Anthony Gingerelli

S.O.A.R was an event offered to incoming freshmen to allow them to get to know other freshmen.  S.O.A.R took an interesting perspective on how to make unfamiliar freshmen bond with each other.  Even though it seemed as if there would be an endless amount of ice breakers, the Talons lead many other meaningful and fun activities.  We learned how to trust and rely on others to complete activities that we were unable to do alone.  Along with the Talons leading activities, the people working at the camp also initiated many activities as well.  We were able to participate in games and trusting exercises, similar to what the Talons had been teaching us. The difference was the camp leaders brought the experiences to a whole new level.

The workers at the camp gave us challenges as simple as untying a rope with no hands to the extreme challenge of having several people holding a rope and supporting you, as you scaled a rock wall.  Trust was a big factor in many of our activities and sometimes difficult to hand over to a complete stranger.  After realizing that there were so many friends that could be trusted, we were able to break down barriers and create new bonds and friendships.  Many of us would not take that initial step on our own, so this was a great way to bond and break away from our “freshman shell.” The S.O.A.R. experience was a unique one that will never be forgotten for me personally.  This is not only because of the bonding exercises we participated in, it was the free time and other opportunities that were available.  During free time there were many fun activities to choose from and participate in. The activities included archery, swimming, canoeing, community service, and freedom to just walk and explore the campsite.  I would have not chosen this type of trip if given a choice, but for sure, I am glad to have had the opportunity to participate.  It opened my eyes to new activities, new endeavors and new friendships.  Trying to immerse myself in all that was offered allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, along with many other freshmen, creating conversation, alliances and comradely.

While all this was enjoyable, there is nothing like a little friendly competition. The students were broken up into eight different tribes. These tribes would create chants, dance and compete against each other in games. To determine the winner, each tribe was scored for each activity performed.  Also in the competition, each tribe had flags which were occasionally stolen from another tribe to assert dominance.  These competitions gave everyone more motivation to compete and try a little bit harder.  Adrenaline was surely pumping!  It created unity, teamwork and strategies for each tribe.  Tribe members grew stronger in their competition against one another.

The S.O.A.R. experience is an opportunity every freshman should take advantage because it is a great time and a great place to make lots of friends.  It was a wonderful way to start my journey at Stockton University. Starting my freshman year with this much fun and excitement only makes me look forward to what else Stockton has to offer me and the many other incoming freshman.

Richard Stockton University welcome week is an amazing time for not just residential freshmen, but also the freshmen that commute. It is a wonderful time where not only do you get to bond with others and make countless new friends, but you also get to learn all about the different opportunities available, where everything is located on campus, and how it works. There were countless, different, mandatory events that the students were required to attend; however, one event was more memorable then all the rest. This event was the Warrior Champions movie.

It was an hour long movie that followed four different people who lost their limbs or function of their limbs in war. They all shared the similar goal of trying to make it to the Paralympics. Two of them were men who lost movement from the waist down. They were both throwers and amazingly both qualified to compete in the Paralympics. The one female had lost her leg. She was a swimmer and also qualified to compete. The final man had also lost one of his legs, but he was a runner. Sadly, he did not qualify to compete. Out of the three athletes who did go to the Paralympics, none of them medaled. Even though they didn’t win a medal, it was still an inspiration to see how they overcame major obstacles in their lives. It taught the lesson that nothing can stand in the way of anyone’s success.  It was very moving and even brought some to tears.

After the movie was over, they had us watch a shorter video. One of the soldiers in this video had been hit by a rocket. He lost his arm and had major damage to his abdomen. It was amazing to see how badly he was injured and then how he recovered and became skilled in martial arts. Then everyone was surprised to see that, when the video concluded, we actually got to talk to the man. It was inspirational hearing the challenges he had to go through and how he persevered. It proved the point of never letting life get you down and that you can overcome anything you put your mind to. Overall, this was by far the most memorable event at welcome week.

On a week in September, the Red Cross held one of its many blood drives. People from all walks of life came to donate blood. It didn’t matter if you were a student or an outsider, all blood was accepted. There were people there who donated for the first time, and others who had donated 100 times. These unsung heroes came together for one purpose. They wanted to help people. To donate blood is not something everyone can do. But these people willingly handed a part of themselves over, in order to save another. It is an act that is not easily done.

The nurses in the room moved efficiently, gathering the patients one by one for a quick questionnaire. They asked if they had been out of the country or had any diseases. These awkward questions are needed to see if one is fit to donate a pint of blood. From the questionnaire, the subjects are taken to tables where they are laid down and drained of blood. It takes a different amount of time for each person. When done, their blood is take and put in a cooler. From there, the patient is moved to a table and handed sugary foods and drinks to help restore them to health.

When all’s said and done, the patient leaves. They are told not to do strenuous activity for the rest of the day. They are also told to wear a sticker. The sticker tells people that this person gave blood. This person is a hero. That they will save someone’s life one day. As the unsung hero leaves Big Blue to carry out the rest of their day, they feel good, and they know that they made a difference, one blood bag at a time.

