Natural Remedies

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Good Afternoon City Tech, Genny here continuing with the topic of Midterms. Now last week I discussed a few pointers but this week I wanted to touch back with my roots, nature, the best remedy mankind has. Nature is a wonderful place to get away from the daily commutes, stress of daily modern technology and life itself. A place where we can get in touch with ourselves and to relax; no worries at all just the songs of nature, the birds, and winds. With exams, this is something I recommend to EVERYONE. City life is great and all, but it’s not the best for calmness and comfort when midterms are right around the corner.

The simple things in life are the nest and the best things in life are free. Nature gives us beauty and serene ambiance, one look and my stress is flushed away, Walking can do wonders when you’re in a green thumb area, it’s like soul food but for the mind. If you have a busy schedule and you can’t go far I recommend going to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. It’s not far it’s walking distance, though do bring a bottle of water with you, friendly tip from  my experience haha.  

Credit: Brooklyn Heights Promenade web.

A beautiful sight to see right?? As I mentioned in previous blogs, nature does have an impact on the mind, it’s just encoded in our genes, before technology all mankind had was nature, to relieve and bring us peace. Now is the perfect time to go on a small adventure to take your mind away for a while, after all you can’t do an exam properly if your head isn’t cleared, maybe it just needs a green touch, and time away from the grey and dull writing of flashcards and review papers. and if you have a place in mind, lemme know! I’d love to hear your nature friendly experiences and perhaps even experience them, I do love exploring new places! As always, positive vibes to all and I wish you the best of luck in any upcoming exams! 10/4.

 

 

 

Writing Made Easy

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Essay writing is a difficult task that everyone is faced with at one point or another. Whether a person is assigned to write a paper for school, or a presentation at work, even an email; everyone has to do some form of writing. In order for a person to become an efficient writer, they have to follow a few simple steps. These steps, if followed correctly, can not only improve a person’s writing dramatically, but also increase an individual’s confidence while trying to express themselves verbally. Throughout my childhood I was able to express myself verbally, but it was difficult for me to get my thoughts together to write an adequate paper. As time progressed, I found a method for writing papers that worked for me. I decided that I would like to share some of the steps I used, and still use to write a successful paper in hopes that it will be helpful to you as well.

Step 1. Listen!! When your professor gives you an assignment, don’t automatically write it down verbatim. Listen to how your professor explains the assignment. Pay attention to what the professor says he or she wants in the essay. Make sure that you know how long the paper needs to be; the specific font, font size, margins, and of course the outline. After finding out the specific layout of the paper, continue to listen to exactly what the subject matter of the paper has to be. The professor will give you direct instructions on what the topic of your paper should be, so the student must listen intently. As a college student, you should also listen to your professor during their lectures. After listening, you can possibly incorporate some of the information your professor gives you into your paper. Professors love when you creatively show them that you were listening to them speak during class.

Step 2. Take Notes!! After your professor has finished speaking, they will usually pause and ask if anyone has questions. Even if your professor doesn’t ask if you have questions, you should immediately clarify any issues you have with assignment. If something is unclear about the task, ask your professor to repeat the assignment. DO NOT be afraid to speak up!! Trust me there are students who have the same questions as you. As I’m sure you’ve heard before “There is no such thing as a stupid question”. Being afraid to speak up, and gain clarity in life will only hinder your success. Ask as many questions as you deem fit until you completely understand the task. As your professor reiterates exactly what they want in your paper, take notes in your own words. When it’s time to reread your notes, it will be easier to understand your own words, than the words of your professor. After politely interrogating your professor so that you write the best paper you can, then you can move on to the next step.

