The End of An ERA...Smile or Tear?

MyHotComments


When it comes time to say goodbye, when things are getting ready to change...I always find it extremely hard...do I want to cry, do I want to smile? Do I want to shed a tear of happiness...or sadness. Is it a mixture of both?

The fact is that change is hard for everyone, and although it is easier for some than others, when change arrives, we all have something new to adapt to. For some, this is the easiest thing to do, because they hate being stuck in one place and love to explore the new, see what they haven't seen, touch what they haven't touched, smell what they haven't smelled, go were they haven't gone.

For others, like myself, change is a huge predicament...whether it is good or bad. It is hard for me to let go of things without knowing what the future holds. This can be an absolute terrible thing, because you never know if the future is ready to surprise you with the best things in your life. As they say, you don't know what you are missing out on until you try it! But thats me, afraid of the unknown.

For this reason, going into college was an incredibly hard thing for me. While my friends were enjoying their time, going to parties and adapting perfectly well, I was thinking of the past and what I had left behind. I was too busy thinking about how simple things were in the past to enjoy everything that was in front of me. My friends tried continuously to get me to feel better, but sometimes, when you are hard-headed, you have to put up with what you have in front of you to eventually realize that things might not be as bad as you are making them to be.

For this reason, as a second semester junior, going into my last year of college, I am as happy as can be. Most of the people that know me probably think that about a year from now, I will be once again freaking out about whats to come, but I learned the hard way that no matter how much you fear it, the future is going to catch up with you...and things will change, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. But the only way to live and enjoy life is to confront these changes, roll with the punches, and put your game face for everything that comes your way. FACE IT, DEAL WITH IT, AND MOVE ON...After all, that is what makes you an adult, being able to face the adversities that life throws at you on a day to day basis, and after a while, we realize that this is what makes life interesting.



MyHotComments



Had I never left the comfort of my home and stepped into college, I would have never made it to being a junior in college, with a good job, an internship on the way, good friends,great family (which thankfully was always there) and a great boyfriend. I've grown and matured, and I'm loving it. Sure, change has brought its share of pain, but life wouldn't be life without it!

With the culmination of my junior year comes the culmination of my Writing for the Media class...and the eventual culmination of this blog.

So my advice for everyone that might read this, don't be afraid of life...Its a beautiful thing! You never know where it will take you, and you shouldn't be afraid to find out!



MyHotComments

How to keep your RELATIONSHIP going strong

MyHotComments


To many, keeping a healthy, good relationship may seem like the great thing that we are all looking for in life. However, we all know how difficult it might be to find this perfect relationship, and even more difficult to keep it in good standards.

Initially, finding a partner might seem like the most difficult part, and it could be. Finding someone that you like and who likes you back, who goes well with you, cares and understands you, and who's company you enjoy, all together, can be a very difficult task. One tip in this area though, would be to find someone whom you can stand to be around after a long period of time, and still be comfortable and enjoy their company...this is always a key sign that the person might be right for you; it means that after a few hours you won't want to kill each other...and this is definitely a must! :p

But we seem to be digressing, the point is that the most difficult part, in reality, is maintaining a relationship once you have found that person that you think might be the one...if anything, at least for now.

Having dealt with it myself, I know this from personal experience. I am now finally in a stable relationship, and I can honestly say that even though it sounds cliché , the truth is that communication definitely is KEY to a healthy relationship. If you feel a certain way, but don't say it, eventually it will affect the way you act towards your partner, and the relationship will suffer. You might not even realize it because it might be an unconscious thing, but those little issues that you don't speak of amount up until you can no longer handle it, and the explosion will not be cute. If not, you will simply end up pulling away, or making him pull away from you.

Another important part is trust. You must trust the one your with, or seriously, do not be with them at all, because it WILL turn into a headache. Not everyone is meant to be for you, no matter how badly you want them, and the reality is that if you don't have full trust in them, there probably is a reason for it. Either 1. you are too paranoid and need to calm down, or 2. you know that this person is doing something they shouldn't be doing, but are trying to be blind about it because you really want it to work out. If you are in either of these predicaments, then you need to reconsider what is going on with your relationship, because you will not be able to fully enjoy it until you do. One moment you will be happy, the other you might be blue (LOL....sorry, I couldn't resist!).

