One of Stockton University’s clubs, Circle K, held their first meeting on Wednesday, September 16th in room F111 of Stockton’s academic wing. The meeting began with the introduction of the officers and a description of the club. They said that Circle K is a worldwide club for college aged students who are passionate about community service and leadership. Then they welcomed all new members and got into the heart of the meeting, which was talking about the service opportunities for this semester.

They explained that Project Linus is an opportunity for students to make teddy bears and pillowcases for sick children in local hospitals. Next, they talked about Atlantic City Rescue Mission. This service project allows students the ability to help prepare and serve dinner to the homeless people of Atlantic City. A third service project that was mentioned is serving with the Salvation Army. This entails helping younger kids with their homework and playing games with them at an after school program. Another project for this semester is the opportunity to travel to Spring Village, a retirement home, and play Blackjack with the elderly residence. This is a way to give older members of our community some fun and allows the students to interact with the residents as well. Another service project that was mentioned is with Campus Kitchen. During this project, Stockton students partner with students from Atlantic City High School to make meals for the homeless. The last off-campus service project that was talked about during this meeting was horse rescue. This allows students to be able to assist in the feeding and grooming of rescued horses.

The final service project, which takes place on campus, gives students who do not have time to leave campus an opportunity to help the community with different service projects each week. For convenience, this project takes place right before the Circle K meetings every Wednesday night. Overall this meeting was very informative and gave a lot of good information about service opportunities around the area. Circle K seems like a great club to have on campus because they are so focused on helping others.

As a Computer Science major, I particularly enjoy the Stockton Computer Society; it’s a student organization for those technically inclined people who really love computers. Every Thursday at 4:30 pm there’s a different module or activity focusing on how computers work and how we can do cool things with them. Typical computers aren’t the only focus in this club – they actually have a Lego Mindstorms set which contains programmable components to create robotic Lego constructions. At a recent meeting those present learned how to make panoramic image spheres using the same technology as in Google Earth’s street view. At an upcoming meeting there will be a computer building module – going through the process of putting a computer together piece by piece. The best feature about this club is that it’s open to anyone – no experience necessary. In this club, technologically inclined students can explore the complexities and amusements of computing alike – all while finding people with the same interests as them. Activities range from the simple to the advanced, and guided learning and practice is exercised so that no matter what one’s skill level is, anyone can still follow the guidelines. This club offers something cool to do and learn about each week within the domain of computers and modern technology. To get started in this club you’ll have to contact Professor Roubos in D wing since the venue changes each week. There’s no doubt that people can do fun and interesting things with computers, and in the Computer Society, we can show you how to do just that!

Even though I am a first semester freshman, one of the programs that really interests at Stockton University is studying abroad. As a commuter who lives at home, studying abroad really appeals to me because it would give me an opportunity to experience the world outside my comfort zone, and take a step forward toward independence. One of the steps to study abroad is to attend a Study Abroad 101 workshop. There is a meeting every month, held by Natalja Manger, the Study Abroad and International Advisor. On October 13^th, I attended the Study Abroad Workshop in room F111 where I learned what it takes to actually study around the world.

One of the first things I learned at the workshop was that only 1% of college students around the country actually study abroad. This fact really astonished me because I know many schools offer students the chance to study abroad, and I am surprised more students do not take advantage of it. Also, I am now more motivated to be part of the 1% so I can set myself apart from other students. Natalja Manger showed us the step-by-step process of looking for different programs, how to apply, and the different deadlines. Finally, we learned very important information about how to fund our ventures to study abroad. We learned that financial aid, scholarships, and grants can be applied to our cost of studying abroad. Since the cost can be lowered, the prospect of studying abroad seems possible despite a student’s financial concerns. Applying to study abroad is a very elaborate process, but with the help of the Stockton Portal, our preceptors, and Natalja Manger, studying abroad seems feasible and less daunting.

In conclusion, I am very glad I attended a Study Abroad Workshop early into my time at Stockton. Studying abroad seems like an amazing opportunity and attending the meeting helped me get one step closer to changing my dream into reality.

     As a freshman commuter, I started to realize by the first week of school that making friends would be harder for me than it would be for the students who live on campus. Lucky for me, Stockton held an event called The Get Involved Fair. The fair took place on  September 16th and 17th from 11 am to 4 pm in the Main Campus Center and the A through N Wings. The Get Involved Fair included over one hundred clubs, various service opportunities in the community, and the different sororities and fraternities. The Fair was a great way to learn about different clubs and an even better way to build future relationships.