Step 3. Plan Ahead!! DO NOT wait until the last minute to start your paper! Give yourself ample time to do what’s necessary, in order to get a good grade. Procrastination can sometimes be a recipe for disaster, which college students cannot afford. Start brainstorming ideas for your paper the same day you get it. Write your ideas down on a notepad, and organize them in a way that will be beneficial to you. After writing down your ideas, think about how you are going to set up your essay. First, determine what your thesis should be. Next, try to figure out a way to incorporate your ideas into paragraphs that support your thesis. Third, map out your essay from introduction to body paragraphs, and then finally the conclusion. After completing the outline of your essay you can move on to the next step.

Step 4. Get Some Rest!! Relax! It is essential for human beings to get rest in order for us to have energy. Without energy, we will not be able to devote our undivided attention to our school work. I know that it’s difficult to sleep as college students because our minds are always racing. However we have to make an effort to relax our mind as well as our bodies. Without sleep, we will not be able to function at our highest capacity.

Step 5. Eat food that will give you energy!! In order to sit down at a computer for hours at a time, you have to eat food that will give you energy. Some food that will give you energy are: Nuts, Fish, Vegetables, Fruits, Water, Granola Bars, Oatmeal and Yogurt. Of course as college students we are prone to eating junk food, fast food, caffeine and other foods that will eventually make us crash. Beware of the unhealthy food before, and or while writing a paper. Eat food that will not only increase your energy, but will also help stimulate your brain.

Step 6. Research!! Research. Research. Research. In order for a person to write an amazing paper, they have to research their topic. A student has to put the time and effort into finding out accurate information about their topic. Websites like Wikipedia aren’t always deemed as acceptable by professors, so be cautious. After gathering information from credible websites, make sure that you start your bibliography. The best time to complete your bibliography is while you’re gathering your research. By completing our bibliography while researching, we are ensuring that we cite every single website that we gather information from. After researching our topic we can move on to our last step.

Step 7. Start writing your paper!! After following all of the steps above you are now ready to type up your paper. First things first, get your thoughts together, and pull out your outline. Organize your research into different sections depending on what paragraph the research will be inserted into. After organizing your information, get ready to start typing your paper. First, put your heading on the top of the paper, followed by the title of your essay. Your first paragraph should be an introduction to your essay. This paragraph should state what your essay is about, as well as defining your thesis statement. Your body paragraphs should be short, sweet and to the point. Throughout the body paragraphs, you should include a topic sentence, followed by supporting facts. Each paragraph should be laced with details, and facts that relate directly to your topic. Make sure that the information you put in your essay relates back to your thesis statement. After completing your body paragraphs, move on to your conclusion. Your conclusion should always innovatively restate what your introduction says. After you restate what your introduction says, you can move on to adding your finals thoughts and opinions.

Step 8. Proofread!! Grammar plays a large role in how a professor grades their students. In order for an essay to be in tip top shape, a student must continuously review their work. In reviewing their work, students will find various errors that they can fix. After a student proof reads their work, it’s a good idea to have another person proofread their essay. Another person may be able to pick up on errors that a student can’t, after they finish typing up their essay. Once your essay is free of errors, save it once more, print it, and hand it in.
Now that I have shared my eight steps to a successful essay, I hope that I have helped you become a better writer. These ten steps are my specific procedure for writing an essay. It’s not necessary to incorporate all of these steps into your essay writing process. However, maybe you can adapt these steps to your life in a way that’s beneficial to you, in some way or another. Keep in mind that the best way to prosper in your educational career is to listen, work hard, plan ahead and make sure you complete any task to the best of your ability.

“You is Kind. You is Smart. You is Important.” Affirmations 101

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You is Kind. You is smart. You is Important.

In class last week my professor reminded us that we are now approaching the halfway point of the semester.​ Excuse me??? As someone who re-entered school last semester after 5 years, I honestly still get amazed at how fast it flies by! These past two weeks I’ve been one paper or presentation, (or blog post lol) away from yanking out a few hairs, I swear. It’s been this cycle of work, school, homework, meet with my group, argue with my group lol, have a life, work harder, school, repeat. Weekends have become GOLDEN, but yet I spent all of mine studying for a midterm that I thought was yesterday and it wasn’t! Delusional much?? Lol. I had forgotten how intense and stressful this time can be if you let it, and as I looked at my peers faces in our
“MTA packed train” style elevator, I could tell I wasn’t the only one. I like to think I can handle pressure pretty well and make sure I always have my game face on, but me needing Tylenol in the middle of class says otherwise lol.