The Stockton Entertainment Team (SET) and the Greeks organized a hypnotist even on September 30^th. The event was two hours long and ran over a little bit. However, I am not complaining because the event was very entertaining. I was not hypnotized, but two of my friends were. Not only was it a fun event, but the hypnotist was teaching us all about the effect of alcohol. He chose about twenty individuals who volunteered to get hypnotized. Some were not hypnotized, so he told them to sit back down in the audience. It was a good choice of entertainment by SET and the Greeks. I hope they decide to do it again later in the semester or next semester.

Towards the end of the night, the hypnotist gave all participants a bottle of water. He made them believe they were at a party and the water was actually alcohol. He gave the statistic that about 1 out of 3 do not drink and if any of the individuals participating did not drink they did not have to. However, all participants drank the water and acted as if they were at an actual party. Many of the participants were funny to watch, chugging the water or dancing around having a “good time.” After the hypnotist stopped the music, I realized an individual was passed out on the ground. A few of the participants, still in a trance, helped pick up the passed out guy. The hypnotist then asked if anyone in the audience noticed the two girls in the front and how they were acting. He said that he had “roofied” their drink; they did not even realize. The hypnotist made it obvious how easy it is to get a drink roofied at a party. So much chaos was happening, I did not even notice the two girls acting different. Even though the individuals were simply hypnotized, it was a realization to always protect my drink if I ever decide to party in the future.

The event was fun and I am happy I decided to go and watch my friends get hypnotized. I am happy that it was not just hypnosis, but also a lesson. It was an entertaining way to teach individuals about alcohol safety. I hope SET and the Greeks decide to do it again; I really enjoyed myself.

This semester the Day of Service was held on Saturday September 12^th. It was an all day event starting at 8:30am and lasting till 4:00pm. It is an annual event that occurs once each semester. It is a wonderful event that provides an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and community members to engage in service projects on campus. There were four different colored nametags that determined which grouping you would be placed in. The colors included red, purple, green, and blue.

The day started off with a complimentary breakfast and a variety of speakers. It was intriguing to listen to so many different people talk so passionately about giving back. They explained that the three hundred volunteers would partake in many rewarding projects throughout the day. Each person would rotate through four service projects and all of them would be the same except for the health and wellness project.

The homelessness project incorporated three activities. Some volunteers were making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to be given out at a local shelter for the hungry. Others were making empty birthday cards so homeless families could fill them out and exchange warm thoughts on each other’s birthdays. Finally, bags were being sewed so that the people at the shelter would be able to transport their belongings efficiently. This service project was run by Circle K and it was extremely rewarding.

The civic engagement project incorporated five activities. The first part was filling out an online survey to measure volunteers understanding of civic engagement. The second part was a discussion about the existence of capital punishment. The third part was registering to vote if you wanted to and were not already registered. The fourth part was learning about The Petey Greene Program. This volunteer based program looks for tutors in all subjects willing to visit prisons to help convicts educationally. The final part dealt with writing letters to people in power like Governor Christie to express your ideas or opinions about governmental issues.

The environmental project incorporated three activities. A man spoke about the importance of waste conservation and his life journey after graduating from Stockton and finding his passion. After this a Stockton club known as Water  Watch talked to volunteers about plastic and its harmful effects on humans and the environment. Finally, a student who works on Stockton’s farm spoke about its benefits to the community and the ability to volunteer at the facility if you were interested.

The last project was the health and wellness project and each activity differed. I was part of the Suicide Prevention station and it was extraordinary. The activities were run by Stockton’s Active Minds and I later joined the club. I helped make signs for the Suicide Prevention Walk and decorated pledges for walkers to sign. It was eye opening to read statistics about how many people take their own lives because they feel their problems are permanent. The club’s members were in charge of the activity and spoke to us about suicide and we had a mini reflection session that was really emotional. This was my favorite part of the Day of Service and I can not wait till next year to volunteer again.

The day ended with a reflection survey and discussion in the event room. Volunteers then received free shirts and were able to leave. Overall the Day of Service was a great learning experience and an important opportunity for volunteers to meet new people, become familiar with service learning opportunities, expand their understanding of civic engagement, and make a difference in other people’s lives through service.

On Tuesday, September 15, The Stockton Entertainment Team (SET) put together their own rendition of The Price is Right in the Campus Center Coffeehouse.

From the beginning, this event made a good impression on the average passerby. A considerable amount of students showed up to enjoy the night. Each student was given a raffle ticket. Four students were randomly chosen in a drawing to participate in each round. Then, a common household or cleaning product was described. The student who is closest to the retail price without being over wins that product and has the opportunity to compete in a mini game. The other contestants are given another opportunity to be chosen for the drawing. It seemed that as long as students didn’t win a prize, they can be chosen at any time.

