This weekend, my parents and I celebrated our last Fordham Family Weekend. I can say with certainty that this year was the best of the four we’ve had. In years past, I would worry about keeping my family entertained, how my parents and friends would get along and if we’d win the football game. This weekend, however, was strictly about enjoying time with my mom, dad and best friends for the last time … or at least until commencement.
Of course, the weekend went off without a hitch, with me and my roommates falling asleep agreeing that “things could not have gone better.”
On Sunday morning, I reluctantly sent my parents off to the airport, sad to see them go, but comforted by the routine of goodbyes like these. Once I was back on campus, I saw a first-year family doing the same, but for the first time. Their hugs were longer, and there were a lot more tears — much like my parents and me at our first Family Weekend. I’ll never forget how it felt to show them the world I’d created for myself at school, and then to have to see them off.
In August of 2022, I left my home in Southern California to go to Fordham University. Anxious to get to school, I spent far too much time and effort decorating my dorm and worrying about the friends I’d make, but definitely not enough time thinking about what it would be like to be away from my family.
Like every first-year student, though, I was quickly distracted by orientation events and bonding with my roommate and new friends. It wasn’t until the first month had gone by and I was fully settled that I started to miss home. Luckily, my first Family Weekend was just a few weeks away.
Not only did my parents make the trip, but my two older sisters and younger brother joined too. That first Family Weekend was one I will never forget, simply because I had all of my favorite people in my new favorite place.
I remember walking them through every part of campus and down Arthur Ave., eagerly pointing out where all of my classes were or which sandwich shop was the best (The answer then was Casa Della Mozzarella, and it’s still my answer now). I relished being able to show my family why I loved Fordham — not just the places, but the people, too.
As I watched that first-year student say goodbye to her mom and dad, I reflected on how important this weekend must have been for both her and her parents. Her family probably feels comforted by the fact that she is happy and safe, and, having been in her position, I know she appreciates the opportunity to show them her newfound community.
When we leave home for college, no matter how close or far we go, we’re faced with a new set of challenges. The comforts we once took for granted at home are no longer there, and for the first time, we’re forced to confront true independence. Most of the time, we find comfort in our friends, surrounding ourselves with people who make us feel like our families do. Slowly, we create our own home away from home. And then, on a random weekend in October, our two worlds merge at Family Weekend.
This happens at a very pivotal point in every student’s semester. The excitement of being back at school has started to die down, your tan from the summer has faded and you really need a free meal. It’s right about then when your parents show up ready to shower you with all the affection they’ve been smothering your little brother with while you’ve been gone.
This year, at my final Fordham Family Weekend, I got that free meal, but I also grew a deeper appreciation for what this weekend really means. There’s more to it than just watching all of our dads bond over fishing and baseball. Family Weekend is an opportunity to acknowledge all the ways we’ve grown up, to share the lives we’ve built for ourselves and to laugh as our parents proudly embarrass us.
