When I think of Stockton events I think of loud excited college students covered in attire that bore the black and blue “S” of Stockton University.  As I walked into the Strike Zone bowling alley on Monday, September 26, I expected to see many of my fellow peers there showing off their bowling skills.  Alas, that is not what happened as I was not only the only Stockton student there, I was also the only customer there.  Of course I stayed for the designated 9-11 PM time slot for the $5 all-you-can-bowl Stockton bowling club special because I’ve learned to take all the deals I can get as a bowler.  The entire three-hour slot was filled with six adrenaline-filled games.  There were cheers, there were tears, there was everything in between.  Not really, it was just really fun.  The owner of the alley went out of his way to let me know that Stockton students are more than welcome to come Monday nights for as long as the special lasts, and he also hinted that he wouldn’t mind a Stockton bowling league either.  These Monday nights could be a very relaxing and fun way to end Mondays and they could be a good start to the rest of the week.  It’s also a cheap way to hang out with friends and unwind.  The bowling alley also has a small restaurant attached to it that sells pizzas, sodas, sandwiches, and more so you can have fun bowling and you can have fun eating.  The Stockton bowling club holds these specials every Monday night from 9-11 starting from September 19th to April 24th at the Strike Zone bowling alley about fifteen minutes away from the campus.  

On November 19, I volunteered in the very first Run Run Rudolph Run run by a fellow honors student.  The 5K run was held in order to raise money to give families in need a better Christmas by buying gifts to give to the children of those families.  There weren’t that many participants in the run, but there were many volunteers.  It was very heartwarming to see everyone come together to help families in need during the holidays.  We were unable to raise enough money to give an entire family presents, but we were still able to use the money we did raise to buy presents for families in need.  

The volunteers in the event helped run the event by passing out water, directing the runners, signing participants in, making posters, and selling holiday items.  I helped by making a poster to motivate the runners and I waited on the trail to direct the runners on where to go.  

Overall, it was a very fun time and it wasn’t very time-consuming.  It was nice to know that I helped in improving a family’s holiday.  Being able to be a part of something so wonderful was an amazing experience and I am glad I was able to help make the event go as smooth as possible.  I also admired the event coordinator’s passion for the cause and the effort and time she put into organizing the event and making it the best it could be.  The event will hopefully be held annually around the holidays and I am looking forward to seeing the event grow and improve into something even more amazing.  

I have been able to become a little more involved in campus activities as the semester continues and I have not been disappointed.  One event that really stood out to me was the Afternoon of Service hosted by Stockton’s Commuters On the Go club.  This club was created to help commuters become more connected to the campus and become more involved so they do not miss out on any college experiences as someone who does not live on campus.  The event was held on October 13 from 4:30 to 6 and happens annually.

 I first went to this event to fulfill one of my honors program requirements and was really surprised at how much fun it was.  In the Board of Trustees room in the main campus center, there were three tables set up with different things to do.  The table that I sat at was set up with patterned cloths and stuffed animal stuffing.  At that table, our task was to make teddy bears that will be given to cancer patients at the hospital.  A different table had colored paper and markers to make cards for homeless people.  The last table was set up to make heart shaped baskets for people living in nursing homes.  

At the end of the event, we also had a reflection session.  This is where the impact really kicked in.  Zeal Kamdar, the student that was running the event explained to us who these crafts were for and she was able to connect them all with one single aspect.  She explained to us that all of these people were connected because their misfortunes were not chosen by them.  It is easy to understand why cancer patients were not able to choose their misfortune, but most people will assume and not realize that homeless people and people living in nursing homes did not choose that living arrangement.  The majority of homeless people are homeless because they are unable to earn enough money to buy a house.  Even when they do have a job, a home is too much money for them to buy.  They were not able to have a choice between living in a home and being homeless.  People in nursing homes are usually admitted by their family, regardless of if they want to be or not.  Although being put in a home against their wishes is unfortunate, that is not where their misfortune lies.  A lot of nursing homes mistreat their residents, resulting in the residents being physically abused, not having their needs met, and having their well being ignored.  This is very important because not many people know how dangerous nursing homes can be to their loved ones.  

Overall, I had an amazing time at this event and was very surprised at the information I learned.  I will definitely think back to what I have learned the next time I walk past a homeless person or a nursing home.