The rules for the mini games were a little more complicated. For some games, contestants could win however many prizes were available for that round until they guessed the wrong price. For other games, if students didn’t guess the right prices for all of the products, they wouldn’t win anything.

This process repeated itself for about two hours. At the end of the night, unclaimed prizes were raffled off to those unfortunate enough to not have had a chance to compete.

The best part of the game would definitely have to be the prizes. Instead of a one-time item like a gift card or movie ticket, students won practical prizes that could be used anytime.

Some won non-perishable items to add to their dorm’s supply; others won laundry detergent or cutlery. I won a packet of microwavable mashed potatoes myself. Not only was the night enjoyable, but people brought home practical prizes.

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     Recently I attended the Spike Out Cancer event hosted by a few sororities and fraternities on the freshman side of campus. This event was a fundraiser for cancer research, and ultimately was a huge success financially. The rules were simple gym volleyball rules, games to 11 points, three hits per volley and good sportsmanship. The event, in total, raised over $700 for research by selling concessions and bracket positions.

     Another reason I attended this event was to meet the brothers of the several fraternities.  I was able to meet mostly every active brother and get to know them. Many of the brothers also participated in the tournament. The winning team of the tournament was actually AXP, in an effort over APD in the last game. The tournament was fun and relaxing for many people who came to watch, and the event was catered.

     Since this event was at the freshman side of campus many new students were able to socialize and become friendly along with this event. More than 12 teams of 10 players each joined the tournament and competed. Unfortunately, I failed to find an entire team of players to compete in the tournament, however I still made an appearance in the tournament, joining a team that was short 2 players. In conclusion the Spike Out Cancer event was a successful time for Stockton and helped raise a lot of money for research while keeping competition friendly.

In the typical span of a college student’s day, there is little time left to the student to enjoy with friends the luxuries of a board game or a video game. The Stockton Gaming Club, which meets every Wednesday at 8 p.m., tends to be a much appreciated exception to the rule above. The crowd of people that flocks to the Campus Center’s second floor is astonishing – not only in numbers but also in spirit. Indeed many of the games offered at this gathering allow walk-ins and participants are always willing to help new players. Games offered range from Nintendo’s “Super Smash Brothers” to “Magic: The Gathering” to “D&D: Pathfinder,” and seemingly grow at each meeting. Although the meeting’s start time is well defined, there seems to be no official end time, as some games continue late into the night. Every week brings a new host of games and new opportunities to make lasting friendships with fellow gamers. Even if there doesn’t seem to be a desired game present, anyone can bring any game with him and play to his heart’s content. The Stockton Gaming Club every week brings great joy to students on campus – from jolly cooperation to fierce competition, there are no losers and everyone leaves with a smile on their faces. Nobody can understate the air of incredible friendship and fun that emanates from above Dunkin Donuts on Wednesday nights, and everyone is welcome to participate. The Gaming Club invites all people to come and get involved in a game they enjoy – so stay a while and game with us!

On Friday October 2, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. the Performing Arts Center of Stockton University hosted The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The play was put on by the Aquila Theatre Company. The play covered three stories about Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, there was a twist; in this play Sherlock Holmes was reimagined as a woman.

Act I began with the story “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches.” This story was focused on a governess who took a position with a strange couple. The couple offered to pay her an extraordinary amount of money to take care of only one child, but she also had to do other strange tasks like sit with her back to the window and cut her hair. She goes to Holmes to find out why the couple is acting so strangely. It turns out the couple was pretending the governess was their daughter in order to stop the marriage between their daughter and a man, so the parents could keep the daughter’s money.

The other story in Act I was “The Adventure of the Yellow Face.” A man comes to Holmes needing her help to figure out why his wife asked for a large sum of money and was disappearing during the night to a cottage on his street. The man was also seeing a strange face in the window of the cottage his wife was going to. With the help of Holmes, the man discovers that his wife was hiding her child in the cottage. The man had thought the husband and child had died in America, but in reality the daughter had survived. Since the daughter was black the wife hid her out of fear. However, she had nothing to fear because the husband was accepting of her child.

After a short intermission, Act II began with “A Scandal in Bohemia.” The story starts with a man wearing a mask coming to Holmes for help. The man who is the King of Bohemia does not fool Holmes with his mask, and tears it off and tells his secret to Holmes and Watson. The King needs Holmes’s help to retrieve a picture of himself from a past lover, Irene Adler. This picture would be harmful to the King in regards to his engagement to the daughter of the King of Scandinavia. Holmes begins following Irene and is even the witness at her wedding. Holmes fails to retrieve the picture from her intellectual match, but Irene promises not to show the picture to anyone.

Despite the nor’easter and potential hurricane the theatre was nearly full of students and members of the community. Everyone who went to The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes seemed to have enjoyed the play. There was laughter and drama throughout the play. The actors did a wonderful job, even though there were only five actors in the company so each actor had multiple roles to fill. It was a pleasure to see such versatile actors putting on an entertaining play.