George

Rose Hill is a brief oasis punctuating the concrete grit of New York City. There are many ways to enjoy the 85 acres of campus, but the best way is through its benches. As the mid-range option between standing (awkward and uncomfortable, easy target for judgement) or sitting on the ground (dirty, possibility of pants stains, bugs), benches are the best way to tastefully pause in public. 

My favorite bench at Fordham is tucked away in the triangle formed by Thebaud, Murray Weigel, and Finlay at the 9/11 Memorial Garden. Let’s call this bench George. 

George is a good bench. Many benches on Fordham’s campus open to large green spaces, but George’s home is a smaller, cozier section almost on the edge of campus. making him is a perfect companion for introspection or solitude. 

The nearest attraction to George is a flower arrangement (most vibrant in Sping) which accompanies a stone memorial to the victims of the September 11th, Terrorist attacks. Rather than instilling pensive gloom, the scarcity of this memorial instead creates a space of pensive reflection.

During the day, George’s spot is intermittently disturbed, for better or for worse, by students passing by on their way to class. For this reason, the best time to visit George is the morning. As you share the sunlight with your wooden friend, take the time to just exist. Meditate. Knit. Panic about the impending climate change crisis. Draw. Tie your shoes. Leave. Congratulations, you have just existed. 

If you are like me and know the moon more intimately than the sunrise, visit George at midnight to experience the chaotic energy that encompasses bench living at night. One block away from Best Deli, George is the perfect third wheel for 3:04 AM everything-bagel-with-cream-cheese dates. Or, on weekends, George is a secluded checkpoint after Barnyard to rest, regain mental stability, or regret your choices.

Whatever your needs may be, George is there for you. No matter what time, he is there to offer his withered dark brown wood and metallic embroidered frame to any dwellers who find themselves on his brick path and is always seeking new friends.