On August 26th, most freshmen were at home preparing themselves for the rapidly approaching semester. I, however, was smack dab in the middle of the forest at Camp Ockanickon, Medford, NJ, preparing for an incredible experience.

SOAR stands for Stockton Outdoor Adventure Retreat, and I must say, that’s exactly what it was. We started off the trip by splitting off into various “tribes” of different colors, and immediately began ice breakers to become acquainted with our team. Shortly thereafter, we loaded each tribe into separate school busses and headed for the retreat. I must say, I wasn’t expecting much from the bus ride…but it ended up being one of the best parts of the trip. Barely any of us knew each other at that point, so it was pretty interesting trying to learn so many people’s names and backgrounds in such a short amount of time. When we finally got to the camp itself, that’s when I knew it would be a great time. TALONS, or The Activity Leaders of New Students, immediately broke into groups and began playing wacky ice breaker games. Once people realized that nobody there was going to judge them, more and more people participated and made these games worth the while. After the first day, pretty much everyone on yellow tribe (the best tribe in the world) knew each other’s names, and we already had established unbreakable friendships.

The next few days were loaded with various bonding activities such as rope courses and rock walls, great food prepared by the amazing camp chefs, and memories that none of us will ever forget. While I’m not allowed back at SOAR as a camper since its freshmen only, you can bet your bottom dollar I will do everything possible to be a TALON and follow in their footsteps.

The Day of Service was a life-changing event that I will never forget. The fabulous day started at seven in the morning when a couple of my friends and I went to get breakfast before the event. During breakfast we talked about what project we wanted to do that day and we decided that doing a beach clean-up would be a lot of fun. We browsed the list of projects and came across, “The Shores of Wesley Manor”. The first thing that came to our minds was that this has to be a beach clean-up and that it would be fun going to the shore for the day. After signing up for this project we realized that it was not a beach clean-up but a senior center. Although what we thought of the project and what the project actually was ended up being very different, we still decided to go to the senior center because we also enjoy being around the elderly and helping others.

The Shores at Wesley Manor was a great experience. Spending the day with the elderly and keeping them company brought joy to my heart. As a volunteer there, we had to pack give away bags for the event that they were hosting the next day. This took the six volunteers about two hours to complete because of the amount of bags that we had to put together. When we completed that we were given the opportunity to spend time with the senior citizens. This was an amazing time, because we were able to bowl with them and talk to them. Watching the elderly bowl was a pleasant sight because this little task made them extremely happy, which made me smile. Seeing other people happy always brings joy to my life.

We wrapped up the day by cleaning up the outskirts of the building. We picked up all of the trash that was on their property and made sure The Shores of Wesley Manor was spotless. Although our task was so simple, it really made an impact on my life. Helping people is such a rewarding feeling even if it is a small offer and a simple task. It was nice getting to know the senior citizens and talking to them about life. I will never forget the women that I met that day.

As the Stockton Field Hockey team takes their first steps onto the field for warm up, fans cheer from the bleachers because they too know all that is at stake in the first conference game of the season. Matched up against William Patterson as their debut NJAC game, nervousness and determination was apparent among the girls. This time last year and in many past years the Ospreys had fallen to the Pioneers, but this year was going to be different.
As the girls took their places on the field, I could feel the desire to win from the sideline. This was going to be our game. With just six minuets on the clock, Riley Ruff scored off of a beautiful corner play, putting Stockton in the lead. The girls were able to gallantly hold onto this lead until a corner was called with fifteen minuets left in the first half, and with Stockton man down, the girls did everything they could to prevent a goal, but outmatched William Patterson scored their first goal tying the game. For the remaining time in the first half Stockton held possession, making many attempts to score, the half was called.
Returning to play, Stockton was able to keep offensive motion, giving up only three shots on goal until once again a defensive corner was called. With ten minuets remaining in the game William Patterson sent in a roaring hit from the top landing in the back of the cage. Stockton was now down by one goal. After Coach Michelle Anders called a time out, the girls returned to the field not with looks of defeat but of determination inspired by their coaches confidence in their abilities. You could tell they were ready to score. Leah Davis traveled down the sideline with phenomenal speed as captain Colleen Knight rushed to meet her by the cage. Once reaching the circle Davis passed to Knight supplying her with the opportunity to score. With only four minuets left, Knight nailed the ball sending it past the opposing goalie pushing Stockton into overtime.
After a long back and forth battle of one fifteen minuet overtime it was obvious both teams were exhausted but the score was still 2-2. The next fifteen minuets would result in one teams success and the other’s failure. For the final time that day both teams took their starting positions, both exhausted, both determined but, Stockton seemed to have one thing William Patterson did which was heart. The opponent was acting out of frustration and fell apart as a team allowing Stockton to come together as one. They remained positive and encouraged one another that winning was possible if dug deep enough. Two minuets ticked away and the teamwork was apparent throughout the Stockton line up. Knight headed for the goal as teammate Ruff called for the ball, working together Knight was able to set up the perfect opportunity, and Ruff had the skill and will to fulfill it. A loud bang was all that could be heard followed by the immediate cheering, Ruff had scored the game winning goal.
The whole team stormed the field together as one creating a sea of blue and black, filled with the sense of not only accomplishment but what it felt like to be a team. Coming out of that win was not only a large confidence boost but proof showing that Stockton had what it takes to be winners. The Stockton Ospreys were currently 1-0 in their conference and more then ready for what was to come next.

