V-Day 2016
A little more than a month ago, a sophomore student approached the Office of Student Activities and asked if it was possible to put on a production of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues.” This is a collection of stories and monologues, turned into a play about women in every aspect. She was worried that it wasn’t possible, or it was inappropriate, or that it would be received negatively on campus. Yet she worked for one solid month, through organization, casting, rehearsals, marketing, and ticket sales to put on two performances on campus, and everyone loved it.
Julia McMurry, the student behind it all, wanted to put together the production in support of Huntingdon House, a non-profit organization in town that provides support for victims of domestic violence. She reached out to the student body and asked if anyone was interested in performing in the piece or working behind the scenes. I jumped at the opportunity to get involved, and auditioned (and was cast!). There were 18 women who were a part of the production, with three additional individuals helping with casting and rehearsals.
We quickly worked to put on the production in a month, working hard in rehearsals and taking time to reflect on what it really means to be a woman. Being in the production allowed me to meet students from all different backgrounds and POEs and really branch out socially. Not only was it an additional performance opportunity for me, but it was a completely different experience than performing in a show through the theatre department.
I’m so honored to have been able to be a part of this production, and the fact that it was entirely student-run and put together in one month brings me so much joy. We had a huge audience for both performances, and we raised $1,087 for Huntingdon House! I hope this becomes a Juniata tradition because I would love to be a part of this production again!
Alternative Spring Break Trip: Bithlo, Florida
This spring break, I decided to participate in a community service trip to Bithlo, Florida. This was mostly because I had never had the opportunity to volunteer, and this was a chance to experience living conditions in other regions of the United States. Technically, Bithlo is part of Orlando, but unlike the booming and wealthy parts of town and the affluence of Disney World, Bithlo is an unincorporated and impoverished community. Bithlo has been neglected after the town went bankrupt in the 1920s, but along with UCF (the University of Central Florida), Millersville University, and other community members, we were able to provide some support to the community by cleaning the gardens, painting houses and aquaponics, and serving as mentors for the students at the local charter school.
When we first arrived, my first instinct was to be with the children, and the experience was wonderful. The kids ranged from kindergarten to 3rd grade and were so full of energy and enthusiasm. They wanted to learn all sort of things, from French to Spanish to Chinese, and even English! Luckily I speak both French and Mandarin and was able to teach them several words. The older students, ranging from 8th to 11th grade, had a great thirst for knowledge. Some of the students had been through many hardships and traumatic experiences at their young age, but I was able to relate to them nevertheless. I remember one student in particular, Stevens, with whom I shared a passion for astronomy, manga, and anime, and I encouraged him to attend college if he wanted to gain in depth knowledge and have access to books about astronomy. Other students aspired to be actors and actresses and video game designers.
One of my favorite memories was our time spent at Cocoa Beach, which was my first time ever to go to the beach! I went to the beach thinking that I would be able to purchase some coconuts, while relaxing on the sand, but there were no coconut trees nor coconut vendors in sight! Although I was very disappointed, I had a good time. At first, the water was very cold and I was scared of the waves because I cannot swim. However, with the help of my friends, I was able to relax and enjoy the gentle waves coming toward me. When I wasn’t in the water, I took a short nap and later convinced Melissa, one of the volunteer UCF students, to learn some pop-cultural dance moves using the “Bet You Can’t Do it Like Me” by DLOW. She quickly picked up the moves and so did the kids at the school!
Overall, the trip was worthwhile, as I was able to connect with various people and create relationships. I still miss the dynamic of our group: Nahui’s contagious laugh, Ray’s awkward remarks, Jacob’s boyish laugh, Jared’s sensual voice, Brad’s introversion, Savannah’s sassiness, Daisie’s shining smile, Thibault’s shocked facial and surprising verbal expressions, and Jess’ crazy anecdotes. Most importantly, I miss doing a dance move called “the dab” with Mike as our signature picture pose. I certainly will go on another service trip adventure!
Spring Break in New Orleans
Spring break is a time when many students travel to tropical islands for a week-long adventure, while several others venture back home for a relaxing time with family and friends. In the past, I’ve had both types of experiences, so for my final spring break, I decided to try something a little different. I had heard about an interfaith service trip to New Orleans, and while I’m not actively involved with a religious group at Juniata, campus ministry welcomed me with open arms.
Although I had always heard about the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, I thought that after 11 years the city would be restored. Although most areas of New Orleans have recovered nicely, the Lower Ninth Ward has not fully recuperated.
While in New Orleans, I, along with 17 other Juniata students, worked with an organization called Capstone, which aims to provide the citizens of the Lower Ninth Ward with free community gardens. To help out, we weeded, planted, and watered the gardens; constructed and painted boxes for honey bees; cleaned and fed goats and chickens; and helped with other jobs as needed.
