As summer quickly approaching, some students that stick around the campus may be wondering what is there to do in Atlantic City. Atlantic City specifically because all of summer housing will be at the Stockton Residence Hall at the Gateway Campus. So I am here to tell you about the top 5 things to check out during your stay at one of the newest “hotels” in the area.
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Growing up, the thought of traveling abroad had never crossed my mind. My
family did not have a history of traveling to foreign lands, in fact, we had a history of living on a small island and staying there. In high school, people told stories of going on cruises, or taking trips to Europe, or visiting places that seemed far away like Florida, or California. But I never experienced these things until 19, when I first experienced a trip that was further than the tri-state area. I had an opportunity to live in Texas for 6 months, followed by living in Southern California for 4 years. During this time, I finally traveled overseas, but it was more for business and less for pleasure. Once I moved back to New Jersey in 2016, it appeared that my traveling days were over. Then, in Spring of 2018 I received an opportunity of a lifetime and had the chance to go and travel all through Greece and the island of Ithaca for 12 days, PAID FOR. It was such an experience. I then was able to go again the following fall, first thanks to a class that is offered at Stockton titled Worlds of Homer. And the second time was with a Professor in the Arts and Humanities Department with some pretty spectacular people. I fell in love with traveling, and now want to put my passport to the best use it can be used. The reason I am sharing this with you is because if you have the opportunity to travel abroad, JUMP at it. Brush off any fears, or doubts, or negative thoughts and just go. Buy that passport, and set goals to see the world. Experience other cultures and countries. Don't just be tourist and see what it is you traveled to see, take the path less traveled and see whatever it is you see. It may seem impossible in college, but there are many study abroad programs, countless faculty led programs, and some courses that have a traveling aspect to it. But if you can, save money and create your own plans to go where you truly want to go. Learn from others all around the world, immerse yourself into diversity and do not judge. It is a freeing experience and one that reminds you that there is a reason your heart is pumping. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad Anxiety in college can seem almost normalized, especially with the constant stressors and fears of failing. But some of these “anxiety symptoms” can be over-exaggerated. We usually see this happen when you hear your classmate say “That quiz almost gave me a panic attack”; or when your roommate says “The RA’s just give me so much anxiety, it's not even funny”. But to some other students, anxiety is terrifyingly real. So much so that students can have diagnosed panic disorders, or different types of anxiety disorders. (GAD, “Generalized Anxiety Disorder”, OCD “Obssesive Compulsive Disorder”, PTSD “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”, and Social Phobia or “Social Anxiety Disorder”). I myself am in the latter group, and if you find yourself in that group then there may be a few takeaways from this blog!! Here are 5 tips to help cope with anxiety! *Be advised, I am not a licensed psychologist and the advice given here is to help cope with anxiety. Please be mindful when reading through my survival guide* Tip Numero Uno- Be cognizant of what you are putting into your body, This means to be aware of what you are drinking and eating. It may seem simple and almost ridiculous, but many foods that can increase symptoms of anxiety contain caffeine or even alcohol. The stimulating effects of caffeinated foods and beverages can increase feelings of nervousness, irritability, and even shaking or trembling. Alcohol can “dehydrate you and increase these sensations as well. Tip Number two: Pick things up and put things down Can exercise be more effective than medication? According to the Huffington Post, research has suggested this to be the case. Creating a regular routine of cardiovascular and weight training exercises have shown to improve mood, reduce stress, and increase energy levels. This can even reduce physical pain symptoms that one may be feeling. This is my own personal way of coping with stress and it helps me tremendously. Turn that stress and frustration into a healthy outlet. The hardest part about the gym is starting, so get out there and get to it. Tip Nummer Drei: SLEEP MORE! As college students, this may be one we tend to take for granted the most. My goodness what I would do to go back to pre-k and have nap time in college now. *Crying intensifies* But seriously, disrupted sleep and poor sleep schedules can add on to these anxiety symptoms and stressors. Losing just a few hours of sleep can increase stress, sadness, exhaustion and anger. So practice a bedtime ritual, something relaxing right before bed that will help you get to sleep faster. Avoid naps in the afternoon; utilize your bed for sleep and sex only as to associate your bed with sleep; and exercise ! (It's so nice its mentioned twice) Tip Bilang Apat: Remind yourself that you are okay and these feelings will pass Everyone in the world experiences stress in some fashion or another, but it is up to you as to how you will let your mind and body react to it. Recognize that it is okay to feel the way you are feeling and that you are experiencing something that is commonly referred to as anxiety. TRY not to argue against it, and instead lean forward into the scary place of anxiety. Although uncomfortable, acknowledging that you are feeling anxious will help activate the body’s natural relaxation response! SCIENCE. Tip Number Five: Find ways to relax your mind and body
