by Debbie ChanA typical summer before college started consisted of me going to SAT preparation classes and just studying throughout the entire two thirds of my “summer vacation.” After these classes, I would have two to three weeks to myself; a kind of freedom that is short lived before the new school year started. This became a normal activity that I developed over the years. I started my freshman year going to summer classes because I was accustomed to always going to school in some way, shape, and form. I would travel with my family but, usually traveling was for educational purposes. Just recently over the winter break of 2017, we went to the middle of nowhere near Maryland and we went on an Amish tour and learned about ice sculpting and the history of Maryland. I made my sophomore year more lenient because I started to focus on both my major but more importantly finishing my premed prerequisites. I volunteered at a hospital and worked at different jobs for pocket money but, that soon ended. After the end of my fall semester of that following year, I found myself focusing on writing, taking pictures, and documenting everything around me. Everything came back to me in a full circle, all the things I enjoyed when I was in high school came back to me, and I found my passion and what I enjoyed doing the most. This led to a “self-crisis” because it forced me to start on a new slate to develop myself again. The typical road to becoming a doctor or any profession that includes a specific degree requires one to going to a graduate program. For medicine, after finishing an undergrad degree, I would then go to medical school followed by my residency and hopefully get into a fellowship program. It was after removing myself from this very organized plan, that I found myself lost. I didn’t know what to do. And so, for this summer, I made a goal to make it a summer where I will start enjoying my time by doing what I’ve always loved: learning, writing, taking pictures, and documenting the world around me. I began my summer working on both my photography and writing portfolio. In between, I looked for internships and job opportunities related to writing and photography or digital media, but those plans didn’t work out. I made plans on traveling and going to China for the whole month of June. The majority of the internships I looked into required me to start either at the beginning or the middle of June, which conflicted with my summer internship. During my one long month stay in China, I was on a social media cleanse and at first I didn’t mind not going on my social media apps, but soon the withdrawal symptoms hit me like a tsunami wave. I didn’t realize that I was consumed in the social media world and this was my life. I wasn’t able to contact my friends and simple things like not being able to share pictures of what I was doing made me feel anxious. While living in China it helped me gain back my consciousness of how to separate my personal life from my social media accounts. The constant pressures I gave myself subconsciously on wanting more likes or even planning when to upload pictures to gain more likes showed me the shallowness in my life. During my time in China, I socialized with locals and students from different college campuses and the interactions and conversations we had, aside from the environment, was a culture shock I didn’t think I would experience. Growing up as an Asian-American from a family who emigrated from China, there were some similarities, but even with the similarities, there were a lot of differences. I was born and raised in New York and I was always taught to be independent but the friends I’ve met from China view the family and themselves as a whole unit. I found myself whenever I ask questions that were self-related or self-reflected, they would answer with “Well, we think that” or “What we think is.” Another culture shock for me was that bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles were everywhere. As old as New York is in equivalent to this city with its high density of human population, it surprised me that the best way to travel is to ride one of these vehicles. It’s like in New York, instead of using the MTA due to their consistent train delays or taking an Uber or taxi due to heavy traffic, walking is the most practical way of traveling.
This was the summer I started to have an actual taste of what “growing up,” learning, and having a sense of the world around me feels like. And I would not trade this for anything. If I didn’t go away for a month and just stayed in New York, I don’t think any of the “self-conflicted feelings” or “self–struggles” while I was in China would ever happen to me and so this is the summer where I am starting to finally live my life. To live a life where I can actually say that I am experiencing a once in a life time experience, brings me joy.
