WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH!

March is Women's History Month! It's time to celebrate who we are in this world. We have to learn how to love ourselves, take care of ourselves, be proud of who we are, and above all stand strong as independent women. We are mothers, sisters, wives, aunts, and friends. The following is a poem  by one of the best influential woman living in our age, Maya Angelou.

                                       
                               PHENOMENAL WOMAN

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

 I hope all the ladies reading this poem can take pride from being a woman. We are intelligent,beautiful, compassionate, strong-willed, independent goddesses. As such, we should behave properly with manners, never behaving as someone who we're not. Never try to fit in because we are unique. Never try to be superficial because beauty comes from within. Never settle for less because we're worth more than all the diamonds in the world. SO LADIES, BE PROUD OF BEING BEAUTIFUL WOMEN!

The Newark campus has different  activities going on for the ladies on campus! So please attend!

I hope everyone is trying to do their best this quarter! I know it gets tough towards the end of the quarter and we all tend to slack but keep going cus there is just 3 MORE WEEKS LEFT! 

SO ASK FOR HELP IF YOU NEED ANY HELP FOR ANY CLASS! Be safe & take care!

                 TILL NEXT TIME,GUYS!

Scandels, Courage, & Compassion

In the past few days, U.S. Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts revealed intimate secrets from his childhood that no one knew, not even his family. In his memoir Against All Odds, which was released today, he tells of his most horrible memories of his childhood which includes physical abuse at the hands of his mother's many husbands, sexual abuse at camp, stealing food so that he could eat, & many others. His mother recently came to know about his being sexually abused at camp by one of the camp counselors who Brown doesn't name. Everything he went through has made him into the great Senator that he is today. He wanted everyone to understand why he believe's so much in victims' rights and why he has voted the way he has voted. His book is definitely on my list of books to read. He is one of many inspirational leaders of our decade and I strongly recommend his book!

BERKELEY COLLEGE ANNOUNCEMENTS!
So the following are fliers of activities going on our Newark campus in the next few days! I hope you guys can participate by attending and just having fun with our fellow students and professors!

ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25,2011 AT 8:15 A.M. MANY OF US WILL BE VOLUNTEERING AT BRANCH  BROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCATED AT 228  RIDGE ST, NEWARK, NJ. WE WILL BE READING TO CHILDREN AND HELPING THEM A EXPLORE THE WORLD OF LITERATURE! WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT TODAYS CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE LEADERS! THEIR EDUCATION IS IMPERATIVE AND IF WE HAVE A CHANCE TO HELP THEN WE SHOULD REACH OUT AND ASSIST.IF YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER, THEN SIGN UP AT THE STUDENT DEVELOPMENT OFFICE OR SEND AN E-MAIL TO SDG@BERKELEYCOLLEGE.EDU

So that's it for this week! I hope everyone is trying their best this quarter! I know studies can be dificult but just hang in there and you'll see the fruit of your labor! TAKE CARE,BE SAFE, AND TILL NEXT TIME!

VALENTINE'S DAY IS ALMOST HERE......

SO.... it's almost February 14th again,you know, that time of the year when you just don't know what to get that special person. It can be such a headache for so many people, especially for men! BUT DON'T WORRY BECAUSE I'M ABOUT TO GIVE YOU A FEW WEBSITES THAT WILL SAVE YOU TIME AND ENERGY  IN FINDING THE PERFECT GIFT THAT WILL MAKE HIM AND HER SMILE!

VALENTINE'S DAY TIPS FOR MEN AND WOMEN:

1. If you head over to http://www.vermontteddybear.com/, you can find the cutest teddy bears for any occasion. I can guarantee you she is going to LOVE it!


2. http://www.1800flowers.com/ have the cutest arrangements of flowers, candy, and teddy bear for various prices! You can never go wrong with flowers and candy, Ladies & Gents=)

3.  If you head over to http://www.aquaspasalon.com/promotions.html, you can receive a special 10% Valentine's Day discount. Any woman loves to be pampered any day. What other better way to make her feel special than to let her relax from her daily hectic routine while being next to the person she loves the most?


4. Now,what would Valentine's Day be without a night out at a beautiful restaurant? One of my favorite places has to be Cuban Pete's in Montclair. It's an amazing restaurant with great food, amazing service, and a wonderful environment. To find out more details, head over to http://www.cubanpetesrestaurant.com/.


