On Tuesday September 16, my roommate and I went to go check out the sorority Sigma Sigma Sigma. Every fall and spring, the sorority sets out to recruit new members. They held a meeting in the academic building to give students a chance to learn more about them. When we first arrived, some of the sorority sisters were out in the hall greeting everyone who showed up. They wanted to give us a chance to meet each other, so we got in a circle and participated in some ice breakers. When it was time for the recruitment meeting to start, we signed in and were given a ticket with a sorority member’s name on it. It was our job to find that sorority sister and introduce ourselves. Once we found that member, we were free to mingle and get to know everyone. About halfway through we were shown a presentation to learn more about Tri Sigma. We learned about their philanthropy and what it means to them. The Sigma Sigma Sigma foundation helps children cope with their illnesses through therapeutic play, which allows the opportunity for play to occur in the hospital setting. The foundation helps to fund children’s therapy programs through the Robbie Page Memorial Fund. After the presentation, we mingled some more until it was time to leave.

Overall, it was a useful night that provided me with a lot of practical information about Tri Sigma. The meeting definitely changed the way I view sororities, and now I am even considering going back to another recruitment in the spring.  Before this meeting, I never knew what sororities actually did. I like that Tri Sigma helps chronically ill children cope with their illness. Tri Sigma shows that being in a sorority isn’t about socializing and going to parties, but instead it is about giving back and helping others.

On September 6, I participated in the eleventh annual Day of Service hosted by the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. This is an event that usually only lasts a few hours for each project. However, it still has an impact not only on the Stockton community, but the larger community around us. During this day, there were many service projects such as Books Without Borders, Girl Scouts, Water Watch, and others. I ultimately choose to give my time to Water Watch because there was a big group of us, and we had done clean ups before. Also, it was one of the few we could do together and seemed to be the one that interested us the most. Within this project, the goal was to contribute to making and maintaining a cleaner environment.

On this day, we personally helped the environment by doing a clean up of the campus. We were given gloves, trash bags, and grabbers, and we split into smaller groups and had designated areas to clean. However, since our campus is one of the cleanest in New Jersey, there was not much to clean up at first. Once we looked closer, though, we saw that there actually was a small problem with trash. Along the walkways and around the buildings, there were a large amount of cigarette butts. We cleaned up all of these and the other little amount of trash that was left. The cigarette butts were by far the hardest to clean up as they were tiny and hard to grab. This was annoying because there were so many and most were not even near the gazebos.

Although the cigarettes were annoying, it was overall an enjoyable experience. I was able to spend time with friends, listening to music, while also contributing to making a better, cleaner environment. It was hard work in the hot sun, but it made me feel good about myself knowing that I helped keep our campus beautiful. I know that most people won’t even realize what I have done, but I would definitely do this project again. I believe that clean ups are important because someone has to take steps to keep our environment clean.

Let me just start off saying that I thought that this Convocation was spectacular and I am so glad that this book was chosen for this years Freshman Common Reading. I am also so glad that Stockton was able to get Christina Baker Kline to visit, tell her story on how she wrote the book, answer our questions, and also sign our books. I loved hearing all about the real Orphan Trains and their riders, and how Kline worked her own story into her presentation.

In high school, I learned little about the Orphan Train Movement. There was some information on the movement in a small paragraph in one of my history textbooks, but when the teacher was teaching the lesson, he skimmed over the subject. It was barely talked about in my class and very little was said, with no details. After reading the Orphan Train novel, I learned a lot about the movement and what train riders actually went through. The best part about this book is that it is from the eyes of a train rider, so you saw what they witnessed, felt how they felt, and heard what they had to listen to. We got an inside look with this book, and Kline, I believe, wrote it perfectly.

At the Convocation, I loved the story that Kline told about Pat, who was an Orphan Train rider that oddly had the same story as Vivian, one of the main characters in Orphan Train. I thought it was funny that Kline pretty much wrote Pat’s life and she didn’t even know it. Hearing that Pat got to meet her family in Ireland makes me so overwhelmed with joy because she got to know the people that were “her people” before she died. When she found them, they accepted her with open arms, acting like her and her mother never went to America in the first place. I was disappointed that she never got to meet her mother, though, and I wish that she could find that essential part of her history, but not everything can come out perfectly.

After the presentation was finished, Kline opened up the room for questions. Unfortunately, I was not picked to ask my question, but one student asked if there was a movie coming out based on the book. It was a great question and I am so glad that he asked it because I would love to see it. I think it would be so interesting, unlike any other historical or non-fiction movies that have come out. I think that it could tell the story that not many people know about and with the movie, more people would be aware of the event that many people look over in history called the Orphan Train Movement.