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by Joesph "Joey" ButtsA short recap of this offseason for our New York Knickerbockers and what we hope comes next Finally, things seem to be clearing up in New York. Well, at least to some degree. Our unicorn of a player, in Kristaps Porzingis, says he wants to be a “king” here. The trade rumors around him have ceased. Carmelo is still hanging around, for better or worse, and is being dangled in front of every playoff team in every major city. But that is not such a bad thing. As soon as Phil Jackson was fired, the Knickerbockers remained silent. For once, there was no drama. Phil isn’t out yelling inconceivable things about his players and the organization that make you wonder how in the world did this guy win 11 championships and be dubbed ‘Zen Master’. But that’s all over now. The biggest splash that we have made this offseason is signing the once-a-Knick, Tim Hardaway Jr. It was an incredibly high contract for the young man. Many believe he did not deserve that $72 mil over four years. But hey, let’s just wait and see right? That is all we can do. He has a lot to live up to. While he was working in Atlanta, he was solid. Averaging about 18 points per game as a starter and ended the season at about 14 points per game. Not bad, right? But also not $72 mil. Now, assuming Melo is dished out before the season starts, the three top paid players on the Knicks would be Hardaway, Joakim Noah, and Courtney Lee. None of whom should be in the top three on any team in the league. Along with Hardaway, our blue and orange signed a veteran 6’3’’ point guard, Ramon Sessions. I haven’t heard that name in a long time, so I have no idea what to expect. The only thing I know is that he will be a guy out there with a ton of experience. Perfect for helping to mold our new young stud Frank Ntilikina, the very tall and young rookie point guard out from France. all culture. Now we just wait and see how these guys will get along. How well can they mesh together? Will Courtney Lee and Hardaway be able to play on the court together? How will Willy Hernangomez be in his second season? People are already saying he will be a double-double machine. I don’t know if it’s fair to sell that yet. He’s great, no doubt. Great rebounder, has good footwork in the post, and is an excellent passer for a big man. The comparisons to the Spaniard Marc Gasol are completely justified. But as a long time Knicks fan, I know it is not smart to get your hopes up (even though I always do). Carmelo and Amar were supposed to bring us to the Eastern Conference Finals. When that didn’t work, it was the latter's fault. Jeremy Lin was a huge surprise for New York. Those were some great days and amazing stories, but now it doesn’t even feel like that happened. Then, there were the years of utter destruction for the franchise which including tanked seasons. That 17 win season in 2014 hurt more than when my ex broke up with me via text 3,000 miles away. Then, it all changed. We hired Phil to bring New York back. He drafted New York City’s new hope, being Kristaps Porzingis, who we all know and now love. We are finally committed to the rebuild phase. Which I thought we had been doing from 2003 - 2012 and again in 2014 but clearly not, I was wrong. Phil’s replacement, Steve Mills, is now in control. He is steering the ship in the direction he thinks is best. Avoiding huge icebergs and playing it safe with smaller catches, but while spending a little more money. I love it. The Knicks aren’t the laughing stock of the NBA anymore. Well sort of. But it is all I can ask for. We should be patient, because our time is approaching! Porzingis is heading into his third season. We should expect him to be an all-star. He has clearly been putting in the work, just check out his instagram. Man, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do to bring it back to how it was in 2013...Kidd, Sheed, Artest, Melo, Prigioni, Shump, JR, Tyson, Felton, fifty-something wins, and of course Spike on the sidelines. What a team. That’s what the fans are looking for, that real New York basketball culture. by Samantha SheetsRather than experiencing endless summer nights alongside friends creating unforgettable memories, I spent the entirety of my break at my office job in downtown Manhattan. At the beginning of last summer, I was given the opportunity to work for the New York City Department of Probation. While I began my term there under the title “Summer College Intern”, I slowly found my footing within the maze of cubicles and was promoted to the permanent position of “College Aide” in August of 2016. Since then, I have continued to contribute - as much as one can at the bottom of the totem pole - into the summer of 2017. While the hours are demanding for a twenty year old, every paycheck is saved towards my future travels in Japan. Therefore, working a nine-to-five job with a commute that is an hour and a half long each way has led to a majority of my summer to revolve around my work. That being said, as I worked, I held the knowledge that committing my time is worth the loss of late night adventures. Luckily, aside from being a city employee and all the perks one gets with that title, my job has pushed me to see many different aspects within the criminal justice field. Thus, being at work forty hours a week does