On September 17th I was able to take part in what was known as the “Get Involved Fair.” This event was put on the Office of Service Learning and The Office of Student Development to get more students involved in clubs and activities. The fair was mostly an all-day event where students like myself, could check out what clubs the school offered. I stopped in, by myself, on my way to class just to get a glimpse of what I might be interested in and like I had expected there were more than just a few that caught my attention.
Two clubs that really caught my attention and they were Gaming Club and Circle K. The first club is really just a club that I want to do for fun and basically just meet new people. I love to play video games so it would be really cool to hang out with people who like to do the same thing. However, Circle K really caught my attention while I was at one of the honors meetings. I don’t remember all of the details, but the events that the club members talked about blew my mind. At high school all of the volunteer work was minor and in most cases really didn’t do much. I could easily tell that this club could really help me make a difference in the community and would be fun at the same time. Also, everyone that I talked to at the tables dedicated to Circle K seemed friendly and happy to talk about anything that had to do with helping people.
Taking the time to go to this event was certainly important to me, because it helped me meet a great deal of people and feel more comfortable here at Stockton. Also, it opened my eyes to how much the school really offered even if I wasn’t interested in most of the clubs. The idea to get involved is so important at college because here, you have to make the most of every opportunity. I mainly chose clubs that I would want to be a part of and continually attending the meetings. Whether they were fun or not, I chose clubs that gave me purpose and made me happy and feel more involved at college. All in all, this event did just that and definitely got me involved.

The Stockton TALONS really know how to make you feel welcomed.  At Welcome Week, which took place from the 29^th of August until the 3^rd of September, I participated in all of the silly games and activities hosted by the TALONS group.  My roommate and I both had our eyes set on the Stockton blanket that was given as a prize for completing the entire passport.  This passport was given to each student at move-in and was stamped at each event attended.

At first, I was timid to participate in some of the activities such as the Think-Fast Game Night or the Dance Party. Each event required you to branch out and introduce yourself to others.  Every new event meant a new introduction of yourself.  However, eventually, each event began to bring more familiar faces and less strangers.  By the movie night the last night, where we watched Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier, I had made so many friends.  While walking across the lot, nearly every person I passed had once been a stranger, but now they were my new friends.

During the events, it seemed so childish to be lead around from place to place by the leaders when we had just gained the freedom of college.  I just wanted to do what I thought all college kids want to do; sleep, eat and nap. (Which I now know is completely false… we study, study and multitask at eating, sleeping and studying.) It took until now for me to realize the reason for Welcome Week.  It was not done to completely tire out the class or to provide entertainment to those observing the obnoxious tasks.  It was created to help break the ice between all of the students.  It gave every person an equal chance to meet their fellow classmates.

Even greater than the blanket I received for attending every passport event, were the friendships I formed at the TALONS hosted Stockton Welcome Week.  It is commonly said that the friends you make at college, are the friends you keep for life.  Welcome Week made this come true for me.  My new best friend was a girl who I had met in one activity and then met up later to attend the next activity with because we had found so many things in common with one another.  I owe the TALONS group a huge thank you for helping me create lasting relationships with people who I may have otherwise never met.

