EWING, NJ - On any given day students are seen jogging around the loop that surrounds the heart of one the nation’s most competitive schools.

As many students at The College of New Jersey are aware, it’s hard enough to balance class, homework, a job, and social life, let alone making time to work out. Running and athletics take up a significant portion of the limited amount of time that many college students have for themselves.

When Kendahl Shortway, and Alana Richards (The College of New Jersey) made the decision to participate in the Philadelphia Marathon which will be held on November 18th, they had no choice but to be prepared for the challenge that was ahead of them.

In high school Shortway and Richards would have cringed at the thought of running a mile, let alone an entire marathon. It wasn’t until recently that they realized that training for such a demanding event was not only benefiting their health, but it was actually improving their academic life.

“Running really gets your mind off of school for a short time, and I find with having to train so much that you learn to manage time better which helps me do better in my classes,” says Shortway.

After running the Vermont Marathon in 2006, Shortway found that training for such an event improves stress levels and boost confidence in all aspects of life. The satisfaction isn’t in the marathon itself, it’s in the training and knowing that you’re prepared when you get there. The rush of achieving a life goal is a satisfaction that only few people have the motivation to accomplish.

“I was standing at the starting line thinking that I am about to run 26.2 miles and I just paid $90 to do it – I just paid $90 to be in the best pain of my life,” says Shortway.

In most college environments, finding the motivation to train for a marathon and staying active is a difficult task. Not so much is true at The College of New Jersey, mainly because it is a rare occasion to visit the campus without finding someone running around the 1.8 mile circumference of the campus, known to students as “the loop.”

Richards finds it hard not have motivation to run and work out at The College of New Jersey. When running on campus she sees so many different people who are running with the same motivations as her. It’s almost like they share something with each other that only runners understand.

“Being around people who care about working out makes you more apt to go out and run,” says Richards.

Richard feels that the ‘runner friendly’ environment at The College of New Jersey makes for an enjoyable training and exercise atmosphere for students. In May 2007, Richards trained for the 10 mile, Blue Cross Broad Street Run in Philadelphia. She finds that at a school with such stressful work schedules and assignments, students need to find their own way to break away from from the classroom.

“I think it’s worth it, running is something I came to value in life – it’s a part of me,” says Richards.

Jenna Meyers, TCNJ senior and certified personal trainer, uses running as her escape from the stressful world of classes and homework. Meyers considers running her “me-time” which she uses to sort thoughts, emotions, and “to-do lists,” while still feeling like she is doing something good for her body.

“Running gives me a sense of accomplishment; it has become a priority in my life- an outlet for emotion- sometimes I do math in my head while I run,” says Meyers.

Meyers feels that running releases the stress and emotional baggage that she may encounter while living a hectic college lifestyle. She also believes that having such an outlet for her emotions, allows her to perform better in the difficult math classes that she has to take.

According to Meyers, maintaining a daily running schedule will help uphold a healthy sleep schedule, which is uncommon, and often difficult to do as a college student. Sustaining a healthy and balanced diet is also a difficult, yet an extremely important task to accomplish in college.

Although Meyers has no interest in training for a marathon herself, she strongly believes that running and having a daily exercise routine will improve confidence, school work, and make for a less stressful frame of mind.

“Running helps me to stick to my daily routine and that helps a lot when you have so much going on in school – it feels good to know that there is some stability among all of the clutter and stress that comes with class and homework,” Meyers says.

Although Meyers runs on average 10 miles a day, she believes, along with other students, that running a marathon is not the only way to escape from stress and anxiety of life.

Anyone with the incentive is able to accomplish it if they are motivated, but many people do not understand how much of a commitment staying on track really is.

With the stressful lives and abundance of work load that students of The College of New Jersey are faced with, Shortway, Richards, and Meyers encourage students to seek their own escape from the hectic college state of mind.

After a long and delicious Thanksgiving dinner, Americans across the country snuggle into their beds with full stomachs, only to wake up at 4am to begin shopping for the next big holiday.

Retail stores have made Black Friday into a traditional commercial holiday for consumers all over America. Even though Christmas isn’t quite around the corner the day after Thanksgiving, retail stores have lured the consumers into their stores by using the brainwashing concepts of limited supply and outrageously low prices.

Promotions of discounts and sales which only take place early in the day bombard consumers and many become caught up with the rush of catching the early bird specials that the stores offer.

Thirty, forty, and fifty percent off discounts feed into the adrenaline of the shopper as they sprint through the stores and storm through the shelves in search of, not the best, but the most reasonably priced Christmas presents.

