One Week to Go

There is officially only one week left of school and it certainly evokes a bunch of different feelings within me. Half of me is extremely excited to begin my summer and the other half of me will miss Manhattanville and the friends that I have made here. Summer is tough because you do not get a chance to see the same people that you have been used to seeing on a daily basis for months. I have been very used to eating my three meals with the same bunch of friends and sharing our funny mishaps that occur throughout the week.

Being home for the summer definitely has its perks. Sleeping in my own bed, and plunging into the full refrigerator every 5 minutes are enticing thoughts. Life at home is much more relaxing on the mind and it helps me to escape the drama that occurs every 2 seconds here on this small campus. Living on such a small campus creates many problems and certainly MANY rumors.

While on campus, I have finalized some plans that I had lingering for the summer. I booked my European vacation to Italy for 2 weeks in June, and found myself a little job coaching soccer to young children. I hope that throughout the summer I can find more of a full time job coaching because that id what I truly love to do. I also decided to play with my PDL soccer team, the Westchester Flames. This Semi-Pro team does much traveling on the East Coast and gives me a chance to visit some states that I would not normally visit.

With one week left to go before my summer begins, I have to make sure that all of my final exams go smoothly and that all of my lingering assignments are completed. I also have to make sure that everything is moved out of my room, a seemingly never-ending task! Being a part of the soccer team, I have to make sure that the off season assignments are picked up and followed through out the summer.

Junior year of college has been a special experience for me thus far, but it was not easy. I think that it has been the most stressful year so far, so maybe some really cold Iced Tea by the beach will do me some good! I know that once I drop the last bag off in my room at home, and take a good look around and see how neat and quiet it is, I will miss the 5 roommates that I have at school. Most people think that I am crazy for feeling this way but I enjoy being around people. Silence to me is a killer and it makes me think too much!

Unwanted and Unnecessary Stress

This time of the year for students is probably the most stressful and hectic. The period of final exams for college students is the worst time of the semester because everyone is trying to get the credits that they need to move on with their studies. The final exams of second semesters are always crazier than those of the first semester because school is over and closed before students get their grades. This makes life difficult on students because if there are last minute thigns that need to be handed in, or discussions that need to take place over grades, teachers are no where to be found. All in all, final examinations are terrible, but those of the second semester are 100x worse!

I feel like this semester has been one filled with unwanted stress and pressure, more so than any other semester in my college career. This is a product of classes with tons of homework and group assignments. Group assignments are the most difficult because students all have their own lives, and their own seperate busy schedules, so agreeing to specific times for meeting has been such a hassel. I think that I have consumed more REDBULL and coffee this spring semester than I have in a very long time. I needed these stimulants to stay awake during the long study nights in the library. This semester, soccer was not even in season, but the weightlifting and indoor games took up so much of my time that sometimes my grades were affected by it.

Stress is probably the single most detremental factor to a person, and a student in particular. According to Medicine.net , stress is defined as : "Stress is simply a fact of nature—forces from the outside world affecting the individual." Juggling a social life, an academic one and an athletic one, along with balancing a family life is so much to handle. There were many times this semester when I felt like it was just a huge weight on my shoulder and I was at the breaking point. To handle my stress, I would often go out for a jog or lay outside on the grass and stare up at the sky. I definately feel that when I get overwhlemed, being around people is something I try and avoid. People just put too many thoughts into my head and just add to the frustration. Stress, in my opinion, is one of the most dangerous "illnesses" that exist because it makes people do crazy things. When people feel like their back is against the wall, they will do ANYTHING to ease that pressure. I am grateful that my stress was over nothing major and that I did not have to do anything crazy to relieve that.

With the year comming to a close, my stress this week is still at al all time high, but after this upcomming week, I am positive that I will feel better and that I will have the whole summer to soak up the sun and drink ice tea by the pool. I have a nice vacation to look forward to and many ideas to make my summer an interesting one.

My Heritage

I think that it is definately important for someone to stay close to their cultural roots and really get to know what their heritage is. People today have really lost a sense of cultural identity and have ignored where their ancestors came from. Everything from learning through books and photos to hearing stories and visiting homelands are great ways to never really forget who you are as a person of a cultural background.

