Men and Mental Health Panel Discussion

For many people, the word “help” invokes feelings of distaste and aversion. Many people find that asking for help is the greatest form of showing weakness in a society where strength and confidence are highly-prized in individuals. These people also fear the consequences of letting others know of their vulnerability. Others may not want the extra attention that comes along with the help. Still others may not want to worry the people around them, if they need help for serious issues such as mental health. However, it is important for people to realize that it is okay to ask for help, and that living alone in the darkness of one’s own’s thoughts is not worth trying to preserve one’s “healthy” social image, especially because in most cases society only wants to help.

There is great stigma around mental health. However, there is an even greater stigma around men and mental health. As mentioned earlier, there is an unspoken belief that strength and confidence is desirable. While this may be true to a certain extent, there can be different definitions of what strength and confidence mean. There is strength in overcoming one’s fear of societal backlash and asking for help. There is also confidence in one’s own potential to get better when one asks for help.

There was a “Men and Mental Health” Panel Discussion on October 25, to discuss the prevalence of mental health issues surrounding the male community. Each men on the panel took turns to speak about why they were involved in that day’s event, whether it be that they were suffering from mental issues themselves, or that they were studying or working in the field of psychology or mental health.

The panel discussed how hard it is for many men to ask for help because they felt as though they needed to be strong for the people that relied on them and because they were scared of people treating them differently. A few men on the panel also discussed how often, men don’t even realize that they need help, and only become aware of their own predicaments when the people around them point out the issues. Even when the people around them suggested getting help, many of them became stubborn and refused to see any professionals for their conditions. At this point, a few women in the audience voiced their concerns for what family and friends should do to suggest getting help without angering the men they know. The panel agreed that the best thing to do would be to let them know that other options are available and gently push them towards getting help, but to not make them feel pressured into anything because ultimately, it must be by their own choice.

In a country where approximately one in five adults are seen to suffer from some kind of mental illness, it is important to realize that there are many others that are going through the same issues, and that no one is alone. There is a stigma surrounding men and mental health because men are supposed to be “tough” and “manly” but it is important to note that certain mental health issues are actually more prevalent in men than women. Denying the possibility of the vulnerability of men can lead to disastrous consequences in many of their lives. People must know that it is okay to ask for help, and that the people who truly care for them will not think lesser of them if they do. Similarly, society as a whole must be more educated about the increased incidence of mental health issues in men, to be more readily accepting and receptive to the needs of the important men in their lives. For no one deserves to suffer alone.

Stockton A Capella Fall Concert

On November 27th, I had the pleasure of attending the Stockton A Cappella Fall Concert. Having been an avid member of the choir at my high school and a music aficion, I’m always excited to watch musical performances and this was no exception.

Allow me to be honest, I had no idea what to expect. I have often listened to a cappella music and sung a great deal of it myself in choir, but this was my first a cappella concert. Having never even watched so much as a video of one, I had imagined something along the lines of Glee meets Pitch Perfect, complete with choreographed dancing and whatnot. Like I said, this was my first. I was a choir singer, which is a rigid art if I ever knew one, at least for my choir. A particular posture had to be maintained at all times and faces were meant to remain pleasantly emotionless, mouths opening in a uniform o-shape. We wore thick robes and were organized by vocal range.

When the performers from all ensembles entered the stage and began to sing their opening song “Already Home”,  I was pleasantly surprised at how familiar and yet unfamiliar I was with it all. The chorus was situated around the peripheral of the stage and in the center were the soloists. It was so…casual. No one was dressed in heavy robes  or standing rigid and unemotional. Quite contrarily, they were dressed in regular clothes, color coordinated according to their ensemble. They all bounced and swayed with the music.

And the music was phenomenal. All of the singers were very talented and harmonized perfectly with each other. And the repertoire was fantastic and apparently assembled and personalized by a Stockton team. And they were absolutely genius. My favorite song was sung by Stockapella. It was a mashup of  “Every Breath You Take” and Grease’s “You’re the One That I Want”. And at first, I couldn’t even identify these iconic songs. The mashup began with a slow and haunting rendition of “You’re the One That I Want” and melted into “Every Breath You Take” in the most chilling and emotional way. I had goosebumps.