Black Friday has been nicknamed the biggest and most popular shopping season of the year, and many consumers are convinced by the media that sales will decrease if their holiday shopping is not completed by the weekend after thanksgiving.

Consumers are so overpowered by the retail sales and promotions of Black Friday, that many shoppers have their alarm clocks set for 3am in order to beat the crowd and catch the sales on this hectic shopping day.

“I do like saving money, don’t get me wrong, but I find myself caught up in the rush of getting up at 6am with the rest of them (Black Friday shoppers),” says Alaina Kanach, who is a frequent Black Friday Shopper.

Even those who are not as influenced by this so-called holiday tradition enough to wake up at the break of dawn, still drag themselves out into the jam-packed department stores just for the sake of shopping on the most popular shopping day of the year.

In the past few years, shoppers have been filling their credit cards with online Christmas purchases in the convenience of their own homes, rather than fighting through the crowds on Black Friday. Recently, a new era of Christmas shopping has arose with the idea of “Cyber Monday”

Since the rise of the internet, a new shopping phenomenon has been fashioned for those less intense shoppers who still want to partake in Black Friday frenzy. The Christmas online shopping season unofficially begins on “Cyber Monday,” which is the Monday following Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

Another fact that many consumers are not away of is that a number of the deals that are advertised for Black Friday are leaked onto the internet before thanksgiving. Websites such as blackfridayads.com and blackfriday.gottadeal.com, give consumers a heads up about the deals that will be offered in the stores that day.

“Black Friday is my least favorite day to shop,” says Angela Cororel, who is also a frequent online shopper, “I’ve gotten addicted to online shopping, its so much easier once you get the hang out it, and I definitely don’t miss the crowded malls.”

The idea of Cyber Monday began with consumers who would relay on online shopping for any of their last minute purchases that they were unable to make on Black Friday.

Over the years, consumers found online shopping to be a more convenient means of Christmas shopping, and Cyber Monday has recently become an unofficial traditional holiday for shoppers.

Some shoppers still remain loyal to the traditional after Thanksgiving Black Friday holiday. Though what most consumers are not aware of are the motives behind the Black Friday concept that one should be aware of before swiping that credit card.

Retails may make their stores appear to have the best sales and discounts, but in reality you are getting an outrageous discount, but then making up for it with the price of the warranty, or additional accessories of the products.

Retailers can also lure you in by the “buy one get one half price” concept. This idea is intended to make the consumer spend more money by buying more merchandise, yet by still making them feel as if they are getting deal.

Consumers are also tricked into stores by the coupon policy, which only allows one to get the discount if they have a specific coupon that is not available in the store that day. Many times shoppers get lured into the stores by this concept, and then end up purchasing more merchandise because they had already made the trip to that store.

On Black Friday, some websites also allow shoppers to purchase the items online for the prices that are offered in the stores. If consumers are able to purchase the items they desire online in their own homes for the same price as the department stores, why is the public fleeing out the door on Black Friday to fight raging crowds?

Consumers will always be lured in by “good” deals and promotional sales by retails, but if we are going to get the Christmas shopping done, why not do it without the crowds and hassle? Despite the anticipation for the Christmas shopping tradition, there are many shoppers who are more discouraged about shopping on Black Friday because of the inconvenience of lines, and crowds.

“I think shopping online is much easier because there are no long lines, and there’s never a limited supply of products,” says Katie Bonner, who is another frequent online shopper.

In the new age of technology and online advancements, the Black Friday tradition may soon fade away in the eyes of the consumer while the online shopping experience begins to take over malls and department stores as we know them today.

Atlantic City, NJ has been imagining new and exciting ways to make a shopping outing more than an ordinary experience. In a city that is prominent for its enthusiasm, thrill and dazzling personality, it was about time that a shopping environment was created that can hold up to its reputation.

In August 2003, The Atlantic City Outlets The Walk, which was the first outlet shopping facility in Atlantic County. The Walk cover seven blocks of outlet shopping stores, and the mall is currently being expanded to open cover more blocks in the heart of Atlantic City.

Though The Walk is a popular attraction for many tourists, Caesar’s Atlantic City attempted to take its finest shopping on the water experience to the next level. The Pier Shops at Caesar’s was built on the old Steel Pier located behind Caesar’s on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

Caesar’s Atlantic City succeeded in creating a shopping environment built around sophistication and prestige. The Pier’s atmosphere presents the sensation of an underwater world of imagination as shoppers glide the waving ceiling and walls whirling around elegant displays of radiant waterfalls.