I am of Italian decent and my family definately makes sure that I never forget it! My family is really not your average Italian family because they pride themselves on being not Italian-American, but Italian! We still make our very own tomato sauce and wine seasonally, and curate our own olives and prosciutto in the garage of the house. My family believes in doing these unique activites not only because the food tastes good, but because it keeps a family very close together. In the process of doing these things, the younger generation gets to sit with the older ones and learn of past events and history that made the family who it is today. Through cultural activites such as these, I have grown to appreciate being an Italian and what the Italian people have to endure to become the close-knit community they are today.

When Italians do things, it is always in excess! There is never a dish on Sunday afternoon that is not over-flowing with pasta, and never a household that is not playing an Eros Ramazzotti cd while they are getting dressed. I have been to plenty of weddings and parties where the host went above and beyond to show everyone that they had every intention of hosting a good party. One thing I have noticed though, is that Italian's are genuine people who just want to get the most out of life.

I have been to Italy more than a handful of times in my young life, and have already had the opportunity to live there for just about 2 years on my own. This was a great experience for me and really gave me a sense of what being a true Italian really consists of. The ideals and values of the italian people are extraordinary and the lifestyle is so different that the American one. I loved getting up early in the morning and having a freshly brewed cappuccino and hot pastry, while reading the daily sports newspaper. Just walking through the streets, surrounded by such ancient culture, evokes these inexplainable feelings. I wish that all Italian-Americans get a chance to experience what I did, and they would finally really love every aspect of the Italian way of life.

ROOM RAIDERS

This past Monday I was on the MTV Program Room Raiders. Roomraiders is a teen rated show that airs daily from Monday through Friday at 530 pm. A person, whether male or female is selected to browse through the room of three anonymous people and decide which room they like best. After they select a room, they come face to face with the person that they pick for a date.

About a month ago, MTV held a casting call here at Manhattanville College for some fresh new talent for a new season of this long-running show. After the first callback, the MTV crew came to vist my room in my house in the Bronx and decide whether or not my room was what they were looking for. Almost immediately after entering my room, they crew liked what they saw. They appreciated that I not only had my one room, but my own apartment space. After this meeting, I was asked to head to the MTV Studio in Brooklyn for an individual interview of my likes/dislikes in women.

The interview came with some on screen activities that really displayed my outgoing and funny nature. The first day of shooting wass something that I had never experienced before. The MTV Roomraiders production crew came to my room and asked that I leave and not return until they had finished shooting with the girl that would be perusing through all of my drawers. This was really boring for me because they had assigned an intern to hang out with me for the day and act as my chaperone.

The second day of shooting was very interesting because I got a chance to meet the other two guys that were trying to win this date with the girl that was btowsing through the rooms. One of the other males was from Long Island and the other was from New Jersey. It was interesting to have all of us on screen simultaneously because all of our personalities were very different. MTV encouraged us to make fun of one another and give the audience a good laugh, so it never made the atmosphere boring or dull.

When the show aired Monday, I had known the results of the episode but did not tell anyone the outcome. I ended up winning and being selected for a date with the subject. All of my friends and family saw the show and it definately made me feel a bit important, even if it was only for one day.

Being on television is something that I enjoy and could be something that I look into for employment in the future. I feel comfortable being in front of the video camera, and never shy away from the lights!

The Summer is Approaching

There is only about 1 month left of school and it is definitely clear that most of the students here at Manhattanville are eagerly awaiting the sunny days of the summertime. By the looks of students coming out of every classroom on a daily basis, they are frustrated with the amount of work that is being piled on because teachers are rushing to complete their lesson plans before Finals Week. To make matters worse, the weather has not been very good and students have not been able to spend their time outside socializing with their friends, or playing sports. I think that some sort of a release such as this is healthy for students and makes them a bit more tolerant of classes and homework.

Personally, I am exhausted mentally and physically from school and everything that has to do with it. The only bad thing about the summer time is that I do not get to see my friends a often as I do here at school. At Manhattanville, we all eat together everyday and always have a great story to tell. Home can sometimes become lonely and boring. Being at home is definitely a great release from the drama of life at a small school, but i think that I would definitely prefer living amongst my friends and being around people. I am the type of person who like to socialize and be around others, so being home just is never the same.

