Though I wrote in my previous blog about Stockton’s newly founded Food for Thought group in an attempt to garner awareness for the newly formed discussion group, I am writing this blog post as an update on the progress of this group as it has undergone major developments since my last blog post and seems a topic worth revisiting. While there are a lot of discussion based events that Stockton University offers to its students, Food For Thought is one of the few events that meet more than once, giving students multiple chances to enjoy the learning experience and broadening of viewpoints that it offers.

Food for Thought was founded by a Stockton University senior psychology major with the intent of garnering an understanding of student’s experiences with various aspects of the Stockton University experience while allowing students to benefit from this experience by having a chance to listen and learn from the viewpoints of students from differing backgrounds and origins. I reported in my previous blog post that I thought this organization had a great deal to contribute to the environment of Stockton University, as unlike many similar presentations it offers students the chance to talk to other students with different viewpoints. Unfortunately, the organization did not have many students taking advantage of this opportunity at its beginning, and I was worried the event would dissolve as a result.

Luckily, however, more students have taken an interest in Food for Thought since the last time I wrote, and the last two events were regularly attended by over 20 individuals. We spent the last meeting largely talking about how the town’s, schools, and backgrounds differed from the current environment that Stockton University offers to its students, and I learned a great deal from this experience. Compared to the small town I was born in I have always found Stockton University to be a diverse and accepting environment, though I have learned that in some instances that is not the case. One member present at the event who suffered from a physical disability and was wheelchair bound, explained that while Stockton did attempt to make accommodations for its students there were still many areas of campus that she has trouble accessing, and that it made her upset that she could never visit her friends in certain housing situations on campus due to the lack of elevators.

Another aspect the group ended up discussing in length was the extracurricular clubs on campus, specifically those with a cultural aspect. Many explained from experience their fear of trying to join a club that represented a culture in which they were interested in learning about but had not been born into. These students feared that because they were not a part of the club’s culture the other club members would never truly accept them, and therefore they would never be able to enjoy and learn from the club to the best of their ability. While this fear had kept many in attendance from joining these types of clubs, those that had overcome this fear and joined in spite of it felt that the cultural clubs on campus had in general been very inviting and accepting, often eager to educate others on their culture.

Food for Thought caused me to think in depth on a lot of issues I had not previously considered, and opened my mind to the opinion of others. It is an event I think others would largely benefit from, and hope that they will attend in the future.

On Sunday I met with other students from the Stockton Honors Program in the Campus Center to shop for toys to donate to the Toys for Tots program. The Honors Program had collected money from selling t-shirts in the previous week and putting the profits towards shopping. When I arrived, I was surprised to see that there was already a substantial amount of students there. I had not been expecting such a high turnout since most students are not yet back on campus on Sunday afternoons. After assembling in the campus center, everyone headed to the local Toys R Us in order to shop. There, everyone divided into groups in order to ensure that different age groups and genders were represented. My group ended up shopping for younger girls around the elementary school to middle school age group. We picked out gifts such as Uno cards, adult coloring books and pencils, crafts, and Disney Princess action figure sets.

Overall, I am extremely grateful for this opportunity that being a part of the Honors Program presented to me. I had not previously put much thought into how much money goes into shopping gifts during the holiday season, so it was eye-opening to experience how expensive even simple toys can be and what it must be like to shop as parents. Toys for Tots is an amazing organization that helps so many children each holiday season and I’m glad that I was able to be a part of how Stockton contributed their donations. Organizations such as Toys for Tots highlight exactly how easy it is to get involved and give back, something that is often forgotten during the holiday season. All anyone needs to do is pick up a single inexpensive toy while at the store and by doing that they could make such a large impact on a child’s life. I also had a great time shopping and talking with my group during the outing. After, a reflection session was held to talk about the experience overall and reflect on what could be done similarly or differently in the upcoming years. I was extremely thankful for not only be able to participate in this event but also that it counted towards the Honors Program requirements.

My roommate and I are both in the honors program and were looking for an event that we could attend and fulfill our last discussion requirement. As we were discussing where to find information on events such as these, our RA, Kristen, sent us a text in GroupMe. Kristen is also a member of Honors at Stockton and just happened to send us a flyer for an event that would be happening the next day. Sophia and I then contacted the other honors students we knew to see if anyone else wanted to make the trek out to the lodge at 7 p.m. Our friend Sydney decided to join in. We all walked for 20 minutes across campus in the freezing cold, thinking that the presentation would be a packed room with a speaker that we would barely be able to hear, but what we found instead was exceedingly better.

