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(09/16/15 6:13pm)
By Kelly Corbett
Social Media Editor
Earlier this month, YouTube comedian Nicole Arbour posted a video titled “Dear Fat People,” where she discussed how fat-shaming does not exist. Now I’m not going to rant on how ridiculously insensitive this hate-filled clip was, and while I definitely believe fat-shaming exists unlike this Internet diva, I feel like body-shaming is the real issue.
“Fat people made that (fat-shaming) up. That’s a race card with no race,” Arbour said in her controversial six-minute clip that resulted in her channel being temporarily shut down. “Are you going to tell the doctor that they’re being ‘mean’ and ‘fat-shaming you’ when they say you have fucking heart disease?” she said.
It’s not just heavier individuals getting shamed for their weight anymore, it’s everyone. Thinner individuals are getting scorned for their lighter limbs. Boys are being brainwashed that the only way they’ll ever be a man is if they lift weights and fuel up on protein.
Fat-shaming, skinny-shaming and body-shaming all exist. It started just as fat-shaming. If someone wore a larger size or took an extra serving of food, they would often be judged, sometimes silently, other times out loud.
Now society has turned to not just targeting the heavier, but the lighter, as well. People tell the slender girl she has no curves or vex her with questions, such as, “Do you even eat?” They also heckle the thin boy with “do you even lift?.”
Elle magazine ran an article online this week introducing the newest trend in gunning down women’s self-esteem: “Thighbrows.” Elle defined this term as “a set of folds that frames the tops of thighs and separates leg from butt.” I guess the unrealistic thigh gap apparently won’t suffice anymore.
A woman needs to be sculpted in a way where she is not too thin, but not too heavy — following an hourglass figure and whatever new sensational trend that society deems as “in.”
While women are usually those quelled in body ridicule, that doesn’t mean men take a backseat in the shaming section. Some of the strongest men I know have never done a deadlift in their life, yet are being converted to lifters and muscle milk fiends.
Even here at the College’s Physical Enhancement Center, bodies of all shapes and sizes pace along on the treadmill, their dampened faces demonstrating their hard work.
In one corner, you’ll see girls squatting and lifting weights because, presumably, they want a fuller figure. You’ll see another girl hiking up a StairMaster machine to rid herself of her “jiggly” thighs. And at last, you’ll see almost every boy lifting his weight in dumbbells.
As children, girls paraded around with Barbie dolls and boys played with buff superheroes like The Incredible Hulk. Now we’re expected to resemble these unobtainable figures.
Larger and smaller individuals will get ridiculed, and certain body parts of ours will be criticized for not being toned or round enough. Honestly, no one is safe.
Society will seep through your clothing, measure your makeup, criticize your canvas, bash your body and steal your confidence — no matter what size or shape you are. Don’t be bullied into feeling down about yourself because society constantly declares a new “hot” body standard. Like, c’mon, “thighbrows?”
(09/02/15 3:48am)
By Kelly Corbett
Social Media Editor
Ah, we meet again, library. It’s been far too long. I miss your fourth floor scenic views of campus, your wavering Wi-Fi and the scramble to find an empty study room. Not to mention your super-cozy couches, your cafe that enables my coffee addiction and all the great reads you hold that I hope to check out this semester. Yet there’s one thing I don’t miss: your early closing time.
Our last encounter was finals week. It was past midnight and you were there for me as I read through my statistics textbook. You gave me everything you had, all four floors of you, all day and night during one of my toughest weeks at the College. Then, you had my back — and now you don’t.
Currently during the week, you turn me away once the clock strikes midnight, and during the weekend you push me away even earlier. You offer me a strip of seating in the front of library until 2 a.m., which is thoughtful of you — but it’s not the same.
I want your wooden cubicles, couches, books, computers, all of you — all of the time. I am needy of your resources. I need you to be open 24-7 again. Please.
I am a frequent lib-goer as I complete most of my coursework in the four-floored brick world of books and hard-working students. My procrastination levels dwindle once I step foot into this silent sanctuary. I’ve scribed some of my finest works here and I have lounged in these couches until I felt strong enough to battle my exam the next morning.
However, as my course load gets more challenging, I need some help. I need the library to be open longer, for my fellow students and myself.
In a perfect world, all students at the College would be tucked in by midnight, homework completed hours before. However, as perfect as we seem, we falter. Assignments take longer than desired and we sink into the late hours of the night finishing up our work.
I understand that the extended study area, the cafe and a small portion of the first floor remain open until 2 a.m. However, from my experience, it is always crowded and not a quiet environment. I appreciate it, but I always end up returning to my dorm after the third announcement that the library is closing — before I am officially kicked out. Once I return to my dorm to finish work, I am always tempted by my bed to sleep instead of study more.
Asking the library to stay open 24-7 during the regular weeks of the semester may be a bit excessive. The library is not a 7-Eleven in the middle of a busy city. It, along with its employees, deserve some sleep. But instead of closing most of it up at midnight or before, could all of it stay open until 2 a.m.?
I am the most productive in the library and I’m sure many other students feel the same. During finals week, when I was able to stay in the library past the usual closing time, I accomplished quite a bit of work. Call me a nerd, but I used the library’s extended hours to my advantage. While the library closing early should not affect the quality of my work, it is so much more difficult to work in the dorms. Neighbors are noisy and distracting, Ethernet cords may falter and the sight of my bed just makes me want to shut my textbook and crawl under my covers.
Being in the library always encourages me to stop looking at the clock and do my work. Sometimes, depending on my schedule, I need more time in the library after it closes and I don’t want to straggle to the extended study area.
As a nocturnal homework-doer, I feel that the extended study area should be banished from existence and the whole library, all four floors, should remain open until 2 a.m.
Not just for me and my late night studying, but also for the diligent student in all of us that just want a quiet environment to achieve greatness in, even after midnight.