5. Now the 5th & final idea is........ well that depends on him and her. Any woman loves jewelry and any man loves sports. So,Guys, buy your girlfriends/wives a beautiful necklace and/or matching earrings.It will be greatly appreciated ! =)  And,Ladies, buy your boyfriends/husbands sport tickets so they can attend their favorite games (NETS, NJ DEVILS,YANKEES,METS,GIANTS,JETS).YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH GAME TICKETS!

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT! IT'S REALLY NOT COMPLICATED AT ALL! BUT VALENTINE'S DAY SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT WHERE YOU GO OR WHAT YOU RECEIVE. IT SHOULD BE ABOUT CELEBRATING THE LOVE BOTH OF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO FIND IN EACH OTHER. APPRECIATE EVERY MOMENT YOU SPEND TOGETHER BECAUSE TIME IS THE ONLY THING YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET BACK. SO ENJOY YOURSELVES WHILE YOU'RE MAKING LIFETIME MEMORIES.

And to those of you who are single, don't hate this beautiful holiday just because you're not in a relationship. Just because this holiday is mainly targeted at couples does not mean you can't go out and enjoy yourselves! Treat yourselves! Go shopping, go see a movie, go eat out with your friends, go clubbing! There are endless possibilities. Don't just sit and mope around! Instead, be happy and take advantage of the situation.

NATIONAL CONDOM MONTH!GET PASSIONATE ABOUT PREVENTION!

According to my favorite site, http://www.brownielocks.com/, February is National Condom Month! James R. Allen, CEO and President of ASHA said,"Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain one of nation's biggest public health threats, and it is high time that we as a nation get serious, get passionate about addressing the problem". I could not agree more with this statement. Teens are becoming more and more sexual at a young age. Yet, at their young age they are not aware of the various forms of STDs.This is expected since many parents and schools choose to ignore the problem rather than to sit down and explain various forms of contraception to their children. However, I don't think college students have any excuse when it comes to not using contraception. Here are a few facts about the consequences of choosing to have relations with various partners with no condoms:

• Every year there are ,approximately, 15 million new cases of STDs! That's an extremely high number!
• In the U.S., 65 MILLION people are living with a chronic STD such as herpes or HPV!!
• In most STD cases, 2/3 of the victims are under the age of 25
• 1 in 4 new STD infections occur in teenagers
• About 15% of American infertile women are infertile due to an untreated STD
• It cost more than $8 BILLION to treat and diagnose STDs

Who wants to live a life with the consequences of a STD that could have been prevented by using a condom? It's not a hard decision.Being "caught up in the moment" can have devastating consequences. Don't let your partner influence you into not using condoms! GET PASSIONATE ABOUT PREVENTION!

Now,here's a story that really touched my heart and grabbed my attention. Little Anabelle Whitehouse is a 5 year old girl with a rare genetic disorder called icthyosis. Only 1 out of 200,000 or 300,000 Americans live with icthyosis. This rare disease causes Anabelle's body to literally shed its skin every day. Her parents have to rub a full-body exfoliating lotion on Anabelle every half an hour so her skin won't turn into hard,thick scales; and she has wear bandages various times a day. Thankfully, her disorder does not effect her life expectancy. She lives her life like any 5 year old little girl should.


BERKELEY STUDENTS, don't forget that it's BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

 There are various activities going on on our campus this month! Don't forget to get involved and check them out.

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

DON'T FORGET TO COMPLETE YOUR TAXES,OR REMIND YOUR PARENTS, SO THAT YOU CAN RE-APPLY FOR FAFSA! IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SO THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE ALL THE FINANCIAL AID POSSIBLE THAT YOU DESERVE FOR YOUR EDUCATION!

National Poverty in American Awareness Month

So from all the categories of events for January that http://www.brownielocks.com/ have provided us with, I have chosen January to be the National Poverty in America Awareness Month. I always hear about how people want to travel to Third World countries and assist in helping out victims of poverty. While there is nothing wrong with that, America also has places where poverty persists. Right here in Newark I see many homeless people make a long line for the soup kitchen every Saturday. It breaks my heart when I see mothers with their children in the cold waiting to just have something to eat. We should be able to reach out and lend a hand to those less fortunate than us. There are many volunteering programs that one can find online. Remember to always lend a hand to those in need.

On another note, I have the mose hated word of the week! SNOW! I think I talk on behalf of every Jersey resident when I say THIS IS JUST CRAZY! I love the snow but it's been snowing so much there are piles of snow everywhere! Some piles have to be about 6 feet tall! From all the years of living in Jersey, this is the most craziest winter yet. So when you're driving or walking, be careful. The roads and sidewalks are very slippery. Don't run or drive too fast. Our safety comes first before anything.