We walked into the lodge to find a small group of 15 people, warm pizza, drinks, and a professor named Richard Miller. Professor Miller has been teaching for over 5 years at Stockton and mainly educates students on religion. The presentation was titled Connections and Shared Humanity and was advertised to focus on social justice topics, human freedom, and personal and social responsibility. But when the Professor Miller introduced his presentation, he made it clear that the main point of this discussion was listening. He had us do multiple listening activities, such as listening and staring at the person sitting next to us, as they talked for two minutes, then summarizing back as much as we could. At first, this “icebreaker” exercise made Sophia and I feel awkward mainly because although we are friendly as roommates, what friends hold eye contact for two minutes straight? Sophia talked mostly about her classes that day and her upcoming honors work, such as the essay on Gulliver’s Travels. I told Sophia about some movies that I wanted to see over the weekend, mainly Thor: Ragnarok and Call Me By Your Name. When we were done discussing what each other spoke about, Professor Miller brought up an interesting point. The more we were able to connect with the person next to us, the easier it was to listen. For example, I was able to understand what Sophia was talking about more because I share classes with her and I have a similar workload. Professor Miller explained that it will always be easier to connect, listen, understand and therefore help a person if you can stand yourself in their shoes.

As the presentation continued on Professor Miller examined why being an attentive listener can impact the people around you every day and his own personal stories where he helped his students through problems in their personal and academic life. At this point in the presentation it was clear that it was no longer a discussion on just simple listening skills and leadership skills, but on how one person with kind intentions can change multiple people’s lives. He explained the different struggles he has seen his students go through such as drugs, drinking, depression, and mental health problems; and how he helped his students overcome these difficulties through patience and understanding.

Professor Miller’s presentation really did feel like the kind of discussion our honors professors recommended we attend. It was a conversation between him and the audience, with personal stories and attentive listening on both sides. The advice and stories that Professor Miller told were very inspirational and I feel his ability to share his experiences with my friends and I will change the way we look at the people around us.

On November 21, 2017, an event called “From Hospital to Home” was held in G137. This event was created to be able to share the holiday season with those who can’t enjoy it in the comfort of their home. I know what it is like to be in a hospital for the holiday season, for around this time last year my mom was in the hospital. It is really hard to enjoy any kind of holiday spirit in an environment like this. It is sad in a hospital, with all of the medical equipment everywhere and the worry of hearing bad news. If someone were to have sent in some Christmas decorations to brighten up the hospital, well that might’ve just made the time spent there a bit more bearable! It is very nice to know that the students of Stockton got to send some spirit to people like me last year and also those who are actually sick in the hospital! The students of Stockton made decorations with paper, tissue boxes, and also wrote out cards for hospital patients. It was great to see so many of my friends taking time out of their day to help those who they don’t even know or see! In my opinion, that is one of the most selfless things a person can do. To help someone that you can’t even see or know. Helping someone just because you know, whoever it may be, their day got a little brighter because of what you did. As great as it was to be able to spread some Holiday cheer to those who can’t quite enjoy it as well as we all can, it was also a fun time for all those who volunteered. We enjoyed some hot chocolate, candy, and also Christmas music playing throughout the classroom. We enjoyed each other’s company and shared a lot of laughs. It made the whole experience even better than it already was. I hope I can do something like this again soon! Another thing that made the experience so enjoyable was how adamant I am about the Christmas season (for example, my dorm has been equipped with a tree, multiple strings of lights, and a stocking on my door since early November!) I saw so many great creations from brilliantly decorated tissue boxes, to marvelous paper snowflakes! I personally created a paper snowflake, but a very large one as seen below. I learned how to make this in about 5th grade and never forgot how to make it! It too a very long time to make, about 45 minutes, but it was worth it! I also enjoyed teaching some of my friends how to make it too! This experience helped me bond with people I haven’t had a chance to previously. Nothing but good things came from this experience and I wouldn’t hesitate to bring a few friends next time to share in the fun! My creation and the ones made by my fellow Ospreys will be donated to the Atlanticare Cape Regional Medical Center.

For many people, the word “help” invokes feelings of distaste and aversion. Many people find that asking for help is the greatest form of showing weakness in a society where strength and confidence are highly-prized in individuals. These people also fear the consequences of letting others know of their vulnerability. Others may not want the extra attention that comes along with the help. Still others may not want to worry the people around them, if they need help for serious issues such as mental health. However, it is important for people to realize that it is okay to ask for help, and that living alone in the darkness of one’s own’s thoughts is not worth trying to preserve one’s “healthy” social image, especially because in most cases society only wants to help.

There is great stigma around mental health. However, there is an even greater stigma around men and mental health. As mentioned earlier, there is an unspoken belief that strength and confidence is desirable. While this may be true to a certain extent, there can be different definitions of what strength and confidence mean. There is strength in overcoming one’s fear of societal backlash and asking for help. There is also confidence in one’s own potential to get better when one asks for help.

There was a “Men and Mental Health” Panel Discussion on October 25, to discuss the prevalence of mental health issues surrounding the male community. Each men on the panel took turns to speak about why they were involved in that day’s event, whether it be that they were suffering from mental issues themselves, or that they were studying or working in the field of psychology or mental health.