Finals Week is not something that I even want to think about right now, and I feel as if every teacher is going out of their way right now to remind me of it. I think that if a student has been doing above average all semester long, a final exam will only hurt him/her in the end. I think that finals should be done away with and grades throughout the semester along with attendance should be the main factor in judging a students performance.



There are a few events that mark the end of the semester and I am really looking forward to them. Quad Jam is always the biggest event that grabs everyones attention, but there is also Spring Formal and our Annual Alumni Soccer Game. These events make the semester seem shorter because it gives something to look forward to. I hope that all of these events are as fun as I think that they are going to be.

Summer is the best time of the year, and it is almost here. Summer means less clothes for everyone and that can never be a bad thing! : )

The Manhattanville College women’s Hockey team faced one of their most challenging obstacles of the season when they faced the College of Holy Cross at their home arena on Friday, January 19 2009. The most important battle of the night came off of the ice where they would host their first annual “Think Pink” night to raise money for the fight against breast cancer at Playland’s Ice Casino in Rye, N.Y.

Every thirteen minutes a woman will die from breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second cause of cancer death in women from the ages of 55 to 74. A sold out crowd of all ages pledged to fight these facts and figures.

The proceeds that were collected from the 7pm game were all donated to the “In The Pink Foundation, Inc, a non-profit organization that provides physical and monetary support for young women fighting breast cancer.” The organization’s President, Monique Johnson, is a former student of Manhattanville College.

For one night only, all of the players on the Manhattanville College roster decided to sport pink jerseys, to let the Westchester area know that the breast cancer cause is something quite special to them. “This is a cause that the ladies on our team take very seriously,” said Hannah Muskego, a freshman standout defenseman from Neilburg, Saskatchewan. “The pink jerseys only make our support more visible to the community beyond the Manhattanville College campus.”
Along with the pink jerseys, the ladies of the Manhattanville team all agreed that raffling off one of their game jerseys at halftime would be another way to boost the funds for The Pink Foundation. All around the arena were student vendors selling items to add to proceeds. Many of these items included t-shirts, bracelets and hats.

“Games like this really show how much progress and support can come from a united community. This was a game that made me more emotional than most, and I decided to use these feelings out there on the ice,” said Holly Nonis, Manhattanville’s leading scorer and arguably the ECAC East Conference’s best player. “I hope that other Colleges follow our example and help in the battle to rid the world of breast cancer”

Aside from skating for a commendable cause, this game featured two of the most dominating teams in the ECAC East Conference. The first-place Lady Valiants 13-1-0, 11-1-0 ECAC East) stood toe-toe with the only team that had beaten them all season, The College of Holy Cross (14-0-1, 10-0-1 ECAC East). This premier match-up paired up two teams that were both unbeaten in more than 12 games.

Manhattanville looked good for most of the game, holding onto a 2-1 lead heading into the final minutes of the third period. Shortly after the clock signaled eight minutes left in the game, Holy Cross capitalized on a very rare defensive mistake by the Valiant backline, leveling the game at two. After an overtime battle, the Valiants were defeated by a late goal. Although the home team was bitter about their loss, they were still very glad to have participated in a special event.

“This event really has opened my eyes to the millions of women who suffer from breast cancer,” said Erica Garcia, a sophomore from Highland California. “This game has made me want to get involved within my community here at Manhattanville and in California so that we can quickly find a cure.”

The weeks of planning and mustering school support on behalf of the women’s hockey team was truly evident on that Friday night. Men, women and children of all ages were out in support of finding a cure. An event like this not only appealed to hockey fans, but to humanitarians throughout the tri-state area.

The women’s hockey Valiants have started a remarkable trend within Manhattanville College, sparking huge interest on behalf of other men’s and women’s teams to host their own breast cancer games.

Matters of the Heart

Love is definately one of the most difficult subjects/topics that exists in this universise. It is the most complex idea to grasp and something that I believe people will truly never really understand. Young adults my age boast of finding love every day, whether it is a significant other on campus, or someone they have waiting for them back at home. I walk around this small campus and very often seen couples walking hand in hand, or sneaking one last smooch before heading to their next class. I honestly think that this is all fine and dandy, but I do NOT think that these people have the slightest idea of what love really is.

