Going to Fordham University can be tough, I know. Guys and girls are barely allowed to look at each other, punishment is prescribed when shot glasses are found, and White Castle once had a higher food inspection rating than our own cafeteria. Limitations are set throughout our Catholic University (understandably), but that doesn’t mean we can’t bend the rules a bit. A gracious gift from us Rams to the little Lambs, I present to you 18 Fordham Life Hacks that will change your Fordham experience for the better!
Residential Life Hacks
It’s no secret that the majority of Fordhamites hate Res Life. All hail our upperclassmen friends that have escaped sign-ins and OSAP meetings! We appreciate you letting us trash your apartments every weekend. Befriending an RA and taking advantage of all the free food is a must, but here are a few more hacks that have worked for us in the past.
1. “Don’t leave anything out in the open during a fire drill. That includes your alcohol, shot glasses, and even pet turtles!” – Ali
2. “I know some people that have signed in fake names to get guests into their dorms. Another way to sneak someone in is to befriend a guy on the first floor, pass a chair down, and climb into their first floor window.” – Kerry
3. “I live off campus, and sometimes I hit a friend up on campus to use their washer and dryer. I’ve gotten called out for this one, so you must be sneaky about it.” – Stephen
The Caf/Fordham Eating Hacks
It’s been almost two years since Fordham received the worst cafeteria food in America by the Princeton Review, but I think we are all still inspecting our omelets for loose nails and our cereal bowls for creepy crawlers. The biggest perk of going to the caf, though, is chatting up Nancy and Francis. Both are honestly amazing, friendly and funny people, and once you’ve gotten the “in” with Francis and Nancy, you’re golden for the rest of your Fordham career.
4. “I take a lot of the little peanut butter packets from the caf home with me, but I think it’s hilarious when someone walks out with like, 9 bananas, while others have a full water bottle filled with milk.” – Sonja
5. “It’s a good idea to befriend an athlete, because they usually always have some caf swipes to spare.” – Emily
6. “They get annoyed when you ask, but getting your buffalo chicken wrap toasted/roasted AFTER it is assembled makes it even more delicious.” – Taylor
7. “If you’ve got extra Ram dollars to use up, Pugsley’s sells beer, y’all…FREE BEER!” – Krissy
Tribar Hacks
Having to pay ten dollars to get into Howl can seem ridiculous, and sometimes Mugzs is just too packed to get in. Calling Anthony (the Howl bouncer) the “Yin to my Yang” helped our weekend bond blossom, and also encouraged my wallet to flourish as well.
8. “Try and befriend Suites and Anthony, the bouncers for Mugzs and Howl. Being able to get into the bars for free (or extremely discounted) will save you so much money!” – Gina
9. “Long line for the women’s bathroom at Howl? Duck into the men’s stall inside the men’s bathroom when nobody is looking. Remember to squat!” – Krissy
10. “Sometimes, if I’m going to a house party and they want me to pay a small cover, I just pick up a used red solo cup that was dropped on the ground outside and carry it in with me, as if I had just coming back to the party that I had already paid for. It’s gross but it works.” – Mike
Sex Hacks
Everybody knows that college students are horny and to release that sexual energy many use internet. Here comes the great hack – livesex websites offering nude shows of hot girls including campus girls. Guys turn to cams in hopes to find a hot college mate from other college or even from local campus. We heard stories that some campus girls were doing shows and mates found them on adult chat rooms, it’s rare but if it happened once, it may happen again.
Fordham Academic Hacks
Fordham doesn’t give much leeway in the academics department, where the core curriculum seems never ending (I’m still dealing with it – how did this happen) and absences are a death threat. There are those courses that you know you were on the verge of failing (Spanish – I seriously hate you), but buttering up to your teachers and chatting with them during their office hours can boost your grade up more than you think.
11. “Most of the time, don’t buy the books that teachers assign you. They are usually in the library or you won’t even really have to read them. It’s a waste of money.” – Pat
12. “I know this is terrible, but one time I pretended I was a graduate in the sociology department so that I could print out a lot of stuff for free.” – Chris
13. “Did you know DegreeWorks exists and there’s a “What If” option for potential majors and what not? Yeah I figured that out junior year…” – Krissy
14. “Get upperclassmen/people with more credits to hold spots in classes for you because you register later.” – Dan
15. “During the spring semester, save your absences for sunny days! Being able to lounge on Eddies with everyone else is worth those terrible mornings when you have to trudge through the snow in January and February.” – Julie
16. “You can use DegreeWorks to figure out how many spots are left in a class- very few people know you can do this.” – Dan
17. “A lot of people don’t know about this, but instead of paying $14 for a movie ticket in Manhattan, the Information Services desk upstairs in McGinley charges only $6 for tickets for Loews, AMC, and Regal Theaters. May your life be forever changed.” – Rachel
Fordham Athletic Hacks
If I actually went to the gym once in a while, I would have something to say about this, but walking to the gym is a workout in and of itself.
18. “Is the student gym too full with douche bag guys wearing beanies to work out in and girls with perfect makeup and a spandex onesies? Is it making you feel fat and scared simultaneously? The old Lombardi gym is still open and cardio machines are usually a ghost town.” – Krissy