The best part of the entire concert was the way the audience could feel the singers’ passion for making music and being on stage in the way that they bounced, swayed, and danced to the music. No doubt, the music was great, but a show is always better when you can tell that the performers are enjoying themselves as much as you are.

At the beginning of the semester, I was considering joining Stockton A Capella and decided against it, thinking it probably wouldn’t be something for me. Now having seen one of their concerts, I feel that I might have to audition next year. It seems like a blast.

Overall, I think the concert was amazing. The songs, the music, the atmosphere were all perfect for a music-lover like me and I can’t wait to see what Stockton A Capella has planned for the Spring Concert.

 

Get Involved Fair

On September 19th and 20th, the university held their annual Get Involved Fair in wings A through G on campus.  This fair was a gathering of over 100 clubs and organizations both on and off campus that are available for students to get involved with.  On both days, the fair began at ten o’clock in the morning and ran until four in the afternoon.

Each club, fraternity, sorority, service organization, etc. had their own table set up with representatives, who were able to give adequate information about the club/organization they were representing.  They had brochures, business cards, and other free things you could have if you showed interest in the club or organization.  The representatives were very helpful and enthusiastic.  Whatever questions I had about the club or organization, these representatives were able to answer them.  And if they were not able to answer the questions at that time, they were able to email me the answer within a relatively decent amount of time.

I really enjoyed having the ability to see all of the different clubs and organizations that Stockton University has to offer.  I honestly had no idea how many clubs we actually had.  It was a good idea for the university to hold this fair because there is not enough advertizing of the various clubs and organizations.  It is great that there is such a variety, but it is difficult to find these clubs and organizations.

Some of the clubs that I looked at included the sign language club, SAVE, and Intramurals.  I am currently an active member of the sign language club.  It is a very relaxed club with meetings once a week on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  We learn basic signs, such as the alphabet and greetings.  Every week we build on what we were taught the week prior.  I already know some sign language, and it makes me very happy to see so many people who either already know or want to know sign language.

Though I am not an active member in SAVE, which stands for Stockton Action Volunteers for the Environment.  This organization takes part in keeping the campus and the surrounding lands clean.  I have always had the need to keep the environment clean.  I have helped with March on Litter in my hometown.  I have also gone out on my own with friends and cleaned the trash on the sides of roads, the beach, and many other places.  I really care about the environment and I hope that the small cleanings I do help save the animals in the area.

I will be participating in Intramurals volleyball in November.  I absolutely love volleyball and I want to be able to play it here at Stockton.  Being part of Intramural will help me make friends who have such a passion for volleyball as I do.

I am very excited to be part of the Stockton community.  I hope that I am able to make a difference in at least one person’s life while I am here at Stockton University.

Museum of the American Revolution

On Saturday, October 21, 2017, the freshman honors students took a bus trip to the Museum of the American Revolution in Old Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It was a very educational and relaxing trip.  The students learned a lot about the various views on the American Revolution.

I decided to go on this trip because I thought it would be cool to learn more about the American Revolution, and not be taught by a textbook.  I knew and understood the basics of the war, but I wanted to learn more about the war and how people were affected by the war during this time.  Textbooks teach the important dates and historical figures, such as George Washington and the date in which he crossed the Delaware River to surprise the British troops.   In the museum, I learned so much more than just the dates and historical figures; I learned about how awful it was to be a wife during this time because all of the men left to go to war.  There was no one to make money for the family and winters were extremely brutal.  I also learned that the Native Americans joined the side of the revolutionaries so they would no longer be under British rule.  The Native Americans believed that their land would be saved if they sided with the revolutionaries.  Textbooks did not go into depth about how the Native Americans were impacted, nor did the textbooks discuss in detail about how the Native Americans helped the revolutionaries.

