CHRISTMAS,NEW YEAR, & RESOLUTIONS!

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone! All the Christmas shopping,crowded malls,rude people,no parking spaces,maxed out credit cards....it's all done with, for this year at least. I,personally, had a great time with my family and boyfriend. There wasn't one thing that we didn't laugh at. We made memories. The most important thing to do with your family is to make memories that will last us all our lives. Treasure the moments that you have with your loved ones because we never know what the future will bring. With that said, I will like to take a moment and write about someone who was and still is very important to me,but isn't physically with me here on this earth: my brother,Jacob(or how I liked to call him,JayJay).

He passed away 5 years ago at the age of 21 in a terrible and fatal car accident.I was blessed to have had him in my life for 15 years.He was my father figure. Now that he is gone...I miss his smile, the way he laughed, the way he joked around with me.The last happy memory I will always keep with me was when we were outside. My stepdad and he were playing basketball, and I just remember JayJay laughing,just having a good time. I choose to embrace his life rather than his death.I still find myself crying myself to sleep at nights because I miss him so much, but I know he is in a much better place watching over his sisters.I LOVE YOU JAYJAY & THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT PASSES BY THAT I DO NOT THINK ABOUT YOU,ESPECIALLY AROUND THE HOLIDAYS.

On a more happy note, 2011 IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, TWO DAYS AWAY TO BE EXACT! Time to look back and reflect on 2010.Always learn to be thankful for the good and the bad in our lives. The good things make our lives more joyful and the bad things make us who we truly are on the inside. Both are important ingredients in making us and our every day lives unique in every way. So I'll be the first one to say the things that I am very grateful for:

1. I love school.It's no secret that I love going to school. Some people may call me a geek =] but I don't care. I believe education is very important in order to get ahead in life. So to all my fellow Berkeley College students: STAY IN SCHOOL! ALL THIS HOMEWORK AND STUDYING will pay off!
2. I'm grateful for my friends that I have made while I have been at Berkeley College.They have made my college experience so much more worthwhile! I love you guys!
3. I'm beyond grateful for my family and boyfriend. They have give me non-stop support and encouragement in everything I have done.I couldn't have been blessed with a better family.

Now, I want to hear what you guys are thankful for!

!!!!NEW YEARS RESOLUTION!!!!!

Ok so my New Years resolution are the following:

1. DO BETTER IN SCHOOL =D
2. Lose weight so my health can be better
3. Learn to drive(yes I don't know how to drive,personal reasons)

I can't wait to start the new year fresh! I'm staying positive for the new year! I choose not to surround myself with negativity and I hope you guys don't either! I can't wait to hear what your New Year resolutions are!

I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND BERKELEY COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT CLASSES WILL RESUME JANUARY 3, 2011. I HOPE YOU GUYS DO WELL THIS QUARTER!

So all there's left to say is have a great New Year! I hope you guys have an amazing and better 2011!


QUICK SHOUTOUT TO RUBEN MONTALVO! Love you,Rubie! =]

GETTING INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT =)

Christmas has ALWAYS been my favorite holiday. I can remember being so excited as Christmas day got closer. When you're a child, I think opening the gifts Christmas morning is what gets them more excited than anything else in the world;but as one gets older, Christmas represents so much more than just gifts. Christmas is a time we spent with relatives, talking about things that happened throughout the year,reminiscing about the past,planning the future,and being thankful for the present.

During this Christmas season, we should think more about others than ourselves. There are many people out there who do not have the luxuries that we have, men and women who will pass their Christmas morning in a shelter or sleeping on a sidewalk, children whose parents do not have the money to spend on buying them one toy. There are many places one can volunteer to help out the less fortunate. Go to http://www.volunteernewjersey.org/vnj/  to look for different volunteering opportunities. During this season,please always remember the saying, IT IS BETTER TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.

