Author Archives: munsonc1

Beach Sweep

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On October 19th a large amount of students from Stockton College and people in the Atlantic City community got together in front of the Rain Forest Café on the Atlantic City boardwalk at 9:00am to participate in the Atlantic City Beach Sweep.  We all stood there listening to brief speeches on why Clean Ocean Action hosts beach sweeps and what you can do to stay involved.  As you may have guessed, they host beach sweeps to keep the beaches clean and help keep the environment healthy and clean and to help the marine life thrive.

After these speeches, we got into groups of two and three, grabbed some trash bags, a few recycle bags, a t-shirt, and a checklist and walked on the beach eager to get started.  Each time we saw some trash, we picked it up and checked off what we picked up.  The point of checking off the items and keeping track of how many of each thing we picked up was so that it can be tallied and recorded for future reference.  We were informed that each time a beech sweep is done, the information on the trash picked up is recorded and from that there have been many laws and regulations passed to help prevent trash build up and pollution on the beaches.

After picking up garbage for about two and a half hours, we all carried our full bags up to the boardwalk and took pictures to savor the moment.  While we were taking pictures the Barenaked Ladies set up and got ready to perform a small show for all of the people who worked to clean up the beach that morning.  They helped out on the beach sweep but were pretty sneaky about it.  Spotting them was definitely the challenge of the day.  Yet, when it was all over they sang their hearts out for us performing almost every request and making jokes the whole time about the trash.

After they finished performing, we all whistled and clapped thanking them for playing just for us and for their help cleaning up the beach.  It didn’t really seem like they wanted to take pictures or sign autographs but after running up and asking they said of course and I was able to sneak away with a picture with the lead singer.

All in all it was a lot of fun.  The beach wasn’t nearly as polluted as I thought it was going to be so it was actually tons of fun.  It kind of felt like a treasure hunt…except the treasure was trash.  But, looking back it was so much fun and getting to see the Barenaked Ladies afterwards made it even better.  I would totally do it again.

Convocation

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On the 26th of September, the freshman class got together in the Performing Arts Center to hear Mary Roach speak.  What did she talk about you ask?  Well, everything!

After several brief introductions and acknowledgements from the president of Stockton and GT Lenard, Roach came out on stage and began talking to us about herself and how she views life.  She emphasized the importance of being curious and asking questions.  To give us an idea of how important she feels being curious is, she told us stories about her life.  She shared some of her awkward experiences that she had when she was writing Spook and she also shared a lot of her interesting experiences.  Yes, all of these experiences were a result of her curiosity and uncanny ability to ask the most obscure questions.  In the end, all of these experiences gave her answers to the many questions that she said are always present in her mind.  Each experience gave her a new piece of knowledge that seems like it will forever stick with her.

She also told us that college is the time to be curious and to ask questions.  Like many adults, she knows what kids do in college and she was one of the few adults who didn’t lecture us on trying new things or experimenting.  She actually told us to try these new things and to continue to experiment but to be smart about it.  She tied in some of her awkward and crazy stories when she was telling us to be curious in order to relay her point.  That point being curiosity is actually a good thing.  After her presentation, she opened the floor to questions and many people took advantage.

Most of the questions that were asked revolved around her book Spook mainly because that was the book most of the people at the convocation had read.  Of course, the biggest question of all was “do you believe in ghosts?”  To be honest, I think that is all anyone wanted to ask her.  But her response was definitely something I didn’t expect.  In response to the question, she told us a story of her one and only personal ghost encounter and honestly, it wasn’t that great.  So her answer was no, she doesn’t believe in ghosts even after all of the research she did in order to write Spook.  After the question session was over, she went to the lobby and signed books for everyone who wanted their books signed.

In the end, it was a pretty neat experience to be able to hear what she had to say, especially in regards to Spook.  I didn’t expect the Convocation to be what it was, but I’m glad that we were required to go for class.  It was something that I will never forget.

Serving the Community

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As many of you may already know, Stockton recently held it’s 10th annual Day of Service.  I, like many others, attended.  Being a freshman and not having any sort of idea what was going on made the whole process slightly confusing.  I completely forgot that I had pre-registered, so when I walked in the door and saw a huge line of people I was, at the very least, confused.  Asking around, only a few people realized that they were in fact standing in line for a reason.  When I asked why we were in line, most people just looked at me and shrugged.

After getting my sheet of paper and “signing in,” we were all off to breakfast! Yay breakfast! There was such a lovely array of scrumptious foods that I didn’t really know what to pick.  But that’s beside the point.  Once breakfast was finished, all of us service people traveled up to the event room and started to find groups which we were interested in devoting our day to.  We tried to find groups who were doing things that were fun or high up on our list of okay things to do in life rather than at the top of our hate list.