Finally, if you have these two issues covered, then just try to keep the relationship ALIVE! I've definitely noticed that when you and your significant other stay involved (whether its doing the movie thing once a week, walking around the park, or anything that you both enjoy) will keep the relationship interesting. Staying home all the time becomes dull, and that's probably why you eventually start looking for something more interesting.

Having a relationship should be fun, and although, you will obviously argue, the happiness and the love should be enough to overcome the arguments and be worth the while.

But remember, he/she is not the only one that can or will love you, and if all goes wrong, you will be able to move on. Don't ever become someones toy because you feel you cant go on without them...because you were before, and you will be able to after!


MyHotComments


MyHotComments

Sex & the City

My most anticipated movie is finally almost hitting the big screen...Sex & the City. A lot of people think this is a promiscuous show that only deals with sex, but if that were the truth, then it wouldn't be one of my (along with thousand and thousand of others) favorite shows.

The show is based on the personal and intimate life of four best friends; Charlotte (the beautiful, conservative, one with the long black hair, first from left), Carrie (main character with long, curly blond hair, second from the left), Samantha (the promiscuous, trisexual-as in try anything one, confident one, third from left), and finally, Miranda (the hardheaded, cynical lawyer with the short red hair, fourth from left).

Even though the four are best friends, they differentiate from each other monumentally. Carrie is a writer with her own column in a newspaper entitled Sex & the City. She is the narrator of the show, and we follow as she looks for the take-your-breath-away love that she believes is somewhere to be found. She goes through a few relationships, Mr. Big being her main love, and in each one, she (as well as the other characters) encounter relationship problems or circumstances that other shows never had the guts to show.

Charlotte is the hopeless romantic, waiting for Mr. Perfect, which to her means rich, handsome, and hailing from a good family. When she does find this exact man, the marriage fails tremendously, and she is surprised to find love where she least expected it, in a Jewish bald guy.

Miranda is a cynical, strong, independent woman, a lawyer, and a firm believer that she does not need a man in her life to be happy. Eventually she meets Steve, whom she has a child with and marries towards the end of the show.

Samantha is overtly sexual, and here is where we actually see all the "sex" that people think sex & the city is all about. However, she still encounters certain battles, such as actually falling in love (which can be surprising when you go from man to man), getting cheated on by him, getting and fighting against cancer, and finding Jared, who at first was only a sexual partner, but becomes someone that she can ultimately love and trust.

The show lasted six seasons, and the season finale was one of the most watched in history. Sex & the City might have been really open about sex, but it also dealt with love, relationships, friendships, careers, life choices, getting older, loving someone, breaking up, and moving on with your life--which can be pretty hard and devastating, but not as bad if you have friends by your side.

Sex & the City was truly a masterpiece in sit-com history, and now they've made the movie...to be released in the U.S on May 30th! You'll find me at the front of the line!

This is your chance to catch up on the show and watch all the episodes before the movie!



(Trailer of the movie)

The Process in getting an Internship OR job...it's hard, but you have to get in there SOMEHOW, SOME WAY!!!

As a second semester junior at Manhattanville College, I realized that the time to start applying for internships had come a long...long time ago. Internships are a very important part of your college carrier, and they provide some of the experience that you will find as "necessary" under every job listing once you graduate.

Fortunately, I became aware of this not too late, so that I could start making moves on it. I decided I wanted a summer internship...asap. So the first thing I knew I had to do was build a GREAT resume, no exaggerations on the GREAT part. Since your resume is the first thing any company or hiring personnel will see, it is the one thing that represents you. You have to make it stand out and give something that all the other resumes are not providing.

To do this, I visited the career counseling center in my school. I took my old resume, which I was sure needed more than A LOT of fixing and updating, and as I presumed, it did. The very nice lady that I met with helped me correct many mistakes, and after correcting my resume....oh about 3 times and seeing her about 4, my resume was finally presentable enough to send out to the corporate world!

Another very important part of the procedure was building my cover letter. This, just like the resume, took a lot of time, because this is where you get to speak your mind, whereas your resume just lists your jobs and accomplishments. It's important that you make your cover letter specific for each company, let them know that you know about them and how you will be an asset, and not a liability to them.