Barbara Amaya, who was a first time shopper at The Pier, was truly impressed by the shopping quality and overall experience of the high end shopping mall.

“When I walked in it felt like a different world” says Barbara Amaya, who is now a frequent shopper at The Pier, “you realize that the outside is kind of deceiving because when you walk in its big and impressive.”

The $7 million dollar Water Show that is presented at The Pier awes shoppers as they pause to view the extravagant light and water experience that is placed in the middle of The Pier.

The Pier is simply a work of art, and why have a high end shopping mall without opening high end stores inside. The Pier houses a number of well known name brand stores that you can’t find anywhere else in South Jersey. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry are among the 55 stores in The Pier, just to name a few. If high end shopping isn’t your forte, The Pier also offers great stores that you find in your local mall.

For those who are not in the shopping mood, The Pier also provides seven tasteful and refined dinner options to choose from. Every restaurant located at The Pier is sure to offer a unique and elegant dinning experience with a breathtaking view of the city and ocean.

Buddakan gives off a dream like vibe and appears as if you are walking into an ancient Chinese village. It makes for an elite dinner atmosphere and gives the guest a relaxed feeling of serenity while devouring the Chinese cuisines the restaurant has to offer.

The Continental is a popular restaurant that is featured inside The Pier’s quarters; it provides a magnificent view of the Atlantic Ocean which makes for a enjoyable and romantic dining experience. The Continental Atlantic City gives the guests a sophisticated and retro vibe as if you are you walking into the era of the rat pack days. Many of the meals are meant to be shared, and martini’s a must have at this establishment.

The restaurant and sports bar, Game On, which is also located at The Pier, is the only sports bar that is more than a sports bar. Game On provides 70 high-definition interactive television screens which broadcast the biggest sports event from all over the world.

The menu includes well-known American dishes from different cities across the country. The energetic vibe that the bar gives off makes for a favorable settling for the mechanical bull in the back of the bar.

If you’re in the mood for seafood, there’s no better place to go than a pier in the ocean. Phillips located at The Pier, provides guests with an upscale seafood dinning experience. Phillips serves nothing less than fresh and delicious seafood from around the world, not to forget three to ten pound lobsters that are a must in such an electrifying dinning atmosphere.

Sonsie houses an extravagant wine cellar holding over 300 wine selections, and it brings the European bistro vibe to the bar scene by providing an outdoor lounge equip with leather sofas and chairs. For all of you sushi lovers, you wouldn’t want to pass by Souzai Sushi and Shake, which offers the city’s best sushi, and Japanese Cuisine.

To gain an Irish vibe of the Atlantic City, Trinity, Irish Pub and Carvery is the place you’ll want to be. Guests can choose to relax at one of the many bars, or the comfy fireside tables that are provided. If traditional pub food isn’t your style, Trinity could still be the best place to end any great night with good friends and good drinks.

No matter whom you are, or what you enjoy, The Pier is sure to have something to offer you. The Pier is notorious for the night life; restaurants, shopping, and art that people from around the world come to experience. The Pier is a dazzling experience in its own, so take your imagination to the next level, and visit the The Pier Atlantic City.

Kevin Devine’s newest album “Put Your Ghost To Rest,” is without a doubt the perfect album to lighten up and unwind to after that edgy work day.

Every song on the track list expresses a soothing and relaxed ambiance throughout the entire album, which is difficult to find in many new musicians coming into the spectrum. It is obvious while listening that Devine put his soul into this album by giving each track meaning and emotions for the listener to take in as their own and identify with.

The album composes clever lyrics that are interestingly interpreted with descriptions which sound too beautiful to drug related, which many of his songs will obviously appear to be. Even the most depressing tracks on the album have cheerful and delightful music which gives the album an enjoyable appeal. The bizarrely good mood feeling which this album possess makes for the ideal ‘break-up’ album guaranteed to enliven anyone who just got dumped.

While listening to the album, the lyrics flow through your body making some songs almost impossible not to sing along to. Devine’s gentle and coy voice separates him from other artists, and it is effortless to recognize the amount of passion that is brought out through his each song on the “Put Your Ghost To Rest” album.

Devine has a unique, and tranquil style that separates him from other artists in this genre, though if asked to compare this album, the most appropriate contrast would be a mix between the unperturbed variety of Dashboard Confessional’s “The Swiss Army Romance, and a depressed Jack Johnson’s “On and On.”