Since the holiday parties are coming up, I cannot emphasize how important it is to not TEXT,DRINK,& DRIVE! December is NATIONAL DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH! There are many things you can do to prevent someone from driving after a person has been drinking. If you see someone at a holiday party who obviously has had one too many drinks, check if they are at the party with someone else, if they are let the other person know to not let the person drinking to drive. If they are at the party alone,volunteer to drive them or call a taxi to take them home.DO NOT LET THEM GET BEHIND THE WHEEL! You do not want to be responsible for a person losing their life when you could have done something to prevent it. Holidays are meant for us to have a great time but not at the expense of one of us losing our life.  HAVE FUN,BE SAFE, & DON'T DRINK & DRIVE!


Finally, there are a few people I want to give SHOUT OUTS to! People who have made a difference in my life & I'm just so extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to have met them.

1. First off, my boyfriend, Jorge. He has been incredible source of strength for me throughout this year. There are just no words to express how wonderful this man is to me. I met him a little over a year ago and he's here to stay =) I LOVE YOU and thank you for just being you and loving me unconditionally!
2. Secondly, my best friends(aka twin),Evie & Ruben. I met Evie in my first criminal justice class at Berkeley and we have been friends ever since.There are so many things her and I can laugh about for hours. Ruben has been like a brother to me.He always knows how to give good advice at the moments when I needed it the most. BERKELEY WOULD NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT THESE TWO....I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT THEM.
3. Finally, to the rest of my friends whom  I have met at Berkeley: Lilly,Dale, Damon, Carol, & Michelle. You guys make my life so much easier with your funny stories and "blonde" moments! I know I can turn to every one of you with any problem. I love you guys and no matter where life takes us, I can just hope we stay friends for a lifetime.

SOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! BE THANKFUL,BE SAFE, HAVE A GREAT TIME!

THE IMAGE OF STRENGTH,RIP ELIZABETH EDWARDS

Today, one of the rarest kind of human beings left in this world was chosen to become an angel. Elizabeth Edwards,who was born Mary Elizabeth Anania, was such an inspiration to so many women living with breast cancer. Throughout the six years she had been battling this sickness, she never gave up hope. I'm truly saddened by her passing. When I would see her on TV doing different interviews, every time she would speak about her cancer,not one time did I see her cry or try to create pity for herself. She always held herself in such a graceful and dignified manner. However, her life doesn't begin with her battle with cancer.

She was born in Jacksonville, Florida on July 3rd of 1949. Being the daughter of a United States Navy pilot was never easy on her because  she went from military base to military base. For most of her childhood, she lived in Japan while her father was stationed there. According to Elizabeth, the hardest part for her was having to move during her senior year of high school. She went on to graduate, then attended an university where she received her Bachelor's Degree.After 3 years of postgraduate studies in English, she went on to attend law school and earned her Juris Doctor.

Law school was where she met the man who would become her husband, John Edwards, and were married July 30, 1977. Elizabeth was blessed to become the mother for four children: Wade(who died at the age of 16 during a freak storm), Cate, Emma Claire, and Jack. She was not only a mother but also a Democratic political figure.

On November 3,2004, Elizabeth was diagnosed with breast cancer. She became an activist for cancer patients and for women's health. She became their image of hope, although their was no hope for her. Even through this dificult time for her, she had to handle her husband's infidelity and his fathering a child with his mistress. She held her composure as the graceful lady that she was and only continued with what was truly important in her life at the moment, her children and her battle against cancer.

Unfortunately, on December 6,2010, the Edwards announced that Elizabeth would stop all treatment after her doctors said that any further treatment would just be unproductive. She posted her last Facebook status as the following:

" You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces – my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope. These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined. The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human.
But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful. It isn't possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know"

 Elizabeth Edwards was a mother, wife, lawyer, political figure, activist,cancer fighter, but above all, she was an incredible woman. She has been my idol and I can only strive to be half the woman she was. She, truly, was an angel living among us.

WORLD AIDS DAY- FIGHT AIDS,NOT PEOPLE WITH AIDS!!