I decided to work with the Covenant House service group for the day.  The description of our activities soon to come included but was certainly not limited to yard work.  Once I read the sign in which the description was posted, I cringed slightly inside.  Yard work is definitely not something I love to do.  So, I was fairly skeptical but I mean really, how much yard work can anybody actually do in Atlantic City?  Where is there yard to work on there anyway?  So I sat down and waited to start the journey.

After we got to Covenant House, we put all of our stuff down and the woman in charge of volunteer work gave us an overview of what Covenant House stands for and why they do what they do.  Basically they take in 18 to 21-year-old men and women who came from a bad place or don’t exactly have the best past and give them the opportunity to become educated and get their lives back on track.  Everything is free for the men and women who stay there; all that is asked of these men and women is that they become what they want to become.  After she finished giving us this message, she sent us to work.

We went out to the courtyard with shovels, rakes, gloves, mulch, and garbage bags and picked up all of the trash that was lying around and under the bushed and then we laid down mulch to make the area look nicer. Then we weeded the gardens around the perimeter so that there were only flowers and shrubs left.  Once we finished that we moved dirt from a flower tier that had started to fall apart into four others to fill the four other tiers and take down the one that was starting to fall apart.  After we finished, we ate our lunch and had a reflection session where we talked about what our service means to others and why it’s such a nice thing to do.

We concluded the day with a walk on the boardwalk in search of other service groups in need of assistance.  We came across two other groups but they didn’t really need our help.  So we drove back to Stockton and that concluded the 10th annual Day of Service at Stockton.

Getting Involved!

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As you all may know, Stockton just recently held it’s latest Get Involved Fair!  As a freshman, it looked like a great opportunity.  So, after some slight begging, I rounded up a few friends and we walked from A to N in search of the coolest clubs on campus.

Each club had it’s own cute little set up going on and everyone at each table was pretty enthusiastic about what they do in their club and how to get involved.  Stockton literally has a little bit of everything for everyone.

While I didn’t have the opportunity to run any of the stands, I did find some really cool clubs and found out that a majority of the clubs on campus aim to serve their community.  Each club does what they can to get involved and help out those around us.  For a college, I’d say that’s pretty good.

So, in our travels, we all signed up for emails and updates about the clubs we found most intriguing and we all made sure to get some souvenirs.  After all, who doesn’t want to join a club that offers free cookies or a real nice bag?  Maybe some pens too, I mean who doesn’t need another pen?

All in all it was a pretty great experience and a fabulous opportunity!  So, if you missed out on this year’s Get Involved Fair then make sure to do your research and don’t miss the next one!  It was really cool and definitely worthwhile to go.  Stockton has so much to offer so if you’re one of those people who says it doesn’t then make sure you go to the next Get Involved Fair!  I promise you’ll find at least one thing to get involved in because let me tell you, there is definitely something for everyone!

AC Beach Sweep

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On April 26, students from Stockton College and people of the Atlantic City community got together in front of the Rain Forest Café on the Atlantic City boardwalk at 9:00am to participate in the Atlantic City Beach Sweep.  We all stood there listening to brief speeches on why Clean Ocean Action hosts beach sweeps and what you can do to stay involved.  As you may have guessed, they host beach sweeps to keep the beaches clean and help keep the environment healthy.

After the brief speeches were given, everyone grabbed gloves and trash bags and set off to the beach to pick up what could be found.  After last time I didn’t think there would be much trash but I was wrong.  There was just about as much trash this time as there was last time.  I guess that’s why Clean Ocean Action hosts a beach sweep twice a year.  So, we walked around all morning picking up trash ranging from cigarette butts to cans to rusted chunks of metal.  Like last time we got a checklist to keep track of the different things we picked up during the day and of course, cigarette butts were the number one pick of the day.

It was a beautiful day to be out and about cleaning up.  It wasn’t too chilly and it wasn’t too hot.  Even though picking up trash isn’t my favorite thing to do, being able to be outside on such a beautiful day and the indirect impact it will have on the environment made it totally worth it.  In the end, picking up one cigarette butt could easily save one animal’s life.  Picking up a trash bag full of trash could save several animals and reduces pollution.  So, I enjoy participating in beach sweeps because when push comes to shove, I’m doing something good for the environment and the people, animals, and plants that live in it.

Celebration Of Service

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On April 17, Stockton held the Celebration of Service in F-wing.  The purpose of this was to have clubs and organizations on campus and even off campus show off the service projects they have done and the highlights of the projects.