(09/01/15 8:01pm)
By Kelly Corbett
Social Media Editor
Ping-pong balls bounce into cups of beer, tiny glasses of liquor are consumed in one gulp and the absence of class in the morning welcomes late-night laughter. Students are grooving to loud music with logically-lacking sentences flowing from their mouths.
“I’ll never drink again,” they’ll say, as they roll over in bed haunted by their headaches the next day. But will they actually?
This is college. There is no longer a parental voice and watchful eye to reprimand every misdemeanor, and unfortunately, students are struggling to put down the red Solo Cup, among other substances.
In response to this climb in substance and drug abuse, the College welcomes the Lion’s House to campus this semester, as well as an array of drug- and alcohol-free late-night activities.
Lion’s House, a recovery house adjacent to campus for substance abuse, is “for people that want to give themselves the best college experience and knows that means being drug and alcohol free,” said Christopher Freeman, the community recovery supervisor of the TCNJ Clinic, which sponsors the Collegiate Recovery Program at the College.
Currently, each Lion’s House is able to hold five students, as well as a mentor. It costs the same as other oncampus housing and offers the same basic amenities. Residents abide by the same rules as other dorm-style living on campus, with the exception of not being able to have guests over that are under the influence.
But what exactly triggered the opening of the Lion’s House? Are college students drastically downing too much alcohol?
According to a national survey, 31 percent of college students meet the criteria for alcohol abuse disorder (whether mild or moderate). In a 7,152 student school such as the College, that would mean over 2,000 kids are sipping just a little too much on that dancing juice. Furthermore, 6 percent of the nation’s college students meet the criteria for alcohol dependence — defined as “the people that are unable to stop, they crave it and they aren’t functioning the way they should be,” Freeman said. That would amount to about 420 students at the College.
While many students may brush off a peer’s poor performance in class as laziness, he or she may be suffering from something much bigger.
“Someone who doesn’t have a substance use disorder can put down a drink and say, ‘Hey, I’m fine,’” Freeman said.
However, those who are alcohol dependent battle to plop the cup down — they crave alcohol.
“Ever go driving or walking by a Burger King and you smell it and crave it?” Freeman asked, comparing the fast food cravings to the alcohol cravings many students suffer from. “It changes the brain.”
And while this data reflects colleges and universities nationwide, what is actually true of the College’s grounds?
According to Campus Police facts provided on a flyer created by the TCNJ Clinic, between September 2013 and May 2014, there were 358 alcohol/drug policy violations, 113 on-campus alcohol/drug arrests and 40 emergency room visits due to alcohol/drugs. Furthermore, there were 82 alcohol related emergencies where TCNJ EMS responded to residential halls or other areas of campus. Lastly, there were three academic suspensions due to alcohol/drugs and two student deaths due to alcohol/drug use (it is not known if these occurred on-campus or not).
That’s why the Lion’s House is such a significant addition to the College this year for many students. There are only 112 collegiate recovery programs currently operating or launching in the country, according to the Transforming Youth Recovery 2014 Survey Report published by The Stacie Mathewson Foundation. The College is fortunate enough to have not just a Collegiate Recovery Community, but also a Recovery House for students to apply to live in.
The Recovery House has an on-going application and accepts those students “that are really in recovery and have been through treatment,” said Nancy Scott, director of the TCNJ Clinic.
Often those suffering from a substance abuse disorder feel isolated and alone, according to Freeman. The Lion’s House is a place where students can combat all their cravings and triggers together, alongside their mentor, a graduate student who will hold house meetings and always steer the housemates toward better choices.
Any student struggling at the College is welcome to apply, and there is no time limit on how long they can stay in the house.
CAPS also offers services to those struggling with substance abuse. However, because CAPS is expected to serve the whole student body, it can only grant students a couple individual sessions. For those students seeking more one-on-one help, the TCNJ Clinic, located in Forcina Hall 124, is an alternate option.
In addition to the Lion’s House, there are also a variety of late night activities sponsored by the Collegiate Recovery Community for students to have fun without alcohol or other drugs present.
“One of the problems we have in Ewing is there isn’t much to do,” Freeman said. “The default activity is a party.”
With this in mind, the Collegiate Recovery Program has coordinated several late night activities including a “Back to Basics” night where students participated in old-school games such as dodgeball, kickball or foursquare.
There have also been “Minute to Win It” games where students would have 60 seconds to complete a random task such as blowing a feather into a bowl.
These activities are open to all students and promote the message that one does not need alcohol or other substances to enjoy themselves.
“We want them to graduate to different living arrangements or maybe even become a housing advisor,” Scott said. “We definitely want TCNJ to be a caring community.”
(08/27/15 4:28am)
By Kelly Corbett
Social Media Editor
During one of my early morning commutes to my unpaid summer internship, I squeezed through the rush of New Yorkers and found myself asking, “Is this really worth it?” I had already been on a bus for over an hour and the clock had not yet struck 9 a.m. I still had a 15-block trek from Port Authority to my office building and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing more money on much-needed coffee as I passed at least three Starbucks and two Dunkin Donuts.
I realized then how heavy my bag was with my packed lunch and old bus tickets — which now outnumbered the dollars in my wallet — as I mentally prepared myself for an eight-hour workday inside a cubicle. Although the night before I brainstormed ideas to pitch at a meeting, re-worked my article until I was content and read up on some old issues, I reminded myself that I’ll walk out of my Park Avenue office building after work today zero dollars richer and two bus tickets poorer.
My internship at Working Mother magazine in the city did not include a travel stipend. Although some argue that was quite silly of me because of my depleting bank account, I disagree. Unpaid internships can be worth it, and this one exceeded my expectations.
While I was not paid in cash, I was paid in experience. I learned skills that I was not taught in my journalism courses at the College. I learned what it was like to actually work in the magazine industry. I was able to pitch ideas, write articles and attend events. While I can read a textbook about being a journalist in class, this summer I actually was one — even if it was at my own expense.
An added bonus was that I was showered in freebies since any newbie company wanting exposure will send stuff to magazines for publicity. I was given free books, food and other little tidbits as the companies strived to make their way onto our pages.