I believe that I do not totally grasp the whole idea of what love is, but I think that if someone really takes the time out to examine it and what it entails, they have a slight edge over someone who has not. Love is not simply the attraction to one's opposite and the desire to be around them 24/7, but rather an understanding of the self, and how that other person fits into it. When someone has finally found love, it is probably the most gratifying feeling on the face of the earth. Achieving the feeling once you have found someone is not hard, but actually finding THAT PERSON is what most people have trouble with.

People in today's world try and live their lives according to what they hear and see on television and radio. Everyone wants a fairytale ending to their love lives, and are in a great hurry to get it. Because of this, people really do not take the time out to really gain an adequate understanding of the other person. They simply know that they are very attracted to the other person and that he/she makes them smile. This is not enough. Alot of time must be spent with this other person, and in my opinion years, to really love someone. During this time, one learns of the other's good qualities and bad qualities, great attributes and the not so great ones. People are in such a rush to achieve that 24/7 love drama they see on FRIENDS, that purposefully overlook the qualities that they would never accept in any other person.

Love comes with experice and hardship, as well as with communication and fun times. There is no possible way that young adults my age can really know what love is, because for someone of us, we have never known what it is like to fall for someone before, so the first time it happens, we are convinced that this girl or guy is the one they will love forever. Young people are delusional and this will never change. All of us want someone that we can lay with at night and share secrets with, or hold hands at a ball game, but we just go about it in the wrong ways.

I, along with countless others have been the subject of heartbreak, but I have come to the realization that it was because things were rushed. I was in such a need for a female to share experiences with, that in actuality, I was only hurting myself in the long run. When that person comes along, things will just feel easy. A smile will automatically creep along your face when you least expect it, and butterflies will float around in your stomach. These are all good things, but you have to see if they last. I you can honestly wake up everyday and feel those things constantly then you are on your path to finding true love. Love comes with experience and age. So if you think that you are very much in love now, wait it out and see if it lasts.

Definate Destinations

At the age of 21 I can say that there is much traveling that I wish to do before I ever decide to settle down. I think that it is very important for a young adult to get out into the world and travel outside of the United States. Exposing one self to other countries and cultures builds a greater understanding of how the world exists simultaneously with yours. Many people spend their whole lives where they were born and raised and new see anything more than their own house and neighborhood. The world is a vast and rich place and is just waiting to be discoverd by someone with an open mind. My desire to travel and see many different countries is to challenge myself to work through the language barrior. I have always been to places where I was able to communicate and get my message across without having to try so hard. Being of Italian descent, my family travels frequently from here to Italy and vice versa. The language has never been a problem as I was taugh the Italian language at a young age. Sometimes this can get boring and I wish for a new challenge. I would love to visit Greece and try and ask someone where the good resturants are, or visit Spain and converse with someone out on the street about sports. I was taught at a very young age to appreciate other cultures and how to submerse yourself in them, even for a short amount of time. I love cuisine from all parts of the world, and love trying new things that are native to those lands.

There is absolutely nothing worse than people who poke fun of other countries and lifestyles, ESPECIALLY if they have never experienced it first hand or even visited that particular country. As a young adult at a college, I here the ignorant comments on a daily basis from my peers about other ethnicities and ways of life. It is an ever-growing trend for people to talk wrecklessly about others when in fact they know nothing about what they are talking about.

Some places that I wish to vist are Greece, Spain, Prague, South Africa, Japan and Austrailia. These are deemed as some of the most spectacular places on earth and I am upset to say that I have not yet seen them. I am anxious to swim in the clear waters of Greece and see the bullfights in Spain. I want to witness the historical landmarks in Prague and witness the sunset in South Africa. Japan and Australia, the furthest of the places that are high on my list, intrigue me the most because of their distance. I want to eat real Japanese sushi and lay in the sands of the Australian beaches.

The world is a very large place and I can sit here and make a list of 100 places that I want to see while I still have the opportunity to do so. I urge all of you to feel the same. To want something more than to just look out of your window and see the same scenery that you have glanced at since you can remember. Get out and see the world, because who knows how long we will have the priviledge to do so!

Spring Break

My Spring Break vacation from Manhattanville College has gotten off to an interesting start. The last day of classes came and went, and before I knew it I was at LaGuardia Airport eagerly awating the departure of my flight to Kansas City, MO. Yes, it is a very interesting choice for a Spring Break destination, but I was there with one goal in mind. To play well! I was headed to Kansas City for a Professional Tryout with the Kansas City Wizards of the Major League Soccer Organization. I had planned to take this trip for some time and now the time came for me to showcase who I was as a player for a coaching staff that did not know me.

