Way back on September 15, 2015, I participated in my first tabling event. Tabling is essentially setting up a table in a popular location and grabbing people’s attention. The purpose of this event was to recruit blood donors for a blood drive that occurred over the course of the next two days. Two other honors students and great friends of mine, Jake G. and Anthony G., accompanied me in this event which proved to be both more fun and more successful than we had pictured it to be.
Our goal with tabling was to promote the blood drive and encourage people to sign up and donate. Dr. Kosick, who ran the tabling, hopped to have 95 donors on each of the two days the drive took place. People on campus are busy, and no one will willingly come to ask about our cause. In order to gain donors we had to work on our public speaking skills and talk students and faculty into at least checking out our table. If they were willing to donate, which many were, we explained to them the height and weight requirements needed to donate and other information about time and locations. Another successful tactic for promoting the blood drive was to walk around all of the cafeteria tables asking people to sign up and donate. If the tables were vacant we left a flyer on it for the next person(s) to use the table to see. We didn’t end up quite reaching our goal of 95 per day, but we gathered almost a full list for one day and about half for the next day.
This experience benefitted us as volunteers while helping the blood drive. We practiced and gained experience with public speaking. Approaching people isn’t always easy, especially when you’re trying to get something out of them. It take a skillful rhetoric to persuade someone who is undecided to make them sign up. However, it was all for a good cause. Donating blood can help many people with various need and conditions. One surprising fact is that donating blood is actually beneficial to the health of the donor. By giving blood the risk of heart disease. They are far less likely to experience a heart attack and the risk of any other type of cardiovascular problem is decreased by about a third. The theory, according to studies by researchers of the American Journal of Epidemiology, is “that iron has a significant impact on atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. When you give blood you are removing 225 to 250 milligrams of iron from your system, thus cutting your risk of heart disease.” There are also the more obvious benefits of helping those in need of donated blood.

For weeks, GT has been telling us about Mary Roach and her amazing sense of humor. She assured us that, although we didn’t understand the humor in Spook very well, we would be able to understand it more after hearing Roach speak in person. While we were discussing the book in class, GT encouraged us to write down any questions we had for Roach as we would get to ask them at convocation. As the weeks went on and we continued discussing Spook, I did not think that anything could make me understand Roach’s humor in the book and nothing ever would.

Upon arriving at the convocation on Thursday, September 26th, I was a little saddened as I would most likely have to leave early and miss the question and answer portion of the event because I had another class to run to at six. To make my leaving worse, the student helpers sat me in the front row, where my leaving would be even more apparent. The lights finally dimmed at four forty five, and I saw GT walk out onto the stage, all smiles as she introduced her favorite author (after giving her class a shout out of course). Several people came out to speak about Roach and her amazing qualities, including the student senate president and the president of the college.

Finally, Mary Roach herself stepped out onto the stage. She was exactly what I had imagined- nicely dressed but relaxed. She opened up with humor about Stockton and her experience staying here, and I immediately warmed up to her. She was not the same person she came across as in Spook. Instead of just simply talking about her book, she discussed curiosity. Roach told us flat out that she was a curious person and that was the main reason she wrote Spook and all her books. She formed questions in her mind and had the initiative to go out and find the answers, while writing books about her findings.

Her humor came across greatly in person, just as GT said it would. At some points I would be feeling very serious as she talked about not being afraid to ask questions and find the answers. At other points in the event, I would be laughing hysterically as she discussed some of the weirder facts she came upon as she researched for Bonk, her book about sexual physiology. I found the way she spoke to be very similar to the way she wrote in her books. Although her humor might not come across in her writing, she makes it come alive when she speaks.

I ended up being able to stay for the questions and answers portion of the night and the crowd asked some pretty great questions that Roach was more than happy to answer whole heartedly for them. They asked about everything from her other books to her writing methods to her solutions for writing block. Looking back now I am surprised no one asked her about her travels around the globe! I was certainly curious about that but didn’t have time to ask the question at the time.

After answering many questions for the audience, Roach made her way outside of the PAC to sign books for students and faculty who wished to meet her and get her signature on the covers of their books. I, unfortunately, had to run to my next class and therefore could not have Roach sign my book, although I would’ve liked that. Overall, the freshman convocation was a wonderful event and Mary Roach certainly was an entertaining and interesting speaker. I think most people will agree that GT was right in telling us that Roach is a humorous and genuine author and speaker.

Books Without Borders is a club at Stockton that I am currently committed to. This club takes on the simple idea of providing libraries in need with the recycled literature we collect from donors. The clubs current goal is to fill a massive shipping crate to the brim with boxes of books to be shipped to libraries that require them, essentially in a foreign country. The jobs of club members varies from raising awareness of those who are not fortunate enough to access a plethora of books in their libraries to organizing donated books into categories, such as biology, chemistry, children’s books, novels etc. Donations need to be organized in these categories for ease of shipping, economic use of space in the shipping container, and to make sure people get the right categories of books.
I was introduced to the club at Day of Service 2015 where our president had volunteers organizing books into categories in such a way as I previously described. However, we also were featured as a club in a more recent event called Make a Difference Day. This day was compiled with multiple organizations doing hands on volunteer service. On this day we accomplished the organization of books that were causing donation boxes to overflow. After they were organized we trucked them to the shipping crate where we then organized the books in the crate and added our new boxes for the day.
This is a great organization with friendly people who put in effort towards helping others and making our club a family. We have movie nights, banquets, and are going to Philadelphia as a club to bond this coming Saturday. During our meetings every Tuesday we discuss events such as this, new ideas for fundraisers, and our ultimate goal of shipping out the books. This club also provides me with extracurricular activities to counter the boring time off that accumulates on campus and as a source of bonding with new and current friends.