First of all I want to applaud us all for making it to the “halfway finished” line. Whether you think you’ve been floating, sinking, or swimming, you’re here and that’s what matters. Secondly, it honestly doesn’t have to be stressful; it’s only as stressful as we allow it to be. It’s super important that through all this stress of midterms, and priorities, or whatever else we have going on in our personal lives, we stop.

Stop and take a second to look up at the sky, take time to talk and listen to people, sit and eat a REAL meal with a friend or family member and don’t start complaining about how school is killing you.

Photo Credit: fullcupthirstyspirit.com

(Sidenote: If I were you I would screen shot this bad boy right here^^^ good stuff 🙂 )

I want to share with you this one simple thing that has been keeping me motivated and grounded. Daily affirmations. An affirmation is basically a statement of support or encouragement that you tell to yourself. It is defined by Dictionary.com as “emotional support or encouragement”.  You know how right before you start a test, or approach something new, and you’re hyping yourself up, telling yourself “ you got this” or
“you can do this” ?? That’s an affirmation right there.
A resource I’ve been using for a nice variety of creative affirmations is a FREE app called “Unique Daily Affirmations.” It’s an app that sends you out a daily positive affirmation to basically “help you succeed in your endeavors and make positive changes in your life.”

There’s tremendous power in affirmations. They are you being in conscious control of your thoughts. They are short, powerful statements and when you say them, think them, or even hear them, they become the thoughts that create your reality.
Research has shown that we have about 35,000 thoughts a day,
more or less (Leading Edge Journal).
Imagine the impact on your life if most of those are negative. It gets worse. Our thoughts carry over, so whatever you are thinking about, gets carried over to the next day’s 35,000 thoughts. So, if you’re thinking majority negative thoughts, you will only cause yourself to think more negative thoughts, if that makes sense. It takes you back to what your parents and friends and other people may have told you like “ be careful what you wish for” or “What you think is what you get”.
Now, imagine if most of those thoughts were positive, motivating, uplifting and
self building??
Aha, there’s the magic.

Photo Credit: The HoodWitch

My affirmation for today was”:

“I will succeed because I am focused and passionate about my goal.”

Shoot, I only said it once and I believed it!  

You can set the app to alert you at any time of the day you choose. My affirmation releases at 12 midnight every night. So whether I’m writing a paper at that time, preparing for the next day, or I even just end up waking up to it, it always comes right when I need it. We all need that extra push here and there. That extra “you are confident and can do whatever you set your mind to boo” and it’s exactly what I love this app for and think you will love it for too.

The app is available for Apple and android users.

If you’re not into apps or you just prefer the old school black and white press, here are some websites that simply list affirmations that you can peel through and find your own gems.
https://www.prolificliving.com/100-positive-affirmations/
http://www.louisehay.com/affirmations/
http://dailyburn.com/life/lifestyle/instagram-positive-affirmations/

Print a few and in the morning randomly select one. Let your heart guide you to the words you need. That’s one way to be blessed by them. Or you can simply search for the one that connects with you.

Remember, The key is repetition so you want to flood your brain with the positive thoughts. Say it over and over throughout the day. When you feel yourself slipping, when you’re washing your hands in the bathroom mirror, when you’re taking a selfie. The way you choose to think is just that, a choice; and the beauty is that choice is yours!

So no, unfortunately I didn’t give you the “abracadabra” to make midterms and homework or stress in general go away, I simply gave you the “push through, you’ll be fine, you got this”.

Your life may not turn around overnight, but if you’re consistent and make the choice on a daily basis to think thoughts that make you feel good and affirm yourself, (because face it who can love you better than you???) you’ll definitely make positive changes in every area of your life.

