April 12, 2015
Dear Students:
For some of us, this time of the semester comes with a special challenge. There is so much work to do and it may seem, at times, to be insurmountable. So much to read, so much to write, so many deadlines: will the semester ever end? The sheer volume of the work can be so daunting it can seem like an insurmountable obstacle. But you can overcome it.
I assure you, the semester will indeed come to an end, and quicker than you think.
If you are feeling that you are like Sisyphus, the mythical Greek king whose punishment was to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to have it roll down again and again, take heart. The tasks you face are, in fact, not sisyphean. You can do it. You’ve done it before and you will do it again.
I encourage you to think about how you can chunk your tasks and plan to get one bit of work done this afternoon, and another bit this evening. Plan your work into sessions of a couple of hours at a time with breaks in between so that you can get some fresh air and be refreshed in doing so. You might find that you have a breakthrough on that paper you’re writing not when you are sitting in front of your laptop trying to write it, but rather when you give your brain a change of scenery by taking a walk on campus. In that kind of moment, the key idea might just come to you – if you make yourself available for the inspiration.
Don’t forget how important it is to take care of yourself by eating well, getting enough sleep, and not overdoing the caffeine, not matter how good that coffee tastes!
Sincerely,
BR
Congratulations
Every year at Commencement the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at TCNJ honors one graduate in each of our major with the Dean’s Award for Excellence in the Liberal Arts (DAELA). The DAELA Laureates are outstanding students and citizens: not only have they attained great success in their academic work, as evidenced by high grade point averages in their majors and in all their college work, but they have also achieved excellence in their participation in one of more of our signature experiences, such as study abroad, internships, undergraduate research, and/or community engaged learning. This year we congratulate the following members of the Class of 2015 as DAELA Laureates in the majors listed below:
Criminology: Kimberly Bernstein
English Liberal Arts: Carly DaSilva
English Secondary Education: Alison Buske
History: Caitlin Wiesner
International Studies: Andrew Wallach
Journalism & Professional Writing: Ashley Schreyer
Philosophy: Nicholas Lauda
Political Science: Rebecca Flores
Psychology: Katherine Scott
Sociology: Joanna Peluso
Spanish: Jeimy Herrera Velasquez
Women’s & Gender Studies: Olivia Smith
Opportunities
Net Impact is hosting TCNJ’s first ever Social Innovation Challenge. The event will be today, Sunday April 12 @ 1-4 pm in the School of Business Lounge. Learn more about the event at its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1620141154888823/
Project Unbreakable is an initiative that involves photographing survivors of sexual assault holding a poster with a quote from their attacker. This project hopes to give a voice to survivors of sexual assault, and allow them to use these harmful words to speak out against violence. For more information and to participate in this project, please fill out the anonymous qualtrics survey: https://tcnj.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_egF12mtFymgVruJ
Video-chat information session about the Spring 2016 study abroad program in Alcala de Henares, Spain, with students currently on the program and Spring Program Director Isabel Kentengian at 12:30 to 1:50 on Tues., April 14 in Bliss Annex 229.
Events
Mon., Apr. 13 “The End of the Civil War: Reflections 150 Years Later,” a lecture by Dr. Daniel Crofts, Professor Emeritus of History, at 4 pm in the Library Auditorium.
Mon., Apr. 13 Visiting Writer Series and INK Present Edward Hirsch, a celebrated poet and the winner of a MacArthur Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and numerous other awards, at 8;30 pm in the Library Auditorium. Hirsch will sign books and answer questions before the reading, starting at 8 pm.
Tues., Apr. 14 “Black Lives Still Matter: A Panel Discussion,” at 12:30 to 1:30 in Allen Hall Drawing Room.
Tues., Apr. 14 Screening of “It Happened Here” about sexual assault on college campuses, at 6 pm in the Library Auditorium with a discussion following the film
Wed., Apr. 15 Visiting Artist Alfred Jaar from 11 to noon in Mayo Concert Hall
Wed., Apr. 15 Study Abroad 101 for students interested in exploring this opportunity, at 2 pm in 130 Social Science
Wed., Apr. 15 Carnival in Venice, a short history, by Anita Sanseverino, photographer, at 3 pm in the Library Auditorium.
Wed., Apr. 15 Yom Ha-Shoah / Holocaust Remembrance Day: Screening of the film “Watchers of the Sky” with comments by Dr. Morton Winston (Philosophy) at 5:30 in the Library Auditorium
Wed., Apr. 15 All College Theater presents “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” at 8 pm in the Black Box Theater (also April 16, 17, and 18 at this time, and April 18 also with a 2 pm matinee)
Thurs., Apr. 16 International Film Festival: “Barbara,” in German with English subtitles. Barbara, a Berlin doctor, is banished to a rural East German hospital as punishment for applying for an exit visa and that’s where the suspense begins. Film starts at 5:30 pm in the Library Auditorium.
Thurs., Apr. 16 Screening of “Gideon’s Army,” the story of three young public defenders in the Deep South, Science P101 at 6 pm
Fri., Apr. 17 Close readings with Professor Jess Row at 12:30 to 2:15 pm in Science Complex P101, “Attempts at Description are Stupid”: George Eliot’s Metarealism