Through out the whole plane ride, I closed my eyes and filled my mind with things that I wanted to do out on the field, and how I was going to go about impressing a coaching staff that sees players like me on a daily basis. Three hours later, the plane had touched down at KCI and my little journey had begun. I had decided to arrive a day early so that I could mentally prepare and get some good meals in my stomach before the tryout. Looking out my window, I already had my mind made up about Kansas City. That it was a city much different from NYC and it would take some getting used to.

I woke up nice and early on Saturday, ready for a full day of soccer. I have been training for this day for quite some time, and I had only one thing on my mind, to dominate. Simply playing and being a part of the experience was not enough for me, I wanted something more. That feeling of knowing that you played well and were a step above the others, is a sensation unlike any other.

A whole day of soccer had passed and I was definately satisified with how i displayed myself to the coaching staff. I walked off of the soccer fied, cleats over my shoulder, and a smile on my face, knowing that there was nothing more that I could do. When you leave no doubts and play with courage, heart and desire everytime you're out there, there is nothing more you can ask for.

Sunday was another day to play, and the rest was to relax and prepare for the flight back home on Monday. I found the resturant that served the biggest steak and treated myself to an expensive dinner. Here I am, straight from the plane to my computer to let you all know how it went!

YOU ARE FAT!

It has become clear and evident that the United States of America is filled with people who just love to eat and are not concerned with the after-effects. If one really takes the time to really look around, they will see that ever other person in their community is over weight! I can not go anywhere and not notice that someone is above the suggested weight for their age or gender. As I sit on the train on my way to New York City, I sit in awe at how people have little regard for their bodies. It is not only how one portrays themselves to the world around them, but it is simply not safe if they wish to live a long life. The United States of America, in some way or another, promotes this laziness and complacency for heavy citizens. 24 hour fast food chains, the reliance on a vehicle to get everywhere, and the infinite number of Plus sizes in the stores get people comfortable with being overweight. If someone is hungry at 2am, they can just head to the McDonald’s down the block and binge until they feel full. Cars and buses have become such an integral part of American life that people have forgotten what it is like to ride a bicycle or walk! Lastly, these plus size stores are just making men and women ok with being as large as they are. The stores like Dress Barn Plus and such are making women say that it is ok to wear a XXL size shirt. News flash, it is NOT ok. Bigger is NOT more beautiful! These people need to realize that they do not meet healthy standards and action must be taken in order to safe their lives!

Obesity has no healthy effects and only leads to things like heart disease, diabetes, high blood-pressure, breast and colon cancer, and gallbladder disease. This is only a short list as there are an infinite number of harmful effects that being obese has on the human body. I do not understand why, knowing that they are obese, people still continue their bad habits. It makes me angry to see someone go into a Burger King, order a full tray worth of hamburgers and deserts, then say “Oh, May I have a DIET COKE?” Are you kidding me! You eat so unhealthy and disgusting and then you want to cut calories on a soda! Incredible.

If you are overweight, stop thinking that it is ok and beautiful. If you do not think that and are simply lazy, get up and hit the gym because your life is on the line. If you are disgusted and depressed and have given up, believe that there is always time for change. It is never too late!

Italian Soccer vs. English Soccer

The Italian Soccer League or the Serie A is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system. It is definately regarded as one of the most prestigious leagues in the footballing world. Historically, Serie A has produced the highest number of European Cup finalists. In total, Italian clubs have reached the final of the competition on 25 different occasions, winning it 11 times.

The Italian League hosts some of the world's most famous clubs : Juventus, Milan, Inter and Roma to name a few. Many of the worlds best play in the italian championship displaying their skill on a week to week basis. More players have won the prestigious Ballon d'Or (Best player in the world for that year) while playing int he Serie A than any other league in the world. Hosting the most successful teams on the planet, the Serie A hosts Milan (6 international titles) and Juventus who is tied for 3rd in Europe in international titles won.

The Italian Soccer league is known for its tight scoring games and lockdown defenses. The fans are among the most passionate, selling out crowds every Sunday afternoon and evening. Italian fans stick with their hometown teams and bleed their respective colors.