Remember who put you on, Love ya!

Photo Credit: Politico.com


Five Expressions in Haitian Creole That You Could Pull Off in English

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by Robine Jean-Pierre

A linguist at heart, I cringe whenever I come across poorly translated phrases. While I am not fully fluent in all of them, I am familiar with Haitian Creole, French and Spanish, so I often find instances in which the fluidity, wit or meaning of a phrase gets lost when going from one language to another. It is also disappointing to hear a bi- or polylingual person trying to grasp for a term in their native tongue, saying, “It’s like… you know… well, I don’t know how you’d say it in English.” The feeling of exclusion that this provokes leaves me unsatisfied, and I believe that the language barrier can always be crossed, even when it comes to complex things like metaphors and idioms. The key is to translate for the meaning or essence of a word or phrase, even if at the expense of the actual words being used.

Haitian Creole is full of colorful, comical idioms, and I have often entertained myself by undertaking the task of finding their English equivalents. As I said, this is only effective if you go by meaning and not translation verbatim. I will give five examples (though I cannot guarantee I’ve spelled them all correctly).

1. Lè Ti Poul Fè Dan

The expression, “lè ti poul fè dan” in Creole literally means “when chicks teethe.” It is an informal way of responding “Never” to a question, since we know that chicks have beaks and will never grow teeth. If you said this in English, word for word, you would probably get a strange look from the person who asked the question, but never fear, we have the similar English expression, “When pigs fly.”

2. Mete Dlo Nan Diven Ou

“Mete dlo nan diven ou” is an expression that literally means “put [some] water in your wine.” This is a figurative way of telling someone to calm down; parents would say this to children that are acting up. It makes sense when you think of wine as something fiery and provocative, and that watering it down will diminish its strength. This is reminiscent of Bart Simpson’s “Cool your jets, man” (The Simpsons) or the simpler “Take it easy.”

3. Achte Figi Moun

“Achte figi moun” literally means “to buy someone’s face.” Think you can figure it out? You would have slim chances of hearing this in English word for word. This expression touches on the ideas of bribery and flattery, and would most closely link up with “kiss up to someone,” “suck up to” or “brown-nose.” I have mostly heard it used with a touch of infamous Haitian pride: “M’pa achte figi moun” (“I don’t kiss up to people”).

4. Ret Na Wòl Ou

“Ret na wòl ou” is actually not too far from English. It literally means “stay in your role” but links up with our “stay in your lane.” In other words, respect yourself and don’t overstep your boundaries.

5. Li Pa Gen Nen Nan Figi Li

“Li pa gen nen nan figi li” is not something you would want to hear someone say about you behind your back. The literal translation is “He/she doesn’t have a nose on his/her face.” It means that someone has no sense of dignity, pride or shame, like the archetypal nerd who keeps trying to join the cool kids’ clique even after numerous bold-faced rejections. (Maybe it comes from the idea that if this person did have a nose, he would immediately sense the obvious, kind of like when we say “You wouldn’t know __ if it hit you right between the eyes!”) After giving it a lot of thought, the only similar expressions that come to mind are “he’s a sucker” and “he hasn’t got a clue.”

The cleverness or “punch” of a phrase does not have to be sacrificed when you translate it from one language to another. Neither does the beauty of song lyrics or poetry. We may all speak different languages and belong to various cultures, but emotions and ideas are not limited to specific people groups. They are the universal building blocks of the human experience, and a bridge can always be made where there is understanding and effort.

Any funny expressions come to mind, either in English or another language? Please feel free to share in a comment below.

