The smell of the freshly cut grass, the sound of the rain hitting the umbrella, and the passionate crowd yelling and cheering. On a rainy September 10^th I, dressed in my best Stockton gear, headed to the soccer field to attend a Stockton University women’s soccer game against the Eagles of St. Joseph’s College Long Island. As I sat down on the wet bleachers waiting for the game to start, I was filled with excitement and anticipation. With the blow of the referee’s whistle the game began. The game was so exciting because I never knew if the Ospreys would score or if the Eagles would score, which kept me on the edge of my seat! After only nine minutes of scoreless play, the Ospreys scored! I remember the team celebrating the goal and cheering them on. I was ecstatic! After the goal they resumed play. After only nine more minutes they scored another goal! Again the team celebrated and everyone in the crowd cheered. They continued to play until the buzzer went off to signal halftime. As I sat there waiting for the second half to start, I talked to my friends about how the game was going so far and what I thought might happen in the second half. After the 15 minutes of halftime ended, the second half began. Although no goals were scored in the second half, it was still very exciting. Some shots were taken that were either saved by the goalie or just missed the goal. The best part was that Stockton won 2-0! Overall the game was a fun experience, and I am looking forward to attending many more. Go Ospreys!

On Saturday, September 12th, Stockton University had its 12th annual Day of Service. At 8 A.M., students arrived fresh-faced and full of anticipation for the day ahead. Students were divided into four groups, each assigned a color: blue, green, red and purple. With multiple service projects scheduled throughout the day, the different groups would rotate and take turns in order to experience each service project offered. The day began with a brief introduction by President Kesselman, followed by a speech by Todd Bernstein. It was a great way to precede the service projects that were soon to follow.

Stockton offered a wide variety of service projects for students to participate in. One service project offered was for a group called Books Without Borders. This organization takes in used or old book donations from schools, libraries, and homes, and ships them off to countries that need them. For the Day of Service, students were able to do just that. With literally thousands of books, students sorted books by their genre and packed them into boxes, ready to be sent off at any time.

Another service project was for an organization called Green Dot. Green Dot is an organization against violence, and their main goal is to get communities to reduce violence by helping in any way possible. Brian Pluchino, who spoke at the Day of Service, shortened his original six hour presentation to just an hour, but was still able to give all the information needed. In a fun and interactive way, Pluchino engaged students with different, realistic scenarios on violence, and showed them that any help does help, even in the smallest way.

The day ended with a reflection, and students were encouraged to not only get involved with the organizations participating in the Day of Service, but to also better their community and join other groups for community service. All in all, Stockton held another successful Day of Service.

During Welcome Week, there was an event that most freshmen went to in order to learn how to navigate the campus. Each person playing was in a team of four. Each team was given an envelope that they were not allowed to open until told to so. Inside the envelope was a list of clues on one piece of paper and a table of each station on another sheet of paper. Each station had a T.A.L.O.N. waiting for the players and they were supposed to make sure that the teams were going in order of the clues and as long as they were, the T.A.L.O.N. cut the paper on their station. The teams were sent off to start the race and were told that they only had about an hour and a half to find all of the locations.

Each station was difficult to find. The clues did not say exactly where to go. They only described what the place was for. For example, one clue described that this offices is where someone goes when they need to talk to someone for help such as counseling. The answer was The Wellness Center which was easy to figure out. However, as freshman, most of the participants had no clue where the wellness center office could be found. It took a little bit of research to find out where the office was located and they all walked over to J204 to get their papers cut by the T.A.L.O.N. and then moved on to the next clue. The participants continued trying to solve each clue in the allotted time for the scavenger hunt.

When the time was up, all of the teams went back to the Campus Center Event Room and waited to hear if they won. The first place winners all got tickets to Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor. There were also prizes for second and third place, one of which was a basket of Stockton Entertainment Team gear. The winners found every clue and really learned their way around campus but even the teams that did not find them all had a great chance to learn their way around campus and where to find all different resources that they might need throughout their years at Stockton.