English soccer on the other hand is quite different from that of Italian soccer. English soccer only has one upper hand on Italian soccer, and that it the amount of money that the owners have. Owners of English clubs splurge millions of dollars quartly on players with no regard on price tags. This comes as a result of sponsorships from around the world, and much more television rights than the italian league. For the average soccer fan, English soccer seems to be more exciting, but that is clearly not the case to anyone who really understands the game. It is all about the kick and run and hope that something good comes from the action. English fans are simply delusional people who do not understand that their are other ways of playing soccer, besides their own.

For the English, this upcoming week is a rude awakening where all of the Italian clubs are matched up against English ones in the worlds most competitive competition, the Champions League. This will be the week where Italian can wave their flags high, and prove to the world who the best really is!

Manhattanville Men's Soccer

Today is February 20, 2009 and I officially finished another grueling week of offseason activities. Since the soccer season begins in September and finishes in late November, the road to the next season is long, hard and tiresome. My Junior season with the team was a successful one as I became comfortable in my Left Defensive position. I started most of the games before a groin injury forced me to miss 3 games in the home stretch of the season. The team lost in the semi-finals of the Conference Finals, and the season that was suppose to end with an NCAA Championship, came to an end.




Here I am, months later, looking forward to next September already. With this new off-season came new responsibilities as I was elected captain of the new group. This huge responsibility really caught me off guard and was something that I truly did not expect. With this honor, comes just as many problems as does rewards. It is now my job to work the hardest on the team, and provide a good example for the others, many of which are younger and nieve. It has definately been a huge adjustment to being in charge of the other guys, and I think that it is safe to say that it is indeed scary. Obviously I do everything in my power to always remain confident and strong so that others believe in the cause, but many things run through my head on a daily basis. I wonder if the rest of the team really likes me in the leadership role, if I am doing a sufficient enough job, and what I can do better going forward. I think that even more than the physical aspect of the offseason, the mental part of it has been the biggest adjustment.

For an offseason program, our regimen has been particularly tough. We play 4 out of the 5 days a week, two times a day. In each day, we are in the weight room for about an hour-and a half, trying to get better physically. In addition, we are also playing at night for two hours to work on team chemistry and tactics. With all of this comes life as a student. Homework and projects must be fit into this schedule, as well as eating and SLEEP!

I am hoping that all of this work really pays off. I think that with the core group of players that the team has right now, the future looks very bright. ONLY IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS OFFSEASON!

Check out the Manhattanville Men's Soccer Team!

Superficial America

I have come to the sad conclusion that the United States of America is built upon people with superficial dreams and excessive desires. Sometime I sit back and really wonder why other countries in the world hate us so much. And the answer that I come to is that us Americans are so materialistic and money-hungry that we throw away the very morals that we have kept sacred throughout our early lives.

Young people in American Society are bred to appreciate physical appearance and shun those who do not look as good as they do. Muscles and tan skin have become the norm, and anything that differs from that is no good in the girl realm. Guys love girls who appreciate an expensive Gucci bag, and five hundred dollar high heels. Is this really what we have become? Where bigger is always better? Splurging money on electronic toys has become almost an everyday occurrence. It is pathetic that people are not happy with a perfectly functioning 32 inch television, but want the newest 62 inch screen just so theirs is the biggest in the neighborhood.

All of these little excessive behaviors have also translated to a global outlook from and against the rest of the world. The American public is never satisfied with its resources and always seeks out as much as it can get, many times at the expense of other countries. America has become the world’s bully and an entity that is always seeking more and more. Something has to be done to change this mindset because it can only lead to destruction. It can lead to violence from other counties, broken relations, and the scariest thought, implosion. The people itself can cause this once simple, beautiful country to literally self destruct.

Where do we go from here?

NBA SLAM DUNK CONTEST: WHAT A BUST!

