I spent parts of my summer reading Spook trying to get a feel for Mary Roach’s writing style, how her voice would carry through the words on the page. This week at Stockton we all had a chance to sit and listen to Mary Roach to discuss her experiences and her books. Roach was a refreshing change from the duller speakers I have had the chance to listen to in the past, she quickly captured the attention of her audience by discussing how hyenas gave birth in the most peculiar way.

Roach also spoke about how curiosity is a key to her writing style and her life. She stressed that asking questions is one of the most important things one can do for one’s self. Our college career is a time for us all to dig deep and discover new things. It’s a time for us to not accept things at face value to admit we don’t know, but we will look into it more. She told us the more that we know, the more we will come to realize we don’t actually know that much, but you we always learn more.

What I enjoyed most was Roach’s clarification on the closing of Spook. When reading the book and going on this long journey with her from India to the end, I was invested in her story, and I wanted to know her final conclusion and thoughts on the afterlife. However she just ended the book abruptly with just a “What the hell. I believe in ghosts.” At her presentation she explained why she believed in ghosts. She claimed that ghost stories are fun and she didn’t want to be in a world where there are no possibilities of ghosts. I was glad to have that closure and the knowledge that if she could go back and change it she would. She also closed her speech with her belief of what may happen to the soul after death. She thought that, “When you die you go back to where you were before you were born, wherever that is.” There still is no proof of that but, according to her there is a difference between what you know and what you believe.

Mary Roaches book wasn’t a “page turner” but I enjoyed the chance to hear her tell us her stories more than I did reading them from the page. I really did enjoy her speaking and maybe from this experience I will go find another book by her and give it a chance. Or maybe not…

In early November the Freshman Honors Program went to Philadelphia to do some historical sightseeing. We ventured to the city of brotherly love to visit Eastern State Penitentiary. It was eerie to say the least to set foot into an old penitentiary. I looked around at the crumbling walls and buildings I could not help but think of what must have happened behind these walls what kind of people set foot in the very spot I stood those thought only increased when we went into the buildings to see the jail cells that were inside. What it must have been like to be in this jail in its early days. Alone in a cell, by yourself for days on end. During our tour we learned about the penitentiary’s history. How it was revolutionary and influenced the architecture of countless penitentiary’s and jails. We also learned how the penitentiary had to grow and adapt to changes within it and outside, weather it was having to expand within its walls to accommodate for the increased number of prisoners, or change its entire system of solitary confinement for all of the prisoners. We heard stories of escapees and others who lived with in the walls. By the time we left we had a condensed knowledge of the penitentiary from its opening to when it was shut down. It was an interesting experience seeing a historical prison first hand, but eerie none the less.

Let’s talk about Stockton. This was an event created to give the students an easy way for their voices to be head. Various tables for different departments at our school were set up around the Campus Center to give students a chance to voice their complaints, questions, opinions, or ideas. The department representatives were open minded and took the students’ ideas into consideration. They were quick to help think of a solution to problems, or promise to seek change.

I personally went to the Chartwell’s table with a few other students to speak with the representative. Our main concerns were the high price of healthy alternatives in the campus center, the lack of, and difficulty of obtaining gluten free products for students with health problems, and the idea of getting a Chipotle, or other fresh-mex food stand. The representative listened, and calmed our concerns. He assured us that he would look into whether they could lower the prices of the healthier meals. He also promised a gluten friendly food area was already in the process of coming together in the N wing dining hall, and the idea of a Chipotle style dining area was being considered and sounded like a good idea for an addition to the food service at Stockton. After the representative told us he was a new employee of Stockton, and previously worked with a college that was ranked with the 5^th best dining on campus, he assured us that change was coming to Stockton’s Dining halls and he was going to work to make them much better.

This event gave individuals a chance to voice their concerns and to be herd by someone who can do something about them. If one was to have any concerns about Stockton and the services they provide, he doesn’t have to wait for the next “Let’s Talk about Stockton” event, he can go to the department and voice his concerns. Complaining to friends, or to social media is not going to get anything done, go out there find someone who can help and tell them some ideas. That is how change will happen.