Being a freshman in college I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know how many classes would be like, what clubs to join, or how I would be able to make a difference. But that all changed once classes began and the on rush of support came forward.  Classes turned out to be great, the get involved fair opened me up to tons of clubs and I learned how to make a difference. That lies within internships.

During the Honors Experience in June, I was told a lot about internships from my political science preceptor Prof. Michael Rodriguez. I was somewhat skeptical about the credibility major internships offered, just because it was unknown territory, but I was even more skeptical about the types of local internships that were even available. But like fate, I received an e-mail from Professor Rodriguez. In the email there was advice about a local internship that would require working with the Senator Jim Whelan. Now you have to understand that being a poly sci major, I one day hope to follow a career in politics, so I was pretty ecstatic when this internship position opened up. I applied for the internship and to my delight, it continues to be amazing.

Internships aren’t about getting coffee, or spend mindless hours doing mindless paperwork. Internships are about getting involved, gaining tons of experience, and meeting new people who have a lot to offer. And that’s exactly what this internship entailed. Just last week, as I helped represent the Senator at the Latino Democratic Caucus, I enjoyed a meal with mayors, and assemblymen and other dignitaries. I learned the true value behind every supporting vote, and how every person you talk to while canvassing, or telephoning makes a difference. And because I’ve talked to thousands of people, I have made a difference.

For any of those remaining that still doubt the credibility of internships, I offer you this piece of advice. Take a chance, devote some time and watch as the payoff gets bigger and bigger. There’s a whole world still out there to explore, and a little experience never hurts. Internships are there for you benefit and I can honestly say, my internship has confirmed my goals in life, well at least for the time being.

“The Hyena gives birth out of her clitoris,” says Mary Roach. She was as funny and snarky in person as she was in Spook. Her lewd and witty humor did not stop there, for she went on to even explain that our nose contains the same erectile tissue as our penis. I thought someone would stop her and say, “hey, too much information Mrs. Roach!” Instead, all I heard was laughter throughout the entire Performing Arts Center.

Roach’s ambiguous ending caused me distress, but her thoughts on her ending in the convocation gave me solace. Roach somberly said at the convocation, “I would like to change the ending, because it was misunderstand, and I failed to express myself properly.” This helped me regain a sphere of respect for Mary Roach, for I lost a little bit the first time I read that ending. What I enjoyed most from the convocation was Roach’s eccentric personally, and this is exemplified from the audacity she displayed while answering the audience questions.

Not only did Roach have no obligation to answering any question, but she answered these questions enthusiastically and coherently. She even told the audience we could ask her anything, and they cross a few lines on the way. For example she was asked, “What was the weirdest thing you found about sex?” Our author then gave an answer about fetal masturbation. This made everyone laugh and enjoy the convocation.

I was exuberated when I heard that the author of our seminar book was speaking at convocation, and I enjoyed it a lot.  I hope our college has more convocations to come that inspire and entertain me as that one did!

Although I have attended a few Stockton events so far, the Theatre Club’s Whose Line, on September 23^rd, was one that stuck out to me. The first Whose Line that I saw was during the Honors Experience, where I met one of my now, best friends, who is also in the Honors program. I unfortunately missed the second Whose Line during welcome week, but got to usher and attend this past week’s, for which I am incredibly thankful.

Involving myself with the Theatre Club was a choice that I can already tell I am not likely to regret. Standing outside of the Campus Center Theatre provided me with the chance to see people supporting the group of actors who were about to go on stage, and ultimately the most important people that would be at the show, the audience. With out an audience a show and actors are nothing. Then being an audience member I was able to appreciate not only how funny the actors are, but how much bravery they have. Being able to go up on stage in front of a crowd with no plan or idea of what will happen is a scary thing.

After being in my high school’s drama club I understand the rush of getting on stage, but before this Whose Line, I never understood the heart pounding rush of getting on stage with no plan. I joined the actors on stage during this Whose Line during the rhyming game. As I stood in line waiting to taking my turn, performing a rhyming scene, I could feel the old feeling of adrenaline in my veins and a new feeling of nervousness as I tried to think of a word that was hard to rhyme. Suddenly I was in the front of the line rhyming words here and there, enjoying myself in a way that I forgot I could. I thought that with the end of high school, it would be the end of my time on a stage, but Whose Line reminded me of why it was a part of my life I never wanted to lose, the joy of being on a stage.