The panel discussed how hard it is for many men to ask for help because they felt as though they needed to be strong for the people that relied on them and because they were scared of people treating them differently. A few men on the panel also discussed how often, men don’t even realize that they need help, and only become aware of their own predicaments when the people around them point out the issues. Even when the people around them suggested getting help, many of them became stubborn and refused to see any professionals for their conditions. At this point, a few women in the audience voiced their concerns for what family and friends should do to suggest getting help without angering the men they know. The panel agreed that the best thing to do would be to let them know that other options are available and gently push them towards getting help, but to not make them feel pressured into anything because ultimately, it must be by their own choice.

In a country where approximately one in five adults are seen to suffer from some kind of mental illness, it is important to realize that there are many others that are going through the same issues, and that no one is alone. There is a stigma surrounding men and mental health because men are supposed to be “tough” and “manly” but it is important to note that certain mental health issues are actually more prevalent in men than women. Denying the possibility of the vulnerability of men can lead to disastrous consequences in many of their lives. People must know that it is okay to ask for help, and that the people who truly care for them will not think lesser of them if they do. Similarly, society as a whole must be more educated about the increased incidence of mental health issues in men, to be more readily accepting and receptive to the needs of the important men in their lives. For no one deserves to suffer alone.

On November 27th, I had the pleasure of attending the Stockton A Cappella Fall Concert. Having been an avid member of the choir at my high school and a music aficion, I’m always excited to watch musical performances and this was no exception.

Allow me to be honest, I had no idea what to expect. I have often listened to a cappella music and sung a great deal of it myself in choir, but this was my first a cappella concert. Having never even watched so much as a video of one, I had imagined something along the lines of Glee meets Pitch Perfect, complete with choreographed dancing and whatnot. Like I said, this was my first. I was a choir singer, which is a rigid art if I ever knew one, at least for my choir. A particular posture had to be maintained at all times and faces were meant to remain pleasantly emotionless, mouths opening in a uniform o-shape. We wore thick robes and were organized by vocal range.

When the performers from all ensembles entered the stage and began to sing their opening song “Already Home”,  I was pleasantly surprised at how familiar and yet unfamiliar I was with it all. The chorus was situated around the peripheral of the stage and in the center were the soloists. It was so…casual. No one was dressed in heavy robes  or standing rigid and unemotional. Quite contrarily, they were dressed in regular clothes, color coordinated according to their ensemble. They all bounced and swayed with the music.

And the music was phenomenal. All of the singers were very talented and harmonized perfectly with each other. And the repertoire was fantastic and apparently assembled and personalized by a Stockton team. And they were absolutely genius. My favorite song was sung by Stockapella. It was a mashup of  “Every Breath You Take” and Grease’s “You’re the One That I Want”. And at first, I couldn’t even identify these iconic songs. The mashup began with a slow and haunting rendition of “You’re the One That I Want” and melted into “Every Breath You Take” in the most chilling and emotional way. I had goosebumps.

The best part of the entire concert was the way the audience could feel the singers’ passion for making music and being on stage in the way that they bounced, swayed, and danced to the music. No doubt, the music was great, but a show is always better when you can tell that the performers are enjoying themselves as much as you are.

At the beginning of the semester, I was considering joining Stockton A Capella and decided against it, thinking it probably wouldn’t be something for me. Now having seen one of their concerts, I feel that I might have to audition next year. It seems like a blast.

Overall, I think the concert was amazing. The songs, the music, the atmosphere were all perfect for a music-lover like me and I can’t wait to see what Stockton A Capella has planned for the Spring Concert.

On September 19th and 20th, the university held their annual Get Involved Fair in wings A through G on campus.  This fair was a gathering of over 100 clubs and organizations both on and off campus that are available for students to get involved with.  On both days, the fair began at ten o’clock in the morning and ran until four in the afternoon.

Each club, fraternity, sorority, service organization, etc. had their own table set up with representatives, who were able to give adequate information about the club/organization they were representing.  They had brochures, business cards, and other free things you could have if you showed interest in the club or organization.  The representatives were very helpful and enthusiastic.  Whatever questions I had about the club or organization, these representatives were able to answer them.  And if they were not able to answer the questions at that time, they were able to email me the answer within a relatively decent amount of time.

I really enjoyed having the ability to see all of the different clubs and organizations that Stockton University has to offer.  I honestly had no idea how many clubs we actually had.  It was a good idea for the university to hold this fair because there is not enough advertizing of the various clubs and organizations.  It is great that there is such a variety, but it is difficult to find these clubs and organizations.