Virtues from Motherhood: Let go and take yourself back

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“These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” ― Najwa Zebian

I read that quote and I immediately think of all the emotional and mental burdens I carry around with me daily. Burdens that I should have set down long ago, yet somehow, they’ve managed to hitch a ride for years in the corners of my mind. I think we’re all guilty of this at some point in our lives, after a breakup, after the passing of a loved one or after a particularly difficult time of our lives. Whatever the burden is, or was, we haven’t been very good about dealing with it and letting it go and over weeks, months or even years it takes something from us. It takes our ability to fully trust someone, to truly fall in love or to believe we are worth the effort. These burdens weigh us down and make us weary, and in turn, we might miss small opportunities that could lead to large successes in our lives.

I am by no means an expert on letting things go or even dealing with them properly. I can admit I haven’t had the best of coping mechanisms and I’ve lost huge parts of what made me, me while trying to help others collect the parts of themselves, or in wondering what I could have done differently, when I wasn’t the one who did wrong.  Instead of accepting that sometimes people do really crappy things to other people, and understanding that it wasn’t my fault and never will be, I pick apart every moment leading up to then. I over analyze how maybe on some random Tuesday I was too distant or I didn’t really give all of myself, knowing full well that I did.

Since asking for help, something I refused to do for years, I have found that those tiny voices that my mind shushed were not wrong, and I should have slowed down to listen to them. “You are enough.” “Your feelings matter.” “You deserve more than this”. All echoed in the faintest of voices in my mind but I never acknowledged them because I felt I could fix, or ignore, the problem. Before I knew it, the problem had gone from a pile of stones, to a monstrous mountain I now dragged everywhere with me.

That metaphoric mountain slowed down everything about me, things I never truly faced or dealt with now nagged on my every thought and move and it exaggerated my anxiety to levels I had never felt before. I felt like I was sick every single day, even though the doctor told me I was perfectly healthy. So, I had to make a choice; was I going to let myself wither away or was I going to let go of this mountain and take back who I was? Today, I am trying to do the latter, making sure I do one thing every day that’s for me, and only me. I am trying to remember that just because someone doesn’t see my worth that it doesn’t mean I am not worthy. I am reminding myself that although something I truly wanted didn’t go the way I’d hoped, there are other things for me on the horizon. Lastly, I am trying to remember that I have gone through harder and more challenging things and that I have always pulled myself up and I owe it to myself and most of all to my daughter, to keep doing so.

 

Pink

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The other night, I was scrolling through my social media and I stumbled upon this video. It’s a clip from The Ellen Show where Ellen Degeneres uses her opening monologue to discuss the absurdity of a product from the company Bic. It’s a set of pens just for women, customized to fit women’s hands. As if all women are the same?

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This kind of marketing, separating men and women by changing the color of a product and nothing more and selling it at a different (and often higher) price bothers me. Or, perhaps, bother is too forgiving. This brand of advertising irks me. So much so, I spent a whole English I paper pointing out the sort of social oppression this advertising delivers.

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Yes, there are some products that can be branded directly to women, such as period related things. But for simple objects such as office supplies, razors, deodorant, soap, snacks, children’s toys and so much more… Why must there be a delineation?

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Often times, these products are some pastel coloring that not all women enjoy and they aren’t taken as seriously as their male-marketed counterparts. My post-its do the same job as regular not-for-her post-its and so do my soap, pens, razors, snacks and so forth.

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What bugs me most is that they start this division of sexes at such a  young age. Little girls are pushed to their own frilly, watered down version of a LEGO set that has little to no building capability. A little girl is taught early on that she should only like certain activities and certain colors. She is socialized to become this fictional “weaker sex,” even in our “progressive” times.

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If this were truly truly the case, we shouldn’t be branding our products in such a way. When we do, we create barriers that prevent our movement to equality, no matter how simple.

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What’s the stupidest “FOR HER” product you’ve ever seen?

 

All artwork by Pebbles.