On September 17th, The Office of Student Development and The Office of Service Learning were sponsoring a “Get Involved Fair.” The Fair took place that day and the day before, and I went with a couple of my friends. I stopped by as many tables as I could so I can get a better idea of what Stockton had to offer. It was just like freshman year of high school all over again; I wanted to join just about every single organization and club that I saw.
Some clubs that really stood out to me were The Stockton Quidditch Club, and Gaming Club, and most importantly, The Water Watch Club. The first couple of ones I named were some things that I would like to do for fun, but Water Watch really caught my attention. I remember that name being mentions during one of the Honors meetings, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Ever since I was in middle school, I have always wanted to get more involved in saving our environment and doing everything I can to help. The people at the table made me feel welcome, and I am looking forward to attending their interest meeting.
Going to this event helped me meet people who have the same interests as me, and I was able to find out more about the college. I found out that some of things I was embarrassed to love were actually embraced in this school, and now I feel more at home than I ever did before. The overall idea of this event is to “get involved,” as is apparent in its name, but I felt more than involved: I felt at home with the campus. Of course I picked some clubs that would be appropriate for my major and concentration, such as the Physical Therapy Club, but mainly, I chose to check out clubs that I would continuously look forward to attending and meeting new people. This event is extremely important, especially to incoming freshmen, because it helps us to get more engaged. It helps us to feel like we belong at Stockton, and I would say this event was pretty successful in doing just that.

On September 6^th I participated in the Stockton Day of Service for the first time. Beginning at 8 in the morning, the Day of Service volunteers gathered in the Campus Center for a brief check-in and then formed groups of various sizes inside the event room. Each group had a different destination (on- or off-campus) and was run by a different organization, but each one had the same goal in mind: to help our community by giving our time and effort toward those in need.

A sign at one of the tables in the event room caught my eye: Christian Ministries Thrift Store. I have never been in a thrift shop before and I was automatically interested in seeing what it might be like, so I chose to volunteer with that group for the day. When the volunteers and I arrived at the store in Northfield, we began our day of service by hanging baskets down the aisles and along the ceiling. Later we moved on to clearing shelves, dusting them off, and then bringing VHS movies to the front of the store for better visibility. We made sure to keep the Disney movies down low for small children to easily see. Once we had finished all of the jobs that the store clerk had initially given us, we began a general organization of the store by putting similar items together to make for a better presentation of the merchandise. We did this for the remainder of the day.

I generally enjoyed the fact that I spent my day at this thrift store helping the elderly store clerk complete these tasks because she wouldn’t have been able to do them on her own. However, I took something else away from Stockton’s Day of Service as well: the items in this store are things that I have in my home and down in my basement, never to be used again. When I saw how the costumers purchasing these items truly needed them to help make their lives easier, I realized how fortunate I am to actually have the problem of ‘excess’ anything. I’m a million times more grateful for what fortune I have in my life now that I’ve volunteered at this thrift shop, and now I will definitely think of donating before throwing something out that could possibly be needed desperately by someone.

On September 30, 2014, I attended “Crossing the BLVD,” a multimedia production based on the book Crossing The BLVD: strangers, neighbors, aliens in a new America, published in 2003. The show was an audio and multimedia one-woman production, performed by Judith Sloan, a co-author of the book along with her husband, Warren. The School of General Studies and The Writing Minor at Stockton College sponsored this event.

Sloan took a humorous approach on tackling the problem of discrimination against immigrants. She embodied different voices to share the stories of an array of many different people. Sloan argued that without immigration from other countries, many of us would not be here, as most of us are tied to somewhere other than the United States. She discussed many topics, varying from jobs that immigrants took, to why they had to move from where they originally lived. Sloan said, “These people leave the lives they have built to come to America to push a broom and take less desirable jobs.”

After her performance, Sloan reflected on her motivation for writing this book. She and her husband live in Queens, New York, a less desirable living area, and they began to realize that nearly all of the buildings in her neighborhood were run down and aged. As more and more immigrants began moving there, they began fixing up the buildings and turning them into homes, shops, restaurants, and other businesses. This was beneficial for the economy because these businesses were bringing money and income into the area, and also provided jobs. It made the area more desirable and eventually began to drive the housing prices in the area up, forcing the immigrants to relocate because they could no longer afford to live there, as discussed by Sloan. Overall, this performance was amazing and captured many aspects of immigration from the history to the economic value. We are all neighbors and should treat each other accordingly.