Fordham University Top Questions

I am a big people watcher. I love to sit and watch people, even if they catch me doing it (always an awkward situation). After people watching the student body at Fordham for half a year, I have come to some major conclusions about the people who come to school here. There are certain categories of students here. The Jock/Cheerleader/School Spirted Type who loves Keggers and House Parties, rocks Fordham gear every day, and has the most school pride I have ever seen. We all know this category. They are in every single college in America. They are the kids who go to the football game with their face painted. If Fordham had frats and sororities, they would be in them. They belong to every school-spirit related club. They go to class in the same Fordham sweatshirt and Fordham sweatpants everyday. The girls swoon after the athletes and the athletes typically belong to this category as well. You’ll never find them at a bar or club, and they’ll certaintly never venture into Manhattan. Mostly, this group stays within Fordham boundaries, drinking beer at house parties while trying to hook up with that new cheerleader. Go Rams. The Artsy/Emo/“I am so New York” Type. These are the people who feel that they belong in New York City or in some cases, that New York City belongs to them. This is probably my favorite group to watch. The girls strut around in the latest fashions, emaciate themselves to look like Kate Moss, and wear their huge sunglasses 24/7. The guys in this group weigh less than the girls do, wear tighter pants than the girls do, and think they are the shit more than the girls do. I think this group has watched one to many re-runs of “Sex and the City”. There is only one Carrie Bradshaw. Sorry. The Future Work-a-holic Manhattan Executive who is already overworked and overstressed. Although these are few and far between, I have seen my fair share of this group at Fordham. These are the kids who run from their honor classes to their work-study to their internship to the gym and back again. These are the students who drank too much New York City “I-need-to-achieve” potion. These people are sign up for every club, every event, and every show, just to beef up their resume. Slow down, guys. Graduation is three and a half years away. The Group not worth mentioning. Or in other words, Wannabes. Wannabe anythings. These people don’t care which group they are a apart of, just as long as they are in one. This group is difficult to define, due to their chameleon-like nature. So, let me give you an example. One of my best friends (an extremely stylish, funny, beautiful, all around great girl) has a roommate who fits into this Wannabe category perfectly. In September, her roommate, an Abercrombie and Fitch Polo wearing short brunette girl, moved in as a nerdy honor student hoping to get a 5.0 on her report card. Over time, I noticed (using my impeccable people watching abilities) this girl’s change in persona. Little by little, this girl became a wannabe of my friend. She bought the same clothes. She bought the same shoes. She bought the same perfume. She subscribed to fashion magazines and now considers herself a New York Fashionista. That, in short, is a wannabe. Someone who wants but will never be. These people tend to stick together, so they are easy to spot around the Fordham campus. Just look for the girls who look really awkward in their skinny jeans and booties, or the guys who are talking really loudly about how drunk they got last night.

-I feel there is harmony amongst different races, socio-economic, etc. groups at Fordham -Most students wear sweats to class. -Different types of students interact, although I often notice a bit of segregation I guess just by comfort in the cafeteria. -TYpes of students in cafeteria: athletes, black people, white people, and those people who think they are "fabulous" -Most fordham students are from wealthy backgrounds or are locals. -I do not hear students talking about how much they'll earn one day... maybe business students, occasionally.

Classroom attire runs the length of a spectrum: The sweatpants/t-shirts kids, the typical jeans and sweater, to the preppy ironed jeans and polo. You'll also see "kids in suits" because so many students intern in the city right before of after class. And as far as footwear, get yourselves some flip flops because its Fordham Footwear attire for the majority of the year!

Most of Fordham's activist groups are very friendly and do a lot of great programs and campaigns on campus. Fordham's group Progressive Students for Justice alienates EVERYONE and is the most annoying group, possibly, on earth. I really don't know what most students wear to class, I don't pay attention to it. I can say, however, that it is not like some schools where you catch people in suits going to class. Different types of students generally don't interact. Many people know each other from different clubs and organizations but they don't spend a lot of time interacting with one another except for a few conversations here and there. I don't sense any animosity among the groups. One table: Football players. They are so obnoxious, loud, and take up so much room it's enough to push one to kill themselves. Nevermind the fact that you pay half or more of their tuition so they can sit there and throw blue powerade at one another. Second table: The skinny jeans liberals. Enough said. The non-football playing african american/ black students. Third table: The staten island/ long island/ north jersey trash girls with their overly expensive bags, over dyed hair, and over tanned skin. The stories of their weekends are also overly disgusting. Fourth table: the very rich kids at Fordham who all seem to have some sort of pink dog on their collar, boys and girls, or an alligator on their shoes, and are carrying plain looking bags that cost over $500. Most Fordham students are from the State of New York, particularly west chester county and long island, Connecticut, and North Jersey. There is also a fairly large Massachusetts and Philadelphia-area population. Most Fordham students come from families that make over $200,000 per year. Students are generally politically apathetic. Students are mostly just left of center. Students constantly talk about their future financial prospects.

religous, smart, like to party somewhat, serious about school, want to make money, wealthy, student are from long island, new york, new jersey. political but not sure to what extent.

There are over 135 groups, clubs, and organizations on campus. Every race, ethnicity, and sexuality that wants to be represented, has the opportunity. There is a general tendency towards peace and justice, as well as equality. Many students are politically active, especially with the ongoing war in Iraq and the presidential campaigns. There are, however, a large number who are apathetic and do not take seriously their civic responsibilities. A person who expects not to embrace the urban environment and earn two educations (one from the classroom and one from the street) would not fit in well at Fordham--Rose Hill. Jeans and a t-shirt are the common outfit worn to classes, with the occasional baggy pants on some students or the popped collar polo shirt on others. Most of the students are down to earth and come from middle-upper middle class backgrounds. We all feel the strain of tuition costs and student loans, but know that higher education is essential for successful careers.

Fordham is fairly diverse and this is a major plus. As opposed to a lot of schools in New York, there is a substantial amount of Financial Aid given out and there are a lot of students from New York. If you are worried about being stuck with a bunch of rich kids this is a pretty good school to avoid them.

One new thing that I did not get to experience in high school was racial, religious, economic etc. diversity within the student body. Coming to Fordham was truly a culture shock in that sense. I haven't sensed real division with regards to friendships between students of differing backgrounds. As far as regional origin, I've met students from all over the U.S. For the most part, the student body seems to come from middle-class backgrounds though I've met upper-class and very poor or working-class students as well. Due to the presence of various clubs/organizations on campus, I'd say students are politically aware, though I'm not sure how active. Most students I've encountered are either center or left with regard to political views. Very rarely have I heard students discussing salaries etc.

There's are big race and class divides between commuter students and students who live at the school. Between them, there's enough "diversity' for a student to find their peers. Few students seem politically motivated; thanks to the school's affiliation with the Catholic Church and the business and law schools, the school is more noticeably conservative.