Once you have these two things mastered, your job is halfway done. Send them out to as many places as you would like to work at, because remember, you are not the only one looking for an internship or job. Your first option might not pick you, but if you have many options and send it out everywhere, you have a higher chance of getting something. DO NOT DISCARD a company because it is not well recognized or renowned. Remember that you have to start somewhere, and those small companies can also provide a great experience!

Finally, the day of the interview, be prepared, dress your best, formal wear, no cleavage or underwear showing (YES GUYS, PLEASE PULL UP YOUR PANTS....THOSE DAYS SHOULD BE LONNGGG GONE!). You should always research the company before you go, so that you are well informed on who they are and what they do (this will help make conversation as well). Take at least three copies of your resume, because sometimes they have multiple people interviewing you! Have a smile at all times, be polite, and take your time...no rush! Finally, it is always good to ask a good question, it'll make you stand out! What to wear the day of the interview

I might not be an expert, but after attending a good amount of interviews, I received a summer 08' internship and another one for fall 08...! To say im excited would be the least!

***Why Beautiful WOMEN marry LESS attractive MEN*** :P

So as usual, I go into the Yahoo! search engine to do my day to day research on random stuff, and as usual, I found yet another interesting article. This one was entitled "Why Beautiful Women Marry Less Attractive Men". Needless to say, this caught MY attention.

Apparently, men married to better looking women tend to be more supportive and positive towards the marriage and their every day lives. The reasoning behind this, researchers have found, is that women place more importance on having a supportive husband whereas men care more about beauty…Isn’t this absolutely ridiculous?!

You mean to tell me that men do not get over this non-sense after high school? Okay, I definitely understand that being attracted to you partner (at least a little) is necessary, however, this should not in ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM be taken to mean that the man can do as he pleases because he can find a better looking woman. Remember, just because she looks better does not mean she IS better, and more likely than not, she wont be. Obviously, if you are with your "not as beautiful as can be" girlfriend, its because you saw something special in her, something above and beyond the "looks", and something that will be there fifty years from now, when you yourself are old, saggy and grumpy!

According to researchers, certain features meet the “universal standard of beauty”, which include “large eyes, baby face features, symmetric faces, and specific waist-hip ratios”.

The report goes on to say that two good looking people can get together and have a great relationship, however, if a better looking man marries a better looking woman, the relationship will not work out as well because he will always know that because he is better looking, he has the potential to get, if he wanted, a better looking woman. For this reason, he wouldn't be as supportive of her or as caring. For example, in a stressful situation, instead of being what they call "a positive husband", and encouraging her and being there for her, he would be a "negative husband", and tell her what she is doing wrong and reprimand her for it.

However, if the woman is better looking, given that men pay so much attention to beauty, they wouldn't want to lose the woman, and therefore would give more attention and better care to her.

This, to me, is still unbelievable, that men could be so shallow as to support more their significant other based on looks. Of course, their is always an exception, and man are not all the same....but unfortunately, I do see how this can make sense.

My advice to all women; BE CONFIDENT WITH YOURSELF AND THE WAY YOU LOOK....if he mistreats you, then leave him, hes not worth it anyways. Easier said than done...I know, but you know what, at the end of the day, he'll end up with some top-of-the-line beauty queen/model chick that will make him feel like crap and dump him eventually...and that'll be your revenge! :)

"New Addiction on Campus: Raiding the Medicine Cabinet"......

On the article written by Elizabeth Bernsteain on the 25th of March, she speaks of a new addiction on campus, that I am sure most campus students can say they've heard of. This new addiction consists of using prescription medicine such as Adderall and Percocet.

This trend started not too long ago, when students started taking prescription drugs intended for people with attention-deficit disorder such as Ritalin, Adderall and others. They started doing this when they noticed that taking these prescriptions they could increase their concentration level and focus better on the material in front of them even if they didn't have ADD. So students started takiing it the night before a huge exam to study and cram all night without distractions.

Now, however, college students are starting to use more dangerous prescription drugs, such as very strong painkillers like "OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet". The use of these drugs have been increasing drastically with the years. According to the article:

"From 2002 to 2006, the annual prevalence of use of narcotics

other than heroin among college students rose to 8.8% from 7.4%,

according to a University of Michigan study funded by the National

Institute on Drug Abuse. For OxyContin, annual prevalence of

use doubled, to 3%; the use of Vicodin rose to 7.6% from 6.9%".