 

 

 

 

The Key is Innovation

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three glazed cronuts

Image by: Sean Guzman

Whether if you are majoring in pastry arts or any other major, food culture and trends are heavily appreciated and have such a tremendous impact on us as Americans. While the job of a chef is tedious and was often not readily as renowned as it is now, it has become this phenomenon. Everyone wants to own their very own restaurant and establish their own style on the culinary or confectionary scene. It has become this career choice that became an easy venture as it opens huge possibilities from a business standpoint, in that you can readily market anything. Before the days of rainbow bagels and extravagant over-the-top milkshakes, there was a food trend that started a dessert war all on its own due to this new innovative idea…the cronut. Dominique Ansel of the Dominique Ansel Bakery created this amazing dessert in his New York City shop. The cronut was a hybrid dessert that was a cross between a croissant and a donut. The dessert has since been trademarked although many other franchised bakeries have tried to mimic the readily famous dessert.

a kiwi fruit and a sorbet representation of a kiwi

Image by: Thrillist

His dedication as a pastry chef has shown throughout the years as he continues to stun the pastry world. After the extended success of the cronut, Ansel has experimented and had other popular desserts as a part of his dessert menus around the world. Another innovative dessert being his cookie shots which are chocolate chip cookie dough shaped glasses that are served after being filled with milk. It serves as a new-age spin on the classic pairing of cookies and milk. But the latest dessert from Dominque Ansel creates the façade of a kiwi fruit while having the appearance of a Klondike ice cream bar. Its innermost layer is a Tahitian vanilla ice cream that is enrobed with a layer of kiwi sorbet and then covered with a layer of milk chocolate and cocoa powder to create that fuzzy outer layer that a kiwi has. This once again proves the talent that is Dominique Ansel as he constantly challenges the dessert world with new ideas and provides a whole new spectrum of flavor concepts readily involved in desserts.

One of the most amazing things, no matter what career that you partake in, is to always stay updated and to try to create something new or innovative that has not particularly been created beforehand. As I work towards being a pastry chef, I hope to challenge myself constantly in order to create new recipes and taste combinations for new desserts. I wish to create my own food trends by way of my ideas to influence the pastry world. I believe that we as humans should always push ourselves to be relevant and create a brand within our talents. No matter who you are and regardless of whether you have your entire future planned out or not, you should always be aware of how talented you are and acknowledge the fact that there is only one version of yourself which makes you already unique as well as what you have to offer this world.

The Parachute Jump

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This will be the last installment of my adventures in Coney Island. The Parachute Jump might not be the oldest thing in Luna Park but it still holds some type of deep connotation of Brooklyn in our minds. As if seeing that wiry frame from afar, blazoned with lights, illuminating the night sky, was the Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn; symbolically telling visitors “You’ve arrived, welcome.” and to the Brooklynites “You’re Home.” Nothing beats the first time seeing the Parachute Jump light up the Coney Island skyline. It makes you think of how much you’d rather be there, right in front of it; curiosity over-taking every thought you could possibly concept. “…. I need to be there” I would sometimes whisper to myself as if its presence would make be feel better, happier, more like myself. It’s the nostalgia that calms me every time I see it. Like the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, it lulls every stress away, ultimately bringing me to a simpler time in my life. Such simplicity and innocence that is now coveted but also forgotten for the most part.

The Parachute Jump all began with the World Fair of 1939 in Flushing Meadows, Queens. The fair had seven zones of how to make the normal American’s life improved. In the amusement section, there stood The Parachute Jump created by a man by the name of James Strong of the U.S. Navy. He had already made several variations of the jump; first as a naval training device then in Chicago’s World Fair in 1936 which debuted the “Pair-O-Chutes”. This model was two hundred feet tall and was a remodel of an old observatory tower that was there prior to the Fair. It had six arms that could carry two passengers for each drop. It was major success and that led to it being asked to also feature in the World Fair in New York. So in 1939, Strong built the Parachute Jump at a height of two hundred fifty feet with twelve arms instead of six, the arms carried two people at a time. It costed forty cents for adults and twenty-five cents for children to ride. The passengers were loaded at the bottom of the ride, then ascended into the air before being released at the top, floating to the ground.