Devine’s intention for this album focuses on the years of his drug and alcohol abuse and his struggles during the process of overcoming this difficult time in his life. The album begins with the song “Brooklyn Boy,” which portrays subtle, yet soothing interpretation about years of drug usage. The line “this was a choice, this was never a mistake,” is numerously repeated at the end of the song which clearly states that the choose to continue drug use. After hearing the line, “alone at last to figure how you got this way,” the song seems to represent one who is so deep into drugs that they are unsure of how they got to that point.

Another obviously drug related song in the album is track 3, “Just Stay,” which opens the song by describing a conversation during a drug trade in an alley way. The lyrics appear to describe one who seems to be confused about who they are.

“The morning’s hot and harsh my notebook fills itself. The words come thick with sweat; it feels like someone else is writing all of this, someone I just can’t believe. When I mop my brow, set my pen back down, it’s still me, still me.”

The line describes Devine writing lyrics in a notebook, and later feeling unlike himself and not knowing why he was feeling that way at the time.

The fourth track of the album, called “You’ll Only End Up Joining Them,” is the most emotive song mainly because it was written about Devine’s brother who had died from AIDS.

The line “I know my brother, he went one way and at the fork I heard him say, ‘don’t you follow. Don’t go making my mistakes,’” most definitely describes his brother telling him not to make the same mistakes which caused his death, which was mostly likely caused by drugs. This song seems to be a calling to anyone who is involved with drugs to straighten themselves out, and the tracks following this song are all about one’s struggle to get over the drug addiction and become clean.

The song “Less Yesterday,” describes the final decision of turning a new direction away from the drugs. The line “less yesterday, and more today, yeah I got to get my head on straight,” describes the goal to get his life back in order and straighten himself out.

Despite the frequent drug citations in the album “Put Your Ghost To Rest,” Devine references towards growing up, friendship, and overcoming love, in many songs in this album. One song that defines drifting away from friends as you grow up would be track 10, “Me and My Friends.” This song seems to represent Devine drifting away from the bad influences in his life, which in this case are his old friends, and starting his life over.

The album ends with the comforting and serene song, “Heaven Bound and Glory Be,” which represents overcoming the drug addition. “Heaven Bound and Glory Be” is a perfect end to a soothing and soporific album which faintly expresses such a difficult time in Devine’s life in such a beautiful and sophisticated manner.

One of this week’s case study, Reproduction Rights and the Abortion Issue (case 8.2),  caught my interest instantly when I began to read it. I found it interested to read about how the Planned Parenthood organization came about, and how much fighting and effort it took to allow such an organization to exist. While I was reading, I realized that Margaret Sanger, who was an advocate for birth control clinics in the early 1900’s, used public relation tactics to get her message across in many of the same ways that publicists use today. She made pamphlets, wrote articles, and created a publication focusing on the woman’s right to abort a child, and use birth control.  This case is one of the more interesting cases to me that we have read during this class, mainly because I learned a lot about a topic that everyone has heard of but no one knows how it was really established.

An Internet campaign could easily be established by using the theories and concepts from the Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell. One of the first aspects of the Tipping Point that Gladwell stresses is that in order to make a trend tip one must make it into an epidemic. The Internet is a quick and effective way to reach whatever audience you are trying to target. What one should do is find a connector who has the same interest as the target audience you desire. The connectors in the Hush Puppy campaign began an epidemic without any intention or idea of what wearing those shoes was creating. All they did was walk around public places with the Hush Puppy shoes, and the trend spread so quickly that the manufacturers didn’t know what hit them. The Internet is so fast paced and interactive that as soon as a message or trend comes along, it could be in 10 different countries in 20 seconds. All you need to do to create a successful internet campaign is to deliver the right message to the right person who will pass it on the right people.

In last week’s class, we discussed the steps in writing a good paper. I found this lesson to be very beneficial, mainly because I am a journalism major, and writing is obviously the key component in this field of study. Most people are convinced that writing a paper is basically common knowledge, but I was unaware of all the steps in revision that should be taking place after a paper is written. I am usually one to read over and double check for mistakes, but after this lesson I learned that there are many more steps into writing a great and efficient paper.

Michelle’s Blog

Although I have never blogged before, I am not interested in blogging and do not like it. If it was not for this class, I would probably never become involved in blogging by choice. I don’t like the idea of allowing the world access to your thoughts and ideas, but then again facebook and myspace is in many aspect the same idea. As of now, I do not like blogging at all, but there is a chance that after this class I will feel more comfortable with blogging and begin to accept it. I understand that many companies, especially in public relations are becoming more internet savvy and blogging is becoming a part of life in that field. Since public relations is the profession that I am choosing to study, I am going to try my best to learn how to blog and become comfortable with the idea.

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