Most sensations of anxiety are actually our body’s natural “fight or flight” response being kicked into high gear due to stress for no apparent reason sometimes. Sometimes, the stress just needs to be something that is imagined, such as presenting in front of a large group and bombing or thinking you will fail an exam. But there are a few techniques that can help:
Getting involved on campus can be one of the most difficult things for a student to achieve while in college. Education should always take priority when attending a 4 year institution but never rule out the absolute importance of getting involved. There are so many clubs and organizations that students can choose to be apart of, and if you find yourself not resonating with one in particular, you can create your own. There is way more to clubs and organizations . Here are just 5 of the biggest things a student can take away from getting involved on campus. 1) Leadership traits Being a leader can come in many different styles and with many different attributes. But one thing is for certain, having leadership skills is an absolute must. Clearpointstrategy.com talks about the 5 characteristics of a good leader so it would only be right to let you know what those top 5 things are in a top 5 list of top 5 things (whew that was a lot): 1. Communication Skills- Being in a club requires tons of communication. Within members and between the executive board and its members, this is a top attribute that one can gain while in a club and as a potential employee in the job market, this will make you stand out. 2. Passion & Commitment- Would you join a club or organization and dedicated hours upon hours of your time if you were not passionate or committed? Didn't think so. 3. Positivity- A positive attitude is contagious, and once you are involved more on campus, you will find yourself having much more fun and feeling more connected. In work space, positive attitudes one must have - Confucius I think. 4. Innovation- CREATIVITY *Spongebob Imagination Voice*. Thinking outside the box is a skill that many do not necessarily grasp. Begin your journey on creative thinking by using those attributes when setting up events & programs, recruiting, planning and even advertising for a club or organization. 5. Collaboration- Life is all about collaboration. Much like the great collaborations of ‘Ye and Jay-Z, Drake & Future, & Taio Cruz and Ludacris (If you don't know who they are you have to ask yourself if you REALLY know music) employers and those you network with want to ensure that you are open minded and willing to cooperate. Getting involved is just the first step in all these leadership skills. 2) Life Saving Skills Yes, you read that right. Skills that you can learn on How to Save a Life. (Cue The Fray). You can learn soft skills that can help de-escalate a situation which in turn can lower the probability for something bad to happen and for someone to potentially get hurt. Or perhaps you may involve yourself with an organization such as EMS where you will actually learn life saving techniques and could even get certified as an EMT. Talk about goals. 3) Finding yourself Most first year college students hate to admit it, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you do not have it all figured out. I promise you. There is so much more to learn, so many different ways to grow, and progressive levels of bettering oneself. Perhaps you were shy in high school and are just now breaking down walls and wanting to create new friendships. Perhaps you just went from being the most popular kid at school to knowing absolutely noone. Or perhaps, you are a non-traditional college student now and are just trying to find ways to connect and fit in. Whatever the reason, finding yourself doesn’t just have to be a deep, internalized reflection. You might find a little of yourself in others and/or find yourself in a club, fraternity/sorority, or organization. Deeply rooting your ideals, virtues, and perhaps even culture on campus. 4) Networking It’s not just about who you know, but who knows you. Networking is preached at every single job training, conference, interaction, meeting.. Actually, almost every waking moment of your life can be deemed as an opportunity for one to network. This creates connections and creates the spaces for you to not only meet others, but come out with something from the interaction. Whether a business card, job opportunity, or knowing somebody who knows somebody, networking is harped upon because it actually is that important. 5) Experience
Lastly, you take away the greatest thing one can receive from life itself, and that is the experience. Learning about yourself, networking, finding yourself, these are all a big part of life and you can begin to chisel away at it all by getting involved on campus. Whether creating a relationship with someone who may be your “best-person” at your wedding, connecting with someone who becomes a future employer, or perhaps creating a connection with a faculty member who ends up writing you that extraordinary letter of recommendation that gets you into Grad School, it all starts by choosing to do something. So go out and get involved, make a difference in not just your own life, but maybe in someone else’s. By giving to something bigger than yourself, you not only better yourself but you also put good vibes out into the universe. The universe does speak back, sometimes we just need to take a second and listen |
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