I was even invited to attend events, such as holiday showcases, where professionals treated me, the 19-year-old unpaid intern, as if I was the editor-in-chief.
Besides the free goodies, I took this internship for a reason. I started the summer being a magazine reader, but not a magazine writer. In the course of two months, I adapted to writing magazine pieces, added more clips to my writing portfolio and made connections with esteemed writers who trooped their way up the magazine food chain, just like I hope to do one day.
I learned what it’s like to work for a magazine and what it’s like to sit in on a meeting and pitch ideas. I also used a content management system other than WordPress, and I’m now able to upload my own articles. I learned what it’s like to be on deadline and to be in a writer’s block slump. I was even given an editorial calendar to follow for the month. All of this made me feel like I was a part of the team.
While I could have taken internships that were closer and cost less in travel, would it have been something I liked as much as interning for Working Mother?
I constantly see internship opportunities in Trenton, which is convenient during the semester, but I don’t want to write their typical hard news stories or press releases. Even if it’s paid, I don’t want to type all of this technical nonsense because that’s just not me.
I observed all the other workers in the office and saw their daily tasks and, while they have a demanding workload, I realized I want that workload. One day, I want to be that full-time New York magazine writer. Though I’m not getting paid now, one day I will be.
Bottom line is, I woke up in the morning excited to go to my internship for the low wage of unpaid, the hectic commute and the morning scramble to get to the office on time. That’s when I knew it was worth it.
Sometimes you have to sacrifice to get what you want and I’m glad to say I left with new writing skills, clips and a good idea of what the professional working world is like. A paycheck would have been nice, but definitely not necessary.
You have the rest of your life to make money. If you really like the opportunity, make changes, bring your lunch, be frugal and don’t pass up learning experiences just because they aren’t followed by a paycheck.
Unpaid internships are worth it if it’s something you love to do — not just something you’re doing to plaster on your resume. As long as the commute is reasonable and the travel expenses are low, why not take it?
I began my journey as a journalist this summer and I loved it. When will your journey begin?
Students share opinions around campus
“I think that it undervalues our skill set to not pay us for doing a job well. I think it’s a modern way to take advantage of students. I heard horror stories of people filing papers and not getting paid.”
“I think it depends on the type of internship. There doesn’t have to be a monetary award, especially if it’s in your chosen field. I shadowed a dentist and it was a once in a lifetime experience. Just be cognizant of what internship you pick. Any work is easier when you’re passionate about it.”
(08/25/15 9:35pm)
By Kelly Corbett
Social Media Editor
Who do you confide in when your mind is heavy with fears, problems and emotions? You’re a college student with a couple bucks in your pocket, not nearly enough to shell out on therapy — and the real world doesn’t accept dining hall points. You’re frightened to tell your friends that you’re struggling and your family is so far away. It’s 3 a.m. and you’re skipping the shut eye as your mind races with thoughts and you rock back and forth in your extra-long, twin-sized, piece-of-rock bed. You need to talk to someone, but you’re confined to this campus. There are mentors and support groups on campus, as well as CAPS. There is help, but you’re still scared and you don’t want to watch the clock tick until morning. Everything is dark in your dorm and in your mind and the only light you have is your glowing LED screen and your laptop — and fortunately, that’s all you need in this tech-inclined world. Help is waiting for you on the same device that you send Snapchats from and dominate Candy Crush on. Best of yet, it’s free and it’s 24-7.
7 Cups of Tea “is an online emotional support service” providing live emotional support and self-help guides where anyone in need can log onto and connect “with individuals from all walks of life who want to provide compassionate care,” according to the website. All listeners on the site have completed an online course, created a listener profile and “Take an oath to keep everything private and anonymous,” said Tara O’Reilly, a campus leader of the app and senior clinical psychology major at the College.
“A lot of students use 7 Cups of Tea to vent about the stresses of college life: academics, sororities/fraternities, athletics, dating/the hook-up scene, etc.,” O’Reilly said.
As college students struggle with heavy book bags, a cruel workload and the drama pounding down on them of trying to figure out their life and who they are as a person — this smartphone app and website combo is a new resource that many people believe others should be made aware of.
“There are many students that are too afraid to seek help from CAPS or admit they are struggling to anyone,” O’Reilly said. “7 Cups of Tea allows that terrified student to seek help in an environment that they feel most comfortable, whether that be his or her bed, the library, the lib caf, or anywhere with internet connection.”
7 Cups of Tea was made available in the app store in the summer of 2013 by Glen Moriarty. One day at his kitchen table, as he confided to his wife, a licensed counselor, about an issue he was having, he realized the luxury of having someone to talk to all the time and wanted others to share the same opportunity.
The app’s name was inspired by a Chinese poem and suggests that each cup of tea provides a different level of healing. Furthermore, it’s significant that 7 Cups of Tea is a place where users can visit often and sip on several cups of tea with a friend, returning for more whenever their cup is empty.
According to O’Reilly, the site helps approximately 18,000 people a day, and a chat can range from 15 minutes to several hours depending on how much support a user needs.
O’Reilly, also a certified listener on the site, reveals, “as a listener, I don’t know the age, gender, ethnicity, location or anything about the people that I talk to unless they choose to tell me.”
Users on the site are not required to reveal anything they don’t want to — they are able to dish out as little or as much information they want to the listener.
“Everything is confidential and all communication is automatically deleted as the conversation goes on,” O’Reilly said.
The site also allows users to track their growth, join chatrooms, read self-help guides (maybe if they’re not in a sharing mood) and request their favorite listeners.
While college students battle with their emotions, not just on the College’s campus, but in all universities and schools, this app is a handy tool for those who need instant relief.
Whether you’re struggling with a huge crisis or just a small day-to-day issue, log on, sit down and relax. Your tea is on it’s way. You’re going to be OK!
