On October 13^th at 8:30 pm, Stockton had a viewing of Seth Rogan’s new film, Sausage Party. The event was organized by SET, the Student Entertainment Team, and was held in the Campus Center Theater. This event was a really cool way to spend a weekend night with friends. The movie was an hour and a half long, which is was a decent amount of time; it wasn’t too long where people would get fidgety but it was long enough to occupy time that people would have spent being bored otherwise.

Before starting the movie, everyone got their snacks that were provided at the event; It was cool because this event was like going to the movies except it was free. The actual movie, like most products of Seth Rogan, relied on shock factors and innuendo. Sausage Party is an American adult computer-animated comedy so my friends and I knew right off the bad it would be interesting. It was an odd movie that I couldn’t say was bad or good; it was definitely different from any movie I’d seen before.

This movie screening is a regular event here at Stockton and it also appears to be a popular event. They make sure to get recent movies that students are interested in. It’s a great activity for you and your friends if you’re bored on a Friday or Saturday night. I look forward to move nights of films I either missed when they were in theater or that I didn’t feel like spending money on a ticket for.

Recently, on October 6th, I attended the Stockton Myths and Legends event. This event was hosted by a few of Stockton University’s original staff and students. This event, which was a part of University Weekend, was held in the Campus Center Event room. The panel of original staff and students who were speaking sat at the front of the room behind a long table. As the event started, each individual member of the panel introduced themselves and then began to share their fond memories and experiences of the original Stockton.
Unfortunately, the audience turnout was not that impressive. It’s upsetting that this event wasn’t as popular as many other University Events because it really was a valuable learning experience. It was enjoyable to hear original staff members talk about how the school started out and how different the school is now. It even made me kind of sad that things are so different now because the panel discussed how much closer the staff and students were back in the original days. The Stockton they described sounded like an atmosphere that balanced a fun, laid-back attitude with hard-working academic habits. The event lasted about two hours, both of which were filled with interesting anecdotes and facts.
I really enjoyed this event and it made my love for Stockton grow. I had never really thought about the history of Stockton before, but now I am glad I know more about it. To my knowledge, they do this event every year during University Weekend, so I look forward to attending this event next year.

   By Kenzie Hoinkis

    This past Monday, the 26th of September, was the much anticipated 2016 Presidential Debate, and what better way to celebrate than a Presidential Debate Watching Party? This event was sponsored by Stockton University’s Political Engagement & American Democracy Project and was held in the Board of Trustees Room. This party, which was accompanied with complementary popcorn and soda, began at 8 o’clock but had a steady flow of students entering the room until a few minutes after nine. As the number of people grew, extra chairs had to be placed out; it was obvious this was a bigger event than initially thought and the original guess of people attending had been greatly underestimated.

    As we settled in, the event’s organizers handed out Democracy Bingo Cards. Each block of the cards was a common phrase that would be crossed off if and when one of the candidates said it during the debate. There were some phrases that were virtual giveaways, like the “make America great again” block. This bingo was a great idea for getting people involved and encouraging us to pay close attention to what was being said in the debate.

    Another interesting aspect of this event was a large screen off to the side of the room; a livestream of tweets from people across the country about the debate were projected onto the screen. It was a cool way to feel connected, and it felt like the whole country was watching this debate together. The livestream of tweets was definitely an example of the beneficial uses of social media, a platform that usually receives harsh criticism.

    I really enjoyed this event that encouraged us to get involved and pay attention to the politics that will largely impact our lives. There will be future Debate Parties for the rest of this Presidential campaign and I can’t wait to attend them.