June 1947, aerial photo of a daring couple on the ride. Image Credit: Beumann/CORBIS

Just as years before in Chicago, the Parachute Jump was a success. It was so loved that The Tilyou Family (who owned Luna Park at the time) bought the ride for one hundred fifteen thousand dollars and brought to Coney Island and reassembled under the management of, architect, Michael Mario and, engineer, Edwin Kleinert.

Even though the nation went through some very tough times in relation to World War II, The Parachute Jump stood atop the beach literally as a symbol of safety. According to “The Parachute Jump Designation Report” on nyc.gov, the Parachute jump served as a beacon of light for American planes and ships.

 

It stopped production in the late 1960’s but it’s structural skeleton still stands. In 1980 it was admitted into to the collection of National Register of Historic Places. Nine years later it was finally recognized as a New York City Landmark. By 1993, the Parachute Jump was painted in its original colors and stabilized for viewing purposes. The addition of LED lights wasn’t introduced until 2004; this production took two years to complete and made its first public appearance on July 7, 2006.

Now The Parachute Jump is like the Times Square of Brooklyn for New Year’s Eve. It will count down the seconds and illuminate the space at midnight. It has recently become a popular destination for New Yorkers on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The parachute Jump has become the capital of Coney Island for me. It reminds me of my younger days on the Island and most of the reasons why I’m so proud of my borough.

What does The Parachute Jump mean to you?

It’s coming…..

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Hey guys! It’s your friendly neighborhood tech blogger here to talk about, DUN DUN DUN midterms – gasp – I know right, the forbidden term we all despise. Now now I’m not here to scare anybody but quite the opposite, I’m here to give you tips on how to survive the scary month. For starters, the basic and more important portion to anything, including midterms is health, take a walk, hike, sit and watch the sunset, or even watch the sunrise if you’re a morning person, my preference as you all know is nature, anything surrounded in nature is my distress factor. On the topic of health, a main factor that keeps us all sane in this time of year, sleep! Ladies and gentlemen I can’t stress this enough, without sleep you CANNOT function  for an exam! You’re deprive your body and your mind of energy, without sleep our bodies can’t reboot and gain the necessary energy for the day, the average amount of sleep necessary is 7-8 but given that it is midterms week, 6-7 is fine, any lower than that is no Bueno my friend.

Photographer: Lokendra Singh

A word for the wise, in any class no matter what always have a copy of your work and store it, take it from a COMD major gal, flash drives are everything!!!!! Whether it’s for typography or labs for physics, always keep copies incase you lose the original, or even scan it and save the documents in your flash drives, you don’t even need to buy anything pricey a simple 16GB is really cheap and good to store small things.

Created by: Gennessy Palma

Now an obvious tip, STUDY! We all become so overwhelmed with planning and creating study guides that we forget to read and let everything since in, read over your notes! A+’s do not come in easy you know, for the first year students, I recommend you ask your professors for some help and asking them how it’s like, perhaps they can help you build a guide to help prepare you for the upcoming exams, remember DO NOT be afraid to ask for help, this isn’t high school, the professors will not come to you and remind you of everything, come to them after or before class, if you’re both available, use the office hours, it doesn’t hurt to ask! Reach out, don’t be silent, because in the end of the day, YOU are responsible for yourself, this is the adult life, but you don’t have to go at it alone, build study groups if you can! Use the recourses available in the school, the library, the computer labs, there’s one in vorhees in the second floor and on in the sixth floor in the main building, don’t lounge around, sit up and do what you can, be strong, get rest, be calm! Deep breathes guys, we’ll make it but you just need to put the effort in!

