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When I tell people I go to school in the Bronx, their initial reaction is to make a comment about the neighborhood. I have answered “Is it safe?” and “But it’s gated, right?” too many times to recall. Before starting my freshman year this past fall, I would answer hesitantly, not totally convinced that I would feel completely safe in the Bronx all the time. Fear had been instilled in me before I had even stepped onto campus as a student. Hailing from the suburbs of northern New Jersey, I was comfortable in New York City, but my knowledge was limited to Midtown Manhattan. Anything that wasn’t near Port Authority or Penn Station was out of my wheelhouse, including every inch of the Bronx.
Coming into my freshman year, I knew I wanted to become more acquainted with New York, but I was convinced that my explorations off campus would be limited. I would leave to get on a subway to Manhattan or to go to dinner on Arthur Ave., but I wouldn’t be leaving the confines of Fordham’s gates frequently, and definitely not alone. I honestly thought the worst of the Bronx; everyone that I talked to was convinced it was crime ridden borough where I would be mugged the moment I stepped foot off campus, and their stories swayed my opinions.
Eight months ago, I was nervous about living here. However, as the past two semesters have flown by, I have felt nothing but comfortable. In my countless walks to the D and 4 trains, often times alone, I’ve never been scared for my safety. My weekend trips to the Bronx’s finest late night establishments have never been taken in fear. During my frequent Chipotle runs, the only thing I’ve been scared of is draining my bank account due to paying extra for guac. When I drove myself back to campus to take my last final before winter break and got lost on my way home, I was worried about how hungry I was getting and not about being lost in the Bronx. Being afraid of your surroundings is no way to live. I have accepted the Bronx for what it is – a section of the greatest city in the world with a wrongfully placed bad reputation – and have continued to live my life.
I won’t lie and say that the question of how safe I really am has never crossed my mind. After countless public safety emails about armed muggings and apartment break ins, I have been more cautious. However, I’m not cautious because we’re in the Bronx – I’m cautious because crime, and often violent crime, is a reality in every city. It is an unfortunate fact that people in cities across the country have to deal with, regardless of if they’re living in the Bronx or Los Angeles. As Fordham students, we made a choice to live in New York City, and dealing with crime comes with that territory.
There are plenty of Fordham students who share my views, but, like any other opinion, there are those who disagree. Throwing around terms like “locals” has become a normal practice and most people don’t blink twice when they hear it. Living our Jesuit mission of being “men and women for others” is supposed to be integrated into all aspects of our lives, but we seem to be limiting who those others are. The residents of the Bronx, and more specifically the Belmont community, have accepted us with open arms, and many students have turned around and treated them with disrespect. Thankfully, this isn’t true for a large majority of Fordham students, but it is a harsh reality that has to be addressed.
As much as I love having easy access to bottomless brunches and Broadway shows in Manhattan, I am proud to live in the Bronx. As a home to thousands of people who bring their own customs and cultures to an ever-expanding borough, the Bronx is rich with diversity that I never experienced in my predominately white, upper-middle class hometown. As I finish off my freshman year, I’ve come to realize that the Bronx isn’t just going to be a place I study between summers. The Bronx is not just my home away from home – it is an aspect of who I have become and is my home. Despite how cringe-worthy it sounds, I wouldn’t want to spend the next 3 years anywhere else.