not feel effortful. Whether I am in the office handling “Pre-Sentence Investigation” paperwork, or being invited to attend trips, my job is fruitful and can help me with my future endeavors. Speaking of trips, in the summer of 2016, I was given an exclusive tour of both Rikers Island and the Coast Guard. Both were very different and eye opening experiences and I established the reality of prison life at Rikers in my first article. As we dived into the summer of 2017, it was assumed the same trips would be attended, as they are offered yearly. However, with the potential closing of Rikers Island looming overhead, we embarked on new, exclusive, once-in-your-lifetime tours. This included a tour of the Federal Metropolitan Correctional Center, as well as going to a New York Police Department certification gun range. During the trip to the range, I was given the opportunity to practice my shooting. The range itself was repulsive, and the bathrooms equated to the ones at Rikers. And while shooting a real gun for the first time, as tiny as I am, was exhilarating, I have to say I preferred seeing the Federal Metropolitan Correctional Center. Unlike the inmates being detained at Rikers Island, those at the Federal Metropolitan Correctional Center are considered low-risk felons. The entire atmosphere was different from that of Rikers and it appeared more humane. Not only were the inmates allowed to walk freely around my fellow colleagues and I, but they were permitted to acknowledge our existence. This contrasted with those within Rikers who were not even allowed to make eye contact with my department. Overall, seeing the level of politeness received by the inmates to my fellow employees was refreshing in comparison to being cat-called at Rikers. Even with less security, I somehow felt safer at the Federal Metropolitan Correctional Center and felt glimmers of hope exude from those incarcerated. This was evident in the simple interactions that took place between the guards and their inmates. The inmates at the Federal Metropolitan Correctional Center were seen as humans, and were treated as such by guards and staff. That being said, the power dynamics expected were still at play and a level of respect was valued and warranted by those incarcerated and the enforcers within the prison. As we were led down muted colored halls, we learned of the type of offenses that led to these inmates being detained. Most of the crimes committed revolved around drugs or were “white collar” crimes; explaining the lack of stiff security. On our tour, we were permitted to see all aspects within the facility. This ranged from the facility’s education center, to their psychology department, all the way to the inside of inmate’s cells. As they discussed the living conditions of these inmates, we were able to witness firsthand all that was described to us by our tour officials. Overall, the experience was eye opening and I am delighted I got to witness the lives of those I do paperwork for. While most of my summer I was surrounded by paperwork about inmates, or with the inmates themselves and not my peers, I do not regret basically living at my office in downtown Manhattan. I value everyday being pushed slightly outside of my comfort zone and being forced to tackle new aspects within the criminal justice field. Because of my job, I got workplace experience and money to afford my hobbies outside of the office, like seeing the Broadway musicals I write reviews on. I was able to begin planning my inevitable trip outside of the country and study the Japanese language during my lunch hour. Essentially, my summer was spent planning for future endeavors and gaining as much knowledge as one can outside of the classroom. For many, summer is the time to slow down and finally relax, but I detest idle time. For me, summer is the time to finally pick up the pace as summer is never actually a break. by Michelle BravoThis summer, I spent working, reading, and rekindling friendships with my old high school friends. After my last final, I went into hibernation for about 3 days. I proudly aced 4 out of 5 finals. I deserved the grades I got because I studied my butt off for each exam. I had made a 34 page study guide for one of my cumulative finals, so telling you how tired I was is an understatement. This school year really took it out of me, and my first year at John Jay did not go how I expected it to go. After a whole school year of being socially deprived I decided my summer would be better used growing a social life and networking. I wanted to be very productive this summer so I tried to never say no to anything. If someone wanted to hang out, I was there. If I was called into work at the very last minute, I’d clock in. If I was invited to an event, I’d show up. Whatever it was I tried not to say no. I took some initiative and took a trip to the DMV after I came out of my 3 day hiatus. I decided to finally get my permit. I attempted getting my permit once before, when I was 16 but sadly I failed the written exam. After passing the written exam the second time many years later, I started on my driving lessons the very next day. I can now confidently say I can drive, but I still need to work on my parking. I also threw a little get together with my high school group of friends in my backyard. We were all finally able to drink legally so we