FCLC Checklist Leaves No Excuse for Boredom

Our Top 10 List of Things Every Fordham College at Lincoln Center Student Should Experience

By BEATA CHEREPAKHINA and MARIO WEDDELL

Published: August 25, 2010

There are a lot of things you can do in four years. There are also a lot of things you must do in four years. Here are things that you should do during your four years at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC):

Lucy Sutton/The Observer

Student Rush Broadway

People all around the world travel miles and miles and shell out some serious cash for the opportunity to see a Broadway show. Luckily, FCLC students have it easy; our journey to the theater is a 20-minute train ride. Thanks to student rush, the cost of a ticket can be as little as one-third of the actual price. Pick a show—any show—and head to the box office when it opens on the day of the performance. If you’re lucky and early, you’ll walk away with a ticket for an amazingly cheap price.

Brooklyn Bridge

Before the skies open up and snow blankets the city, take a one-of-a-kind stroll on the Brooklyn Bridge. Grab a group of friends, a camera and the 6 train to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall or take the J train to Chambers Street and start walking. The walk across the bridge, about 30 minutes, will reward you with some truly unbelievable views of the city’s skyline. But remember to walk in the pedestrian only lane, as the bicyclists can be testy and won’t hesitate to yell a few unpleasant words your way. Once in Brooklyn, head to the famous Grimaldi’s Pizza for a deliciously cheesy, perfectly-prepared slice.

Sample Sales

New York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world, so no one can blame a girl or guy for feeling an urge to shop. Unfortunately, while the selection of brands and styles is overwhelming, so too are the prices. Thankfully, New York students can catch a break with sample sales, the fashion industry’s answer to selling excess products. Keep your eyes peeled for flyers and billboards in the Fashion District and check out magazines and websites such as New York Magazine and Topbutton.com to find out when and where a sample sale is happening.

TV Show Taping

Whether a reality TV junkie, a talk show lover or a late night comedy enthusiast, chances are you’re missing out on the opportunity to be a part of your favorite show. With loads of shows taped right here in New York City, your options are endless. While some shows like “SNL” are nearly impossible to get into with a once a year raffle in August, others such as “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” or “Late Show with David Letterman,” which coincidently both tape in the afternoon, are more accessible. Try signing up online or press your luck with standby tickets. Just find out where your favorite show is taped, head there the day of and you might get in.

Free Museums

New York City is home to renowned museums in almost every category of art; sadly, experiencing them all could cost a small fortune. But that’s only if you don’t read the fine print. A handful of museums have suggested donations, not actual ticket prices. While the suggested general admission price to the American Museum of Natural History is $12 for students with ID, and $10 for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can get in to both by paying much less; just make sure to state your price when buying tickets. And while most of these museums ask that you pay the full suggested admission to help maintain exhibitions, don’t feel bad—you’ll have your chance for that once you have a steady income.

Cart Food

There is usually a man on the corner of 58th Street and Columbus Avenue, across from Europan, who is affectionately referred to as the “Halal Guy;” he prepares the food at the Five Star Halal Cart. He is not to be confused with “Breakfast Cart Guy,” who is located cattycorner to Fordham’s main entrance, on the corner of 60th Street and Columbus Avenue. Both of these guys offer delicious, cheap meals for dinner and breakfast, respectively. We recommend getting the lamb on rice from the Halal Guy, and getting bacon and eggs with cheese on a roll from the Breakfast Cart Guy.

Trump Wollman Rink

Outdoor activities become severely limited once winter takes over, but Trump Wollman Rink in Central Park offers a great way for students to stretch their legs. And those just spectating can sit on the terrace in the park and watch romantic couples skate and gain solace from the fact that true love exists. Unfortunately, it won’t make you any better at ice skating. Admission and skate rental costs $21 on weekends, and skating season starts in October. More info is available at www.wollmanskatingrink.com.

Lincoln Park & The Flame

Lincoln Park Grill and The Flame Restaurant go together like headaches and Tylenol. Or freshmen and fake IDs. Lincoln Park is cool because even your lazy friends are willing to go there on a Friday night and because it has a funny name. Make your way down Columbus Avenue, between 57th and 56th Streets. Show the bouncer your ID, step inside and enjoy yourself. Because there will be a point in the night, during your stay at Linkin—Lincoln—Park, when you touch your face and whisper, “I’ve… become so numb.” Then, you’ll have a strange urge to scream it.

Once this happens, it’s time to leave. You will inevitably end up at The Flame. You and your lazy friends will be drawn toward it like a flock of drunken moths. This is because The Flame is nearby, it’s always open, and because in the heat of the moment, you can’t remember ever having eaten French fries as immaculate as the ones you are eating right then.

Study In The Park

Once midterms and finals come around, you may find yourself cooped up behind a wall of books and cereal bowls. You will spend your waking hours imprisoned in the library, or if you live in McMahon, you will spend your time in a fluorescent-light incubator. When you sleep, you will dream of studying—still in this ghastly environment. The lack of sunlight will lead to a Vitamin D deficiency, greatly increasing your chances of getting prostate cancer, or even worse, rickets, and you will fail your test. To avoid all this, try studying in Central Park. Sheep’s Meadow is  our personal favorite.