I gave blood for the second time this school year on January 26^th 2012.  Since it was my fourth time giving blood I generally knew what to expect, but I swear each time it just gets easier and easier.  Not just from my experience, but from the American Red Cross workers who take your blood.  The workers just seem to get nicer and friendlier each time I go.  When I gave blood in high school, the workers made me feel like that this was just their job and nothing more, like they just wanted to get on with their day.  But when I gave blood this semester it was a totally different atmosphere.  The people that assisted me in the registration and the donating process were very friendly and tried to make the normally boring process fun and interesting.  They talked to me about my interests and this took away most of the pain and nervousness from the donating process.  One worker even informed me that my first and middle name was a song, which I never in my 19 years of life knew!  Also, the Red Cross has these new wipes that completely wipe away all the iodine they use to clean your arm before they put the needle in.  No more yellow, sticky arm for the rest of the day after you donate!  I’m really glad Stockton offers this opportunity for us twice a year to help save lives and make a difference.  I will most certainly be donating again.

On January 16 I attended the MLK Day of Service.  The event was similar to the Day of Service in the fall, except in the beginning they paid tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with art and speeches and songs.  Then we split off into our service projects.  I was with the Girl Scouts, which was interesting to me because I used to be a Girl Scout for many years.  In this group I made cute snowman rulers to give to day cares.  I also wrote and decorated many letters to give to the people currently serving our country abroad.  I didn’t want my cards to have the same generic stuff the soldiers see all the time, so I wrote some corny jokes in hopes of bringing a little humor into their lives and brightening their day.  This service project was nice because in a way I was helping three organizations.  I helped the day cares by making them the rulers.  I helped the soldiers by writing them letters.  And also in a way I helped the Girl Scouts because usually its just a group of little girls who does all that work.  Instead, I was able to help them make a bigger difference with their efforts.

Students at Stockton have a variety of ways to stay physically active.  Some play on sports teams and others participate in intramurals.  The I-Wing and Sports Center gyms also make it very easy for students to stay in shape and remain active.  However, one of Stockton’s best kept secrets are the trails that crisscross the campus.

As a runner, I am always looking for new and more exciting places to run.  The trails at Stockton are a combination of well-maintained trails, dirt service roads, and trails that lead to dead ends.  One of my favorite trails is called the Four Mile Trail.  It encompasses all the areas of the Stockton campus.  The trail begins in between A-Wing and the Arts and Sciences Building.  The trail forms a large loop that ends at the same starting location.  The route of the trail is easy to follow because it is marked with posts (pictured below) that tell you the direction to go and how far you have gone.  Whether running at a brisk pace or just strolling along, it is hard not to admire the beauty of nature.  If you decide to go out and explore the trails, bring a friend along.  It can be a little disconcerting walking or running by yourself in the woods for the first time.  Also, get back to “civilization” before dusk; the trails get very dark at night.

One really cool way that Stockton could attract more people to the trails is by placing geocaching containers in certain locations.  Geocaching is an outdoor activity that uses a GPS to find a hidden treasure by giving the player the coordinates of a nearby location.  The player puts the coordinates into his or her GPS and uses clues such as pictures to find the treasure.  Regardless, go outside and get active.  Appreciate Stockton for all that it has to offer.

A Marker on the Four Mile Trail