(04/30/15 4:28pm)
By Kelly Corbett
As a society, we adore social media. Whether we’re double tapping pictures on Instagram, retweeting tweets on Twitter or commenting on statuses on Facebook, checking social media has become a daily ritual for us millennials. We face dilemmas such as, “What filter should I put on my selfie?” or struggle with composing a brilliant tweet in only 140 characters or less.
While social media also allows us to interact with our friends and sometimes even complete strangers, have we become too reliant on it? Have we compensated the value of actually having face-to-face conversations with others, for sending messages to individuals and reading posts from behind our iPhone and laptop screens?
The answer is yes, and while our virtual self may seem to have their communication skills in check, does our actual self?
While social media has made communication simpler, it has also allowed us to avoid actual human interaction. In 2015, if we need to talk to someone, why go see them in person when you can just send them a quick message online? We are relying more on our fingers gliding across our phone screen to type a message rather than using our actual people skills to go out and approach a set person. While we are learning valuable social media skills, we are forgetting social skills. We will not always have the comfort of being able to hide behind a keyboard and screen in life. Although you may be a Twitter fiend now, do you have the communication skills to make connections with others and master an interview after college?
Besides making the ability to get in contact with someone a breeze, social media also allows us to find information in a much easier fashion. While this may seem helpful, it can be distracting.
Why engage in conversation with someone when you can probably learn a chunk about their life just by their tweets on Twitter? Why read all the flyers posted on the bulletin board when you can just look at events on Facebook? Why write down a time, place and location of an event when you can just check it online?
We have compromised our actual human skills for convenience. You can just check the Facebook page later, and chances are while you’re scrolling through that page, you’ll get a notification or maybe someone will chat you. You’ll get sucked into wasting time on social media, typing messages to your friends, instead of typing paragraphs for your term paper.
We put so much confidence into these social media platforms that if the internet were ever down, or our phones malfunctioned, we would miss out on life because we refuse to take in information other than through the Internet.
Without social media, we’d be forced to approach people in person and learn information about others and events through actual, real-world interaction. We may have a strong presence online with a funny Twitter account or an artsy Instagram collection, but at the end of the day, it’s who you are behind the screen that has to succeed in life.
Social media has convenienced us in numerous ways, but do not let it put a handicap on your people skills. Don’t rely on social media for everything, rely on yourself first and social media as a backup.
(04/15/15 4:12am)
By Kelly Corbett
Staff Writer
Verses about the American Dream, online dating and even the Fourth Amendment were read on Friday, April 10, at INK’s “Slam Down the Walls” Poetry Competition. Poetry lovers gathered in the Bliss Lounge for a night filled with rhymes and competition as seven hopefuls took to the mic, each sharing three original poems. Judges were randomly selected from the audience, facing a difficult task as they scored each poem and ultimately chose which slam poet would walk out with a special recording session.
The night began with Patrick Lin, a sophomore economics and international studies major, who graced the audience with his poem “The Architect” about a love that just didn’t quite work out.
“Loving you made me play hopscotch in my chest,” Lin read. “Don’t you see, this place is beautiful. I built this. I built this life around you.”
Lin’s poem employed a central metaphor in which falling in love was compared to the work of a designer.
“The Architect builds his life’s work knowing that one day it will be abandoned,” Lin said. “I am just a visitor in my own creation now.”
On a lighter note, Andrew Edelblum, a junior psychology major, shared his experience with making an online dating account on OkCupid during winter break. With lines such as “This is the future of love,” he took the audience through the experience of creating an OkCupid profile. Being asked questions such as “Are carbohydrates something you think about often, yes or no?” listeners got a feel of the process of online dating.
“‘Will you teach your kids to believe in Santa Claus, yes or no?’ Well, I was raised Jewish,” Edelblum said, which elicited laughter from the audience.
Other poems read throughout the night touched on more personal issues such as suicide and abusive relationships.
Reigning “Slam Down the Walls” champion, Kira DeSomma took the slam stage again touching on issues such as mental illness and eating disorders in her work.
“One of the reasons I write is so that other people who struggle with similar themes will know that they are not alone,” the junior English major expressed.
In her piece, “The Poem You Told Me Not to Write to You,” she gave a realistic approach to having a crush that didn’t work out well.
“I am trying to forget the conversations he and I had in my head. I am trying to let go of whole cities, whole countries. It is time to unplug. It is time to uproot,” DeSomma read.
It was clear that her lines resonated well with the audience, for they were quiet and rapt as she went through her work.
“I don’t want to tell him my secret names, not to him nor the ocean, not to anyone else. Not anymore,” DeSomma read. “I just want to eat plums with him. I never promised I wouldn’t write this poem, so like, he can’t even be mad?”
Later on, DeSomma also read to the audience “Desperate Facebook Msgs I Never Send To the Guys I Am DTF.” The poem sheds a light on some of the speaker’s intended messages—“I don’t even know how to pronounce your last name,” or “I’m sorry to bother you tonight, but I’m exhausted and drunk with disappointment” — that never made it to the other recipient’s inbox.
After all the performers had read, the judges tallied up their scores and crowned the poetic winner.
DeSomma, with her truthful and beautiful verses, was once again crowned the “Slam Down the Walls” winner.
“I love poetry because it gives me a voice,” DeSomma said, “and competing gives me an opportunity to share that voice with others.”
(03/23/15 7:38pm)
Kelly Corbett
Staff Writer
“Warning: Reflections in this mirror may be distorted by socially constructed ideas of beauty,” illuminated the screen of the Library Auditorium on Tuesday, March 3, as students gathered for the National Eating Disorder Awareness monologues hosted by CAPS Peer Educators.
Other messages such as “don’t weigh your self-esteem,” and “25 percent of people who suffer with an eating disorder are male,” also flashed on the screen.
Six brave speakers took to the stage to tell the stories of their battles with eating disorders, as they were in a safe zone and surrounded by others who could relate.
While some speakers expressed their struggles with obsessive calorie counting, others suffered with consistently growling tummies, or trying to purge themselves of this evil monster that had taken over their mind.
All participants spoke of how eating disorders are in fact mental illnesses.
