The Stockton Entertainment Team (SET) and the Greeks organized a hypnotist even on September 30^th. The event was two hours long and ran over a little bit. However, I am not complaining because the event was very entertaining. I was not hypnotized, but two of my friends were. Not only was it a fun event, but the hypnotist was teaching us all about the effect of alcohol. He chose about twenty individuals who volunteered to get hypnotized. Some were not hypnotized, so he told them to sit back down in the audience. It was a good choice of entertainment by SET and the Greeks. I hope they decide to do it again later in the semester or next semester.

Towards the end of the night, the hypnotist gave all participants a bottle of water. He made them believe they were at a party and the water was actually alcohol. He gave the statistic that about 1 out of 3 do not drink and if any of the individuals participating did not drink they did not have to. However, all participants drank the water and acted as if they were at an actual party. Many of the participants were funny to watch, chugging the water or dancing around having a “good time.” After the hypnotist stopped the music, I realized an individual was passed out on the ground. A few of the participants, still in a trance, helped pick up the passed out guy. The hypnotist then asked if anyone in the audience noticed the two girls in the front and how they were acting. He said that he had “roofied” their drink; they did not even realize. The hypnotist made it obvious how easy it is to get a drink roofied at a party. So much chaos was happening, I did not even notice the two girls acting different. Even though the individuals were simply hypnotized, it was a realization to always protect my drink if I ever decide to party in the future.

The event was fun and I am happy I decided to go and watch my friends get hypnotized. I am happy that it was not just hypnosis, but also a lesson. It was an entertaining way to teach individuals about alcohol safety. I hope SET and the Greeks decide to do it again; I really enjoyed myself.

Stockton had its annual Get Involved Fair September 16^th and 17^th in the main building. There were tables everywhere with welcoming faces. At first, it was a little overwhelming, but once I saw the warm smile on some faces, I was less anxious. I first went to the Pride Alliance table, I promised my friend I would join for support. The girl behind the table, Caltoum, was the most welcoming of the entire day. She was happy to see us signing up to join the group she devoted a lot of her time to. Also, Cal was the only person to ask for our names and be personable. It was a sign that the group would be very welcoming to all.

I was slightly disappointed more groups were not enthusiastic or trying to get people to sign up for their club. Many were socializing with their friends rather than trying to interest the individuals walking by their table. However, I am sure it is boring to sit in a plastic chair for hours waiting for signatures and emails. I signed up for the SET, and I am excited to see what they are going to plan for the upcoming semester. SET had a lot of free things to offer and it was enticing. The free items helped get my attention at the fair, so I think more clubs should have offered them. The fair was well organized, and many of the individuals at the tables were nice and grateful for me signing up.

I signed up for a fair amount of clubs, and I will have a pretty busy schedule this coming semester. I cannot wait to be active in all the clubs I joined, especially Pride Alliance. I am excited to support my friends and see what the club has planned to do this semester!

On September 12, I attended The Day of Service organized by Service Learning. The event started at 8 o’clock in the morning and went on until about 3 in the afternoon. There was a new format this year; rather than doing one event for the entire day, there were four activities scheduled. To help the event run smoothly, there were four groups categorized by colors.

I was in the red group and went to the volunteer activity presented by Books without Borders. A spokesperson from the Covenant House in Atlantic City spoke about the teens who live there. Her speech impacted me the most out of the entire day. She mentioned that teens from all calibers of life walk through the front door. She mentioned a girl who goes to Kean University who still has nowhere to go during the summer. The girl finds the Covenant House a safe place for her to be. Her speech made me think I should be more grateful for the life I have. I would also like to fundraise for the house to help get the teenagers more beds. The house currently has 27 and over 40 individuals living there. I would like to help raise enough money for at least ten more beds for the house.

The next event was about civic involvement in the community. A representative from Petey Greene, a new organization on campus also sparked my interest. On Friday afternoons she and college students go to local prisons to help tutor inmates. I then learned about Greendot, which is a program to help stop sexual assault. The program helped teach me to be a proactive bystander and help in situations I find uneasy. The last program was an ACUA presentation. The President came in and explained what the company does. Stockton’s Waterwatch had a presentation about water and safety. They informed me about how unhealthy plastic water bottles are. I believe the whole day was informative and helped shape me into a more civic citizen.