First off,I'm still amazed at how fast November went by! Now, December just arrived, hand in hand with a great cause.Today is World AIDS Day! I know that a lot of people don't know much about AIDS or HIV.All some people think they know is that you can possibly die from it. Ok,well,that's not even half of it!

One BIG thing I want to point out and make VERY CLEAR is that AIDS and HIV are NOT the same thing! According to http://www.worldaidsday.org/, when a person is known to have HIV, that means they just have the virus in their body. A person is considered to have AIDS when their body has become too weak to fight off any little diseases. MANY PEOPLE are confused as to how HIV can be passed on.IT CAN'T BE PASSED ON JUST BECAUSE YOU TALK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS OR BECAUSE YOU'RE NEAR THEM! THIS IS PLAIN IGNORANCE! Some of the REAL ways that a person can contract HIV are :

• having sex without a condom with someone who has HIV
•  sharing dirty,infected needles,syringes,etc. with someone who has HIV
• can be passed from a mother who has HIV to her baby during the pregnancy, childbirth,breastfeeding. If the mother is taking precautions, then passing the HIV can be greatly reduced

Unfortunately, there is no cure for HIV,but there are treatments that can help keep it under control. If you think you can have HIV,then PLEASE get tested! You can call 1-800-CDC-INFO;you can also log onto http://www.hivtest.org/ and find places near you where you can get tested. The earlier you know,the earlier you can start treatment,and the better chance you have of keeping it under control.

I was reading some interesting facts about HIV:

• One in 20 gay men in the UK is living with HIV
• The most common treatment today for someone diagnosed with HIV early is one pill, once or twice a day
• With the right medical help, the vast majority (approximately 99 per cent) of HIV positive women can give birth to healthy uninfected babies

PLEASE DO NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS! THEY'RE PEOPLE JUST LIKE THE REST OF US WHO ARE BATTLING FOR THEIR LIVES. DON'T BE IGNORANT ABOUT HIV/AIDS.EDUCATE YOURSELVES SO THAT YOU WILL NOT BECOME A STATISTIC.IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO MIGHT HAVE HIV, PLEASE HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED TO GET CHECKED ASAP.HIV/AIDS IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE.IT'S JUST ANOTHER BATTLE IN THIS JOURNEY OF LIFE THAT CAN BE OVERCOME WITH THE SUPPORT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Relationships... Complicated or Easy??

Relationships can be anything BUT easy! Anyone who has been in a relationship long enough know that it can be compared to being on a rollacoaster ride,so many twists and turns.Relationships teach us lessons that we need to be taught,including ones that leave scars for life.We have to take the good and the bad as it comes.If we don't, than our lives will be just one miserable experience and I,for one, REFUSE to let any experience mishape the good person that I am and that includes relationships.

So here's my story....
I started dating when I was 17 years young.Like any teenager in high school,I had this fairy tale in my mind about marrying the first guy I fell in love with.Well,I met the guy who later became my first boyfriend,my first long distance relationship,my first love.He lived in Chicago and I lived in Newark.At the time,distance wasn't that big of an issue because when you're in love,anything goes. Everything,to me,seemed perfect.But I should have listened to my ex best friend who kept telling me I shouldn't be naive and just think my bf at the time was being faithful;but since i was completely innocent and I loved my bf, I didn't even harbor the idea of him being unfaithful to me.Two years later, I found out everything he was doing behind my back and I broke up with him.That was my first heart break.He made me feel insecure about myself.I felt like no other person could love me the way he did......
But here I am, alive and in love again with a MAN who would give me the world if he could.He's taught me how to value myself and gave me confidence to do better for myself.
Never let anyone define the person that you are on the inside. LADIES,don't let any man make you doubt yourself! MEN, don't let any woman make you feel like you're not good enough! Heartbreaks just serve us better to remind us that we're all human and that we all feel pain, but we can take this pain and turn it into something positive for ourselves.Don't date anyone who is not willing to make you a priority,who makes you cry, who makes you feel insecure about the way you look,who is talking to 20 other ladies or guys beside yourself,who has no intention of getting serious with you, who rather text in front of you when you're speaking,who has NO respect for you, and these are just a few. As my best friend told me, relationships can be compared to having a baby: it must be cherished and attended to so that it can grow stronger every day.
The following are two of my favorite quotes about relationships:
"A relationship is like a rose. How long it lasts, no one knows. Love can erase an awful past, love can be yours, you'll see at last. To feel that love, it makes you sigh. To have it leave, you'd rather die. You hope you've found that special rose, cause you love and care for the one you choose." - Rob Cella