The setup of the museum flowed extremely well.  There was a lot of colors and interactive signs around the museum.  Each room, or section, of the museum, had its unique set of artifacts and interactive devices.  In one of the beginning rooms, I was able to lift up various panels and read more about those people or events.  I found it quite interesting that the panels did not smack down after you let go of them.  Instead, they slowly lowered themselves.  This helped keep the panels from breaking.  Another interactive part of the museum was the wall of the lights, in which if you pressed a button, it showed the path that the revolutionaries and the British troops took to the battle of Philadelphia.

My favorite part of the museum was George Washington’s tent.  I was very impressed with how well it was intact behind the glass.  I really wanted to go up to it and see how tall it was compared to me.  One thing that I wanted to know was how much of it was original.  Was all of the tent from the Revolutionary War?  Or were there areas that had to fixed by modern cloth to make it look “as new” as it did during the war?

I cannot wait to take my family to the Museum of the American Revolution.  I think that the museum is fit for all ages and gives very good, insightful information about the American Revolution.

Fair Trade Gift Fair

What better way to bring the community together then to have global vendors come together to display and sell their products right here on Stockton’s campus? On Sunday, November 19th, from 10am to 5pm, Stockton hosted the 13th annual Fair Trade Certified International Gift Fair. Members of the community were invited to join the vendors in Stockton’s event room for an afternoon of shopping for homemade crafts and products from a variety of places and people around the world.

What exactly is Fair Trade? As the name implies, Fair trade is the global movement aimed at providing adequate and sufficient prices for the goods of people in developing countries. This movement not only promotes sustainable environmental practices in the production of these goods but also the ethical and respectful treatment and conditions for the makers, all while focusing on minimizing world-wide poverty and creating more equal commerce. This commendable effort shows the desire of people, including those in the Stockton community, to help others and is a symbol of respect for others and hope for the greater good. Stockton’s own club S.A.V.E or Stockton Action Volunteers for the Environment, had a table at the fair to display the message of the club and reveal the students’ concern for the environment and its people.

In Stockton’s event room, items such as soaps, (delicious) chocolate, pottery and hats could be found on display by the vendors and their organizations. Both members of the community and of the Stockton campus were welcome to come by and shop for gifts for themselves or others that go toward a wonderful cause. Tables were on display all around the room and conversation and smiles were exchanged as visitors and buyers came together to shop for loved ones and support communities and entrepreneurs around the world. Each interaction seemed very genuine and sincere as sellers explained their product and shared a little about their work to the consumers that happily asked questions and commended their work.

An event like this, I feel, is a very rewarding and eye-opening experience. It allows members of the community to gain a better understanding of cultures and businesses outside of the area they live in while supporting ethical and equitable working conditions and practices for all people around the globe. Fair Trade is a wonderful initiative to support and learn more about and this event allowed for both of those things. This event displayed the desire of people to support others and represents an understanding of the unequal and more negative qualities of our world and our dedication to fixing it.

 

Whale and Dolphin Watching

On Saturday, November 11th, 2017, Stockton’s Marine Science Club and Stockton Action Volunteers for the Environment sponsored a whale watching trip for Stockton students and faculty. Although not a member of either club, I took advantage of the opportunity to experience an adventure at sea with my friends.

Two busloads of Stockton students, myself included, braved cold temperatures at sea in order to observe the majestic creatures in their natural habitat. A guide speaking over the intercom spoke about the whales and dolphins, which provided a balance of education and fun. Before the boat had even entered open waters, students spotted a pair of dolphins. It was a good omen, and dolphin sightings occurred early and often. Students watched in wonder as pods of dolphins swam near the boat. Some even followed the boat, leaping out of the water in its wake. A guide explained to the students about dolphin conservation efforts, and how marine scientists track the dolphins. The whale watch boat even had researchers on board to document and photograph whale and dolphin activity.

Although watching the dolphins swim and play was fun on its own, the most incredible part of the trip was finding a whale. Seeing a whale is somewhat unusual, so the group was quite lucky.  Unlike the dolphins, who swam in pods, the guide explained that humpback whales mostly live alone, because they need to eat thousands of pounds of food every day, and would not be able to find enough food if they lived in groups. The guide also explained that humpback whales can live as far North as Canada and migrate as far south as Florida, and that particular whale was most likely migrating south in order to give birth. The whale resurfaced every few minutes, and each time, it left students in awe.

