Empire State of Mind :D

“In New York… Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can’t do, now you're in New York! These streets will make you feel brand new, the lights will inspire you! Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York!!!”

I LOVE NEW YORK! There’s definitely something about New York which is just very different from all the cities of the World. I was born and raised in India, and I have always dreamed of being a New Yorker! Watching “Sex and the City” has added on to this dream. The city never sleeps. Everyone is always on a move. The city is beautiful. It’s so diverse and full of life! Call me crazy, but I feel that even the skyscrapers have a life in them! :)

So this December, New York it is! :)

I can’t wait to get done with exams and see the big, bright and beautiful Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center, dine in an Italian Restaurant, sit in Battery Park, and be a part of New York’s heart – Manhattan! :D

Best of luck to everyone for their final exams! Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year as well! I know I am a little early in wishing, but the excitement has already kicked in! :D

Lots of fun and best wishes,
Your TA - Tanvi :)

It's the littlest things that make the biggest difference

A chill of brisk winter air greeted me as I walked through the door into the bright crisp air of November. There are so many great holidays to celebrate during this month, it's the time to be grateful for all of those people in your life that have given you that extra bit of inspiration day to day and given you the strength to make it through those hard times. Thanksgiving is not just all about the courses upon courses of delicious food and pumpkin pie; make sure you spend some extra time telling your friends and family how much you really do appreciate them. I know for me I'm usually so busy with school and work I forget about some the people and moments that really matter. Sometimes we have to push our work aside to remember the little things that make life worthwhile.

November is:
American Diabetes Month
Building a Community Library Month

I just read on the Daily Digest that Drexel Public Safety has dedicated the Month of November to Building a community Library in order to keep with President John Fry's neighborhood initiative vision. I think this is such a wonderful vision, giving a child the chance to read books is one of the greatest presents a child can receive in my opinion. As a child I never loved reading, it was something I struggled with at the beginning, but through the years after forcing myself to read aloud and practice I have turned into somewhat of a bookaholic. Reading allows a certain kind of escape for the mind, it allows me to retreat into a different world. Sometimes it is a world of adventure and danger, other times it is a world of love, hope, and magic. Instead of watching television before bedtime, my little brothers and sisters sit in their beds and read books. The pages filled with captivating pictures and stories allows even a child as young as two to create a story all their own using their imagination. It's amazing to watch a child interpret a story and what the different pictures on each page represent to them and what the characters mean. Books and reading is one of those things that is irreplaceable, technology can never fullfill the same pleasure of cracking open a brand new book.

So put down the cell phone, turn off the i pod, turn your head away from the tv and play some board games and read some books with friends and family. Enjoy the simple pleasures that your childhood was filled with, and forget all those high technology devices that have made life deceptively easy yet unnessecarily complicated, at least for the month of November.

Get Ready for Halloween! Crafts and Treats

The time has finally arrived to transform your living space into a world of ghosts, goblins, and witches. Pumpkins carved and made into jack-o-lanterns, candy corn on the table, apples waiting to be dipped into luscious, gooey caramel, and the best part of all, being able to dress up as someone else for one night.

Finding or, better yet, creating the perfect costume and decorating doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. With just a few simple household items, beautiful crafts and decorations can be made that are fun for the whole family and bring a little Halloween spirit and the warmth of autumn into your home.

I love getting ready for special events or holidays, being able to create an atmosphere that embodies an entire theme or season brings so much happiness and really allows for a space to feel like another world. If your planning on throwing a Halloween party or simply just want to have some fun and get into the spirit, try a few or these recipe or craft ideas to get your mind churning.

Egg Carton Spiders
http://crafts.holidays.net/view_craft.php?id=307

What you need:
Empty egg carton
Black washable paint
Black pipe cleaners
Googly eyes
White craft glue
One paper clip
Scrap newspaper

Directions
1. Cut the egg carton into twelve cups.

2. Paint the cups inside and outside with black paint. Allow to dry thoroughly on a piece of newspaper.

3. Open up on the paper clip and use the end to poke four holes on either side of the cup.

4. Cut four 7-inch lengths of pipe cleaners.

5. Thread the pipe cleaners through one side of the cup and out the other side of the cup. The ends should be equal on each side. Bend them upward at the base of the cup, then downward to creat the appearance of knees and feet.

6. Glue on the googly eyes.

Learn to make homemade candy apples:




Making pumpkin decorations!


I hope these videos and ideas get you in the spirit and give you a little inspiration to get started on your decorations, it's all about having fun and being creative :)

Thai Food Craving!