     First of all, I learned that there are plenty of clubs to join on campus. There is a club for almost every subject and interest group. The club leaders were very friendly and helpful, and really encouraged everyone to sign up and learn more about what their clubs had to offer. I walked passed religious clubs,”artsy” clubs, science clubs, and so many others. There were also different opportunities to give back to the community, like volunteering to tutor or even traveling around the globe with the Peace Corps. No matter what one’s interests may be, there was most likely at least one club at the fair that pertained to that interest.

     Overall, I am really glad I went to The Get Involved Fair. Making friends and getting involved can be really overwhelming, especially when all the upperclassmen talk about the lasting impression of college friends and the professors stress the importance of resumes. The Get Involved Fair allowed for students to dip their toes into different groups and interests, and to receive information about the vast amount of opportunities Stockton has to offer.

The Sherlock Holmes play took place on a cool, rainy Friday evening that added to the mysterious mood of the play. People of all ages filed into Stockton’s Performing Arts Center and took their seats among the rows. The quiet chatter amongst viewers stopped as the lights slowly dimmed and someone stood in the shadows playing the violin; the play was about to begin.

The first hint that this play would stray from the traditional Sherlock Holmes stories was that the infamous detective was played by a woman. Still sporting the usual garb of the character, she walked into the light and quietly talked with her partner, Dr. Watson. The first mystery was similar to its original manner of delivery, full of suspense and mystery, though this play wove in humor through its characters and use of props.

The second and the third mysteries captivated the audience like the first act and made them wonder how Sherlock Holmes would catch the villain. Though Sherlock Holmes was wrong in the second mystery and let the notorious Irene Adler get away in the next act, Holmes clearly demonstrated her experience as a detective and expressed her skill in deduction.

After the last act’s mention of Sherlock’s nemesis, Moriarty, the crowd was left to wonder about the cliffhanger. The five actors came onto the stage and took their bows as the viewers cheered and applauded their performance. The audience collected their items and went back into the rainstorm, their minds full of mystery and the infamous Sherlock Holmes.

Three days before Welcome Week marked the beginning of S.O.A.R., or Stockton Outdoor Adventure Retreat. Two hundred Stockton students packed all of their stuff into their cars, moved into their dorms, and said goodbye to their parents. They grabbed their bags and drove off on buses to Camp Ockanickon. The camp was located in the woods and was spacious and pretty. The lake reflected the entire sky, and the paths wound their way through the tall trees. The setting was very calming and simple, a reprieve from the bright and distracting world that we are accustomed to.

The three days passed like minutes and were packed with activities. One of the most popular activities was the high ropes course. People strapped into their full-body harness and donned helmets while climbing up walk walls and rope bridges. The most popular activity was the leap of faith where participants had to climb up a narrow pole, stand on top, and jump off, attempting to hit a ball high up in the air.

The days were filled with sunshine and activities like swimming in the lake, canoeing, and archery, while the nights were filled with comfort food and games. We could admire clear night skies and stars that were not clouded by the pollution we were used to at home. S.O.A.R. was so memorable because it removed comfort zones, allowed memories to be made and friendships to bloom.

Anthony Gingerelli
There are so many clubs and organizations at Stockton and ping pong club caught my interest. I figured it would be a fun recreational activity that would be enjoyable way to take a break after a long week of classes.
Ping Pong club is a fun club with players that fall in all different ranges of skill. Some players are competitive and others are there for recreational fun. It was interesting to see the two different paces of the game. I originally went to for some relaxed fun but ended up playing some of the more skilled players in the club. I lost my first games to these players but everyone there was encouraging. They began showing me and the other less experienced players the strokes and techniques on how to return the ball. It was an enjoyable experience to participate in this club and I really enjoyed a night of play ping pong.
After playing several games for the day at the club, you receive a rating which matches you for your next games the following week. If you have intentions of becoming skilled, you can progress to win matches and move up in rating scale or just continue playing at the recreational level. Having so many players of different skills allows options for everyone who had an interest in playing so everyone would be equally matched. This vast range in skilled and non skilled players allowed people to take part in the club as they pleased. They could become a focused player and attend all the meetings and challenge themselves to play more skilled players to advance themselves. On the other hand, another option includes students who join the meetings as an outlet to play and have a way to relax and escape the stress of college.
Going to the ping pong club was a decision I will not regret. It is fun and it is a great release for me. It is nice to have a change in pace from my routine schedule instead of going back to my room after class. The enjoyable light hearted mood helps create a pleasurable atmosphere. Although the games can become intense, I personally feel it is a great social club, whether you choose to be competitive or just take it slow. I would encourage everyone to come and try the ping pong club or at least attempt a new club in which they may have an interest. Sometimes these trials or adventures may become a new and challenging interest because they might find out they love it.