"In 2006, 2.2 million people ages 12 and older said they started

abusing pain relievers within the past year, with young adults

ages 18-25 showing the greatest overall use of any age group,

according to Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute

on Drug Abuse". (Bernsteain)

These drugs are becoming increasingly popular, and the main reason for this is that they are so readily available and easy to find. Most students buy them right from other students like themselves that either have them prescribed or take it from a younger brother (like the prescription drugs for ADD), or take it from their parents (like the painkillers). Another way to get these drugs is from and online drug store. Now, I dont know exactly how these online drug stores work, but im sure that there has to be some kind of regulation with what is sold and to whom it is sold to, or isn't there?

The article also says how most people dont perceive prescription drugs as being dangerous, which is true, but even Tylenol says on the directions not to exceed the amount necessary! The fact is that a drug is nothing more than that...a drug, and any type, whether prescribe and medically approven or not, if taken in large amounts can most like be dangerous to your health. Unfortunately, many students don't know this, and those that do tend to over look it confiding in the it won't happen to me rule....until it does.

Another big problem tends to occur when these trusted prescribed drugs are mixed with other prescribed drugs, which can be very dangerous.

Like with most things, the best way to prevent this is to practice abstinence....from any drug that has not been medically prescribed directly to you.

*NSYNC....not just another BoY bAnD!!!

To most critics, when *Nsync came out, the seemed to be just another boy band trying to make it..since the 90's were definitely the decade for boy bands. People would look at them and claim "ahh...they are just trying to be like the Backstreet Boys, they are not going to make it..." Well....were they ever WRONG!!!

The group was formed in 1995 in Orlando, Florida, and it consisted of five members; Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, and the very well known Justin Timberlake. This dynamic quintuplet had a hard time getting started in the U.S. because of the assumptions that everyone had about them. So they left to Europe, were they started touring and released their first cd entitled NSYNC in May 1997. Their first single "I Want You Back" reached the top ten in Europe.



Back in the states, the group released their self-title album in January 1998, and although it didn't have much success at first, eventually it reached number two in album sales. However, this could not ever prepare them for what was to come.


After releasing a Christmas album entitle "Home For Christmas" in November of 1998 and leaving record label RCA to sign with Jive, the group went on to achieve massive success with their third album "No Strings Attached" released in March 2000. The first single from this album, "Bye, Bye, Bye" immediately became number 5 on the "Hot 100" and is considered to be their signature song. The album sold 1.1 million in one day and 2.4 million in a week, breaking the record and making it the "highest first week album sales in one week!" (Wikipedia)






After this *Nsync completely blew up, selling millions in concert tickets and merchandise. They were nominated for a Grammy and were named the worlds biggest band by Rolling Stone magazine.

Their second album, "Celebrity" still holds a record for the second best selling album in a week. In 2002, *Nsync announced a hiatus, leaving many fans (including myself) very disappointed.

I was lucky enough to attend two of their concerts, and I have to say both concerts were an unbelievable experience. *Nsync, in my opinion, was definitely a part of history, the best boy band ever. They were great performers as well as inspiring artists. One of the members, Justin Timberlake, is still in the music business and is considered one of the top R&B artist of his time.

"Do Girlz Really Like Jerkz?"

"Do girls really like jerks?" That was one of Yahoo!'s headline today, and of course I had to go read that!

The article was opinion based written today, February 24th by a male and female with opposing views, Jason Ryan Dorsey and Christine Hassler.

On the one hand, Hassler says that women do not like jerks, we just think we do. She argues that we are seduced by his "confidence, charm, and passion" and that we disregard our inner voice, which is correctly telling us to stay away. According to her, the "jerk" drags us in with his compliments that eventually turn in to the criticism that he will us against us.

On the other hand, Dorsey says that women do in fact like the so called "jerks". He explains that he doesn't really understand why, but suggests that maybe its trying to beat him in his own game or "hoping that deep down inside he is a nice guy".