On September 12, 2015, Stockton University hosted its annual Day of Service. Students, faculty, and staff members filed into the Campus Center Event Room, eagerly awaiting the beginning of the day. The university was trying a new format for the Day of Service this year. In past Days of Service, participants would choose which project they would like to volunteer with, and would board a bus to be transported to the off campus location. This year, off campus bussing was unnecessary. All of the service projects would be located on campus and students, split into colored teams, would have the opportunity to rotate through them evenly.

The morning began with opening statements by President Harvey Kesselman and keynote speaker Todd Bernstein. They both emphasized the importance of service, making a difference and giving back to the community on a regular basis. After the speeches were finished, volunteer Day of Service Project Leaders ushered their respective teams to the destined locations. I was on the Blue Team, so our first service project took place in the C/D Atrium of the main campus building.

This session focused on civic engagement. The project leaders had us at different stations within the atrium, enhancing our awareness of various topics. Firstly, we learned about the issue of search and seizure. As a group, we discussed the details of the Fourth Amendment and how the Supreme Court determined it protected us citizens from police searching our phones or belongings after an arrest. Next, we listened to a representative speak from the Petey Greene Project, an organization dedicated to tutoring prisoners in correction facilities. Then, we had the option of writing a letter to different politicians like Governor Christie or Senator Booker and submitting our opinion of the search and seizure issue and capital punishment in a mock voting booth. Once our group was done at those stations, we entered a computer lab where we took a survey about civic preparedness and our knowledge of current government affairs. It was shocking to realize that a majority of people do not understand the government process, are not involved regularly with government affairs, and have not been properly educated on the stances of politicians and the importance of voting.

The second service project was located in the Campus Center, led by the club Circle K. The two speakers focused on homelessness and listed different statistics and facts to emphasize its ubiquity in our area and state.  After the short presentation, we were allowed to choose what we wanted to do. We could either make bags for homeless people, create birthday cards, or make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I chose to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; it was really nice to know that these sandwiches were going to be given to people who suffer from hunger. The second session was definitely the most hands-on session of the day and I really enjoyed that aspect. Even though making sandwiches was a small difference, it still felt good to affect people’s lives.

The third service project accentuated environmentalism. The president and CEO of Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA), Richard Dovey, spoke about his company and what they do for Atlantic County. ACUA deals about his company and what they do for Atlantic County. eople’er make bags for homeless people, with waste management, recycling, pollution prevention, and water distribution. Dovey also talked about the green initiatives that ACUA strives to uphold in its everyday operation. The Stockton club Waterwatch took over afterwards, discussing the origin of plastic water bottles, how water bottles are made, and their true danger. It was a very informative session that taught me to be more aware of environmental impact and the hazards of plastic water bottles.

The final service project of the day involved health and wellness. At the beginning of the day, we had the option of choosing which session to participate in. The topic options were CPR, Green Dot Training, Suicide Awareness, and Prescription Drugs. I chose to learn about prescription drug addiction and the frequent usage of Narcan for overdoses. A representative from the organization Join Together Atlantic County (JTAC) and a Stockton police officer gave a presentation in a small conference room at the Campus Center. They talked about the presence of drugs in Atlantic County and New Jersey overall, the realities of overdoses and injecting Narcan, and the steps we can take to make a difference. It was very eye-opening to see how prevalent substance abuse is in the community. Even compared to Ocean County, Atlantic County has one of the highest percentages of heroin addiction and other drug abuse.

The end of the 2015 Day of Service wrapped up with a closing ceremony in the Campus Center Event Room. The Office of Service Learning led reflection sessions throughout the room, sending Service Project Leaders to the multiple tables. The project leaders sat down at each table with a pen and notepad. The reflection questions were shown on slides on the giant wall-sized screens and the entire room went through the reflection process together. It was designed to make us think about what we had learned and done that day. Most importantly, it was essential to reflect upon how the Day of Service impacted our perspective and future outlook. The Day of Service had a brand new format this year that encouraged more continuous service and overall awareness and less sporadic volunteering.  I enjoyed the different Day of Service because its intention was to inspire us students to be more involved in the community. This new format contributes to the element of service learning that Stockton desires all students to acquire.