The boat could not approach close to the whale for safety reasons. Whales do not have echolocation like dolphins, and therefore the whale would not be able to sense the boat was near and would possibly crash into the boat. However, even viewing the whale from afar was still a surreal experience. I have never been on a whale watch excursion before, and it is something I may have never tried if Stockton had not offered this trip. However, I loved the experience, and I am glad Stockton tries to provide unique and fun weekend trips for its students.

 

The Occupation of Palestine and Academic Freedom

On Thursday, October 19th, 2017, Stockton students and staff piled into F111 to hear Dr. Steven Salatia speak the occupation of Palestine and academic freedom. This event was hosted by the Stockton Muslim Student Association. Salaita was offered a tenure position at the University of Illinois, which was rescinded after they saw his tweets, because he sided with Palestine in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Salaita believes that “conflict” is not an accurate way to describe the struggle between Israel and Palestine, but it is actually an example of colonization, where the Israelis are trying to settle land inhabited by indigenous Palestinians.  Salaita argued that there is no point throughout history that indigenous or native people have not resisted colonization, and believes more people should understand the plight of the Palestinians, whose only goal is to return to their native lands. Salaita also believed that both anti-Semitism and islamophobia both contribute to the conflict, because from an outsider’s perspective, the Israelis and Palestinians both appear to be barbaric because they have been in conflict for 50 years, and outsiders believe that all they know how to do is fight.

Salaita’s goal is for more people to educate themselves about the Israel-Palestine conflict, but he also knows the topic is controversial. Salaita defined academic freedom as, “students, faculty, and employees at a university have the right to pursue controversial research”. However, according to Salaita, universities are increasingly becoming brands, and high-ranking university officials are increasingly concerned with donations, public image, and real estate instead of learning. Universities are willing to silence research in order to protect their brand. He mentioned that colleges are capitalists at heart, instead of places of learning.

Salaita encouraged the Stockton students to not give into cynicism. Although the environment on college campuses can be hostile, Salaita encouraged the student body to engage in debates and programs that can be seen as controversial. Salaita also encouraged students to stand up for their professors when their academic freedom is threatened. He mentioned the case of George Maher, who taught at Drexel University and was placed on leave because of controversial tweets. According to Salaita, the students stood up for their professor, saying they signed up for his class and had the right to learn from him.

This lecture was similar to Galileo’s Middle Finger, one of the Honors Seminar required readings, because it described the struggle between scholarship and activism. Dreger also faced censorship in academia after choosing to pursue research on a controversial subject, the treatment of hermaphrodites by medical professionals. The Salaita controversy occurred in 2014, while Galileo’s Middle Finger was published in 2015, showing that there were multiple conflicts in academia regarding academic freedom, and the controversy continues to this day. Salaita still does not have job in academia. Salaita encouraged Stockton students to stand up for academic freedom, and this generation can use its voice to stand up for academic freedom. The overarching message of Salaita’s speech was that we must unify as human beings instead of separating, to create positive change.

Get Involved Fair

Dogs. And lots of them. Of course, petting some dogs wasn’t my original intent when I walked across campus to the Get Involved Fair. My roommate and I were both tired of it being just us two when going to get food or having a movie night and we were hoping that the Get Involved Fair would open us up to more social outlets that we would be able to attend that would help us make more friends.

When we got to F Wing, to say we were overwhelmed by the vast assortment of tables and clubs/organizations would be an understatement. They had tables that seemed to stretch both side of the entire hall! My roommate and I had entered the hall in the middle of the commotion so we started our walk in one direction before we would have to turn around to cover the other direction. We walked down the hall slowly, scanning each poster and what each table was promoting. The students did a beautiful job on their table’s visual presentation such as tri-folds, freebies, treats, and informational handouts. As you can imagine, the lovable and overly excited dogs were the real attention grabbers at the tables. Most of the organizations had no connection to necessarily needing dogs at their tables except for the fact that they could rope students in more easily. My roommate and I approached one table with a dog and instantly he licked our hands and a student from the table held out a flyer and said, “Now since you pet him, you have to take one of these.” That was some good advertising if you ask me.