"Don't rush into any kind of relationship. Work on yourself. Feel yourself, experience yourself and love yourself. Do this first and you will soon attract that special loving other." - Russ Von Hoelscher

NATIONAL DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH!!! PLUS A SHOUT OUT!! =)

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month! There are thousands of people dealing with diabetes in the U.S. alone. It effects everyone, including children.There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Some symptoms for Type 1 diabetes include extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and irritability, among others. People who suffer from Type 2 diabetes  usually have no symptoms but some signs they should recognize are frequent infections, blurred visions, tingling or numbess in the hands and/or feet, etc. I can't imagine how it is having to prick my fingers every day, take different medications, or be careful with my diet. There are different ways to prevent developing diabetes such as  staying physically active, keeping a healthy diet,  maintaing a healthy weight,among other things. We all can be part of the cure! Life is difficult enough as it is, so why let diabetes ruin the little peace we have? I myself have relatives and friends who suffer from diabetes and I have seen their struggle first hand. I'm amazed at how strong and determined they are to win this fight. BE PART OF THE CURE!
If anyone wishes to learn more about diabetes, please visit  http://www.diabetes.org/.


!!!SHOUT OUT TIME!!!

I have to give a shout out to my girl, Amanda Natal! This girl can really do amazing things with makeup,especially eyeshadows! Amazing talent right here! So check out her website: http://mandymakeup.tumblr.com/.

Tragedy,Craziness,& Talent....All in One!

First off, I would like start off this blog by sending my condolences to all the families of the victims of the Cuban plane crash that took place yesterday. All 68 people on board were killed in what is being called "Cuba's worst plane crash since 1989". On board the plane were 40 Cubans and 28 foreigners. In the foreigners group were included seven Mexicans, nine Argentines, three Dutch citizens, two Austrians, two Germans, a Spaniard,an Italian,a Frenchman, a Japanese citizen, and a Venezuelan. I believe when tragedy such as this occurs where various nationalities are included, the whole world comes together to mourn for the victims and to give emotional support to their loved ones.

Secondly, I think I'm not the only one who is shocked that it is November already! Where has the time gone? I wanted to find what were some November monthly observances so I came across this website with some crazy,silly, and unknown observances for every month of the year: http://www.brownielocks.com/. So there were many observances for November but the two that I picked are the (1)Military Family Appreciation month and the (2)National Inspirational Role Models month. Don't forget to show your support for families who have loved ones overseas! I believe everyone should have a positive role model whether it be a singer,politician,or author.

!!!!SHOUT OUT TIME!!!!
Now, for the finale to this blog!
I just wanted to take the time and do a quick shout out to two of Berkeley's finest=)

First up, the funniest person at the Newark campus: Tia Hatcher! She made us proud when she won the "Show Your Berkeley Pride" Facebook Photo contest! CONGRATULATIONS TIA!

Secondly, a huge shout out to Chris Thomas (aka: Big Lyric) who is currently our SGA President as well! He's trying to make his way in the world and isn't taking "no" for an answer! That's the only way to do it so very proud of him as well! Show your support by listening to his music.I believe he's going to go far! Keep going, Chris! =)

AND THIS CONCLUDES THIS WEEK'S BERKELEY COLLEGE LIFE BLOG!
HAVE A GREAT ONE & BE SAFE OUT THERE!

October = Halloween!