I can not agree more with Hassler. Being in the situation myself only a few years back, I think it's more the thrill of chasing the image of a so called "bad boy", that blinds us in a way that we find unbelievably rewarding. It must be that we are enthused at receiving attention or a simple call from that person, feeling that we are getting ahead in the chase, when in the end, the reality is that the chase is nothing but a big fat circle. When you think you are reaching the end of the race, you only start over right back were you were before...but hopefully a little more knowledgeable, maybe enough to get out of the unfortunate rut that was once thrilling, but now is only painfully never ending, seeing as how his call and apology comes right when you've decided you cant take it anymore...and so he drags you back in.

Its unfortunate that you have to go through all of that to realize who really matters in life and what kind of guy you are really looking for. However, I see it as the necessary experience that every women must go through, if not for the important life lesson, then maybe just for the thrill that we want to get before we commit :P At the end of the day though, its important because when the right guy does come along... the one that is far from a jerk, but still gives you a rush and a thrill, but this time for the right reasons, you learn to appreciate him that much more!~

~Critics, cRiTiCz, Critics.....~

Critics are always arguing in favor or against something, but regardless of the topic, they always make sure their voice is heard loud and clear, no matter who or what gets thrown into oblivion. Well, as with many movie critics, I also chose to disagree with the critics that argue that "newspapers should abandon the inverted pyramid news story structure" (Stovall 144).

After recently learning about this "inverted pyramid", it makes so much sense to me. I remember that most articles I've read over the years in most newspapers have in fact began with the most important facts....who, what, where, and when, followed by the not top priority, yet still important facts (why), and then the details. It seems to me that this is obviously the best way to go about writing any editorial paper, because most people want to "get to the point" as soon as possible, no one likes to beat around the bush! If a person is interested in a topic, they will read the first paragraph, get the most important facts, and then go on to read the rest of the details. If the reader is not so interested in the topic, why should he be placed in the predicament of reading an entire article to get to the facts? He will probably just skim through the whole article until he gets to the "point", and eventually just find a new source were he can get what he wants right away.

The television and the radio do in fact deliver news faster, because you dont have to sit there and read. But in reality, if someone is buying the newspaper, it is obvious that they want to read about current events while they are one their way to work in the train or they have some spare time. Reading can lead to more details and you generating your own perspective. You should be able to read the first paragraph, get the important facts first, and then go on to read about the details if you chose to. Furthermore, there is no really saying how "fast" the t.v and radio are in comparison to a newspaper, since if you are able to read an article in the inverted pyramid form, you will be able to quickly read the first couple of lines and know exactly what is going on in no time, as oppose to sitting and listening to a reporter on television. This way you can do it on your time, at your pace, and re-read what you did not understand.

~Writing With *SsTyLe*~

Style is defined as "a distinctive manner of expression" (Webster). I personally believe that everyone has their own distinctive style with everything, eating, speaking, learning, driving, etc. However, when it comes to writing, having a good personal style is probably most important. The reason for this is that your style (particularly in writing for the media) will define whether the receiver or person reading it will like and enjoy it...which in turn will decide whether they read what you have to say later on in the future. For this reason, it is important to be unique, clear and captivating in your style, so that people understand and like what you are writing about.

Defining a certain "style" can be difficult, but chapter 3 of Writing for the Mass Media did change my thinking about style a bit. In a way, your particular style includes how clear and precise you are, whether you are "just to the point" or you go aroung the point countless times. Your style also includes your transitions and how smoothly you use them, how specific you are, whether you use the "inverted pyramid" style or not...and so on. All of these concepts are important, and how often you use them and the way in which you use them probably define your particular style. As the book states, the most important concept to have is accuracy. If you are writing for the media and it is something that will be published, then this is obviously by far the most important concept because people are always looking to read the truth. When you dont write the facts accurately, you lose credibility, and then there is no point in reading from an author that you feel there is no reason to believe in.

Style is probably the most important thing to consider when writing, but most likely the majority of people dont even think about it, they just write. If you are writing for the media, however, it is important to keep in mind all the points that were covered in chapter 3, just because as it was stated, there are certain rules that you must keep. Finally, practicing "KISS"can be a major point in having your writing stand out and appeal to readers...as Professor Proctor says "Keep It Simple Stupid!!!" :)

"Writing is Thinking..."

