Is Bronx Dangerous?

yenrod
Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:38:34 +0000

We get security alerts about any problems so I’m basing my knowledge of safety off of actual, official data.

Campus is absolutely safe. Security is great 24 hours a day and I’ve never heard of any major problems on campus.

Off-campus is also safe, but you just have to be smart – as you do in any urban area. During the day, you should be fine to walk around without any problems. Whether or not you are comfortable walking alone during the day is a matter of personal preference – I’ve never had problems when I’m by myself. At night, just make sure to be in a group and you’ll be fine. The majority of problems off-campus occur when students walk around at night, by themselves, while drunk. If you ever do feel unsafe, you can call Fordham security (24 hrs/day); someone will immediately come to pick you up. There’s usually security vans (and NYPD cars) circling the neighborhood at night.

When I first visited Fordham, it was a bit of a culture shock. But I quickly adjusted and I LOVE the area around my school. I’ve learned so much from it, through service opportunities and even just living in a community so different from my own. I’ve gotten to see for myself why the stereotypes surrounding poverty are largely false. I’ve gotten to witness the beauty of a community not defined by excessive materialism. Just because the neighborhood is poor doesn’t mean that it’s some sort of war-zone, or slum, or place devoid of culture and living vibrancy. In fact, the Bronx is one of the most culturally vibrant places I have ever experienced; there is so much religious, ethnic, and economic diversity and so many recent immigrants to the U.S. with such interesting stories to tell. And there’s so many things to do right around campus, from Little Italy, to the zoo/botanical gardens, and the Fordham Rd. shopping district. I encourage you to come take a look for yourself.