 

Tips to Getting The Most out of each Semester

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So the semester has begun and I, like most students, feel exhausted almost every day. As a student at a CUNY college life can be difficult, especially if your morning commute to class requires the use of public transportation. Aside from the challenges that come with traveling to school, there are many other obstacles that a college student has to face on a daily basis. However, after spending three years as a CUNY college student I realized that being a student isn’t as difficult as we make it out to be. College is similar to a rubix cube in a way because its just a challenge that requires a great strategy and your full concentration in order to be executed thoroughly. In order to prosper in college I had to figure out 1) how I could adapt to college life, and 2) which tactics could I use to make each semester beneficial to me. Below, I have listed my top 5 tips/ tactics that I used, and still use to get the most out each semester, with hopes that readers can gain some insight on how to make each semester a successful one.

The tips that I use to get the most out of each semester are:

Tip 1: Take your studies seriously!!

You can party hard, and still pass all of your classes. Just organize your time, and make sure you prioritize studying as well as looking over your notes. Your parents or legal guardians aren’t shelling out big bucks for you to bring home C’s and D’s!! Apply yourself to your books, just like you apply yourself to social media and video games, and all the other things you enjoy. School is only as difficult as you make it!! Think about it like this , attaining a bachelor’s degree only takes a few years of your life. So why not go to school and do your best in every class that you registered for? The semester only last a few months, and although it may seem like a drag you have to make the most of it because it’s not free. Each class costs a significant amount of money whether it be yours, your parent’s or money you receive from financial aid. Regardless of how your semester is paid for, we all know it’s not cheap, and each student owes it to themselves to do their best so they don’t waste their time or the money that was paid for their individual classes.

Tip 2: Party!!

When I say “party”, I DO NOT mean go out clubbing with your friends every night. I’m saying that students should have some down time to breathe. Every once in awhile throughout the semester students should take a break from the books. Go out and have a night on the town. Go out to a new restaurant and try their signature drink, go all out, have dessert while you’re at it! If you don’t party then find something exciting to do like visiting Sky Zone Trampoline Park, or go race around the go kart track at Pole Position Raceway. There is always something exciting happening in New York. All you have to is log on to the computer, and Google away!!

Tip 3: Attend events on Campus!!

Colleges are always hosting events!! Don’t limit yourself to just your college events. CUNY ID cards work at just about all CUNY campuses, so go explore what other campuses have to offer. If you’re feeling really adventurous go visit a SUNY campus, and see how colleges get down outside of New York City. New York City College of Technology has at least one event a week, if not more. Events on campuses are the best way to take a load off while you’re on break, or after a long day, and these events also give you the opportunity to meet lots of new people and potential friends.

Tip 4: Make Friends (Network)!!

Don’t be a hermit crab throughout your whole college career!! Talk to your classmates, and get to know the people around you. Of course be careful who you make friends with because not everyone deserves to have you in their life. However, I have personally met some amazing people in college who have been a blessing to me since the day we met. The best way to figure out if you should befriend a fellow student, is to give them a trial period. Monitor their behavior for a few weeks, if they seem normal then, great you have a new friend. If this particular person rubs you the wrong way, run for the hills! Pay attention to the signs, because there are always signs.

Tip 5: Be nice to your Professors!

I don’t think students realize just how important their relationships with their professors are. Professors have extensive knowledge about subjects/ fields that may be beneficial to students in the long run. Professors also have connections, and they can assist you with getting into special programs, and finding jobs in your field of interest. Professors also are perfect for writing letters of recommendations because they monitor your progress throughout the semester, so they can reflect on your positive attributes. If a student maintains a positive relationship with their professor, they can ask their professor for an amazing letter of recommendation, or for help with other academic related issues. Maintaining a positive relationship with your professor can enhance your college career to great heights.

These tips that I provided below may seem simple but if you incorporate them into your life, you will see drastic changes. College is about getting good grades, but it’s also about finding yourself and figuring out who you are. In order to do so, college students must have experiences, and then learn from those experiences. These precious years of college are our last few years of real freedom until real life, and real responsibility kicks in, so enjoy yourself while you can. My advice for all college students is to take chances, live your lives, work hard but most of all make the most out each semester.