Even though I am a first semester freshman, one of the programs that really interests at Stockton University is studying abroad. As a commuter who lives at home, studying abroad really appeals to me because it would give me an opportunity to experience the world outside my comfort zone, and take a step forward toward independence. One of the steps to study abroad is to attend a Study Abroad 101 workshop. There is a meeting every month, held by Natalja Manger, the Study Abroad and International Advisor. On October 13^th, I attended the Study Abroad Workshop in room F111 where I learned what it takes to actually study around the world.

One of the first things I learned at the workshop was that only 1% of college students around the country actually study abroad. This fact really astonished me because I know many schools offer students the chance to study abroad, and I am surprised more students do not take advantage of it. Also, I am now more motivated to be part of the 1% so I can set myself apart from other students. Natalja Manger showed us the step-by-step process of looking for different programs, how to apply, and the different deadlines. Finally, we learned very important information about how to fund our ventures to study abroad. We learned that financial aid, scholarships, and grants can be applied to our cost of studying abroad. Since the cost can be lowered, the prospect of studying abroad seems possible despite a student’s financial concerns. Applying to study abroad is a very elaborate process, but with the help of the Stockton Portal, our preceptors, and Natalja Manger, studying abroad seems feasible and less daunting.

In conclusion, I am very glad I attended a Study Abroad Workshop early into my time at Stockton. Studying abroad seems like an amazing opportunity and attending the meeting helped me get one step closer to changing my dream into reality.

I have always loved music and singing. I especially love a cappella music. I love how people can make the sounds of instruments with their mouths to make beautiful, spine chilling music. It’s incredible. My boyfriend is a part of Stockton’s A Cappella group, therefore I didn’t even have to bat an eye before I agreed to go see his concert on April  15^th.

Stockton’s a cappella group is composed of three smaller groups: Stocktones, Stockata, and Stockapella. The Stocktones is a co-ed group of college students who like to sing for fun and enjoy the a cappella style of music. Stockata is similar to the Stocktones, however Stockata is an all girl group. The final group is Stockapella. Stockapella is a co-ed competition group that represents Stockton in competitions similar to those featured in the recent movie Pitch Perfect.

Stockapella , the competing group, is a three time quarterfinalist for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). The ICCA is the competition that was featured in Pitch Perfect. My boyfriend is a part of this group, and had a solo in this particular concert. I was so proud of his performance and the performance of all of this other friends in the group.

Some popular songs such as Viva La Vida by Coldplay and Hero by Bonnie Tyler were sang with beautiful execution and precision. I personally enjoyed Some Nights by Fun. and You’ll Be in My Heart by Phil Collins. My personal favorites are the songs I can sing or hum along with!

I will also be a proud supporter of Stockton’s A Cappella. I love the music they make and how beautifully they always sound. I will always have an aspiration to learn how to beat box, and maybe I can get one of the beat boxers to teach me a little something! Keep working hard, Stockton A Cappella, you sound beautiful with every song you sing!

     As a freshman commuter, I started to realize by the first week of school that making friends would be harder for me than it would be for the students who live on campus. Lucky for me, Stockton held an event called The Get Involved Fair. The fair took place on  September 16th and 17th from 11 am to 4 pm in the Main Campus Center and the A through N Wings. The Get Involved Fair included over one hundred clubs, various service opportunities in the community, and the different sororities and fraternities. The Fair was a great way to learn about different clubs and an even better way to build future relationships.

     First of all, I learned that there are plenty of clubs to join on campus. There is a club for almost every subject and interest group. The club leaders were very friendly and helpful, and really encouraged everyone to sign up and learn more about what their clubs had to offer. I walked passed religious clubs,”artsy” clubs, science clubs, and so many others. There were also different opportunities to give back to the community, like volunteering to tutor or even traveling around the globe with the Peace Corps. No matter what one’s interests may be, there was most likely at least one club at the fair that pertained to that interest.

     Overall, I am really glad I went to The Get Involved Fair. Making friends and getting involved can be really overwhelming, especially when all the upperclassmen talk about the lasting impression of college friends and the professors stress the importance of resumes. The Get Involved Fair allowed for students to dip their toes into different groups and interests, and to receive information about the vast amount of opportunities Stockton has to offer.

One of the most exciting things about college in the spring is the amount of people that you see in the quad by the freshman dorms. People are playing volleyball, playing catch, longboarding, sunbathing, doing homework, and the list goes on and on. Also, being a college student, we tend to gravitate toward locations and events that serve free food.

On one of the most gorgeous days of the semester so far, the Neighborhood Watch here at Stockton decided to hold a barbeque in the freshman quad. It was advertised everywhere and there was endless amounts of free food. There were hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, turkey burgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, chips, pretzels, lemonade, iced tea, and water. It was delicious!