I am a complete foodie! At times I get this sudden urge to eat something spicy! Last night, while I was studying for my mid term, I got a sudden craving for Thai food. :| Well, it was 11pm, and I did not know what to do! I couldn't even concentrate on my studies. All I could think of was Nasi lemak. While my friends were making fun of me, I started searching for good and very affordable Thai places in Philly which would be open at such odd hours! And, I came across this website: http://www.phillybananaleaf.com/index.html

I saw the menu, and there it was - MY NASI LEMAK for $5.95 only!!! :D I left my books, got into Market-Frankfort train and reached the restaurant! :D
Excellent food, amazing customer service, quick food, and very affordable!!!

So, the next time you have a craving like me, Banana Leaf is the place to be. :P

P.S: This is how amazing my food looked like! :D



-Your foodie TA,
Tanvi! :D

Ways to De-Stress

Stressed?? Yes, I know. Week 3 has come and gone and I know that things can get stressful for people, expecially with midterms coming up. Here are some ways to de-stress. Incorporate them into your life and see how your life can be a less stressful.

Exercise regularly- this is one of the best ways to reduce stress and it keeps you healthy. Go for a run or jog, go to the gym or go to the REC center and check out all the fun activities they have to offer.

Eat healthfully- Eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, protein, grain, and calcium products and drinking at least six glasses of water per day enables our bodies to function in a much more efficient fashion.

Meditation, yoga, and tai chi- or just close your eyes and take deep breaths. These only take a few moments. Taking deep breaths that flow into our stomach and not just to the lungs quickly decreases stress; also deep breathing also tends to slow down heart rate.

Shrug your shoulders- tensing the shoulders while raising them to the ears and then totally relaxing them a few times, quickly releases tension.

Stretching- is a terrific way to control stress as many of us feel muscle tension when stressed.

Be Positive-. Negative self-talk puts a tremendous strain on both the body and self-esteem. Most of us aren't even aware of how we talk to ourselves or the negative messages and beliefs we harbor in our heads. Make a daily affirmation if you have to. Take a look at this young lady’s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg

GET SOME SLEEP!!- seven to nine hours of sleep are needed to allow the body to recover and regenerate. I know, right your probably laughing. When do you have time to sleep?! Make time, take naps if you have to but definitely make time.

Be Social- We are social beings, not islands, others can be a great source of support and may even be able to help lessen the load.

Do something fun- Make some time to listen to music, dance, go shopping, have a girl’s night, go to a concert, have a spa day, cook, spend time with family, friends or anything else you might enjoy. This goes a long way to alleviate stress.

Living a balanced life- All work and no play burns you out really quickly.

Celebrate October!

HAPPY OCTOBER 1st!

I know when you look outside this morning, the bleak cloudy sky and the tremendous wind may not initially inspire you to jump out of bed and begin celebrating but I'm hoping to change your mind and provide that little bit of brightness.

First of all, it's Friday! This fact in itself is always reason to smile.

Aside from that, October 1st is...

• Lee National Denim Day
• National Diversity Day
• UN International Day of Older Persons
• World Smile Day
• World Vegetarian Day
• Anniversary of Walt Disney World
• Anniversary of the CD Player and the Model T Ford
  
• Independence Day of Cyrus and Nigeria
• National Day in China

Not to mention October 1st marks the unofficial start to fall, which therefore means we can start preparing for all those comforting Holidays just around the corner.

The leaves are beginning to change into beautiful warm hues of red, umber, gold, and orange. Soon our kitchens will be filled with the comforting scent of homemade apple and pumpkin pie.

It's time to get into the Halloween spirit; decorate our windows with witch hat and jack-o-lantern stickers, watch horror films, pick out the perfect pumpkin, go for a spooky hayride, try desperately to find your way out of the corn maze (without getting confused by that scarecrow), and last but not least make it out alive of the haunted house!

For great holiday craft and food ideas visit www.holidays.net!

Some Halloween scary events and haunted houses you may be interested in are the Eastern State Penitentiary, which I personally thought was terrifying, and every year the Philadelphia Zoo has an event called Boo at the Zoo (this year it is October 16 and 17, and 23 and 24).

Don't forget every day there is a reason to celebrate, so today I encourage you to jump out of bed and celebrate the thing that means the most to you, whether it is that delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich you made for lunch or the fact that it's Friday. Find something to smile about, because after all, it is World Smile Day.

Sending a little magic your way...

Happy Friendship Day! =)

Just imagine if you didn't have any friends! Life would have been absolutely incomplete... Nobody to share your joys with, and no one to divide your sorrows with. So, here's wishing all the people in the World who have a friend, or are somebody's friend... A VERY HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY! May your friendship become stronger with each moment passing by! =)

This is my friend's Facebook status message, which I really liked, and would want to say the same to everyone! "Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they are meant to be there; they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or help you figure out who you are! To all those people in my life, whether I've known you for years, months or days, HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY!"