At the end, even though I did not get the opportunity to ask Kline my question in the auditorium, I was able to ask her during the book signing. I asked, “You just told the story of Pat reuniting with her family in Ireland, and at the end of your book, Vivian got the chance to reunite with her daughter that she gave up for adoption. Are you thinking about writing a sequel to the book telling of Vivian and her daughter reuniting or a sequel from the daughter’s or great-granddaughter’s point of view?” Kline loved that I asked the question and the only thing she said was, “That is a great thought, and that might make a great book, but you will just have to keep your eyes open and see if it ever happens.” I think she was pretty much saying that it is in the making and will be coming out in a few years or so. If any sequel to Orphan Train does release, whether it is from Molly’s, Vivian’s, or her daughter Sarah’s point of view, I will be sure to grab myself a copy and read it. The ending of Orphan Train was a cliff hanger, and I really don’t like books that keep me guessing what happens next, so hearing that there might be a sequel really excited me.

To set the record straight, Kline is not like other authors, simply writing the book to make money and then charging tons of money to make appearance. Kline was so nice, sincere, and all around great person. I am so glad that I got to meet her and have a little chat. Hopefully, in the future, I will be able to read the sequel, go to another presentation, and get that book signed by Christina Baker Kline as well.

Just a few days ago, on September 23, 2014, my Honors Freshman Seminar class met in F111 with the other Honors Freshman Seminar classes to complete an activity together. We played a game called “Scavenger Hunt,” where we were given clues and went into the library to find the object described. A week earlier, each class had to create one (or more if you wanted) clue that would describe a book, movie, cassette, CD, etc. that was located in the library. The catch was, we had to find a book, movie, etc. that had to do with our main concept in class: Food.

At first, I thought that this was going to be easy and that all I had to do was find a cookbook or something similar. However, we had to find a book that had to do with food, but was not an actual cookbook. This made things a little bit trickier. My first plan of action was to go to the internet and research books that had food as a main topic, but were not cookbooks. There were so many and I was really surprised that I have not heard more of the titles, since many were bestsellers. My next plan of action was to go to the library’s website to see if they had some of the books, but I came back empty handed. Next, instead of searching on the internet first, I went right to the library’s website and typed in key words. I did not type in“food,” though, but specific words like “Martini, Cannibalism, and Recipes.” I came out with a handful of books to choose from. In my class, my teacher, Professor G.T. Lenard, asked us to write down five clues for five different items that were in the library. After I found three great, somewhat challenging books that the other students would have to spend time finding, I decided to actually go to the library and look through some of their movie collections to find two more items to put on my list. I walked up and down the isles, reading the titles until I found two that had food as their main topics. I copied them down and then in class, handed all of the clues in. The next class we would meet in F111 and go to the library.

After using the library’s website and actually looking through some of their selection, I had a better understanding of how to use the library and how to find things without the librarians help. I know that they are there to help the students, but it is great to know how to do things on your own. When we started the scavenger hunt, I was placed in a group, picked my clue, and was on my way trying to find the specific book, movie, or other item that was in the library. First, I went to the computer and looked up some key words that were in the hint that I received. After scrolling through a few pages, I finally found the book and copied down where it was located in the library. After asking the librarian where my section was located and waiting for my friends to find their clues, we went upstairs together to a room I never even knew existed. I found my book, which was called “The Italian Way,” copied down the information I needed, and headed to find my friends’ books. After finding all of the books, we headed back to F111.

This activity was actually really fun and I learned more about the library than I’ve ever known before. I’ve discovered rooms that I have never even knew existed and I know that there are still more rooms to explore. I cannot wait to be able to go back and just walk through the whole library to see what kind of items they have in stock. After this activity, I can confidently say that I know how to find books and other items in the library without the librarian’s help.

Stockton puts together lots of events throughout the beginning of the year to try to get the students, especially incoming freshmen, involved with activities. One of the multiple events to try and get the students involved that I attended was actually named “The Get Involved Fair”. The Office of Student Development and the Office of Service Learning were the two organizations that held this event. It was a huge event, held on the 16^th and 17^th of September, that succumbed the whole academic building and tons of groups and clubs were there basically advertising themselves to be joined. I thought that this was a great idea because it was a great place to see all of the many clubs Stockton has to offer and you could even leave your name and contact information so that the clubs could contact you with meeting information.

