You ate where?! What a freshman mistake! Take the stairs! These are some of the things I heard during my freshman year at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) back in the fall of 2008. Excited to be in college, I committed a number of “freshman mistakes.”  As another school year begins at FCLC, many freshmen will commit a number of these “mistakes” during their first few months at FCLC. But don’t worry! As a veteran student of FCLC I would like to share a few tidbits of information for the incoming class of 2015. In hopes of a smooth transition into the FCLC community, here are some of unofficial tips to get you quickly settled at FCLC.

Explore Your Neighborhood 

One of the early mistakes I made was not exploring the surrounding area. Normally after a busy college day I would often find myself walking alongside Columbus Avenue looking for a place to eat to finally settle for an overpriced diner just a few blocks away from Fordham.  I ended up buying expensive food that I could have gotten back home for at least half the price. For an unemployed college student, this was an unnecessary amount of spending. However, through further exploration of the surrounding area I found out that just an avenue over on 10th Avenue there was a whole slew of cheap eateries. From Boston Market chicken (885 10th Ave.) to the Chinese food of Ocean Dragon (877 10th Ave), the back end of Fordham offers places that cater

to the budget of a college student. Therefore, as a new FCLC student, focus on exploring your neighborhood you may get more bang for your buck!

Avoid the Traffic

Due to FCLC’s unique position as a one-building campus, a rare phenomenon called “elevator traffic” often occurs within the halls of Lowenstein. One moment the hallways may be dead quiet but at any given moment, a sudden influx of people can emerge from the classrooms and can stream towards the elevators. Incoming freshmen will come to learn that finding your way around the FCLC campus won’t be a problem, but actually getting somewhere will be a problem. Since most freshmen classes would be located on the fifth or lower floors, I recommend taking the stairs to your classes. Not only will you be able to avoid “elevator traffic,” but you’ll be able to get some exercise into your daily routine

Learn to Keep Your Costs Down

One thing you’ll soon learn as a college student in New York City is that having low weekly expenses can be the difference between being able to go out and not on the weekend.  For me, grocery shopping was one of the biggest weekly expenses. Grocery shopping for the first time on my own, I had no idea of what products to buy and whether they were good or not. Initially shopping at the nearby Morton Williams, I soon heard from a friend that there was a cheaper grocery store called Western Beef (75 West End Ave) not too far from the FCLC campus. He was right! Filled with an abundance of cheaper food, Western Beef was a much better deal than Morton Williams. I saved tons! Now with the arrival of Trader Joe’s (2075 Broadway), just a 10 minute walk up from FCLC, you can save more and use that extra grocery money for some fun-filled activities in New York City!

Be a Smart Passenger

If you’re planning on taking a class in the Bronx during your time at FCLC, you’ll eventually have to take the Ram Van (Fordham University’s intercampus transportation). A gigantic Dodge van, it can bring you from the Upper West Side to the Bronx in just 30 minutes! However, the enjoyment of this 30 minute ride is entirely based on one important factor-your location. The Ram Van, although efficient, tends to give riders a bumpy ride up to the Bronx. The solution to this is always aim to “ride shotgun,” also known as the front passenger seat of the Ram Van. Offering a lot of leg room and a crucial headrest, this seat will give you total comfort as you venture towards your class. (Note: Don’t try to be the cool kids at the back! Avoid the back seat at all costs. You might hit your head on the ceiling once you reach the highway.)