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has been an event in which the best high-flying NBA dunkers would show their skills in hopes of winning the first prize trophy. This prestigious event has been showcase to the NBA’s best competitors, including Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb and Shawn Kemp. Men like these would lace up a pair of their newest high top sneakers and would shock the world year in and year out. These dunk specialists would stage slam dunks that the world had never seen before, and at the same time do it with so much ease. I think that I speak for NBA fans everywhere when I say that this is no longer the case. The NBA Slam Dunk Contest is now filled with a bunch of young, rising stars that people really have no interest in. These young flyers barely play any minutes during the season in comparison with the rest of their teammates, but are praised for the 1 dunk that that may land in there extremely little slot of playing time. The Dunk Contest was always the main attraction on All-Star Weekend, and always drew the most TV viewers. Since the mid-1990’s, interest in the contest has waned. Some players cited concerns of injury, and others simply ran out of dunk ideas. With most of the leagues superstars opting not to compete for these reasons, we have resorted to watered down competition. Without the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, the competition is boring and unoriginal. I feel that the NBA should make these players enter into the competition because they are the best at the art of the dunk. If for the whole first half of the season we watch the spectacular dunks of these players, why wouldn’t we the people want to see the best vie for the title? Why would we want to see guys dunk that can not do it, night-in and night-out? These guys need to remember that the fans are what make their millions possible. This is just a small way of saying Thank You, once a year!

Status in the Cafeteria

For all of you who have never bothered to take a look around in the cafeteria during your afternoon lunch break, or crowded dinners, you would realize something that somewhat of a social phenomenon that has been occurring since your early middle school years. The Manhattanville Cafeteria, better know as “The Caf” is socially segregated into a wide range of groups. If a student is standing in the middle of the room and looks to his or her left, he or she would see that the back wall of the dining hall houses its group of rowdy baseball players. Off to their left is the goofy and “joke cracking” soccer team, and at their right the basketball team. In the middle of the left side of “The Caf” sits the towering hockey team, and close by the lacrosse team eats their sandwiches and argue about who had the better Halo score on X Box 360. If the person standing in the middle of “The Caf” gazes over their other shoulder they will see that the right side is filled with the artistic crowd, and those that do not have an exact social group to mesh with. In the back of this side of the cafeteria, one may see a student finishing a book, studying for a test that they have later on in the day, or a discussion about the latest theatre production to hit Manhattanville College. This social segregation in the cafeteria is something that reminds me of my High School and something that I thought I would never see in my college years. This goes to show you that people will only associate themselves with others whom they feel most comfortable with. For someone to sit with another person who they are completely different from, is asking too much from someone who can solve a complicated Statistic equation. It is so easy to strike a conversation with someone who you normally wouldn’t, that I am not sure that people do not do it because of laziness or fear. In any case, if anyone takes a second during their next meal to take a look around they will notice this unbelievable trend that has always been a part of our academic lives for as long as we can remember.

Men's Soccer Helps Homeless

This week was the first mandatory community service project that the Manhattanville Men’s Soccer team completed for the New Year. This cause, Midnight Run, is a service project that Men’s Soccer has been affiliated with for some years now and focuses on bringing homeless people on the streets of Manhattan the necessities that they need to survive another day. The players interact with the homeless community on an intimate level, learning how these peoples’ lives took such a bad turn, and what they are doing to dig themselves out of their current predicament. Being this year’s new captain of the team, it was my job to make sure that all twenty eight members of the team knew the purpose for the trip, and that they all had assigned jobs. These jobs ranged from preparing soup and hot drinks to giving out blankets and sneakers. My job was preparing hot chocolate and handing it out to all those who were in need of a hot drink to warm their frigid and frosty insides. An event like this is something that I feel is not only something quite special, but something that all athletic teams should be a part of. Athletes in a community like Manhattanville are very influential and good deeds like this will create an ongoing trend amongst most of the student body. This project also hit me on a very personal level, and caused me to really appreciate my economical status and social standing in the community. People, most often young adults, take advantage of their surroundings and never really stop and think about the sacrifice and sweat that it takes for them to enjoy the things that they do. This event was a nice “eye-opener” and something that I will definitely continue to do on a more regular basis.

To learn more abut Manhattanville Soccer's relationship with the Duchesne Center check out:

http://www1.mville.edu/Duchesne/aboutus.htm

"No Modifiers!"