While I was at the fair, I signed up for a lot of clubs and groups. One group that I liked in particular was the Disney Association. I plan on attending their second meeting that’s coming up this Tuesday, September 30^th. With the Disney Association, you can sign up to intern in Disney World for a semester and it seems like a great experience. I would love to work at Disney because it’s my favorite place in the United States. Without the Get Involved Fair, I may have never known when the meetings would take place and may have never actually gotten involved with that group like I wanted to.

Along with the Disney Association, I also found many other clubs like the Italian Heritage Club, the Admission Ambassadors, and Greek Life interesting. I’m very excited to get involved on campus and hopefully meet lots of new people with common interests as me. I also hope that joining these clubs that interest me will help me build skills that I can use for the rest of my life. If you missed the Get Involved Fair this semester, they hold them every semester so you will still have another chance to get involved. Even without the fair, it’s very easy to find out about clubs and groups on campus and if you contact them they’d most likely gladly give you information about when and where their meetings are held.

Waking up at eight thirty was not my first choice on a Saturday morning. With syllabus week behind me (as well as the final denial of summer’s conclusion), I was ready to soak in the extra hours of sleep…that is, until the melodic blaring of the alarm sounded, and I was harshly reminded that those few extra hours would not be coming today.

Whatever I had been expecting was nothing compared to this.

It was Saturday, September 6^th, our first Day of Service, so my friend and I decided to stick together. We combed through the list of organizations, and at the mention of horses, it was game over. My friend all but dashed through the doors like a runner from her gate, with me in tow behind her. The process was confusing, but we quickly found the group that would take us to the South Jersey Horse Rescue. We hopped on the bus, and by the time our small group had reached the farm, the sun had climbed higher and the temperature had soared to a sweltering level. The head of the facility showed us around the field, introducing us to the horses and informing us of their overall mission at the rescue. It was truly inspiring; the horses each had its own story. Most were strong and healthy, rescued from a one-way trip to Mexico where they were to be sold for horsemeat. Several came in dangerously underweight, malnourished or abused. A dwarfed mother that was raised for breeding nearly starved before being brought to the rescue. She lost her foal, but she found refuge in the safety of the reserve. Another lost an eye to a cataract. Each of their stories were unique, and knowing the stories of these creatures gave me renewed resolve.

The work was not easy. We started off with tugging branches across the fields and into the woods. Then we progressed to shoveling manure, trimming the grass, even constructing the frame for a new shelter. By the time we were finished, we were drenched in sweat, exhausted, and ready to go. However, despite the work we put into it, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. Field hands were few, and there was much work that had to be done. The head also lived on the property, and she wouldn’t have been able to replicate all we had done all on her own. As tired as I was after working five hours in the heat, I saw the effect we had on the farm and was satisfied with our accomplishment. It was truly rewarding to see the results of our labor fade into the distance as we pulled out, knowing we had made a difference.

Drew Bencie

The Stockton Theater Club’s Whose Line is it Anyway Performances are probably my favorite student organized events on campus. Whose Line is an improvisational comedy show in which all of the actions and dialogue are made up on the spot. They are consistently hilarious and always entertaining to the point where I have invited friends over just to come see it. One thing that made this past Whose Line especially great is the fact that two girls that live in my building were performing in it for the first time. Nearly the entire building came out to support them. They all sat front row, with signs held high, cheering on their friends. It’s amazing to think about it, really. Just a month ago, all we knew about one other was a name, major, and whatever interesting fact came up during an ice-breaker. Just a few weeks later, we all packed together into an auditorium to laugh hysterically at people that didn’t exist in our lives until a short while ago. The Whose Line nights have a way of bringing people together for a common purpose: laughter.
One of the best parts of this event is seeing how your suggestions, whether written or yelled, are incorporated into the show. The level of interaction with the audience is undoubtedly an impressive component to the show. The ability to think and adapt to new suggestions while remaining upbeat and entertaining is a true testament to how talented the actors and actresses in the Whose Line performances are.
Without a doubt, I will be going to the Whose Line nights for the rest of my time here. To anyone reading, I cannot recommend them enough. They are a great time, with great people doing some really funny stuff. They are definitely something you will regret missing.

On September the 6th I, along with many other generous Stockton students and faculty, attended Stockton’s annual Day of Service in the hopes of finding an activity that was both fun and linked to an organization that was really meaningful to me. When I arrived at the campus center that morning, I signed in and received a list of different organizations that were at the event. The list was extensive and included many organizations that dealt with many problems in the community from homelessness, to pollution, to animal abuse; all great causes that my friends and I spent a long while before hand debating which one we would choose to support.

