“If you want to be successful in life, there is no other alternative than waking up early, working hard and being energetic. All three conditions can be accomplished by engaging in physical activity.” These are the words of Adam Aly, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’18. Aly is one of the co-founders of B.U.F.F.F., one of the newest undergraduate clubs at the Lincoln Center campus, and currently serves as the president of the student organization.

The club’s title is an acronym which stands for badminton, ultimate frisbee and flag football. The club’s mission is to provide students with an opportunity to relieve stress by taking part in physical activities.

While most clubs meet on Thursdays during the activity block, B.U.F.F.F. meets on Friday afternoons at DeWitt Clinton Park. For Aly, the idea of a new club began, “[When] we wanted to have a way for people to relieve their stress. We think B.U.F.F.F. consists of easy sports that people can pick up and we can teach relatively quickly. It’s a way for us to socialize and for us to get to know each other.”

The stress relief is paired with an opportunity to network with other like-minded college students. As Chaudhary Harris, FCLC ’18, another co-founder of the club and current secretary put it, “Being at Lincoln Center, we have such extensive schedules, we certainly see that people may not socialize as much. B.U.F.F.F. is an opportunity to be healthier, socialize more and establish new friendships.”

For Harris, the inspiration for such a club increased after reading a novel titled “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy. He states, “there’s a character named Count Levin. He owns a lot of land and is an intellectual. It’s rare for someone of his prestige and profession to go onto the field and perform labor with the agricultural workers.” He added, “My thinking is that we’re spending so much time studying in academia, but if we actually play sports and utilize our energy that way, that will refresh our mind and make us even more productive when studying.”

Both Aly and Harris understand the importance of having such a club at the Lincoln Center campus. Sure, there are other health and fitness clubs students can join. However, B.U.F.F.F. is the only current multi-sport team-oriented health and fitness club at this campus. According to Aly, B.U.F.F.F allows students to “incorporate aerobic exercises into their regimen.” For Harris, the club is unique because “[we] play sports that encourage a lot of movement.” Certainly, meeting outside is one way of achieving this.

The decision to include specifically these three sports has some underlying basis and logic. Badminton, ultimate frisbee and flag football are not only well-known, but are also some of the major sports showcased in either the Olympic games or in world tournaments.

Although sports are known for inciting competitiveness and rivalries, this isn’t a value shared by the club’s founders and its members. The club, instead, provides an opportunity to develop a sense of community and engage its members in exercises which relieve stress.

Though a rather new club on campus, B.U.F.F.F.’s current e-board have bold visions with a new academic year ahead. Establishing an annual field day is in the works for the club. Similar to other annual events on campus such as Spring Fling or Club Day, the field day would provide students with a chance to compete and enjoy the numerous health, social and physical benefits of exercise. Another part of the club’s long-term plan is having weekly practices in an indoor location. This would allow the club to meet each week during the colder months of the semester.
Harris shares a similar mindset. He said, “Coming to Fordham has helped me realize that regardless of the problems we encounter, we are the ones who have to deal with them. Therefore, we have to work on ourselves. B.U.F.F.F. is just one of the many ways to work on you.”