safety should expand their operating perimeter and work with other nearby institutions, such as Bronx Community College, when possible to increase the protection of all young New Yorkers. 

As students, we need to encourage each other when the university refuses to. We need to share our experiences with each other and offer up our own tips about street safety. We need to resist Public Safety’s all-too-popular narrative and work together to destigmatize the surrounding areas. Most of all, we need to apply pressure on the administration to stop feeding new students this Arthur-only perception of the Bronx. 

Exploring the city can feel like a daunting task, but it’s important to make the most of your four years here. The Bronx and the Rose Hill campus aren’t just resting places between trips to Manhattan. They can be a home if you let them be one. So ask yourself, is New York really your campus? Or is it just Arthur Avenue?

Allison Schneider, FCRH ‘26, is an English and political science major from Indianapolis, Ind.