Can't think of a better song than this for this occassion! =)

Ni Una Mas Exhibit

Last week, OCGTSPS visited the Ni Una Mas exhibit at Drexel's new Leonard Pearlstein Gallery on 34th and Filbert Streets. With a guided tour by the museum's head curator, we received an in depth look into the powerful and moving exhibit. Here is the curator's statement on Ni Una Mas:

"Since 1993, more than 600 young women and girls have been the victims of an ongoing terror inthe city and surrounding area of Juarez, Mexico, an area just across the river/border from El Paso,Texas The majority are Mexican, but a number are American citizens. Nearly all are young studentsand factory girls--maquiladoras between the ages of 14 and 22. Some are missing without a trace,but hundreds have been discovered dead in multiple sites in the nearby desert. From theirremains it is certain they have been battered, sexually abused, and often grotesquely mutilated;some have had their organs removed. Various theories abound, but the greatest mystery beyondwho is responsible, is how the Mexican government and our own have allowed the femicide tocontinue. Very little has been done by the local Juarez police, the State of Chihuahua or theNational Government to find the killers or to prevent new murders. The FBI, the UN and AmnestyInternational have attempted to investigate, but their offers are rebuffed and the crimes remainunsolved. In the years since the abductions began, the families, in particular, the mothers ofthese girls, a few dedicated journalists, musicians, filmmakers and artists have kept the chroniclealive as the horrific deaths continue.

How artists respond in the face of these atrocities is the core of this exhibit Ni Una Mas: TheJuarez Murders. Twenty notable artists—men, women, Latino and American bear witness to themany faces and facets of this tragedy. Their responses are personal and varied as they confrontedthe implicit sexism, drug politics, corruption and indifference behind the story as well as thesadness and outrage at the continued demeaning and devaluation of women. They remind us thatthis crisis demands action since every day another girl is at risk of suffering vicious abuse andcertain death. We owe a debt to Frontera 450 + presented by the Station Museum in Houston in2006. Four years later and 150 more girls missing, we are impelled to try anew." (Source: http://www.drexel.edu/juarez/exhibition/)

Unfortunately the exhibit closed on July 16th but the message of Ni Una Mas continues to live on. If you want to learn more about the injustices happening at Juarez, please visit www.drexel.edu/juarez. You can read about Congress Resolution 90, see videos and interviews, and find out what you can do to make a stand on social justice.

Why are we really afraid to LOVE?

I came across this online. It is written by Osho, an Indian spiritual teacher. I liked what he wrote. And, being a college student, I could actually relate to it.

"Love always creates fear because love is death, a greater death than the ordinary death you know of.

In an ordinary death the body dies, but that is not death at all. Body is just like a dress; when it is tatty and old you change it for a new one. It is not death, it is just a change: a change of a dress, or a change of a house or abode. But you continue, the mind continues – just the same old mind in new bodies, just the same old wine in new bottles. The form changes but not the mind, the shape changes but not the mind. So the ordinary death is not a real death. Love is a real death: the body does not die but the mind dies, the body continues to be the same but the ego disappears.

If you love, you will have to drop all the conceptions that you have about yourself. If you love, you cannot be the ego because the ego will not allow love. They are antagonistic. If you choose the ego you will not be able to choose love. If you choose love you will have to drop the ego. Hence, the fear.

A greater fear than death grips you whenever you are in love. That’s why love has disappeared from the world. Rarely, very rarely does the phenomenon happen that love descends. What you call love is just a false coin: you have invented it because it is so difficult to live without love. It is difficult because without love, life carries no meaning; it is meaningless. Without love, life has no poetry in it. Without love, the tree exists but never flowers. Without love, you cannot dance, you cannot celebrate, you cannot feel grateful, you cannot pray.

Without love, temples are just ordinary houses; with love an ordinary house is transformed, transfigured into a temple. Without love you remain just possibilities – empty gestures; with love, for the first time you become substantial. With love, for the first time, the soul arises in you; the ego drops but the soul arises.

It is impossible to live without love, so humanity has created a trick. Humanity has invented a trick, a device. The device is: to live in a false love so that the ego continues on its own. Nothing is changed, and you can play the game of being in love: you can go on thinking that you love, you can go on believing that you love. But look at your love – what happens out of it? – nothing except misery, nothing except hell, nothing except conflict, quarrel, violence. Look deeply into your love relationships. They are more akin to hate relationships than to love. It is better to call them hate relationships than to call them love relationships.

But because everybody is living in the same way, you never become aware. Everybody is carrying the false coin; you never become aware. The real coin of love is very costly: you can purchase it only at the cost of losing yourself. There is no other way.

Be courageous, don’t be cowards. The real mettle of your being is tested only when love arises. Never before it do you know of what mettle you are made. In ordinary life, in the marketplace, doing this and that, in the world of ambition and power politics, your real mettle is never really tested. You never pass through the fire.