I think what I liked most about this event, aside from the free food, was the fact that students that were not solely freshman were there. There were upper classmen over by the freshman dorms, something that you don’t usually see. It was like a decent amount of the school was coming together to enjoy the gorgeous weather, free food, and the nearing of the end of the semester. It was awesome!  This event in particular reminded me of what I pictured college would look like!  Hopefully there will be more events just like this before the semester ends!

The Sherlock Holmes play took place on a cool, rainy Friday evening that added to the mysterious mood of the play. People of all ages filed into Stockton’s Performing Arts Center and took their seats among the rows. The quiet chatter amongst viewers stopped as the lights slowly dimmed and someone stood in the shadows playing the violin; the play was about to begin.

The first hint that this play would stray from the traditional Sherlock Holmes stories was that the infamous detective was played by a woman. Still sporting the usual garb of the character, she walked into the light and quietly talked with her partner, Dr. Watson. The first mystery was similar to its original manner of delivery, full of suspense and mystery, though this play wove in humor through its characters and use of props.

The second and the third mysteries captivated the audience like the first act and made them wonder how Sherlock Holmes would catch the villain. Though Sherlock Holmes was wrong in the second mystery and let the notorious Irene Adler get away in the next act, Holmes clearly demonstrated her experience as a detective and expressed her skill in deduction.

After the last act’s mention of Sherlock’s nemesis, Moriarty, the crowd was left to wonder about the cliffhanger. The five actors came onto the stage and took their bows as the viewers cheered and applauded their performance. The audience collected their items and went back into the rainstorm, their minds full of mystery and the infamous Sherlock Holmes.

I have always taken part in my hometown’s Relay for Life. Therefore, I am used to the traditions and the general idea of the night. This event is usually held around a track and is an overnight fundraiser ran by the American Cancer Society. You have to pay a small fee in order to participate, but the money that is raised because of those fees in addition to donations, is donated to the American Cancer Society to continue the funding to hopefully find a cure for cancer.

This year, Stockton held its own Relay for Life. I was thrilled because I loved doing these events at home. It was a bit different because it was held inside the Big Blue gym, which I have never seen or heard of before. There were also no tents, which were where people slept when the event was held outside around the track. What was great about the indoor scenery was that the music played by the DJ was heard everywhere, regardless where you were walking on the “track”. Also, there was an hour of Zumba! I mentioned in one of my other posts how much I love Zumba!!

What was so incredible about this specific Relay for Life was that the entire field hockey team decided to take part. Numerous clubs and groups at Stockton decided to participate in Relay for Life, but we were the only athletic team at Stockton to be represented. I thought this said a lot about us as a team. We all had matching purple head bands that said “HOPE”. We all had each other’s back when the atmosphere got emotional, which again, was very moving.

I loved how involved my team was in this particular event. It says a lot about the well roundedness of the team and how much we like to stand together and unify with each other on and off the field. It means a lot, not only to be a part of a collegiate sport, but to have a group of people who have your back and want to participate in events like this together.  I hope we participate again next year!

Three days before Welcome Week marked the beginning of S.O.A.R., or Stockton Outdoor Adventure Retreat. Two hundred Stockton students packed all of their stuff into their cars, moved into their dorms, and said goodbye to their parents. They grabbed their bags and drove off on buses to Camp Ockanickon. The camp was located in the woods and was spacious and pretty. The lake reflected the entire sky, and the paths wound their way through the tall trees. The setting was very calming and simple, a reprieve from the bright and distracting world that we are accustomed to.

The three days passed like minutes and were packed with activities. One of the most popular activities was the high ropes course. People strapped into their full-body harness and donned helmets while climbing up walk walls and rope bridges. The most popular activity was the leap of faith where participants had to climb up a narrow pole, stand on top, and jump off, attempting to hit a ball high up in the air.

The days were filled with sunshine and activities like swimming in the lake, canoeing, and archery, while the nights were filled with comfort food and games. We could admire clear night skies and stars that were not clouded by the pollution we were used to at home. S.O.A.R. was so memorable because it removed comfort zones, allowed memories to be made and friendships to bloom.

After Hurricane Sandy, my roommate Katherine Austin and I were devastated. We were so upset by the ruins our state was left in and we were willing to do whatever was necessary to help. Katie decided to make up a T shirt design that would be put onto shirts and sold to benefit the relief fund for Hurricane Sandy. When she told me about this idea, I was immediately on board, and would help in whatever way necessary.

We were able to find a printer in May’s Landing that was more than generous. He absolutely loved our idea and told us that he would put the design on all of the shirts for free. All that he would charge us would be the price that his manufacturer charges him. This was an excellent deal. We decided to sell our adult shirts for $15 each and child sizes were $10 each. We owed the printer $4 per shirt, therefore we were making $11 profit for each adult shirt and $6 for each child shirt to donate to the Red Cross.