Since this was also an interfaith trip, we explored and discussed different religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Unitarian Universalism. Additionally, we were able to learn about the culture of New Orleans by talking with local citizens, eating beignets at the famous Café du Monde, visiting a Mardi Gras museum, and touring the renowned Saint Louis Cemetery.
Lithuanian-American writer Ruta Sepetys once said, “New Orleans is unlike any city in America. Its cultural diversity is woven into the food, the music, the architecture—even the local superstitions. It’s a sensory experience on all levels, and there’s a story lurking around every corner.” After experiencing New Orleans first-hand, I could not agree more.
The Senior Resident Assistant: Juniata Residential Life gains a new position
The Resident Assistant is a staple of collegiate residential life. They are simultaneously friend, advisor, and somewhat overbearing parent reminding you that it is quiet hours and even though you may not have class tomorrow, someone does. An RA is supposed to make their residents feel at home, which is particularly important for incoming freshman who may never have been away from home. Above the RA’s are the Resident Directors who oversee the RA’s and make sure the building runs smoothly. They all work other jobs on campus meaning that they can be a great resource for finding jobs or learning how to join an athletic team or club. Above the RD’s is the Director of Residential Life, and above them is the Dean of Students. Why am I telling you about the seemingly boring chain of command of Juniata College’s Residential Life Office?
Because next year it is getting a new player: The Senior RA. The college is beginning to shy away from the RD framework of leadership, instead opting for Area Coordinators (RD’s with a fancy new name) who are placed in the building that most need an RD and who oversee the running of several buildings, and SRA’s who will be experienced RA’s that oversee their individual dorms. While the SRA’s will technically answer to the Area Coordinators, their role is not just limited to looking over their building and reporting to their boss. The SRA’s will have a greater voice in the ResLife office, and will serve as much more efficient liaisons between the students and the administration.
For the past year I have worked as an RA in Sherwood Hall on the first floor, and along with the reapplication process RA’s who had worked for at least two semesters were allowed to apply for the Senior RA position and I would like to share my last paragraph of my application essay:
“I am excited for the new SRA position and the impact it will have on Residential life and the Residence Halls, especially the first year Halls. There are many changes coming to Juniata in the next few years and the best place to address those changes with the students is in the Residence Halls. We as a staff are liaisons between administrators and students and in the coming years I believe there is a lot we can do to make the students feel like their voices are being heard. Having a student in a position where they come into close contact with both students and administrators alike on a much more personal level than say, a student government officer, will be a huge step in getting the students’ voices heard, and will make Juniata feel that much more like home.”
In the past, I believe the RD has been some nameless faceless entity that lives in some hard to find corner of the Residence hall and it is near impossible to form any kind of relationship there. Now, we have students leading students. Your SRA next year might be in your Survey of Western Art class, or the TA for your Integrated Chemical Principles Lab or a co-member of the Dance Ensemble. You will study with them, or they’ll help you with an acid-base titration or help you perfect that last dance move of your set. But more important than that (okay less important than your grades…) is the bond you will have with them. You may not become best of friends but you will most likely be more comfortable voicing your concerns to them than at a forum put on by the administration. And because of the SRA’s new found proximity to the administration the divide between administration and the student bodies’ voice will be that much smaller.
Speed Chatting… better than Speed Dating
Speed dating was never a good idea to me. The concept always seemed so uncomfortable. However, when Juniata’s Health and Wellness student intern hosted a SpeedChat event on campus last week, I decided I’d give it a try.
SpeedChat was an event to help students get to know each other. When I arrived to Sill Boardroom, I was surprised at the large amount of people who were attending. The chairs were set up in a few lines and were facing each other. As students arrived, they were given a ticket. You sat with the person whose ticket number matched yours. In between the chairs were questions to help prompt conversation.
I sat down waiting for someone’s ticket to match mine and to my surprise, it was actually someone I already knew! When the five minute round of chatting began, we asked each other some of the questions on the sheet.
I learned a lot about her. Even though I see her four days out of the week for class, I didn’t know how much we really had in common. As the round came to an end, we agreed to talk again soon.
The next few people I met were just as interesting. There’s no one who isn’t interesting at Juniata. I learned a lot about different places in the world, family ideologies, different POE’s, and so much more. I really am happy that I talked myself into going.
It’s important to attend events at Juniata. You learn so much about fellow students, about the school, and about the community as a whole. Talking to different students, even if it didn’t create friendships, creates a unit. Juniata is a unit of individuals who think differently, broader, and more outside the box. I think that this event really helped remind me of my love for Juniata and I am glad I have creative and fun opportunities, like this one, to give me a break from all the studying for midterms!