Love is the fire. If you are really gold you will survive it. If you are not real gold, you will be gone. But I tell you that you are real gold.

Trust me – pass through the fire. Hesitation is natural, but don’t make hesitation a barrier. Even with the hesitation, pass through it. In spite of the fear pass through the fire. And only through the fire will the rose of your consciousness flower. There is no other way."

Hope you enjoyed reading it and it helped you in some way! :)

"No Sorry. No Thank You!" Really?!

“Dosti ka ek asool hai, madam... No sorry, no thank you.”

(Translation – “Friendship has one rule, madam… No sorry, no thank you.”

A very famous dialogue from “Maine Pyar Kiya.” It is one of my favorite movies, and I find Prem and Suman (the characters in the movie) absolutely adorable! But seriously, no sorry? No thank you? Why do we forget life’s basic courtesies when it comes to people we are close to? Why do we take them for granted? Why do we treat our own people like it’s their duty to do everything they do for us?

Why does a stranger get a thank you for the smallest of thing, and friends going out of their way to do anything is not worthy of it? I understand that due to cultural differences, not many people are comfortable with these words. But where does this culture go when we say these things, and actually truly mean them for random people? I even understand that ways of expressing ourselves is different for everyone. But again, why do strangers get appreciation for the same thing, and our closed ones don’t?

For any of you giving me the “Human nature” explanation, do you really think it’s true? Blaming anything and everything on “human nature” is really not done. I am a human being and I feel gratitude and apology, irrespective of who the other person is. I mean, gratitude is a feeling/emotion INSIDE me… Then why should it be expressed only for certain specific people. And come to think about it, for people who don’t even matter?

I know that thank you will lose its meaning if we keep repeating it every other second. But there are a lot of other ways to express ourselves. Please do. For a moment just think about how different your life would have been without these people. Imagine what all things you would have missed in life! Imagine the emptiness without them.

PLEASE APPRECIATE! Stop taking them for granted. It is no person’s duty to do anything for you. They are not doing anything to make themselves happy. They are doing it to make YOU happy. Realize it… Before it’s too late.

Sweet Summer Treat!

I just can't get enough of this place!! Perfect as a pre or post date spot or as your own weekly (or daily) self-indulgent splurge! I'm a big fan of the Toblerone sauce with strawberries and hazelnuts! Stop by and try them out one day at 20th and Locust Streets.


"Yogorino is the original pro-biotic in the soft ice industry. Natural, low-fat, and low calorie Yogorino is characterized by both its unique and unmistakable tart flavor, as well as, by its health beneficial 6 pro-biotic bacterial strains." - Yogorino's Facebook Page

Happy Eats!
~Anne

spring 2010

so guys the spring terms about to end and those who are freshmens are going to go home and upperclassmen are stuck at either drexel or at co-op while other enjoy the three sunniest months of the year. Any ways guys those going home enjoy your last summer off and those on co-op or in school power on.

peace

Maulik

"50 Things"

Courtesy - Ben Jones, MIT.