For the last event of Welcome Week 2015, comedian Kevin Wanzer presented his college orientation program in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). All of the seats in the theater were filled with students, waiting for him to come on stage. The second his opening statement started and we heard his unique laugh and his positive personality, I was confident this was going to be a great show. Wanzer’s hilariousness and relatable anecdotes combined to make the show entertaining and valuable. His ALOHA philosophy focused on embracing diversity, being positive, loving one another, and merging the community into a family.

The messages he portrayed in his program summarized what incoming freshmen were being told by different programs throughout the week. The previous programs encouraged students to broaden their horizons, involve themselves in college socially, and empower one another to thrive. Overall, the tones reflected the control students have over their education and their personal success in life. While Wanzer’s routine discussed serious topics, it also had comedic parts to amuse the audience. He did an amazing job of linking an enthusiastic, humorful performance with an enlightening dialogue about inclusiveness and diversity.

One of Wanzer’s anecdotes included a story about him and his son Scout at Disney World. Wanzer attempted to take his son to see all of the Disney characters and wait in line to receive their autographs. Scout, who Wanzer described as being obsessed with vacuum cleaners, preferred to skip the wait and eat in Cinderella’s castle. As Wanzer and Scout sat at their table, Scout began to talk to the waitress. The waitress interacted wonderfully with Scout, engaging in conversation with him about vacuum cleaners. After talking for a while, the waitress took Scout to a back room to show him something. A few minutes later, Scout came out with the waitress, gripping a vacuum cleaner in his hand. She allowed him to vacuum the entire dining area! When Scout was finished, he was so happy and sat back down. At the end of the meal, Scout told his dad that the only autograph he wanted was an autograph from the waitress. When Wanzer asked why, Scout explained it was because she was nice to him, she listened to him, and she allowed him to vacuum Cinderella’s castle. Wanzer used this adorable narrative to establish how important it is for us to take time out to get to know people. Anecdotes like those showed us how we can make a difference in people’s lives and how we can positively embrace our differences and similarities.

Wanzer has an energetic stage presence and utilized it to keep us students laughing. His routine was amazing and it allowed new freshmen to have an upbeat mindset going into college life. It was a very inspirational program that showed students how to promote a tolerant college community. Wanzer repeated the ALOHA philosophy multiple times throughout his performance, wisely demonstrating how students can choose to love. His charisma is infectious and it has helped me see how I can be a more valuable member of Stockton’s community.

On Saturday, August 29^th, 2015, I attended the Osprey Kickoff in the quad at the Residential Life Center (TRLC). The Stockton Entertainment Team (SET) and the United Black Students Society (UBSS) co-hosted the event during the second day of Stockton University’s Welcome Week.  The event began at 3:00 pm, shortly after the mandatory/passport events earlier in the afternoon. The quad was quickly crowded with both incoming freshmen and T.A.L.O.N upperclassmen. Music boomed from the DJ’s giant speakers and there were people everywhere. Accompanied by two friends, I eagerly wandered around to see everything.

On one side of the quad, there were rows of tables and scattered boxes, where students were browsing through posters that were for sale. On the other side, there were booths offering free items; they already had lines forming besides them. We first grabbed some Dippin’ Dots and walked around to see the rest of the vendors. There was a Tiki Bar, a photo booth, a caricaturist, a Make-Your-Own-Sign stand, and a Make-Your-Own-Bear table. The longest line was for the teddy bear table, so my friends and I decided to do that first. The wait was long but definitely worth it. The bears were very cute and it was fun to stuff them ourselves. They even came with little birth certificates!

After we made our bears, we noticed there were some tables on the far right of the quad. Walking past the ongoing volleyball game, we saw that SET and UBSS had set up an area where they could offer more information about their clubs and tell new freshmen about what they do. SET was giving out blue Stockton foam fingers so my friends and I each took one. Then, we stood in line to wait for the caricaturist, however by then, the line was relatively large. People that had finished up at the teddy bear table were in the line for the caricaturist. While my friends and I were waiting, the people at the teddy bear table had to put everything away because they had run out of bears. We were definitely glad we chose to make the bears first!