I walked through F-wing around 12:30pm and I have to say I was pretty disappointed.  I thought there would be tons of tables set up with posters and fliers similar to that of the Get Involved Fair.  There were several tables set up but most of them were empty.  I only saw a few organizations and only one had a visual presentation.  On their poster they had an explanation of the service they did, pictures, and how much money they raised.  I definitely was surprised at how small the turnout was.

I think the idea of the Celebration of Service is fabulous.  The issue I see is getting people involved and excited about giving back to the community and then sharing what they have done.  I thought that it still could have been advertised a little bit better because it was like the Day of Scholarship was advertised.  I didn’t really know it was going on until I walked by.  This time I got an email about it so I was a little more prepared but I would have liked to see more projects presented.

I honestly think that it would be cool if the Honors Program had a table to display the service projects we do collectively, like volunteering at the animal shelter.  We always find some way to give back to the community that touches all of our hearts in some way and sparks passion in each of us.  Even though we don’t do one service project all year long, I think it would be a good start.  We’d be able to introduce service that we are passionate about and hopefully that would spark a desire for others to help out as well because it’s a good cause that most people feel the same way about.

Overall I think this is a great idea but I think it needs even more advertising to raise participation.  The idea of presenting what you have accomplished especially in terms of giving back is really spectacular but the participation isn’t there and I really wish it was.  It would be a great way to get involved in other service projects to continue to give back in not just one way but many.

Goo Goo Dolls Concert

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On Friday night, April 11, Stockton Entertainment Team held a concert featuring the Goo Goo Dolls in the sports center.  The event started at 7:00 pm with a DJ and only got better from there.

After making it through security which was pretty tight I was definitely surprised, everyone piled into the sports center around the stage to wait for the band.  If you got there early, you got to hear the DJ.  If you didn’t, you certainly missed out because he was awesome!  He played some really up beat and popular music that was super easy to dance too.  Around 8:00 he stopped playing music and picked up to make room for the next band.

Twenty minutes later the next band came on stage.  I honestly don’t remember what they are called but I really didn’t like their music.  I’m pretty into heavy metal and harder versions of rock but to me, their music just sounded like noise and you couldn’t hear a word that came out of the singer’s mouth.  Based on what I could hear, they were the winners of the battle of the bands competition and much to the crowd’s dismay, they kept saying “thank you Stockton University” to which we all replied “we’re a college!”  Once they finally stopped playing, another twenty minute wait passed by and then it got good.

The next band on stage was called River Run North and they were amazing!  They had a more mellow style with violins and a mouth organ in addition to guitars and every time they opened their mouths it was like angels were singing.  They had amazing harmony and even though they had a mellow style, you could still dance along and have fun while listening to it.  They blew the entire audience out of the water and they were definitely worth the wait.

Another twenty minutes went by and then the Goo Goo Dolls came on and let’s be honest, that’s who we were all waiting for.  When they finally started singing it was awesome!  They were even better live than they are on recordings and they sang songs almost straight through an hour and a half.  It was totally worth the wait and for only $10 we got a lot for our money.  Of course, to end the concert, they sang Iris.  All the girls were swooning and even the guys were singing along and after a little bit of a push from the crowd, they did an encore.

This concert was totally worth the money (only $10) and SET did a fabulous job of putting it together.  If you missed it you should make it a point to go to the next concert because it was phenomenal.

Geology Trip!

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On Saturday, April 12, some members of the geology class went on a field trip.  Where did they go?  Well, we went all along the Newark River Basin and up to the Lehigh Valley Gap to check out the geology in our area.

We left the school bright and early Saturday morning and drove for about an hour to our first stop.  At each stop we looked at the geology of the area including the rock classifications, the rock types, faults in the area, natural events, and the historical aspect of the area.  Each place we visited had its own history but connected to the others in some way.  It wasn’t easy to connect each place we visited to the last but with a little guidance from our professor we all got it.  It was really cool because we were using the information we learned in lecture and in lab out in the field to learn and connect the different forms of learning.  I really enjoyed the challenge it presented because it was like trying to solve a puzzle.

While all of the locations we went to were pretty cool, the best stop was at the Lehigh Valley Gap.  When we got there we walked down a trail that hugged the hills pretty tightly but the view of the valley was like nothing I have ever seen before.  We walked along the hills and looked at the geology of the land which of course was super cool especially considering how much I love rocks but nothing could beat the scenery.  It was absolutely breath taking.  We stayed there for a little over an hour talking about the changes through the hills and the way the land was formed.  We examined the rocks closely and learned about their history and why each section is how it is.  After talking for a while, we all took a bunch of pictures and then loaded back into the vans and headed to Stockton.