1. Your friends will change a lot over the next four years. Let them.
2. Call someone you love back home a few times a week, even if just for a few minutes.
3. In college more than ever before, songs will attach themselves to memories. Every month or two, make a mix cd, mp3 folder, whatever - just make sure you keep copies of these songs. Ten years out, they'll be as effective as a journal in taking you back to your favorite moments.
4. Take naps in the middle of the afternoon with reckless abandon.
5. Adjust your schedule around when you are most productive and creative. If you're nocturnal and do your best work late at night, embrace that. It may be the only time in your life when you can.
6. If you write your best papers the night before they are due, don't let people tell you that you "should be more organized" or that you "should plan better." Different things work for different people. Personally, I worked best under pressure - so I always procrastinated... and always kicked ass (which annoyed my friends to no end). ;-) Use the freedom that comes with not having grades first semester to experiment and see what works best for you.
7. At least a few times in your college career, do something fun and irresponsible when you should be studying. The night before my freshman year psych final, my roommate somehow scored front row seats to the Indigo Girls at a venue 2 hours away. I didn't do so well on the final, but I haven't thought about psych since 1993. I've thought about the experience of going to that show (with the guy who is now my son's godfather) at least once a month ever since.
8. Become friends with your favorite professors. Recognize that they can learn from you too - in fact, that's part of the reason they chose to be professors.
9. Carve out an hour every single day to be alone. (Sleeping doesn't count.)
10. Go on dates. Don't feel like every date has to turn into a relationship.
11. Don't date someone your roommate has been in a relationship with.
12. When your friends' parents visit, include them. You'll get free food, etc., and you'll help them to feel like they're cool, hangin' with the hip college kids.
13. In the first month of college, send a hand-written letter to someone who made college possible for you and describe your adventures thus far. It will mean a lot to him/her now, and it will mean a lot to you in ten years when he/she shows it to you.
14. Embrace the differences between you and your classmates. Always be asking yourself, "what can I learn from this person?" More of your education will come from this than from any classroom.
15. All-nighters are entirely overrated.
16. For those of you who have come to college in a long-distance relationship with someone from high school: despite what many will tell you, it can work. The key is to not let your relationship interfere with your college experience. If you don't want to date anyone else, that's totally fine! What's not fine, however, is missing out on a lot of defining experiences because you're on the phone with your boyfriend/girlfriend for three hours every day.
17. Working things out between friends is best done in person, not over email. (IM does not count as "in person.") Often someone's facial expressions will tell you more than his/her words.
18. Take risks.
19. Don't be afraid of (or excited by) the co-ed bathrooms. The thrill is over in about 2 seconds.
20. Wednesday is the middle of the week; therefore on wednesday night the week is more than half over. You should celebrate accordingly. (It makes thursday and friday a lot more fun.)
21. Welcome failure into your lives. It's how we grow. What matters is not that you failed, but that you recovered.
22. Take some classes that have nothing to do with your major(s), purely for the fun of it.
23. It's important to think about the future, but it's more important to be present in the now. You won't get the most out of college if you think of it as a stepping stone.
24. When you're living on a college campus with 400 things going on every second of every day, watching TV is pretty much a waste of your time and a waste of your parents' money. If you're going to watch, watch with friends so at least you can call it a "valuable social experience."
25. Don't be afraid to fall in love. When it happens, don't take it for granted. Celebrate it, but don't let it define your college experience.
26. Much of the time you once had for pleasure reading is going to disappear. Keep a list of the books you would have read had you had the time, so that you can start reading them when you graduate.
27. Things that seem like the end of the world really do become funny with a little time and distance. Knowing this, forget the embarassment and skip to the good part.
28. Every once in awhile, there will come an especially powerful moment when you can actually feel that an experience has changed who you are. Embrace these, even if they are painful.
29. No matter what your political or religious beliefs, be open-minded. You're going to be challenged over the next four years in ways you can't imagine, across all fronts. You can't learn if you're closed off.
30. If you need to get a job, find something that you actually enjoy. Just because it's work doesn't mean it has to suck.
31. Don't always lead. It's good to follow sometimes.
32. Take a lot of pictures. One of my major regrets in life is that I didn't take more pictures in college. My excuse was the cost of film and processing. Digital cameras are cheap and you have plenty of hard drive space, so you have no excuse.
33. Your health and safety are more important than anything.
34. Ask for help. Often.
35. Half of you will be in the bottom half of your class at any given moment. Way more than half of you will be in the bottom half of your class at some point in the next four years. Get used to it.
36. In ten years very few of you will look as good as you do right now, so secretly revel in how hot you are before it's too late.
37. In the long run, where you go to college doesn't matter as much as what you do with the opportunities you're given there. The MIT name on your resume won't mean much if that's the only thing on your resume. As a student here, you will have access to a variety of unique opportunities that no one else will ever have - don't waste them.
38. On the flip side, don't try to do everything. Balance = well-being.
39. Make perspective a priority. If you're too close to something to have good perspective, rely on your friends to help you.
40. Eat badly sometimes. It's the last time in your life when you can do this without feeling guilty about it.
41. Make a complete ass of yourself at least once, preferably more. It builds character.
42. Wash your sheets more than once a year. Trust me on this one.
43. If you are in a relationship and none of your friends want to hang out with you and your significant other, pay attention. They usually know better than you do.
44. Don't be afraid of the weird pizza topping combinations that your new friend from across the country loves. Some of the truly awful ones actually taste pretty good. Expand your horizons.
45. Explore the campus thoroughly. Don't get caught.
46. Life is too short to stick with a course of study that you're no longer excited about. Switch, even if it complicates things.
47. Tattoos are permanent. Be very certain.
48. Don't make fun of prefrosh. That was you like 2 hours ago.
49. Enjoy every second of the next four years. It is impossible to describe how quickly they pass.
50. This is the only time in your lives when your only real responsibility is to learn. Try to remember how lucky you are every day.

Be yourself. Create. Inspire, and be inspired. Grow. Laugh. Learn. Love.

A Lone Dragon

I am very sad to say that on April 24, 2010 I lost my faith in my fellow Dragons. Two days before that on April 22 at 3:30 p.m. I was in Korman printing homework for my Advanced Journalism class. Everything related to Drexel and other important things of mine have their home on my black external hard drive. It's my baby and I take it everywhere...or so I thought.
Not until two hours later did I realize that I had let my baby attached to the Mac across from the help desk. Frantically I ran from Creese (where I had journeyed to by then) all the way back to Korman. I glanced at the Mac and it wasn't there. I asked the students working the desk if anyone had turned anything in and they said 'no'. Disheartened I went about my day and was hoping to be contacted soon. The next day I went back to Korman and posted a note at the computer asking if my baby had been seen.