We made a Facebook page, informed all of our friends and family, contacted our high schools, and our clubs here at Stockton. We wanted to get the word out as much as possible. Whenever people would ask me, “what club are you doing this with?” I smiled and shrugged back, and said “we aren’t affiliated with any club with this project, my roommate and I are doing this completely on our own, out of our dorm room”. People were completely shocked by my honest statement.

It wasn’t long before orders started flowing in. We had countless orders from family members and friends. But what was more remarkable was that we were able to reach people in different states through our Facebook page. We were getting orders from people we knew and people we have never met before. It was incredible.  

Originally, our goal back in November was to raise $500 to donate to the American Red Cross, to benefit the Sandy Relief fund. Not only did we make our goal, but we tripled it. We ended up raising $1,611 dollars to donate to the Red Cross. We sold 156 shirts and collected $2,235. After paying our generous printer, we were able to donate 100% of our profits, $1,611, to the American Red Cross.

I am still astounded that we were able to run such a successful fundraiser on our own. I am blessed to have been a part of this and having my name attached with it. I wish the interest in the shirts didn’t die out, because I would love to continue with it. I would just like to let you all know, that one person (or two) CAN make a difference. Don’t give up on your passion. Keep working hard, and it will pay off!

Anthony Gingerelli
There are so many clubs and organizations at Stockton and ping pong club caught my interest. I figured it would be a fun recreational activity that would be enjoyable way to take a break after a long week of classes.
Ping Pong club is a fun club with players that fall in all different ranges of skill. Some players are competitive and others are there for recreational fun. It was interesting to see the two different paces of the game. I originally went to for some relaxed fun but ended up playing some of the more skilled players in the club. I lost my first games to these players but everyone there was encouraging. They began showing me and the other less experienced players the strokes and techniques on how to return the ball. It was an enjoyable experience to participate in this club and I really enjoyed a night of play ping pong.
After playing several games for the day at the club, you receive a rating which matches you for your next games the following week. If you have intentions of becoming skilled, you can progress to win matches and move up in rating scale or just continue playing at the recreational level. Having so many players of different skills allows options for everyone who had an interest in playing so everyone would be equally matched. This vast range in skilled and non skilled players allowed people to take part in the club as they pleased. They could become a focused player and attend all the meetings and challenge themselves to play more skilled players to advance themselves. On the other hand, another option includes students who join the meetings as an outlet to play and have a way to relax and escape the stress of college.
Going to the ping pong club was a decision I will not regret. It is fun and it is a great release for me. It is nice to have a change in pace from my routine schedule instead of going back to my room after class. The enjoyable light hearted mood helps create a pleasurable atmosphere. Although the games can become intense, I personally feel it is a great social club, whether you choose to be competitive or just take it slow. I would encourage everyone to come and try the ping pong club or at least attempt a new club in which they may have an interest. Sometimes these trials or adventures may become a new and challenging interest because they might find out they love it.

Being that I am a part of the honors program at Stockton, it is mandatory to go to one Dialogue session per semester. This semester, I decided to attend the Womyn at Stockton Dialogue. At first, I didn’t know much about the premise of this particular session. I knew that the spelt “women” wrong intentionally, and I was very interested to find out what the purpose was behind this misspelling.

This dialogue was primarily about how even though today women are treated “equally” we aren’t equal with men. What was probably most ironic about this dialogue was that the entire room was filled with girls, aside from Daniel Tome. This, right off the bat, bothered Daniel and Diana, who are the Service Learning coordinators that were running this dialogue, because just because the topic is about women, doesn’t mean that men aren’t involved. Men are one of the primary reasons why women are being neglected in certain ways. And no men at Stockton found it necessary or fulfilling to attend this session.

 I found out in this powerful conversation that, in general, women get paid 70 cents for every dollar a man gets paid. Why is that? Personally, I think this is appalling being that a 30% difference in annual salaries is a lot of money. Also, I was informed that out of the major news stations such as CNN, Fox, NBC, etc., when covering the case regarding the teenage girl who got raped by teenage football players while she was intoxicated, the news stations took the sides of the teenage boys, instead of sympathizing and empathizing with the young girl. How or why is this happening? Why do people side with the individuals who are clearly wrong in this situation, while the young girl couldn’t even defend herself?

What probably took me by most surprise was a mere statement that Diana said in the midst of one of our conversations. She said: have any of your teachers, either in college or in high school, refer to the subject of history as “her-story”? I never thought that meaning behind this word, this subject that is vital to our education, was “his”-story. Why is this subject referred to as “his-story”? What about her story? It was at this point in our conversation when I found out why “women” was misspelled in the title of the dialogue. The word “women” contains the word “men”. Why should women even be remotely defined by a man? That is why the “e” was changed to a “y”, to make a clear distinction between the two genders.

I got a lot out of this dialogue, more so than any other dialogue I’ve attended. It was beyond informing and eye-awakening. I wish some men at Stockton would have come to participate in our discussion as well. Maybe next year! I fully advise anyone who has not attended this particular dialogue session to attend it next year.