Published February 18, 2010

Ah, Lent.  That sacred time of year when all good Christians choose something they love dearly to give up for an entire month.  Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) loves this time of year.  Lowenstein’s front lobby is adorned with a Lenten wreath, services are held and ashes are distributed.

But what is FCLC giving up this season?  Sweets? Cursing?  Here are a few suggestions for some tiny sacrifices FCLC should consider making that would make the next 40 days more bearable for chocolate-deprived students suffering through meatless Fridays.

1. Spicy Chicken Fingers

You’ve got five minutes to grab something from the caf and get to your next class.  The golden glow of that turntable of fried food catches your eye. You grab the chicken fingers, a seemingly edible choice, and race to class. But upon the first bite, it’s evident something is very, very wrong.  Your mouth is on fire, and you’re regretting telling Luz you didn’t want that 12 oz. soda that she insists comes with every chicken fingers “meal.” How were you supposed to know that you had grabbed something so evil?  FCLC, please give these suckers up for Lent.

2. Charging Students to Print Something

Talk about nickel-and-diming us, five cents per page?  Where’s your Lenten spirit, FCLC?  Waiting to insert your ID to print, praying you have enough money left on your card to print that reading you were supposed to do last night, racing to class the second the printer spits out the last page: it all has to go.  With all the money students would save, FCLC could donate it to some worthy cause, therefore helping others and giving something up, in true Lenten fashion.

3. Banner

Please, for the love of God (and that is what Lent is all about) give up
Banner for Lent.  The stress of logging on just to check your e-mail and having to see the DegreeWorks icon, your tuition bill and blackboard all staring you in the face causes us way too much anxiety.  Reinstate Web mail just for 40 days or so, for old time’s sake.

4. Fordham Surveys

Please stop spamming us with surveys to take about you, FCLC; it’s incredibly self-centered.  Trying to trick us into wasting five precious minutes with the hopes of winning a $25 iTunes gift card is just cruel and dishonest, which doesn’t jive during Lent. Stop thinking about yourself, at least for the next 40 days.

5. Bake Sales

Especially the ones that allow you to pay a flat rate and leave it up to you to decide how many delicious items your 25 cents is worth. Besides, if we’re all giving up sweets for Lent, Fordham should probably do the same.  No more bake sales Fordham, you need to suffer sugar withdrawal right along with the rest of us.