Ok, so many of us connect the month of October with Halloween, right? Well I will be the first to admit that I love this holiday just because it's simply so much fun! All the costumes, endless candy, spooky stories, horror movies shown on almost every tv channel, the just-for-fun scary attractions, and real haunted places! I believe in the paranormal because I know there's more to life than what we perceive with our own two eyes.I see almost every and any show having to do with the paranormal such as Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters. However, I also love visiting spooky scary attractions this time of the year! So, why not combine both and have the best of both worlds?

The following is just 4 of about 30 plus more
 most haunted places in New Jersey that I recommend you visit....if you dare:

• (1) Atco Ghost: In the southern NJ town of Atco, the story goes that a young boy was killed while trying to chase after his basketball to the middle of the street.There are specific rules you have to follow if you want to see the spirit of this boy, but when you do, you'll never go back.
• (2)Ringwood Manor: Robert Erskine,a Revolutionary War hero, was buried on his property but the weird thing is that the bricks of his crypt don't stay in place and keep falling out as if he were digging his way out.On his crypt there has been seen a blue light just floating there.
• (3)Montclair State creepy happenings: The Clove Road Apartments on campus are said to have been built on an ancient Native American  burial ground.As one can imagine,any place built on one of these can turn up severe paranormal activity.Safe to say,the previous student who used to live there,till this day, cannot speak of what they have experienced.Would you?
• (4)Glenn Wershing's haunted house: Mr. Wershing is an archeologist who runs the local historical society in Huntsberg section of Sussex County.His house has been haunted for years with weird noises, invisible footsteps following right behind them,things disappearing and reappearing,etc. Yet, the Wershings aren't going anywhere.

Ok, so there you have it! That's just a little taste of what scary Jersey has to offer. Now, for the fun spooky attractions! Don't forget to visit the following attractions:

• Eastern State Penitentiary "Terror Behind the Walls";located in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. http://www.easternstate.org/halloween
• Headless Horseman Hayride;Ulster Park,NY.http://www.headlesshorseman.com/
• State Scare Factory;Belleville,NJ.http://www.statescare.com/
• Haunted Village;Clinton,NJ.http://hauntedmill.org/

Berkeley College is offering FRIGHT FEST tickets for Saturday,October 30th,$25 for students and $40 for guests!So take advantage of it while you can!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

Domestic Violence Awareness Month!

As many people know or don't know, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I want everyone to know that DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT O.K.! I know that almost everyone knows someone who has been through domestic violence or is currently in a violent relationship.Assaulting your partner should never be used in place of using words to communicate!

I was reading some alarming statistics concerning domestic violence that left me very concerned. According to the American Bar Association, "Approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States; in 2000, 1,247 women and 440 men were killed by an intimate partner;in recent years, an intimate partner killed approximately 33% of female victims and 4% of male murder victims".

Abusing your partner or him/her abusing you is not ok.Abusing includes:

• hitting you
• spitting on you
• kicking you
• punching you
• pushing you
• calling you mean offensive words
• making you feel insecure about yourself
• trying to isolate you from family and friends

These are only some of so many different kinds of physical and psychological abuse.LOVE DOES NOT CAUSE PAIN,IT DOES NOT HIT YOU,IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU FEEL WORTHLESS! If you need someone to talk to and you feel like you can't talk to friends or family,please go see your counselor at your campus.Newark Campus counselor is Amanda Frey and she will not judge you but she will listen.

NJ Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-572-SAFE(7233)
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233

They're there to help 24 hours a day,7 days a week!
You shouldn't go through this alone.

WELCOME To Berkeley College Life!

Hey Everyone!

My name is Trey and I am one of Berkeley College's bloggers =) Every week I'll be writing about anything and everything happening on campus and anything else I find interesting!

To give you a little info about me, I'm in my Junior year at Berkeley.I'm a Criminal Justice major(shout out to all my Criminal Justice majors at Berkeley)!I have BIG goals and I'm going to try to go as far as I can in this world,as we all should.

If there's anything anyone thinks I should write about,please let me know. I respect everyone's thoughts and opinions regarding anything,as long as they're respectful and mindful of other's feelings. So without further a due......here I go!