We ended up leaving before getting our caricatures done, because the wait would have been another hour and a half. However, we had a lot of fun together. It was a great event that SET and UBSS had hosted and there was a huge turnout. The Osprey Kickoff was an excellent way for both residential and commuter freshmen to socialize, get acclimated to the campus, and adjust themselves to life at Stockton. It was like the college version of a neighborhood block party. SET and UBSS did an excellent job of helping Stockton students make that transition into college life. Four years from now, I can look back at my first time at college as a freshman and have amazing memories to remember that day.

On September 11, 2015, Stockton Men’s Soccer suffered their first loss to Rensselaer. Stockton, whose record after the game was 3-1, scored only one point during a penalty kick by Clevon McPherson. The Ospreys, who led by one at the half, fell to the Engineers, with a final score of 2-1. This game was part of the Seashore Classic, which continued through the weekend with William Patterson and Mary Washington in competition as well.

Despite the loss, the student section at the game remained lively until the final buzzer. Friends and fellow teammates cheered from the stands for everything from substitutions to penalties. After Stockton’s only goal, all of the on-field players ran to the side of the field where the bleachers were and celebrated with us. The stands went wild.

I never would have imagined the level of school spirit and pride to be this prevalent at Stockton, and yet each and every student in attendance proved me wrong. Despite Stockton being a D3 school, and not having a football team, we proved that we can still be loud and rowdy and support out athletes, which I respect one hundred percent.

As my first Stockton sporting event, I can say that I will definitely be at many more, if not to actually learn how soccer works, then to support my school through wins and losses. The games are free for students (with ID), so next time Stockton Athletics tweets about a game or a bunch of Yik Yaks are posted about the soccer game, grab some friends and head out there! I promise the team will not disappoint.

After their first loss of the season, Stockton came back with a win over Mary Washington on September 12. Stockton beat Mary Washington 3-0, despite their previously unbeaten record. The Eagles, whose standing is now 5-1, could not get past Stockton’s remarkable defense. Anthony Colofranson scored two of Stockton’s points, one in each half, and the final point came from Jeff Tanski. Because of the rainy weather, not as many students came out to see a Stockton win as the Stockton vs Rensselaer game, but the school pride was there nonetheless. I wish the best of luck to the soccer team for the remainder of their season, and hope that they bring back some more Osprey “W’s”.

On September 12, 2015, Stockton hosted their 12^th annual Day of Service. For many, today was an opportunity to learn about the South Jersey community, and about the things that we, as college students, can do to help under privileged people in our community and to help our environment. I was on the purple team, and while we spent the day being talked to by guest speakers about the ways we can impact our community, I do wish that the event would have been a little more hand on with the “service” aspect of service-learning. The keynote speaker this year was Todd Bernstein, the founder of the MLK Day of Service, who spoke to us about the importance of service in every community and the impact that we, as students, can make on our country and the world.

Stockton also had the honor of having the president of ACUA, Rick Dovey, speak to us about the recycling, sewage treatment, trash collection, and sustainable energy facilities in Atlantic County. Besides that, the student representatives of Water Watch taught us about the dangers of single-use plastic water bottles and their adverse effects on our bodies, environment, and economy. (This is the cue to head to the bookstore and buy a reusable water bottle OR see the Water Watch table during the Get Involved fair for a free one!)

I also had the chance to help box up books for an on campus organization called Books Without Borders, which helps stock under-funded libraries, schools, and universities. The Campus Center theatre stage was covered in books from every subject imaginable, and I can only imagine the benefit of them once they all get to where they are needed most.

Today, students also had the opportunity to register to vote, if they had not already done so, and learn a little bit more about our legal system in the “civics” portion of the day. “Hot topics” such as the death penalty and the search and seizure of cell phones were discussed in my group, which led to my mind opening to the opinions and beliefs of others. It was very evident today, if not always, that every single Stockton student has a very important voice and that, if not shared, can go unnoticed.