Most of the speakers confessed to first encountering their disorders in high school or even middle school, but the stress of juggling so many tasks in college proved to be a trigger for their eating disorders to resurface.
One speaker touched on how she didn’t accept her disorder right away.
“I ignored it like if you had a wound on your arm and covered it with a Band-Aid,” she said. However, “It never went away, you can’t hide it away.”
While some of the speakers chronologically told their story, other speakers wrote letters to their eating disorders.
In a letter titled “Dear Eating Disorder,” one speaker expressed her anger.
“I’m angry that instead of memorizing SAT words, I memorized calories,” she said. “I’m angry I missed junior prom because I was stuck in a hospital bed,” and “I’m angry you destroyed my body.”
Besides shedding a light on their struggles, the speakers also reflected on what they learned throughout their journeys.
“I’m a hell of a lot more empathetic, and a hell of a lot stronger because of it,” revealed one speaker.
Lauren Plawker, a sophomore clinical psychology major, spoke of her struggle with her eating disorder and emphasized the importance of kindness, for you never know what others may be battling. In light of Plato, she quoted, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Finally, another speaker found safety and comfort by surrounding herself with positive people, such as her sorority sisters.
Plawker along with Derek Giannone, a senior clinical psychology major, founded The College’s Student Alliance to Facilitate Empathy (TCNJ SAFE).
SAFE, which started meeting in Fall 2014, meets weekly and provides a safe environment for students to share and receive support from their peers.
All those attending the meetings are required to sign a confidentiality agreement.
No matter what a student may be dealing with, the College is here to help.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the sponsor of the night, also works with students who may be struggling. They offer a variety of counseling services, in groups or individual sessions, staffed by a team composed of licensed mental health professionals and interns. These services are free and no record of counseling appears on student’s permanent academic record.
The night came to an end by presenting each of the speakers with a bouquet of flowers. Not only had the speakers shared their stories but they had promoted a strong feeling of self-love in the room, a key component of NEDA week.
(02/18/15 7:15pm)
By Kelly Corbett
Staff Writer
It’s the magical day of red roses, oversized stuffed teddy bears and everything chocolate. Most people clear their schedules for this romantic day in February, having spent days, or oftentimes weeks planning ahead for it. But with all the stress of Valentine’s Day, is it simply an overrated holiday, or does it actually hold significant meaning?
There are 365 days in a year, and instead of just waiting until Feb. 14 to shower significant others with love, it should be done all year long. Many people rush to the florist or the jewelers to prepare for this special day, but there is nothing wrong with buying someone heart-shaped chocolates in July or October. Love should be expressed year round, not just on this one day.
Now, I am not saying I hate Valentine’s Day. I love it, and I think the holiday has good intentions. It’s a day to show loved ones how much they mean to you. Whether you’re single or not, everyone has someone important in their life. I simply hate the hype of showing affection for a loved one like it is an unheard of affair.
Valentine’s Day has become a commercialized holiday, almost taking away its significance. According to CNN.com, an estimated $18.6 billion will be spent on the romantic holiday each year. $1.6 billion will be spent on candy, $1.9 billion will be spent on flowers and $4.4 billion will be spent on diamonds, gold and silver. All of this going into the pockets of companies looking to make money, not for the price of true romance.
Individuals dish out ridiculous sums of money to spoil their loved ones with beautiful lockets and the finest chocolate covered strawberries, all in order to give them a magical day. To show someone that you love them, it shouldn’t require reservations at the fanciest restaurant or buying the most elegant jewelry. All of your love for someone shouldn’t be squeezed into just one day, with one set of gifts. Love should be expressed all the time, and not just with material items.
Walk into any department store the week after Christmas, and already you’ll be overwhelmed by the amount of red, pink and heart-shaped items lurking on the shelves. Come the beginning of February, every other commercial on TV will be love-focused or Valentine’s Day related. This is all fine, but it puts such an emphasis on what you should buy for your loved ones instead of what you can do for them to show you’re thinking about them.
Most people would love a personalized song, poem or even a card. All are simple gestures that are different than a typical, generic store-bought one. Plan a day trip to their favorite spot for a unique adventure — do something they’ll remember. Flowers will die, chocolates will spoil and jewelry can easily get lost, but good memories won’t ever fade.
Material items are sweet to receive, and there’s nothing wrong with giving them, it just shouldn’t be the sole focus or overdone. There’s only so much a giant teddy bear or a charming bouquet can say as opposed to a caring action.
Don’t stress yourself out too much over Valentine’s Day. You have 364 other days in a year to show your loved ones just how deeply you care, and you don’t have to break the bank to pamper them.
(02/11/15 7:32pm)
By Kelly Corbett
Staff Writer
Last week, the College became a participant in Project Medicine Drop, an effort to end the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs. Located inside the Administrative Building lobby, a Project Medicine Drop box was installed, inviting students and other members of the community to dispose of their expired or unused prescriptions.
The Project Medicine Drop box accepts pills, capsules, patches and even pet medications. However, it does not accept liquids, needles, syringes or trash. The drop box is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Also, it provides not just students at the College a safe place to dispose of all their unwanted and unused medication, but is open to all those living in the area as well.
According to the Project Medicine Drop website, “every day, 40 Americans die from an overdose caused by prescription painkiller abuse.” Currently, overdoses of opioid prescription drugs kill more people in the U.S. than heroin and cocaine combined. Furthermore, in June 2011, the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation reported that a growing number of young people are abusing prescription drugs. Although Project Medicine Drop will not necessarily put an end to prescription drug abuse, it will provide individuals with the opportunity to properly dispose of their medications.
Initially, Project Medicine Drop boxes were installed in law enforcement agencies for people to use. However, the College was fortunate enough to be asked to be a participant in the project.
“When we were offered an opportunity to participate we felt that it would be a valuable service for the TCNJ community and, with the College’s approval, we signed up,” Campus Police Chief John Collins said.