Some of the clubs that I looked at included the sign language club, SAVE, and Intramurals.  I am currently an active member of the sign language club.  It is a very relaxed club with meetings once a week on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  We learn basic signs, such as the alphabet and greetings.  Every week we build on what we were taught the week prior.  I already know some sign language, and it makes me very happy to see so many people who either already know or want to know sign language.

Though I am not an active member in SAVE, which stands for Stockton Action Volunteers for the Environment.  This organization takes part in keeping the campus and the surrounding lands clean.  I have always had the need to keep the environment clean.  I have helped with March on Litter in my hometown.  I have also gone out on my own with friends and cleaned the trash on the sides of roads, the beach, and many other places.  I really care about the environment and I hope that the small cleanings I do help save the animals in the area.

I will be participating in Intramurals volleyball in November.  I absolutely love volleyball and I want to be able to play it here at Stockton.  Being part of Intramural will help me make friends who have such a passion for volleyball as I do.

I am very excited to be part of the Stockton community.  I hope that I am able to make a difference in at least one person’s life while I am here at Stockton University.

On Saturday, October 21, 2017, the freshman honors students took a bus trip to the Museum of the American Revolution in Old Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It was a very educational and relaxing trip.  The students learned a lot about the various views on the American Revolution.

I decided to go on this trip because I thought it would be cool to learn more about the American Revolution, and not be taught by a textbook.  I knew and understood the basics of the war, but I wanted to learn more about the war and how people were affected by the war during this time.  Textbooks teach the important dates and historical figures, such as George Washington and the date in which he crossed the Delaware River to surprise the British troops.   In the museum, I learned so much more than just the dates and historical figures; I learned about how awful it was to be a wife during this time because all of the men left to go to war.  There was no one to make money for the family and winters were extremely brutal.  I also learned that the Native Americans joined the side of the revolutionaries so they would no longer be under British rule.  The Native Americans believed that their land would be saved if they sided with the revolutionaries.  Textbooks did not go into depth about how the Native Americans were impacted, nor did the textbooks discuss in detail about how the Native Americans helped the revolutionaries.

The setup of the museum flowed extremely well.  There was a lot of colors and interactive signs around the museum.  Each room, or section, of the museum, had its unique set of artifacts and interactive devices.  In one of the beginning rooms, I was able to lift up various panels and read more about those people or events.  I found it quite interesting that the panels did not smack down after you let go of them.  Instead, they slowly lowered themselves.  This helped keep the panels from breaking.  Another interactive part of the museum was the wall of the lights, in which if you pressed a button, it showed the path that the revolutionaries and the British troops took to the battle of Philadelphia.

My favorite part of the museum was George Washington’s tent.  I was very impressed with how well it was intact behind the glass.  I really wanted to go up to it and see how tall it was compared to me.  One thing that I wanted to know was how much of it was original.  Was all of the tent from the Revolutionary War?  Or were there areas that had to fixed by modern cloth to make it look “as new” as it did during the war?

I cannot wait to take my family to the Museum of the American Revolution.  I think that the museum is fit for all ages and gives very good, insightful information about the American Revolution.

What better way to bring the community together then to have global vendors come together to display and sell their products right here on Stockton’s campus? On Sunday, November 19th, from 10am to 5pm, Stockton hosted the 13th annual Fair Trade Certified International Gift Fair. Members of the community were invited to join the vendors in Stockton’s event room for an afternoon of shopping for homemade crafts and products from a variety of places and people around the world.

What exactly is Fair Trade? As the name implies, Fair trade is the global movement aimed at providing adequate and sufficient prices for the goods of people in developing countries. This movement not only promotes sustainable environmental practices in the production of these goods but also the ethical and respectful treatment and conditions for the makers, all while focusing on minimizing world-wide poverty and creating more equal commerce. This commendable effort shows the desire of people, including those in the Stockton community, to help others and is a symbol of respect for others and hope for the greater good. Stockton’s own club S.A.V.E or Stockton Action Volunteers for the Environment, had a table at the fair to display the message of the club and reveal the students’ concern for the environment and its people.

In Stockton’s event room, items such as soaps, (delicious) chocolate, pottery and hats could be found on display by the vendors and their organizations. Both members of the community and of the Stockton campus were welcome to come by and shop for gifts for themselves or others that go toward a wonderful cause. Tables were on display all around the room and conversation and smiles were exchanged as visitors and buyers came together to shop for loved ones and support communities and entrepreneurs around the world. Each interaction seemed very genuine and sincere as sellers explained their product and shared a little about their work to the consumers that happily asked questions and commended their work.

An event like this, I feel, is a very rewarding and eye-opening experience. It allows members of the community to gain a better understanding of cultures and businesses outside of the area they live in while supporting ethical and equitable working conditions and practices for all people around the globe. Fair Trade is a wonderful initiative to support and learn more about and this event allowed for both of those things. This event displayed the desire of people to support others and represents an understanding of the unequal and more negative qualities of our world and our dedication to fixing it.