However, I did have one charity that had been pressing on my mind for days beforehand: Books Without Borders. This organization holds a special place in my heart because books have played such a huge role in my life. I love to read because somehow reading about these people whom I feel I really know go through terrible time and come through stronger just makes reality seem a little easier. I was so excited to give the amazing gift of knowledge, entertainment and (in some small way) companionship to children who had the same lust for learning I had, but were not fortunate enough to have the opportunities I did.

So I quickly joined the Books Without Borders table and in no time we were trudging past the school to a small field by the Arts and Sciences building where we began unloading and entire storage unit filled to the brim with boxes and boxes of books. Our first task was to take all of these boxes out of the storage unit onto the lawn. This was hot sweaty work, considering the unit conserved all of the sun’s heat from that hot summer day, and some of boxes were so heavily packed with books it took two people to carry them. However, soon all of the books were out and we began sorting them into categories like fiction, biographies, politics, and psychology.

Now I had decided beforehand to do a little something special for my favorite charity and had brought colorful note cards, envelopes, a pen, and tape with me to try out my little project. As I sorted through books I kept my eye out for books I had already read and when I found one (with the permission of my supervisor) I would take a minute and write a little message to the new owner of the book. I would thank him/her for picking the book tell him/her why I loved it (it made me laugh, it made me cry, etc.) then I would ask him/her to give the book a good home and say I hoped he/she had a lovely day. Then I put the note in the envelope and taped it to the inside cover of the book.

This was an absolutely amazing experience and my only hope in doing this is that I 1.) made someone with an extremely hard life have a slightly nicer day, and 2.) that these books inspired at least one child to have a love of learning. I truly believe that if you teach a man to fish he eats for the rest of his life, but if you teach a man to read he can do what he wants to do for the rest of his life.

My friends and I just recently had the pleasure in participating in the Stockton Glow Walk and 5K on the evening of September 23, 2014. The purpose of the event was to try to draw out as many members of Stockton’s student body as possible to come out and walk or run for a good cause. Members of the Delta Zeta sorority and Alpha Chi Rho fraternity were responsible for coordinating the event and all of the proceeds went to The New Jersey Hearing Aid Campaign and the American Cancer Society.

The event began at 8pm at Big Blue, and by the time we arrived the place was already packed with hundreds of people. Despite the fact that the sun had already set and it was completely dark out, Big Blue’s track was completely lit up thanks to the hundreds of glow sticks decorated around it. After paying the $5.00 participation fee we were immediately each given a glow stick accessory and told that we would receive an additional accessory for each lap we completed. We ended up jogging/walking 8 laps around the track by the end of the night and received an additional 8 glow stick accessories to show for it.

It seemed like everyone I saw and spoke to was having a great time while I was there. Some groups of friends were trying to compete against one another to see who could get the most glow sticks by the end of the night while others simply just enjoyed being out there and getting the opportunity to meet other members of the Stockton community.  For this being the first ever Glow Walk and 5K, I would say that the event was a major success. Delta Zeta and Alpha Chi Rho should be really happy with themselves for doing such a good job planning and coordinating such a successful event and I really hope that they plan to do it again in the near future!

The first Service Learning project that I had the pleasure in taking part of was the 11^th Annual Day of Service. The Day of Service is an event here at Stockton where students and volunteers from around the area can participate in various community services. I got the opportunity to help of the Club Water Watch in their goal to clean the campus grounds. The project consisted of just over 30 people, 11 of which were from my dorm. The group was split up into small teams to efficiently and effective clean the campus grounds. Almost every member that participated in the event was happy to help and peppy while doing so. Our task was to clean up liter around the campus center. Some groups did the freshman housing area and others did the academic building. Despite the fact that it was 85 degrees and humid, when everyone in my group was done we took one last glance around what we cleaned and smiled.

The most important thing about what we did was the reflection. During the reflection we discussed ways to prevent the amount of garbage that we found. The most common piece of trash were cigarette butts. The gazeboes are the designated area for smoking and there are just the right amount of gazeboes around the school that if you have to smoke you don’t have to walk too far to do so. Adding more gazeboes is the not the solution because most of the cigarettes butts were found around the gazeboes. Our group came up with multiple solutions one of them being to have bigger areas to put the used cigarette butts. Most of the butts are surrounding the trash cans so this should drastically reduce the amount of liter.

I can honestly say that my overall experience was fun, interactive, and most importantly rewarding. The feeling that you get when you have accomplished something meaningful is like no other. Thanks to my friends that helped clean the school I had a blast and never even thought of the cleaning we were doing as a chore. Helping Water Watch made me appreciate our campus and made me more grateful towards other people who clean our school on a daily basis. I plan on helping out Water Watch in the near future and trying to make an even bigger difference.