He explained the importance of properly disposing medications and why the drop box is a significant addition to the community, saying, “if medicines are disposed of improperly, there is the potential that children or pets can accidentally ingest them, and that others can obtain and abuse them.”
Furthermore, Collins discussed flushing medications down the toilet, which at one time was viewed as an appropriate disposal option. He said that flushing “has the potential to harm the environment and contaminate water sources and the food chain.”
The drop box will be checked and emptied on a regular basis as part of the College’s agreement with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Even if the drop box collects a small amount of medication, Collins still believes that it would ultimately be a success because the medicine disposed of “will no longer have the potential to be accidentally ingested, abused or disposed in a manner that creates environmental hazards.”
(10/01/14 5:34pm)
By Kelly Corbett
Staff Writer
For those who have a stash of Playbills in their rooms, hum show tunes in the shower or just have a passion for musical theater, the College hosted its annual Broadway Night on Friday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, Sept. 27, presenting students with an opportunity to perform numbers from some of their favorite Broadway shows. Sponsored by TCNJ’s Musical Theatre, the Library Auditorium was transformed into a theater as some of the College’s most talented took to the stage.
The night kicked off with a performance of “Party Hat” by junior Steve Munoz and senior Morgan Teller. They treated the audience to a comedic cat chase as Teller played a fanatic cat lady trying to crown Munoz with a birthday party hat.
In “The Ballad of Sara Berry,” audience members were reminded of high school as sophomores Samantha Miller, Gretchen Heller, Kathleen Fox and Emily Albright performed this number from “35mm.” The ballad focused on voting Sara Berry for prom queen, the most popular girl in school.
Juniors Ken Abes and Rachel Fikslin took to the stage to battle out who was crazier in the song “I’m Crazier Than You” from “The Addams Family.” The two feuded both vocally and choreographically in an attempt to find out who was more impulsive and spontaneous.
The performances continued with freshman Emma Streckenbein performing “Too Pretty” from R.R.R.E.D the Secret Musical, a comical number in which she is fed up with being ”too pretty” for her working-girl lifestyle of serving, delivering and cleaning the floor.
In light of the recent death of actor Robin Williams, seniors Kayla DiSibio, Christine Rybicki and Matt Iannacone combined forces with Munoz and seniors Adam Zierig and Dana Joy Carducci to enchant the audience with “Friend like Me” from everyone’s favorite classic, “Aladdin.” Reminding each other that “you ain’t never had a friend like me,” the group treated the audience to a circus act of juggling and a magician act of pulling a scarf out of a hat while asking, “Can your friend do this?”
Senior Mariah-Lynn Black performed “I Can Do Better Than That” from “The Last Five Years” — a powerful number dedicated to wanting the absolute best for yourself.
The night concluded with a group finale, as all the performers gathered on stage for one final song. They sang “Brotherhood of Man” from “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”
In remarks to the show, sophomore sociology major Matthew Hardy “(admired) how talented all the performers were,” wishing he could be up there on stage with them one year.
For those who missed Broadway night, TMT’s production of “Rent” will be coming to the Black Box Theater this November.
(09/16/14 5:38pm)
By Kelly Corbett
Staff Writer
It’s that time of day again. Students dash to the Lib Café, almost trample each other in the Lion’s Den or jet to the Rathskeller on a mission: to satisfy their growling tummies, in the name of free food of course. It is none other than the magical hours between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., known as Meal Equiv, when students can take a break from Eick food and venture off to the other on-campus dining facilities for lunch. Whether it’s an iced caramel macchiato from the Lib Café or a personal pizza from the Lion’s Den that hits the spot, students receive the first $7.25 of their meals for free, a whole extra quarter than last year.
However, due to this increase from $7 to $7.25 during Meal Equiv, several other prices on campus went up. Suddenly that pudding or fresh fruit cup, along with a variety of caffeinated concoctions the Lib Café has to offer, seem just a little bit pricier. In reality, it’s only an extra couple dimes and nickels that are getting squeezed out of your Carte Blanche points, but you don’t need to be a math major to know that after a while it starts to add up.
As you brace your Pure Leaf iced tea and basket of chicken fingers in the frenzied Lion’s Den line during Meal Equiv, you start adding up your meal prices in your head. “How much will I go over Meal Equiv? Do I have enough points?”
Even with the $0.25 increase, it ultimately does not compensate for the other skyrocketing food prices on campus. Perhaps you want to treat yourself to a Strawberry Banana Naked drink but not during the hours of Meal Equiv. Or as tragic as it seems, what if a particular class schedule does not leave a student with time to experience the hustle and bustle of Meal Equiv? Swipe, swipe, swipe go our student IDs, and bye, bye, bye go our points. With very few stores, supermarkets or restaurants within walking distance of campus, a majority of students’ only options for food are the on-campus facilities. Is it fair to us that the foods be overpriced? Whether students start out with 400 or 150 Carte Blanche points, the points still have to last them the entirety of the semester, and with $5 for a fresh fruit cup or $5.89 for a pint of ice cream, our points are being depleted. Think of how much less these foods cost at the supermarket. As the semester ends, students go on the prowl for points — their accounts drained for some by irresponsible spending, and for many, the overpriced food here.
Bottom line, thank you Meal Equiv Gods for the $0.25 increase, and continue to raise it if you please. But as for the rest of the food on campus, it would be greatly appreciated if the prices would stop rising and even possibly be lowered. Our hungry tummies and Carte Blanche points will thank you.
(04/22/14 10:13pm)
Campus flooded with chants such as “2-4-6-8, no more date rape” or “people unite, take back the night,” as the 21st annual Take Back the Night took place on Thursday, April 17, in the AIMM Amphitheater.
Take Back the Night was created in order to address all forms of violence against women.
This powerful night kicked off with a series of startling statistics to illustrate the dangers of domestic abuse women encounter.
One statistic that made its mark in the audience’s mind is that “on the (College) campus, one in four women and one in 10 men will experience sexual violence.”