had the best time over glasses of wine and shots of tequila. This summer I was finally approached by my neighbor, who I went to middle school and elementary school with. He introduced me to a bunch of my former classmates and we all reconnected. It felt great to make friends after a year of minimal human interaction. My backyard has a small deck and a patio so I used that to hang out with friends over this summer. This summer I found a job without even trying. I got very lucky and ended up getting a higher pay grade than my previous summer job. I got a job as a hostess at a fancy sushi restaurant in midtown Manhattan. My job is very easy and my only complaint is standing for 10 hours straight in uncomfortable shoes. I took a small one week vacation very recently and went on a cruise. My family usually goes on vacation 2-3 times a year. This year we took a cruise on MSC Divina that stopped in Puerto Rico and Bahamas. As someone who has been on 8 cruises before, this particular ship was highly disappointing. The quality of service and food were subpar but on the upside the social life was great, the disco was always busy and crowded and I made some acquaintances on the ship. But the level of attention and charisma in the employees just wasn’t there, not compared to the 8 other ships I’ve been on. To anyone who has not been on a cruise, I highly recommend it. It's an inexpensive and fun way to travel and see different pieces of the world. This summer I basically made new friendships through mutual friends, hung out with old ones, I lost some friends as well. I expanded my vocabulary, made some money, treated myself to shopping sprees, and grew just a little bit more as a person. It was a highly successful and productive summer and the only thing left for me to do is to prepare myself for the upcoming semester. by Connor GilliganWe stayed up too late We played cards till four We drank some days And we drank some more We took a trip to get a grip On the life we are a-livin’ We sailed a ship And took a dip In the ocean, unforgiving We ate great food And when in the mood We rode on rollercoasters We laughed and joked We’re nearly broke But at least we all enjoyed it We slept till noon We drank harpoon On the right nights We stared at the moon We lived like lords Spent time on boogie boards and braved the hoards Of the 97th Street concession. When the sun did shine We took some time To frolic on the beach And may the memories of summer ‘17 forever be in reach. Sand Bars, Big Waves, Boogies Boards Ferry, fishing trips, beach bums Long days on the beach Beautiful bright sunsets of pink and purple Court parties The moon over the ocean’s cold and still dark water The pink and red sunset over the glistening bay Sailboats and cruise ships sail over the never-ending sea We hiked
And swam We biked And ran Ate at the concessions Trotted on the boardwalk Explored the old army buildings and bunkers of Fort Tilden Swam in the ocean for hours on end Ignored responsibilities Blew money in Las Vegas And probably ate a few hundred bagels The good times had Have left me glad To be a part of all the fun And once again With pad and pen We can bask in the sun The sun, salt air, and camaraderie makes the summer a special time for me The days are longer The sun is stronger No longer/any longer/wronger by Samantha Sheets“Who am I?” is a question the title character Anya ponders throughout act one of the musical “Anastasia”, based off the 1997 Fox movie. The story is based loosely off of Russian history and ancestry. "Anastasia: The Musical" tells the tale of Anya, a young girl with amnesia who may be a Romanov heiress who has witnessed her entire family be massacred in a revolution. And while the movie bats an eye around this dark theme, only really addressing the harrowing past of this young girl in a nightmare, the musical addresses it head-on. The Broadway production’s book was written by Terrence McNally, accompanied beautifully alongside Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’s music and lyrics. It is currently being shown at the Broadhurst Theater. Like in the movie, Anya embarks on a journey to her past alongside two con-men, Dmitry and Vlad. Anya hopes to retrieve her memories and regain contact with the woman she suspects is her grandmother, the last surviving Romanov. Dmitry and Vlad are in pursuit of the money reward being offered for the grand duchesses’s return home. So the two conmen attempt to pass Anya off as Anastasia so that all three can get what they want. The conmen get their money and Anya regains her past. Although it is based heavily off of the 1997 movie of the same name, this adaption does stray from its roots. Musical Anya/Anastasia, unlike her 1997 movie version, has become fearful from the trauma she does not remember. Interestingly, she now holds many symptoms that match PTSD. This is evident in several instances within the musical as the audience begins to believe she might actually be the lost princess. The biggest difference this adaption faces is its villain. In the movie, the antagonist is the dark monk Rasputin, who is accompanied by his albino bat; Both seek to murder our protagonist through the use of black magics. The musical chooses to swap that out for a more realistic approach and creates its own villain who fulfills Rasputin’s role. This villain is a revolutionist