However, on April 24 I still had not been contacted by a fellow student saying they had my baby. Usually after two days I would hear something (and yes I have forgotten my baby before). After checking at Korman again I felt compelled to file a police report (my first one ever). I was told by the kind officer that an investigator would be in touch.

April 27 rolled around and by then I was panicking. What on earth could this person want with my baby for so long? I called an investigator and relayed him my story. he promised to look at surveillence video and get back to me...he never did.

Again, I went back to Korman - this time armed with approved flyers (which you may have seen around campus) - and I talked to the staff. I stressed that three years of work was on it as well as personal information. One of the workers mentioned that he saw my baby on Thursday during his shift and that he had place it behind the desk. What an interesting development! He took my number and said he would let me know. Despite this glimmer of hope, by the next day I still had heard nothing. By now I had already broken down in tears once. To start EVERYTHING over again from scratch and have no record of all my hard work???

Still I perservered. I trudged back to Korman and spoke with the supervisor and relayed her the events until then. She said she would look everywhere and email the entire staff. Which she did. On April 29, a week after losing my baby, she emailed the entire Korman staff. I waited expectantly all day, but still no news.

Then on April 30 I received a call at 9:30 a.m. from the worker I spoke to on Tuesday and he told my baby had been found. I couldn't believe it! I arrived on campus by 11 a.m. went to Korman and the worker handed me my baby from the clear lost and found box they had behind the desk. I checked to make sure and everything was still on it.
Out of interest, I asked where my baby was found and was told it appeared in the one drawer overnight...

I don't know who decided to take my baby, what they did with her, or why they took so long to return it (last time I checked it takes a few minutes to copy files) but the worst week in my life ended with the return of my baby who will never again be left out of my sight.

But the fact remains that I now do not trust other students, especially in this particular building.
I advise you all to be very careful about where you might leave things. It may be inevitable that you forget something somewhere especially if you are stressed or distracted. Should this be the case and you really want to get your baby back, stop at nothing until you do.


I wish you safe travels on your paths through Drexel. Be careful of the flames.

- Nicolle

Chocolate by the Baldman!

You went to Naked Chocolate and loved it, didn’t you? Now try this – Max Brenner! It is located on 1500 Walnut (15th Street between Walnut and Locust.) It not only has yummilicious chocolate drinks like hot chocolate, suckao, and frappes, but also smoothies and wine! Not to forget the waffles, crepes, and my favorite – Chocolate Fondue!!! Umm… If you are not in the mood for drinks and sweets, then try its sandwiches and fries! You are definitely going to love them!


(If for nothing else, then you HAVE TO go there to see the mugs they serve in – Hug mug, Alice in Wonderland mug, Kangaroo mug, etc... All of them have a story behind them! Did I mention that they have visible pipes in the restaurant which has melted chocolate flowing in them?)

Have fun! :)
-Tanvi!

Perks of Commuting

"I can't stand Drexel/ Philly! I'm so tired of it."

These are words that have been uttered by a few friends of mine over the years in a general distaste for Drexel or Philly for those of my friends who go to Penn or Temple. And it's something I can never understand.

I like the vibe of Philly and feel that there are endless (well close to anyway) possibilities to have fun and discover new things. I love just walking arounf town and discovering new aspects of Philly I wouldn't have found otherwise.

As for Drexel, except for a slight mix-up in financial aid, I do enjoy being a Dragon and I've had a great time while I've been here. So why the discrepancy in opinion of the same location?

Partly, I believe is because my friends who complain live so close to campus and have been in West Philly their entire time at school. They don't really get away to take a break from things in their surroundings they don't like. I, on the otherhand, live in Northeast Philly about 20 minutes away by train. To some this seems like a lifetime away and I am continuously told how far away it is (which I don't think it is). And I will admit that when I first started commuting from there I couldn't stand it and it seemed like such a restructuring of my life. However, now I am beginning to see it as a way of taking a little break from Drexel and University City. I can go home and relax and not necessarily run into anyone from that area or have to think about anything relating to Drexel.

So this is one aspect of commuting that is positive.

What do you think? What are your experiences?

End of Senior Design this term!

Or should I say "Senior Assumptions".

It seems that my final project as a Drexel chemical engineering senior is all about guessing the right answer. Guessing the pressure in the absorber tower, guessing the temperature of the reactor effluent, guessing what I think my design advisor is actually going to look at in our report. Is this what the rest of my engineering career is going to be like?? For all I know I've created a groundbreaking process. When in reality I probably just wiped out half a city with my chemical plant conditions. Or maybe this is what responsibility is like. For once I can't find the answers in the back of the textbook or wikipedia. It's a little unsettling.