The audience members were then given candles to hold up high as they marched around campus. This group of both survivors and supporters let it be known that domestic violence needed to be stopped, as they bellowed a series of chants against date rape.
After making their march across campus, the audience returned to the AIMM Amphitheater for a special guest speaker. Crystal Leigh Endsley graced the podium as she treated the audience to some spoken-word poetry. This Penn State women’s studies instructor and recipient of numerous awards and honors in the women’s study and playwriting category used spoken-word poetry to illustrate her experiences with sexual abuse.
“I never wanted to write poetry, I just wanted to express my pain,” Endsley said.
She told the tragic tale of her high school boyfriend who took advantage of her in the worst way possible and then told her there was “nothing to love here.”
For years, Endsley had blamed the incident on herself — she believed that she would never be loveable. She began dressing more open and became more promiscuous, believing that “if (she gave) it to them, they can’t take it.”
However, all along she was just searching for the thing that her high school boyfriend had stolen from her. She found her voice through spoken-word poetry, the voice that ultimately was silenced during her painful encounter.
As Endsley wrapped up her story, she opened the floor to any other brave souls who wanted to share their experiences with domestic violence.
Members of the audience began opening up, telling stories of sexual violence encounters with friends, a nanny and even their own family members.
Chelsea VanOrden, a junior women’s and gender studies major, was impacted the most during this part of the night.
“You really felt like you were a part of their lives,” she said.
The night closed on a more positive note, as Robbin Loonan, coordinator of the Anti-Violence Initiatives at the College, opened up her door and her email inbox to anyone who needed to share any experiences they may have had.
She reminded the audience that they needed to speak out and regain their voice — something that had ultimately been taken away from them.
All in all, it was a very powerful night for both survivors and supporters.
All proceeds from the night will go Providence House, a nonprofit organization that works to end domestic abuse while providing a safe haven from abuse.
(04/15/14 5:14pm)
Whether they were painting pastels, fashioning beads together or creating tools, Mercer County residents and the College’s most creative gathered together in the Education Building room 212 on Monday, April 7, to unfold their artwork.
Hosted by the College’s Students for Disability Awareness Club, all the work exhibited was created by individuals with disabilities in an effort to eradicate any negative stigmas associated with being disabled.
The art show displayed numerous different types of art, from paintings, to jewelry, to even tools.
While many artists create art to please the eye, other artists form art for a specific reason. Freshman undecided major Kristen Windram, for example, created a still-life in memory of her best friend who had passed away due to breast cancer. Windram said she had a love of art ever since she was little, and she was further inspired by her mom and high school art teacher.
Senior Mallika Desai, a member of the Career and Community Studies (CCS) program, also had a passion for art at a very young age. Desai revealed that she started painting her brilliant acrylic paintings in ’97. As a child, she enjoyed learning new techniques in art class and had always found painting so relaxing.
“Vincent Van Gogh and Monet are my inspiration,” she said.
Furthermore, Julia Sternlieb, a junior and also a member of the CCS program, bedazzled art-show goers with her collection of bracelets and necklaces. At age 13, she was searching for a new hobby and discovered it in a jewelry-making kit. On average, it takes her crafty hands about an hour to make one of her stylish bracelets.
The art show also featured a colorful drip art series created by the Arctists Collective by The Arc Mercer. This organization of Mercer County provides social, recreational and vocational opportunities to individuals with disabilities. The Drip Art Series was composed of both individual paintings and collaborative paintings.
Daniel Lapidow, a sophomore in the CCS program, discovered his interest to become a blacksmith at age seven on a visit to a farm. Two years later, at age nine, he had hammered and nailed his way up to being a member of the New Jersey Blacksmith Association. Today, Lapidow can be found in the Hebrew Hammer Blacksmith Shop in Lawrenceville making tools.
All in all, the art show was a very creative and flattering-to-the-eyes experience. Stay tuned to see what these crafty individuals have in store for next year’s Disability Art Awareness show.
(04/01/14 1:42pm)
After a night filled with laughs, competition and, of course, talent, Alpha Epsilon Pi’s Sam Waxenbaum, a political science major, became royalty, when on Wednesday, March 26, the sophomore class council officially crowned Mr. 2016 in room 202 of the Brower Student Center.
But before Waxenbaum accepted his crown, he competed against nine other of his sophomore peers for the noble title.
The night commenced with the talent portion, in which each contestant performed a talent of their choice for the audience.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Alex Brune kicked off the show as he strutted on stage in style, wearing a black wig and a cheetah dress. He was Cher, as he rocked out to the classic tune “Believe.”
Football’s Connor Mulholland performed a different type of talent, as he wowed the audience with his ability to catch Munchkins and Swedish Fish in his mouth.
The audience was brimming with laughter as baseball’s Evan Edelman took the stage. He treated the audience to a stand-up comedy act, which shed a light on the DMV’s point system and the FBI’s point system.
The laughs continued as Alpha Chi Rho’s Jordan Roe performed a dramatic reading of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.”
Phi Alpha Delta’s Salvatore Michael also graced the audience with his performance of “Let it Go” from “Frozen.”
The soon-to-be-announced winner, Waxenbaum, belted his heart out to “She’s a Goddess.”
The talent portion concluded with Phi Kappa Tau’s Steven Cohen, as he busted a move with his partner in crime, “Kiki,” to the “Yes” dance.
Other acts of the night included club soccer’s Elbert Flores Gomez, who pulled a Miley Cyrus as he twerked across the stage, Jimmy Jaramuzchett as he played guitar and sang to everyone’s favorite song, “Story of A Girl,” and Mitch Miller, who showed some country flare as he harmonized to Luke Byran’s “Country Girl.”
Then came the question portion of the competition. Each contestant was asked a different random question to see if they were the right fit for Mr. 2016.
Some highlights include Mulholland, who when asked what the biggest part of his body was, he answered with his heart, or Cohen, who when asked if he could have a Freaky Friday switch with a woman, he responded he would switch bodies with the Olsen twins, since he never knew which one was which on “Full House.”