Most students were very friendly and open about sharing information about their organizations with other curious students. I was rather surprised at how well these students grabbed our attention and captivated even the slightest interest we had in their organization. Some tables had only one student, or maybe even two, who were both too consumed in their laptops to notice people were standing by their table trying to get as much information out of the poster as possible. It was kind of sad to watch those interested students walk away because of how awkward they felt that they were not being given further information by the students who seemed to be ignoring them. I do not know why those organization representatives did not even look up to see if students were standing in front of them or why those reps wasted their time to sit around and not do what they were supposed to be doing.

Overall, I was surprised at what a good turn out the Get Involved Fair seemed to be. It was buzzing with activity and interested students throughout the entire fair duration. There were some very diverse and well rounded organizations that seemed to cover any interest that a student may have. I would bet that everyone who attended the Get Involved Fair found at least one club or organization that interested them enough to at least sign up for the emailing list. I personally got some interesting information about clubs and organizations that I did not even know existed and I plan on attending those meetings.

Museum of the American Revolution

For our Honor’s class field trip, we took a trip to the Museum of the American revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At 9:30 A.M. We went to the A&S building and hopped on the bus to Philly. For the majority of the drive I decided to spend my time finishing a book that I was almost done with. The drive took about an hour to get to our destination. Once there we got our bracelets and were let loose to enjoy the museum and the surrounding area. My friends and I spent the first part of the trip looking at all the exhibits.

How the museum was structured was that it was set up like a timeline of events throughout the entire history of the American revolution. From the beginning of the rebellion of the colonies to the end, with America gaining its independence, so it creates a cohesive experience rather than an exhibits put at random. At the end it also had the message that the American revolution is still continuing and happening today. Interspersed throughout the museum there were multiple different viewing areas for videos that showed an overview of one part of history. One of them depicted the representatives working and debating the Declaration of Independence. There were also event theatres which had built in effects that increase the atmosphere of the video. There was one that simulated a famous battle between the Americans and the British. They had flashing lights and the floor rumbled with the sounds of gunfire and marching. One exhibit that I found particularly interesting was the exhibit depicting George Washington’s tent because it seeing an important piece of history and the presentation before hand was incredibly moving and powerful.

After we finished looking around the museum we went to get some fresh air and walked around Philadelphia. We ended up walking along the pier, where I took some nice pictures of the surrounding areas, and we stopped for a quick snack at Rita’s where I bought myself a cookies and cream milkshake.  Afterwards, we headed back to the museum and got back on the bus to Stockton.

Day of Service

For my first community service event at Stockton I went to Stockton’s “Day of Service” event. When I first arrived I selected a blue name tag and was put into the blue group. We got to go to the first activity in the campus center’s event room, to do different arts and crafts projects for different organizations. Since I’m not the best artistically, I decided to volunteer to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a homeless shelter. I haven’t made PB&J sandwiches since elementary school, so it took a little bit to get the proportions just right. I found this work to be very relaxing and rewarding since our group made a lot of sandwiches by the end of the session.

After that we went to the campus center’s main hall and were, once again, allowed to choose what activity we wanted to do. So I went down to the room for “Books Without Borders.” When we got there they were waiting for a new shipment of books, so instead we went into the hall to rip up old cardboard boxes to make box stuffing material. This was a very methodical and relaxing activity that I really enjoyed. Afterwards my fingers were killing me for a little bit.

The next event was working an assembly line to make food supply kits for people in countries who are dying of starvation. I was in charge of just putting the little packet of vitamins and minerals in the bag at the start. About near the end I switched with the person who handled the bag by holding it in place while the other people in my group filled it with soy, rice, and dried vegetables. In total our group made 10,600 meals, which was a tad over the goal. I felt really good after doing all these service activities and enjoyed them all. My favorite activity was the PB&J sandwich making since it was the most relaxing out of all of them.