Exploration — 2 comments
20
Nov 15

Schedule

For my exploration blog this week, I am going to make a schedule for my final weeks of my first semester at Penn State. So it all starts this Friday on November 20th. Friday, I need to pack my bag and double check to make sure I don’t miss anything. On the following day I am going to watch the Penn State versus Michigan game. Once that game is over, I need to get to my room, pick up my luggage and leave back to my home in New Jersey.

It will definitely be a relaxing break, but I will still need to study for my two finals. I have a final on Monday and Tuesday of finals week. One is for Math and the other is for Economics. Once I start studying for the finals earlier, I’ll be able to have a little bit of leeway as the finals come closer. I will need to study at least two hours a day during Thanksgiving week, obviously not including Thanksgiving day. The week after, I will need to study even harder. I believe the time will be 3-4 hours a day. Then after that, is the big week before finals. On that week I’m going to study for at least 5 hours a day until I understand everything I need to know.

Once finals week comes along, I shouldn’t have much difficulty with my two finals after studying and working very hard.

 

Rhetoric in Civic Life — 1 comment
20
Nov 15

Je Suis Paris

As we all should already now, Paris was attacked by many different ISIS members on November 13th. The attacks were made at multiple places, the biggest being at the Bataclan (Concert Hall). The death toll ended up becoming a very sad 129. I first heard about the attacks when I was watching the France vs Germany match. It was all peaceful until everyone heard a sudden bang. It ended up being a suicide bomber just outside the stadium. As if that was bad enough, another suicide bomber committed suicide just ten minutes after near the first bomber. At least 129 people have died, according to city officials, with many still in intensive care. At  least 89 people were killed in the Bataclan. Three assailants were also killed after police stormed in, two by activating their suicide vests and a third shot dead. A little further east at least 19 people died when the terrace of the La Belle Equipe in Rue de Charonne was sprayed with gunfire, while 15 people were killed at Le Carillon bar-cafe in Rues Bichat. Five people at the Casa Nostra pizzeria and a nearby bar were killed by attackers wielding rifles. Overall this has been a very sad experience for everyone around the world especially for those in Paris. My prayers go to those who lost a family member or friend. Nobody deserves to die like this.

 

Passion — Leave a comment
20
Nov 15

Time To Take A Break

This week in soccer, the players head into international break to play for their country. The main matches that happened throughout this week were for the Euro qualifications and some friendlies. For the Euro qualifiers, 8 teams played to qualify for the remaining 4 spots in the Euro. We first had Hungary vs Norway. Both teams weren’t very strong, but Norway were favorites to make it. In the end, Hungary completed the upset by beating Norway 3 to 1 on aggregate. The next game was Ireland against Bosnia. Both teams in this matchup were very powerful, but Bosnia were expected to make it through over Ireland. Ireland also created an upset by winning 3 to 1 on aggregate. The game after that was the biggest one of all, Sweden against Denmark. Both team were equally strong and it was very hard to choose who would make it. Sweden ended up winning 4 to 3 on aggregate, thanks to 3 goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The last match was Slovenia versus Ukraine. Both of these teams haven’t been known to be strong. Ukraine also had an upset though, beating Slovenia 3 to 1.

Now that the qualifiers are completed, the groups can me finally made for the 24 teams of the Euro 2016. It is going to be a very exciting tournament to watch. I believe that Germany, Portugal, Spain, and France have the best chance of winning it. I can’t see Belgium winning it yet because their squad is just still to young. I hope that Portugal can finally win a major tournament that they deserve, but it seems to be getting harder and harder for them.

 

Rhetoric in Civic Life — 2 comments
13
Nov 15

‘Jihadi John’ targeted by US drone strike in Syria

U.S. forces targeted “Jihadi John,” Muhammed Emwazi the man who has emerged as the masked face of ISIS, in an airstrike in Raqqa, Syria. It was not immediately clear whether the strike was successful. But a senior U.S. official said authorities are confident that the strike killed Emwazi, adding that the U.S. announced the strike because of Emwazi’s notoriety. This was a mission of “persistent surveillance,” the official said, adding that authorities knew it was Emwazi when they took the shot.

Emwazi, a British citizen, participated in the videos showing the murders of U.S. journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, U.S. aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, and a number of other hostages. Emwazi, who speaks English and is believed to be born in Kuwait, is frequently seen in hooded hostage videos carrying out violent beheadings. The U.K. government was notified of the operation and notified families whose kin was executed by Emwazi.

If ‘Jihadi John’ was killed, it could mean the beginning of the end for ISIS. But since we don’t know yet, it’s just all hope right now. With the death of Emwazi, the US can finally be in safer terms.

 

Exploration — 1 comment
13
Nov 15

Interviewing The THON President

This week for my exploration blog, I decided to interview Kathryn Mailey, the president and finance director of IFC/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon also known as THON. I’ve always been interested in THON and also always want to participate in it. I wasn’t able to ask many questions, but I found out what I mainly wanted to know about THON and being a student leader.

THON is a student-run philanthropy committed to enhancing the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer. THON’s yearlong efforts add on with a 46 hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon known as THON Weekend. This event is held at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center each year during the month of February. In 2014, THON raised a record-breaking $13.34 million and was able to donate 96% of funds raised directly to Four Diamonds. Since 1977, THON has raised more than $114 million benefiting Four Diamonds at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. Four Diamonds picks up where insurance leaves off, enabling families to solely focus on care for their child. THON’s mission, as told by Kathryn, is to provide emotional and financial support, spread awareness and ensure funding for critical research, all in pursuit of a cure.

As for being a student leader, Kathryn told me that the main thing to start off with is just stepping up. Just by stepping up for a club or organization, you’ll be able to show a bit of your leadership skills already. Also, be sure to get noticed. Even when don’t have the lead role, you can still stand out by contributing as a team player. Your group members will be impressed by this. Another thing she told me, which I found very interesting, is to sign up for more than one activity. You don’t have to be the president of every club or organization you join, but it is important to be well rounded. So don’t just stick to your comfort zone. Take this time to branch out. You may just find a hidden talent you never knew you had. Thanks to Kathryn, I now learned a lot more of how becoming a student leader will benefit me in college.

 

 

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