My favorite part of the day was the Hands-Only CPR training I received from Stockton EMS. I was CPR certified when I was younger, but Hands-Only CPR is a little bit different. Because of the lack of rescue breaths, more people are willing to perform life-saving CPR on a stranger than before. Knowing that I at least have some training in how to do CPR, use an AED, and save someone from choking makes me feel better prepared for the times where I might be the only thing between someone and death.

Stockton’s Day of Service gave me more than just a free t shirt and some food. It gave me the information I need to continue to reach out and help my community, useful life-skills, a chance to help under-privileged libraries, and the chance to listen to some very interesting guest speakers.  I definitely look forward to participating in the 13^th annual Day of Service, and today made me much more interested in joining Circle K.

On the morning of August 25^th, I, along with 300 or so of my peers, packed all of my things, not only for college, but for the camping trip of a lifetime. SOAR, or the Stockton Outdoor Adventure Retreat, is an amazing program for incoming freshman, where they go away to Camp Ockanickon for three days prior to the traditional freshman “move-in day” and the beginning of Welcome Week activities. While on this camping trip, Stockton’s newest ospreys gained leadership skills, discussed the pros of a diverse community, and had a ton of fun doing so. Everyone in attendance had expected this type of instruction it was basically the tagline for SOAR. But the best parts of SOAR were the things we didn’t expect.

I didn’t expect to meet my best friend at SOAR. Within minutes of saying goodbye to my parents and siblings, the girl standing next to me, who I would soon call my best friend, and I bonded instantly. All around us, I could see, and feel, the friendships, and even relationships, forming between people who had just met. We were all being thrown into the wild with a bunch of strangers, so it was only natural for us to find people with whom we had something in common with, and stick with them.

My favorite part of SOAR, and, upon talking to some of my fellow “tribelets”, their favorite part as well, was getting to know our TALONS. The Activity Leaders Of New Students practically ran SOAR with the help of Jennifer Radwanski and the staff from Camp Ockanickon, but they did so much more than that. They gave very sound advice about college, from unspoken N Wing etiquette to how to save the most money on textbooks and everything in between. With the help of our TALONS, Stockton became a less intimidating place and moving away to college seemed like an easy tasked compared to the “Leap of Faith” that many, including myself, did while at camp.

SOAR was so much more than a leadership retreat or a chance to meet new people and make new friends. SOAR was a chance for many freshman to ease into the college experience. It helped to grease the gears of new friendships, and made the task of talking to new people less daunting. I hope to return to SOAR one day as a TALON so that I can help freshmen transition into life here at Stockton, because what my TALONS did for me is something I cannot thank them enough for. So, I say again, thank you TALONS, and thank you Jen Radwanski, for giving me the experience of a lifetime and allowing me to truly soar.

On August 31^st, during Stockton’s Freshmen Welcome Week, the Stockton Entertainment Team (SET) hosted a nighttime event called the Amazing Race Treasure Hunt. Upon arrival, teams of four signed in at a table and received a closed envelope with the team’s name on the outside. All the teams filtered into the Campus Center Event Room to await further instruction. Once everyone arrived, a SET member gave us the basic rules of the game: solve the riddles to find the next location, find the most locations within the hour-an-fifteen-minute time frame, and don’t run. The prizes at stake for the first place team were individual tickets to Six Flags Great Adventure and Hurricane Harbor, which were pretty enticing to my team, Team Yik Yak.

Immediately after the instructions were given, all the teams solved their first clue and walked speedily towards their first location. Since each team’s clue order was scrambled, no two teams were headed to the same locations in the same order. My team benefited from the fact that one of our members attended the Educational Opportunity Fund this summer; thus, she was able to guide us to many of the locations around campus that were involved in the Amazing Race. As time drew to a close, Team Yik Yak headed back to the Campus Center to arrive before the 9:45pm deadline. Originally, we thought solving 22 out of the 38 clues would have awarded us at least third place. Once we started talking to other teams, we realized we would have needed all 38 locations to win. The only reasonable conclusion as to how the winning team made it to all 38 locations: they ran.

Overall, the Amazing Race was a great Welcome Week event that allowed students to become more familiar with the campus in an entertaining way. It also helped students to bond with new people by exchanging clue answers and working together to achieve a common goal.