Nevertheless, I think senior design is the best thing I've experienced in my Drexel academic life. I love my group, and I love being able to start from scratch and call the shots in an assignment. For the first time, Ive been able to incorporate my co-op experiences into my homework.
It feels good.

So, in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day coming up, I think I'll write a limerick about senior design.

When I met my senior design adviser
I looked at him as much wiser
But when we showed him our design
And only the cost was on his mind
I realized all engineers are misers!

Lauren

Philadelphia Bike Lanes Become Parking Spots

With spring finally arriving after a long, snowy winter in Philadelphia it was nice to get out and bike around the city. However I was disappointed to see this while I was biking down Spruce Street in Center City Philadelphia:



The recent construction of these new bike lanes is considered a huge victory for the city's numerous bikers. I was very happy to see the city install the new lanes, and it certainly eased my rides on the terribly crowded streets of Center City. I want to say this is just the result of drivers not used to seeing many bikers braving the icy streets, but I've seen this before the snowfall as well. I hope that Philadelphia's drivers will respect bike lanes as more cyclists hit the road as the weather improves.

Remember, you can report any problems to the Philadelphia Police Department. You can find more information on the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia's website. You can also support commuters here at Drexel by joining the Drexel Commuter Organization (DCOM). Don't get pushed off the road.

Justin

Franklin Fountain

I traveled to Olde Ctiy's Franklin Fountain this past Saturday Evening and they put an Apple Pie in my Milkshake. Where else can you get that??

Your NEXT H.W. Assignment: Go to 116 Market Street. And buy whatever ice cream, float, or shake your little heart desires.

http://franklinfountainphilly.blogspot.com/2009/03/energy-and-persistence-conquer-all.html

The Sweet Tooth,

Angela

(Don't) Let it Snow, (Don't) Let it Snow, (Don't) Let it Snow.....

Howdy,

It seems like no one has said "Gosh, what a gorgeous day!" in a loooooooong time. That's usually reserved for cities that don't begin with P- and end in -hiladelphia.

I'm kidding, but you know you're thinking the same thing too! I mean, we've had record snowfall this year!! OVER 70 INCHES!! Even Polar Bears are like "Dang..."

Now I might be complaining a lot because I'm used to blazing heat waves in the metropolis of Cairo, but it is pretty ridiculous how heavy the snowfall is, and there is MORE on its way. According to weather.com, we're expecting a pretty insane snowstorm to head our way. It is definitely going to be of a greater magnitude than the last one. How come Canada has a snow deficit? Why must mother nature punish the souls of Philadelphia?!

So go grocery shopping guys and gals, cuz Drexel will serve you another Snow Day whether they like it or not. Stay indoors, stay cozy, and fire up the dvds! I know I'm definitely going to watch Zombieland and probably every episode of Entourage ever. If you have any great tips on how to survive the snow storm, feel free to comment on the post below. I'll be reading them and taking notes :).

Take care n be safe!

~Yousef Ezz

Who's going to be the next President for Drexel?

The most exciting part of this term is that I have been really active with the Presidential Search Committee. As we are winding down the process, many people are curious how far the process has gone. I hope that more students or faculty staff can come to me and give their thoughts.

Search TimelineJuly 2009
January–February 2010
-Candidates Interviewed by Search Committee
-References Calls Conducted
-Candidate Pool Narrowed by Search CommitteeMarch–April 2010
Finalist Interviews
-Preferred Candidate Recommended to the Board of Trustees
-New President Named

HaeJi

Did you know

That Lady Gaga and the Goo Goo Dolls are collaborating to make a new Children's Song?

Its gonna be called 'Goo Goo GaGa'

A Midsummer Night's Dream

This Quarter I'll be spending at least half of my life working for Drexel Player's Winter Production of MidSummer Night's Dream.

It's nothing like the wordy Shakepearean script you read in High School, but a whole new edgy and exciting take.
Make sure you make time to see it!


Shakespeare meets Gossip Girl meets Dracula meets 1984. Need we say more?

Drexel Student Admission only $5

DATES:
- February 25, 26, 27 at 8:00 pm
- February 28 at 2:00 pm

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=305383356550#!/event.php?eid=305383356550&ref=mf

Post-event retrospect

Hopefully some of you made it out to the LGBT of Color discussion panel last week, or at least caught the article in the Triangle. Gay, straight, black, latino, white, it didn't matter, everyone in the audience heard something they could relate to, and learned something important. If you made it, I'd like to thank you for coming out. If you didn't, I'd like to extend my regret, it was something special.

There's a lot of stories in the city, a lot of culture. Everyone's different, and it's important to understand and respect those differences. We're not just here to learn, we're here to build our careers, and employers value people who can work with others who are different. It's been a privilege to provide the campus with events that bring different cultures together for better understanding.