Last weekend I found myself arriving late to a birthday party. I was not late because I did not get into the shower on time. I was not lat because I could not find my keys. I was late because I could not find a pair of socks to wear. This all started out as a great day that just took a turn for the worst. Earlier that day, I had returned to my dorm room after just completing my first full week of junior year at Manhattanville College. I placed my book bag on the floor of my room, turned on some tunes on my I-pod, and jumped in the shower with plenty of time to drive to the party. After drying myself off, and picking out something nice to wear, I pulled out my drawer and expected to find it filled with socks. I stuck my hand all the way to the back of the drawer, and still no socks. I had decided to continue getting dressed, leaving the socks for last. With just an hour before the start of the party, I had begun to worry that I would be late because the house was just about an hour away with the car. I decided to ask my roommates if they would lend me a pair, but they had all already left for the weekend. So now here I am with a nice suit and tie on, with no socks! Knowing I would be terribly late if I did not leave within the following minutes, I put on my shoes without and socks and headed for the door. I ended up being 2 hours late for the party anyway because of traffic, and everyone noticed that I didn’t have on any socks!

Leonardo DaVinci

I do think that writing is progressively becoming more visual as the author asserts. I think that with a culture as technological as ours, people are craving more than simple words on a page. In this day and age people have become so frustrated by lengthy reports and sophisticated words, that a clear image would put things into a greater perspective. The visual medium is something very powerful is taken advantage of. I think that it would be a great way for writing to evolve along with people and the times. Obviously, there will always be a place in my heart for a classic novel, but like all things, this too will change. The internet is a powerful tool and can heavily influence people to do certain things. Even if there are a group who remain steady to their old fashioned ideals of words as part of a page in a book, they will be forced to make the change because they masses will make it inevitable. This Da Vinci style of expressing thought visually to an audience helps to provide for a platform for someone else to come along and add to that particular work. When thoughts are integrated like this, it invites others to challenge that specific thought, and go beyond. These thoughts will flow easier without having the writer restricted by columns, but at the same time will not provide for a quick read. Every time that someone picks up a piece of work like this, they will need to dedicate a portion of their time to trying to interpret the information.

Grammar: Good? Bad?

I think that authors who make a strong case for knowing the rules of grammar make a strong point. Too clearly illustrate the authors point of view about certain topics/issues, there needs to be certain grammatical tools that need to be put into effect in order to do so. I think that this creates a certain structure and arrangement that an audience needs in order to completely understand the point that is being made. Knowing the rules of grammar allows an author to reach out to any audience that they wish, and not be constricted to the confines of certain viewers/listeners or readers. It is very nearly impossible to write well without knowing some basics grammar such as: sentence structure, punctuation and spelling. If these elements are missing from a writers’ work, they will not be taken seriously by many. Instead, they will be portrayed as an uneducated person who just decided to wake up one day and ramble. Grammar knowledge also shows a certain level of self-pride in ones work. It shows that the writer took enough time to learn how to get across to his or her audience and to do so in an effective way. It would be extremely frustrating to attempt to read a piece of literature written by an author with a low proficiency in the usage of grammar. One would have to constantly stop and think about what the author is trying to say rather than just letting the meaning jump off the page and into the mind. I think that the people who have gotten used to saying that grammar is something unimportant are those who never really obtain any knowledge of it, and are trying to make a case for their own writing and make in blend in with the grammatically correct works.

Academic/Future Plans

I am currently in the second semester of my junior year of College here at Manhattanville College. My collegiate academic career altered from its original course as I completed my first year of college at Fordham University. Before entering college, I was a four year honor student at Fordham Preparatory High School in the Bronx. I have always taken a great interest in writing courses and I look to continue to write throughout and beyond my academic days. I take an interest in various types of writing, some of which include: Magazine articles, Newspaper articles, and fiction/non-fiction novels. I am a Business Management Major with a double minor in Communication Studies and Sociology. Being a young, spirited overachiever, I would like to simultaneously compete in the professional soccer world, and at the same time, own a successful business. My future plans are all contingent on these classes that I am taking for major and minor credits here at Manhattanville. With the skills that I acquire here at college, I will learn how to progress in the highly competitive business world. With my personal background, and my hunger for greatness, I think that the sky is the limit. This Writing for the Media class will propel my writing style in another direction. I think that it will help to get my ideas to a wider audience and will teach me how to do so to appeal to specific target audiences. I think that many young adults like myself are not used to aiming their thoughts and ideas to a large scale audience and this class will help to build confidence in individual thoughts and writing.