named Gleb, played by Ramin Karimloo. The audience quickly learns that Gleb’s father had participated in the fall of the Romanov hierarchy firsthand and had been one of the soldiers who took part in the gruesome murder of Anastasia's family. Although this alteration makes the piece more realistic, as an audience member I began to question if a villain in the production was entirely necessary. Karimloo, although extremely talented, was forgettable. That being said, his final number where he finally embraces his role as the villain and draws a gun on our protagonist was chilling to say the least. The staging of the scene replicates the horrid murder of Anya/Anastasia’s family, and Gleb begins to question if he can fulfil what his father began a decade prior. While this scene had me on the edge of my seat as a gun was pressed against Anya/Anastasia's head, it inevitably ended too abruptly. (Start of spoiler) Gleb is unable to pull the trigger because he has fallen in love with Anya/Anastasia, even though the two have only interacted three times within the show at this point (End of spoiler). Gleb’s inclusion into the plot paralleled that of Ted Hinton in the flopped musical Bonnie and Clyde. While Hinton was historically in love with Bonnie Parker, his inclusion made the troubled show fall flat, much like how I felt about Gleb. And while I thoroughly enjoyed all of the musical numbers sung by Gleb, if you removed him from the plot the show would move on seamlessly without him. His inclusion does not affect the show in any real way. Gleb’s interactions with Anya/Anastasia, aside from his final number mentioned above, do not imprint worry that he might truly stop her from completing her journey. Therefore, as an audience member, rather than fear him I questioned his competence. With the criticisms out of the way, I genuinely enjoyed this production. While I was not necessarily surprised by anything the show offered, as I have seen the movie and own the Broadway musical soundtrack, the show still left me in awe. The costumes were impeccable, and I am baffled on how the musical lost the Tony Award for “Best Costumes”. The musical replicated outfits from the movie perfectly and the actors who filled these costumes embraced the characters wholeheartedly. A number that showcases these costumes is “Quartet at the Ballet”. In the scene, the characters are all lavishly dressed in preparation to attend a Parisian ballet. Anya/Anastasia wears a blue sequined dressed that perfectly resembles the dress worn in the movie. Christy Altomare who plays Anya/Anastasia and fills this blue dress is phenomenal. She not only believably plays fearful and hopeful with ease, she’s also charismatic and makes you understand every complex emotion Anya/Anastasia is feeling. Whether that be Anya/Anastasia's frustration at not being able to relearn her past easily, or simply her glee of arriving in Paris where she can finally prove she is the lost princess. Anya/Anastasia’s love interest Dmitry (Derek Klena) is not to be overlooked either. Klena naturally resembles his character from the movie, and has a powerhouse voice that is swoon worthy. The duo make the small casted show feel large within the world they are able to successfully create. You feel you are in St. Petersburg in Dmitry’s solo “My Petersburg”. When the trio travels to Paris in “Paris Holds the Key (To Your Heart)”, you teleport there alongside them. These travel sequences are accompanied by projections of scenery that can be seen through windows that are set on stage. You can see time pass as the seasons change in “Learn to Do It” and you are in 1907 Russia with Anya in the famous “Once Upon a December”. The projections, much like the gorgeous costumes, do not feel cheap and look magnificent. Both the set and clothing designs definitely set it apart from other Broadway productions. Similarly to when Dmitry sees Anya/Anastasia in her blue gown, I was left speechless. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by "Anastasia: The Musical". I was going into this performance already being a fan of the music and lyrics, and it was still able to leave a twinkle in my eyes. I overall enjoyed my time at the Broadhurst Theater as a whole and being teleported to both Russia and Paris simultaneously. I actually plan to buy another ticket for a second viewing as I want to relive the magical atmosphere the show provides. Anya might begin act one by struggling to dance and questioning "Who am I?", but the musical has found its footing and is sure of itself. by Nelson HerasFIVE THOUSAND AND FIVE HUNDRED, this is the number of victims of Pablo Escobar's attempt to keep his drug business alive. When you think of this number you can't keep yourself from thinking of how horrible this man was. Then you hear the number FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY-THREE and that is the number of homes he built for the poor when no one else was giving them anything. So, was Pablo Escobar a horrible person? I just returned from spending one week in Colombia, the perfect place to hear opinions on one of the most notorious drug lords, Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria. First, it is important for me to tell you my thoughts on Pablo Escobar. What I think of him is that without a doubt, he was responsible for many horrible events during his