See you at the next one!

Dusty

A Tip for the Masses.

Never walk around campus in High Heels after a weekend blizzard.
Just looking out for you guys.

You Never Know

This might be my new inspiration for life. Way back in June 2008 of my Freshman Orientation at Drexel, I was rooming with a stranger, a girl named Raquel from Maryland. I invited her to do somthing, but she had to meet her sister, and we didn't talk. In Fall '08 she was in many of my classes (I'm majoring in PT and she, in PA) and I would say hi and she would just go to the back of the room and ignore me. Let's just say I felt like I tried to be friends but got no response.
I honestly don't know how it happened-but just this year, we started talking. We both joked how we both thought the other one hated us. And in just 3-4 months time, we're kind of inseperatable. I supported her basketball game (where she scored the first 2 points and many 3 pointers) and its upsetting when we're not sitting next to each other in Clinical or 2 hour Anatomy lectures.
So again, You Never Know what's going to happen next. You just have to be open to new opportunities, especially since life is constantly changing. That guy or girl you felt animosity to a couple years ago could actually have alot in common with you if you're open to learning.
Happy Weekend All-
I'm off to a Panini Friday with Raquel for lunch.

Reading Terminal Rant

Ok-lemme get the main idea out and quick-I LOVE READING TERMINAL. Originally being from a small town on Long Island, NY, this cultural meca is my absolute favorite scene in Philadelphia. I make a once a week outing to get my groceries-especially the cheap produce in the back right (way better than any fresh grocer). You can also find the biggest lobster tails to man kind and the Amish are there from Thursday to Sunday. They make the best Eggnog and Blueberry Biscuits-just a little FYI.

If you're a student-Sundays and Wednesdays you get 10% off! And lots of the merchants have $7 meal deals (find them at www.readingterminalmarket.org/news/article/83).

So basically, for all you Foodies like me out there, another homework assignment is to go to Reading Terminal this week, on 12th and Filbert. And make sure you bring your reusable bag too!

-Angela

Naked Chocolate

That's right. Look at that beautiful & bountiful table. If you've never experienced Naked Chocoloate, that is your new homework assignment from me-to visit (It's on 3401 Walnut Street). Even if you don't like chocolate there's a huge strawberry shortcake cupcake, creme brulee, huge cookies, smoothies, everything a sweet tooth dreams of.

Happy Tasting!

-Angela

I should stick to my day job

Hello avid followers! 

I had started writing originally about how the beginning of the new term was going, but I realized that I was essentially boring myself. I'm going to attempt to write an impromptu poem instead. I haven't written a poem since my freshmen engineering design project, so hopefully my skillz are still sharp. 

January 4th. 

I missed my first class 

fortunately it was orgo 

a class i once dropped

and now must forego 

On to the next one 

With a teacher named Wrenn 

Followed by my worst nightmare

By a class called PChem 

But by 2:00 

I was home free

until i remembered the bursars office

was waiting for me! 

After stopping by the SORC

Greeting Kara and Jess

I met up with my friend 

to put my hold em' skills to the test 

Like Lady Gaga

my cunning poker face

put the rest of those boys 

back in their place 

Although I only came in second

I got a free game 

and the rest of the losers

bowed their head in shame

I ended the day 

With Inglorious Bastards 

A movie leaving me

in constant fits of laughter 

It was a busy day

For the start of the term 

If I follow this trend

When is there time to learn? 

Lauren 

To Speak or Not to Speak

In this winter term of 2010 I am taking a class on Free Speech and Censorship. The subject we have been touching on is self-censorship in all aspects of life. The fact is that we are trained from a young age that it is inappropriate to speak on certain subjects depending on the situation and people we're talking to. But why is it that certain subjects are taboo around certain people? Think, for instance, of your family gatherings. Are your family members open to having a conversation about politics, sports, religion, abortion, and other sensitive subjects? Or are these topics discouraged because your grandparents or parents, aunts or uncles would get offended and then angry leading to a complete shutdown of any dialogue?
Or think of your facebook page. Is there content that you don't post or privatize because you are friends with family or employers? Why do you not make this content public?
Another scenario might be that you are in a conversation in which someone says something that offends someone else, will you correct the offender or do you let it go thinking it's not your fight to fight?
As a country, the U.S. is all for Freedom of Speech, but why is it that we don't practice or allow it when it comes to topics that make us uncomfortable? In my opinion, we suffer more from self-censorship as it is based on the fear of what other people might think of us. In censoring ourselves, we take away from dialogue that it is important to fully understanding a topic and how it influences ours and others' lives. Removing self-censors, however, is something that has to be practiced. Only through practice can we get past the grip of that uncomfortable feeling.

What examples do you have of self-censorship and what do you think of it?

-Nicolle