This trip was amazing!  I would recommend it to anyone who likes nature and especially anyone who is into rocks.  The variety of rock types and natural features that we saw was extraordinary!  However, if you just like nature I would recommend taking a trip to the Lehigh Valley Gap and walking the trails.  You will never see anything more beautiful.

Volunteering Over Seas

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On April 7, Dr. Michele Barrett-Ross came to the Honors: The Global Community class to give a presentation on volunteering in Tanzania.  Inspired by the move “Jane Goodall: My Life with Chimpanzees,” a National Geographic film, she spoke about her experience and the impact it made not only on the community but on her as well.

She explained that she has wanted to go to Tanzania since she saw the Jane Goodall film and it was not a dream she was going to give up on.  So, while she was in graduate school, she decided that she would take the time to go while she was in grade school, she decided that she would take the time to go while she still had it.  After doing some serious research, she came across an organization entitled Global Volunteers who “engage in respectful, direct community service.”  She decided then and there that she would go, this organization was exactly what she was looking for.

Once there, each volunteer was assigned a project to work on with the local people.  Hers was construction.  She said that while construction is not exactly her strong suit, she learned quickly and the experience was something she wouldn’t have had any other way.

When she finished presenting, question like “what is our biggest misconception about their culture and way of life” and “if you could go back, would you” were asked.  She answered each one honestly and completely.  We have many misconceptions about them, they aren’t waiting for a hand out like you see in all those commercials on television.  However, they’re waiting for a hand up.  They recognize that their country is less developed than our own but struggle to answer why that is.  Thinking about it, there isn’t an answer as to why.  Many things could be contributors but who knows the real reason?  Even though they don’t have the kind of technology and things we have, she said she’d love to go back.

To conclude, she explained that there is controversy over whether or not her actions are beneficial to the community she volunteered in.  While we think she has done good, the idea that the people of the culture could do it better, faster, and more efficiently is present.  There is also the concern of U.S. Citizens pushing themselves on other cultures without their desire or need for our help.  We think we can and are helping them but the question becomes what if they don’t want our help?

Overall this was a remarkable experience.  Being able to hear about another culture and see pictures of the country as it is naturally rather than the complete worst case scenario was fascinating.  While they don’t have technology like us, they aren’t exactly doing horribly.  Their homes are brick and small but sturdy.  They are healthy and functioning just like us.  They seem to be content even though there are changes they may wish to be made just like in any other country among other citizens.  This presentation also gave me insight into the effects, both positive and negative, of globalization.  Globalization truly affects us all in every aspect of our lives.

Geology Field Trip

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On Saturday March 29, 2014 the geology class at Stockton held a field trip.  We went all over eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey to look at different soil deposits and rock formations.

Our first stop was to see soil deposits from a river that no longer exists.  We went to a sand pit and looked at the different layers and formations in the cross section that had been cut out.  It was really cool to be able to look at the cross section and see the dip in the layers where the trough of the stream used to flow.  It was also fascinating to see the difference in the deposits from the river.  Each layer was sorted differently, the lower layers were mostly sand but the higher up (or younger the layer) the more pebbles and cobbles there were.

The next stop was in a field with a hill.  This hill was exposed to weathering and we could once again see the different layers in it.  However, this one was mostly fine grained sand and we were able to determine that this layer of deposits belonged blow the first set of deposits we saw.

After that we walked down the road and dug a hole in the ground.  We looked at this clay material and once again were able to determine it’s placement in geologic time.  This deposit belonged under the previous one.  However, you could tell that there had been time missing between the deposits because of the drastic change in material composition.  We then filled up the hole and went to another location.

At the next location we walked down a slope to a river to look at the different rocks in the area and a corresponding fault line.  The rocks in the river were mostly gneiss, a metamorphic rock, and had been disturbed by a fault.  The fault is no longer active but when it was, it created a very prominent mark which is still there to be observed today.  Then we looked at a bridge that crossed the river and the calcite dripping from it.  We analyzed the situation to determine where it is coming from and why.

We stopped for lunch quick and then headed to the last location.  At the last place we stopped, we observed a wall of rock.  This wall had many fractures in it and to describe these fractures, we determined that they were folds in the rocks.  We analyzed samples and determined the rocks at this location to be schist, another type of metamorphic rock.

This field trip was awesome especially for any geology majors out there!  It was a lot of fun because we were walking around in nature and learning about what different processes on earth are and their result.  I would highly recommend geology field trips to anyone who likes to learn and likes nature.