I traveled to the Barnes Museum in Philadelphia along with many other honors students on October 24^th, 2015. This was a great opportunity to see priceless works of art from some of the most notable artists in modern history. According to The Economist, “[The Barnes Museum] holds the greatest private collection of post-impressionist and early modern art in America.” Not only was it a great opportunity to see the art, but it was great to travel into the city and explore what it has to offer.

This visit to the Barnes Museum was a great educational experience. The museum offered commentary for a good portion of the pieces through a portable music player. We were given the opportunity to view the art with our own interpretations, as well as listen to the commentary and learn what the artist had achieved with their work. Many of the paintings were from groundbreaking artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, Cézanne, and Van Gogh. To be in the presence of a works touched by such legends was pretty incredible. It was also a surreal experience to see works that date back to the 15^th century. It was hard to grasp that I was observing a painting that had lived in countless settings and had been touched by individuals that had passed away hundreds of years ago. I had a great time viewing the art in the museum.

The day managed to get even better when we went to Sabrina’s Café. After a short walk, we found a small restaurant with a crowd of people waiting outside. After some quick research, we found that it was one of the most famous brunch restaurants in Philadelphia. Luckily, we avoided the wait by grabbing seats at the bar. The food, music, and service were amazing. Overall, I had a great time on the honors trip to the Barnes Museum and I would love to go there again!

First event blog

Attending the convocation was an unforgettable experience. I didn’t even know what the word convocation meant until this morning. For the record, it means a large formal gathering, or a ceremonial event at a college where awards are presented. Though it was an honor to here and to meet the author who slaved for years to produce the book that we read this summer, acceptance, even honorary acceptance into our class seems a dubious distinction. The author’s charismatic presence and ingenuous presentation helped in fostering a new appreciation of her book. It makes me wish that we could meet, or at least hear all authors who have ever written a book. Considering that the majority of them are no longer with us however, I guess it would cramp their style, and we should just be happy for the clarification from Mary Roach.

The evening began predictably enough. Those who are either   compulsively early to everything, or who don’t have anywhere else to be didn’t disappoint. We were gathered in the Performing Art Center way before four thirty. Pre curtain conversation, aka gossip abounded. The general mood was one of expectation. No one really knew what to expect, even if they did happen to read the book. When persons began to be admitted, there was the novelty of card swiping, which threw off some of the pencil pushing crowd who feel obliged to sign everything on a clip board, but no riot resulted. Then there was the usual directive to head toward the farthest row, and fill in without leaving any spaces. Of course, there were the usual refusals to do so, and that was fine too.

I myself had the very pleasant experience of having the first person to say a word to me all day being one who held up a phone and asking with what I can imagine was all the earnestness he possessed,

“Do you think this girl’s butt looks fat?”

At least he had the common courtesy to say excuse me first. Following that lovely encounter, there were the moments of waiting while those kind gentle folks who weren’t ridiculously early to file in to their seats. When the requisite event announcement was made, and the equally indispensable administrative speeches were given, most were prepared for the evening’s presentation, but not necessarily for the ensuing entertainment.

Mary Roach’s inimitable discussion was fortunately or not, not a rehashing of the book. Instead, she chose to give the students the deeper meanings that shadowed her writing. The aeration was not perfect by any means, but it seemed unaffected. As well as insight as to the location of various erectile tissues, the students were given a glimpse of the author’s method and writing style. The message that rang forth loud and clear was,

“Be curious.”

It was an appropriate message, and one apparently well received considering what happened next. It was nice that Mary Roach devoted much of her allotted time to questions. She said frankly that they should be as uninhibited as possible. Many students obliged, and she gave equally satisfactory answers, to everyone’s delight. After the presentation, many stayed to have the value of their books increased, so when they went to sell the copies that they didn’t purchase on eBay, the circle would be complete. Those who did doubtless got a little more of Mary Roach’s humor.

All in all, it was a lovely evening for most. It is an experience that I wouldn’t trade for all the mental stability in the world, and that’s a lie. It was pretty cool though.

On Wednesday November 4, 2015, the boys’ soccer team played Rutgers Camden home in G. Larry James Stadium on the freshman side of campus.  This game was part of the NJAC, New Jersey Athletic Conference, tournament.  Unfortunately, Stockton fell 2-0 to Rutgers, leaving their season with one more game that was ECAC, Eastern College Athletic Conference, tournament, which they also, unfortunately, lost.

I attended the NJAC tournament game against Rutgers with some of my floormates, along with some of the guys who live on the floor above me.  We wanted to support two of the guys, #15 Zach Burns and #16 Joseph Dikmak, who also live on the floor above me.  Burns didn’t have field time that game, and Dikmak’s was limited, but we were there to support them, along with our fellow Ospreys out on the field.

There are many occasions where an event occurs multiple times and is exactly the same. Sports are an exception to that.  In sports, each event that takes place throughout the season is different.  Sometimes, games will end the same, either with the same result or with the same score, but that is rare.  Each game is unique and independent of others, but can result in similar manner.

The boys played Rutgers one other time in the season: the game prior to the NJAC tournament game.  Coincidentally, both games resulted the same, with Stockton falling 2-0.  Although they had a rough ending to the season, Stockton boys’ soccer had a great season.