"Writing is thinking" is a quote that many writers live by, and I happen to definitely agree with them. When you write, you are inadvertently portraying everything that is going on in your mind, regardless of the type of writing that you are doing. Whether its fiction or non-fiction, a journal entry, writing for a class, writing lyrics for a song, or any other type of activity that involves writing, you are expressing your inner thoughts and feelings. The reason for this is that when you write, you are using your imagination to depict whatever it is that you might want to put out there, whether it is for others to read, or if it is writing just to let your frustrations out. I myself can definitely vouch for this, because sometimes I feel as though something might be bothering me, but I am not quite sure of what, so I write down everything I'm feeling, and I end up feeling much better, because I've been thinking and analyzing the situation without really even being aware of it.

At the same time, many people also feel that when they are not able to express their feelings, thoughts, or emotions verbally, it is easier for them to express it through writing, for many reasons. First of all, sometimes we might be scared to confront someone and tell them how we really feel about them, or maybe we are scared of what their response might be, so we choose to tell them in writing, so that we can express ourselves fully, without interruptions. Some other times, we just find it easier to communicate that way, because we don't have to be looking up at that person, or searching for their immediate reactions. In this way, we are expressing our thoughts through writing. Finally, I would like to point out that as you write, more and more thoughts come to your mind, making you think more, making "writing" the same thing as "thinking".

Blog 1

If you ask most people to go back and think of the so called "good days", most will undoubtfully refer back to their childhood days. I am no different. Don Pedro Albizu Campos School, the elementary school were I started both my social and academic life, is where I spent my days from age six until age twelve. There I formed great friendships that i'm still blessed to have today. At my sixth grade graduation, or "closing ceremony", as our principal Mr. Rodriguez called it, I was nominated valedictorian, due to my oustanding grades. I went on to attend junior high school only two blocks down from my beloved elementary school located in west Manhattan. There I was a part of the business subschool, were we learned much about computers and took great trips, such as visits to banks and the stock market at Wallstreet. Not being fortunate enough to graduate from there as the valedictorian, I still went on to a great high school, Manhattan Center for Science and Math. However, after only attending MCSM one year, my parents moved us to the Dominican Republic, were they are originally from. I continued my high school education there, in an American school by the name of George Washington School. I grew to love and respect my high school and the students there as well.

Jose Flores, who is now the vice president of enrollment manager at Manhattanville College, came to speak to use at my school. He told us all about Manhattanville and how it is a small school with a beautiful campus and small classes in which professors get to know you by your name. My first choice was Columbia University, but being that I was in the Dominican Republic at the time that I was applying to colleges, I didn't really have many ways to reach schools and visit them. So I decided that I would only apply to Manhattanville and if accepted, then I would attend it until I could go see and apply to other colleges. After being accepted and moving back to New York City, I started attending Manhattanville College in late August of 2005. I definitely loved the campus, but I was having a hard time adjusting and became home sick. However, like with most things, I got used to my environment, and grew to love and care for my surroundings, especially the people I was meeting. The classes at Manhattanville were great, mostly because of the professors, and I decided (based on the intro classes that I took) that I wanted to be a double major in psychology and communications, which is what I am working on now. Within the psychology field, I like Industrial Psychology, and within communications, I am interested in public relations.

For the future, I plan to hopefully graduate at the top of my class (I am keeping my fingers crossed), and get a few internships in both the psychology and the communications field, so that I can then decide which one I like best. Soon after, I hope to be attending grad-school, I am not sure of where yet. The good thing about both my majors is that even though it might not seem so, they overlap. All psychologist have to be good communicators to understand their patients, and all communicators must be able to understand people in order to successfully communicate with them.

This course definitely fits into all my future plans in many ways. First of all, if I plan to achieve my future career plans of being a public relations specialist, then I need to have great writting skills because we all know that public relations has a lot to do with press releases and such. Every time that I look into internships, one of their requirements is always "outstanding writing skills". Another good thing about this class is that we are going to learn how to write for the public relations field, which again benefits me because I need as much experience as I can get! Writing is such an important part of most professions, it can make or break you, especially in the public relation business. For these reasons, I believe this course is one of the most important ones that I will take towards my communications degree.