reign; however, we don't hear of or perhaps we ignore the fact that he also helped many people in need and gave back to the community, more than the Colombian government ever did. Escobar started illegal activities at a very young age. He would steal tests at school and sell them. As he became older he took part in the whiskey and cigar contraband trade and later learned of the cocaine business and how much money it was projecting. Since drug trafficking was such a new thing, it was not yet illegal. Escobar quickly rose to power and controlled approximately 80% of the cocaine distribution, his net worth was around 30 billion dollars and had so much money that he would store it in a warehouse and write-off $1 million as rat food, rats plagued the warehouse. He spent at least $20,000 on rubber bands alone, just to hold his money together. It is said that everyone has their price and that's what Escobar went by. He bought off everyone, from members of the military, to judges, to politicians and everyone who got in his way. Whoever did not want to take money he would have them killed, this is where the famous line comes from "plata o plomo" which translates to "silver or lead." You would think that Colombians hate Escobar, but on the contrary, people from Medellin, his hometown, loves him. I visited and people respect him, but of course not everyone does. I took a tour and my tour guide spoke to me about first-hand experiences of living during the violence of the Escobar era. She told me she witnessed a lot of the horrible events and that it is important to remember them so you won't relive them. I visited what was once the building where Escobar was shot down and what is now a mural created by the people of Medellin. I also went to Pablo Escobar's tomb and saw many fresh flowers which means that he still receives love. The neighborhood where Pablo had many homes built is considered "Barrio Escobar." I return to my initial question: was Pablo Escobar a horrible person? I have mixed feelings about Pablo Escobar. I know of all the crimes he committed but I am also aware of all the good he did and how much he gave back to his community; therefore, I don't have a concrete answer on whether he was a hero or a villain. As with all of us, his life took the path it did because of his life experiences.
by Klaryssa OrtizWho am I? I am a granddaughter, daughter, niece, sister, cousin, aunt, friend, lover and partner like so many others who have entered this Earth. These ascribed statuses familiarly known to us become archaic in sincerity as we develop personal attributes based on existential forces in a modernizing world, many of them negatively impactful. I am truly blessed for being a part of a family that expresses love, compassion and acceptance to all who reciprocate equal sentiment. Puerto Rican by bloodline I’ve been given the opportunity to be accepted by countless individuals who are racially different from me. I have understood the light skin privilege prescribed to me; however have been equally exposed to the racial rhetoric of oppression projected towards people who are ethnically different. I am surrounded by countless artists who attribute to the immense amount of knowledge I have obtained outside the classroom. I have simultaneously utilized skills from school to interact with folks outside of these institutionalized aspirations. Striving for an independent mind has been extremely important for me to liberate myself although there are countless variables of distraction. I purposely surround myself with like minded individuals for family are oftentimes the friends you choose. I am preaching about exchanges, development and revolutionary love because that is what life is, we are dependent on one another. I write to take individuals on a journey through histories that have perpetually formed societies, but from a colorful perspective. I write to disembark on adventures that are both important and regularly neglected as we advance in a society of technology, materialism and animosity, a joint of histories to unveil and memorialize through intricate writing.
by Brenda AlmarazWho am I?
I am... A woman A Latina A daughter of six A sister A student A traveler A Friend A Mexican A United- Statesian An individual existing... Who am I? Is one of the most difficult questions to answer for many, but why? Could it be that in describing ourselves we may overemphasize certain qualities or better yet fail to mention some? Or just because as social beings with multiple social groups we put on a different mask to accommodate and be accepted...when are we ever our true self? As one person told me...There is no need to overthink the question because you are who you are: your likes, dislikes, the capability to accommodate, and simply by the labels you acquire whether they were a choice or not. Being that this is a question I have give LOTS of thought to I decided it best to "label myself". At first I began with the way others could influence a label, and then those at birth but, stopped as I soon realized it's not about the labels...it's about how I wear and embrace these labels that matter. So what if I'm a sister, daughter, student, Mexican, United Statesian? What matter`s is that I embrace, wear, and flaunt the labels that I choose best defines who I am. |
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