Furthermore, when asked what fruit he would choose to have sex with, Michael explained that he would pick a lemon in order “to test (his) toughness.”
As the talent section wrapped up, the money was counted up to see which contestant raised the most. During the show, buckets were passed around and audience members were invited to donate to the contestant whom they thought was the best. All the proceeds would go to the charity of the contestant’s choice.
At last, there was a winner. This ACT and TMT member was awarded the crown and announced as Mr. 2016.
Waxenbaum was speechless, claiming he never expected to win Mr. 2016.
All proceeds collected for Waxenbaum will go to the Covenant House Charity.
Furthermore, now that Mr. 2016 is crowned, who will follow in his footsteps next year and become Mr. 2017? Guess we’ll just have to find out and see.
(03/04/14 7:04pm)
Parents are always telling their children that people cannot make a living doing art. However, that didn’t stop Hans Haacke as he created his way to success. The College welcomed this crafty German artist to the Education Building on Monday, Feb. 24, as part of the Visiting Artist Series.
Known for unique ways of exploring natural and social processes in his art, he treated the audience to a “show and tell” of some of his favorite pieces.
He began by presenting “Blue Sail,” a picture consisting of a blue chiffon sheet being blown up in the air by a fan. What seemed like a simple picture bedazzled the audience. He also showed his work titled “The Invisible Hand of the Market,” which stressed the importance of the concept of industry.
Haacke continued with a photograph of a 3-year-old boy wearing a T-shirt with the word “Paradise” on it. Originally, the photo was aimed at portraying the boy, but he later decided to make the boy’s T-shirt the center of the photo.
He showed another photograph of a rainbow that he had taken. In the background, there was a construction crane. At first, Haacke was bothered by the crane in the back of the picture and wanted to wipe it out digitally, but he decided to keep it and grew to love the photograph.
Likewise, Haacke also presented pictures with a collage effect. He combined everyone’s favorite donut-eating cartoon
character, Homer Simpson, into a portrait of “The Last Supper.”
He even showed photos of people looking at art and photos of colorful lego and puzzle pieces sprawled across the ground.
Haacke strived to create art that was more than pleasing to the eyes, but was also pleasing to the mind. He wanted to teach lessons in his work.
He further explained to the audience that some of his work was censored in museums, which shocked him. He never
considered his work to be objectionable.
He even revealed how the curator of a museum was fired when he stood up for Haacke’s work.
Overall, it was a very creative and artsy night.
In remarks to the presentation, senior philosophy major Stephanie Chou said, “He does an amazing job of putting what
is available to us in context, and he never implicates what should or should not be done.”
(11/06/13 9:29pm)
Teenage girls everywhere tuned in on Tuesday, Oct. 22 as ABC Family aired “Grave New World,” the third Halloween special for “Pretty Little Liars.”
This episode marked the halfway point of season four and introduced a new show, “Ravenswood,” which features Hanna Marin’s very own man candy, Caleb Rivers.
This particular “Pretty Little Liars” episode took place in Ravenswood, a rather spooky and chilling town not too far from the girl’s hometown of Rosewood.
Throughout the episode, the “Liars” were on a mission to get to their friend Alison before “A” got to her.
Although there were many clues that hinted to Alison still being alive, it was surreal for the girls to see her. After all, they had attended her funeral years ago.
The episode also shed a light on Miranda Collins. Caleb meets her on a bus to Ravenswood and they start to get friendly — maybe a little too friendly for a guy with a girlfriend.
They both share a foster home background. In fact, Miranda is going to Ravenswood in hopes of meeting her uncle, her only living relative.
Caleb and Miranda do go their separate ways once they arrive in Ravenswood but are reunited again later with Hanna.
Hanna is very eager to return to Rosewood with her friends. She tells Caleb he must stay in Ravenswood with a new character, Miranda, and help her.
The couple shares their last kiss for a while and Hanna leaves Ravenswood. Fingers crossed, this won’t mean a split for Hanna and Caleb!
All in all, the “Pretty Little Liars” Halloween special did a tip-top job of setting the scene for the new hit show, “Ravenswood,” but it most definitely failed to beat last year’s episode featuring the Halloween Train. After all, Aria almost died.
This episode featured mostly only the girls, Caleb, Miranda, a little bit of Ezra and, of course, Alison. The episodes are better when all the characters are there. Seriously, how’s Toby, Hanna’s mom or Mona? The girls need to stay in Rosewood. No more field trips to other towns.
Don’t fret, though — “Ravenswood” is here. Spin-off shows usually can’t compare to the original, but “Ravenswood” is a close contender. With more of a mystery component than “Pretty Little Liars,” this show will give you goosebumps and keep you on the edge of your seat.
This new series focuses on five teenagers. Caleb and Miranda are two of them. Also, siblings Luke and Olivia, whose mother is thought to have murdered their father, are two others. In addition, the show introduces Remy, Luke’s girlfriend, who works at the newspaper, The Ravenswood Gazette.
Together these teens find themselves at the center of a curse. In Ravenswood there have been several strange occurrences in which five teenagers die as a soldier returns home to Ravenswood.
This wouldn’t be a problem if Remy’s mother hadn’t just returned from Afghanistan.
To make things worse, by the end of the premiere episode, Remy, Caleb, Miranda, Luke and Olivia are all in a car that swerves off a bridge and into a body of water.
Now, it wouldn’t be much of a show if all the main characters died in the very first episode. I’ll let you know they’re all in the second episode, but let’s just say not all of them are physically alive. Creepy, right?
All in all, “Ravenswood” is most definitely a good watch. Unlike “Pretty Little Liars,” which is geared toward a more female audience, “Ravenswood” might even get some attention from the male population.
It also shows how much Caleb has grown in the past couple of years. He went from sleeping in Hanna’s basement to a main character in “Ravenswood.” Furthermore, Hanna is set to appear on the fifth episode of “Ravenswood,” and there is talk of crossover episodes between the two shows.