So by now, everyone is on their 4th week of this winter quarter which can only mean one thing: midterms are just around the corner! I can feel the stress in the air =) BREATHE & RELAX! Start studying early and start on those papers so that when midterm week is here, the work won't be piled on. Procrastination is number one factor of stress for college students. I know because I've been there. Developing good study habits can helps us so much. If you need help, ask the professor or another fellow student. There's nothing wrong with asking for help!

SO HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND & BE SAFE!

SNOW+EVENTS!

Hi Everyone!
I hope everyone is having a great quarter so far! I'm getting tons of homework and quizzes already and it's just week 2! I hope everyone is getting to school safely with all this snow Jersey has received lately. It just keeps piling on! Personally, for me,it's hard to take public transportation with all this now because there's a lot of sidewalks that aren't shoveled yet.There's just too much ice everywhere.So please, while your driving, be alert and drive slower than usual! If you're walking,you can easily spot the ice on the ground so  try to avoid stepping on it but if you can't avoid it,then step on it lightly.


On a much more serious note,by this time I know everyone has heard of the Arizona shootings and the lives of the victims that were taken,including a 9 year old girl, Christina Taylor Green.

Even at her tender age, Christina had already taken on a political role.She had just been elected onto the student council of her school and wanted to attend Penn State so that she could receive an education and assist those less fortunate than herself. She came from a well known family. Her grandfather was Dallas Green, a former major-league pitcher;and her father was John Green, a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers. She was thankful for everything she had so she knew she wanted to help others.In a twist of fate, her life ended in a tragic way but also began on a tragic day.She was born on September 11,2001. To her parents,she was a perfect angel and,now,after death,she is their angel.

CAMPUS EVENTS:
The following are events that will take place on the Newark campus.Hope everyone can attend at least one of these!

The following are DISCOUNTS that many students do not know about! Take advantage of these!

Now that you know,I hope you guys would take advantage of the NJ Transit discount because I know many students take public transportation and buying bus and light rail passes every month can make a hole in our wallets.So think smart & act quickly!

WISHING EVERYONE SO MUCH LUCK FOR THIS QUARTER! I HOPE IT STARTED OFF GREAT AND I HOPE IT ENDS THE SAME WAY!

A New Quarter,A New Beginning

So today was the first official beginning of all classes at Berkeley College.I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm definitely happy to be back in class where I can put my mind to good use. It's always good to see new students and it's always a pleasure to see my fellow classmates who have been with me since I started in the fall of 2008(yes,it'll be 3 years since I started at BC).Since I am realizing that I will hopefully be graduating next year, I'm starting to reflect more on what kind of career will make me happy and useful to my community. I think that's the same for everyone else graduating next year with me.However, for now, I'm enjoying the time I have with my friends at school and focusing on my studies.

Now,I just want to fill in everyone on the activities that will be going on on campus.The following are the fliers for those activities.So I hope everyone gets involved especially in the blood drive and the "God's Love We Deliver"programs. I know many people are AFRAID of needles but it's for a very AMAZING cause! I have been donating blood since I have started at BC,unfortunately I can't at the moment, but If I had the chance I wouldn't think twice about possibly saving someone's life.SO PLEASE SIGN UP TO DONATE & SAVE A LIFE!

All these activities are great for all new students so you can get to know one another and meet new people.It's a great socializing experience and you won't regret.I have come to know for a fact that the friends you make in college are usually the ones you'll remain friends with for a lifetime=)

As this new quarter is beginning, I hope everyone is determined to keep their grades up and to try to attend every class possible.I understand incidents may come up where we won't be able to make it to class,but please attend the ones you can.Many professors deduct points from your overall grade which gives you a grade less than you should have attained. Same goes for all the homework.HOMEWORK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO YOUR FINAL GRADE! If there are things you don't understand, don't hesitate to ask the professor because that's exactly what they are there for.They don't expect us to understand everything.IT'S OK TO ASK QUESTIONS WHEN YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

Keep track of all the homework assignments and their due dates.Remember to study for all quizzes and exams( these are the most important ones)!If you need help studying, get together with another fellow student or friend who understands the topic better than you do.Try not to stress about assignments and exams.I stress but when I do, I try different methods. For example:

• take a break!
• go walk outside for a little bit
• get something to drink
• eat a candy or anything with sugar so you will have energy
•  take a nap
• meditate
• try yoga

WELL,I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT QUARTER! STUDY HARD,HAVE FUN,MAKE MEMORIES.LOVE YOU GUYS!

Don't forget to read and follow!