Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Funtanstic Weekend!

Last Friday, Program Committee co-sponsored with the Student Weekend Activities Team for Student Spotlight. On Saturday we hosted the Twilight series hit, New Moon, it was a big hit and to all of those who attended, thank you for coming!

This weekend has two major events. On Friday at 8:00 pm in the Crimson Café bring your friends and sing at Karaoke. On Saturday the highly anticipated Crimson Trivia Challenge is taking place in the Crimson Café too! Come at 7pm the three themes of the night are Sports Trivia, History, and Movie’s. Bring your thinking cap and friend’s because it’s surely to be a great night!

Dan

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Awesome College, Awesome People

Hey guys! It's been a while..I know :( But I would just like to take a moment to tell you as to how much of an awesome school we attend. Tomorrow you will read the post from S.W.A.T. to tell you what fun stuff they have planned for you this weekend, and they never fail to impress. This past weekend they showed New Moon, the second movie of the Twilight Saga, which I attended, as well as my best friend from home who came all the way from Boston. There were snacks and drinks and it was a great turn out. The movie of course was amazing, and a ton of awesome prizes were given out. So just make sure to come back tomorrow to see what exciting things they have planned for you!



What I would really like to talk to you guys about is how Refined Movement is selling raffle tickets. Yes, they have some awesome prizes for whoever wins but all of this is for a special cause. By buying a raffle ticket, which I just did for $1, you will not only be eligible to win a prize but you will also be donating to Haiti. What the people in Haiti are going through is unimaginable, I can't personally relate but I am willing to take part in anything that will benefit them. It's great to see our school supporting Haiti, and now you have a chance to take part in this as well! Tickets can be bought in the RCC until this Thursday!

Cat :)

Friday, February 19, 2010

On the Way Down!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a conference with four of BSC’s student leaders. It was the National Convention for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) and while we were there, we got to see a performance by Ryan Cabrera. A song of his inspired the title of this blog post. Our conference experience also ended with me falling/sliding down a set of stairs (long story, but I’m ok, thanks for asking!). So I thought I would use some of these fun thoughts to introduce an idea that isn’t all that fun. Today, I wanted to discuss how to avoid letting people down.

As people of responsibility, which we all are, some of us take on more than others and sometimes we don’t completely follow through on what we are responsible for. It happens to all of us. We have a lot to balance in life, in college, you have class work, group work, presentations, papers, books to read and classes to go to. You probably also have a job or many jobs, clubs that you are involved in, events that you go to and meetings. You also need to keep in touch with your family, hang out with your friends, check Facebook and deal with life in general. After all of that, you also need to find some time to sleep along with about 50 other items on your to-do list. At some point, something has to give, something is going to be forgotten, something is going to not get done.

With all of this responsibility, there are many relationships that are connected. Your friends, your family, your classmates, your co-workers, your fellow club members, your boss and your professors. Sometimes when you don’t follow through on your responsibilities, some of them are going to get hurt as well. How do you avoid this? How do you make sure that your don’t ruin relationships? How do you make sure your rare “let down” doesn’t hurt a lot of people?

In my experience, especially when it comes to clubs and organizations, you need to follow three steps. These are probably not things that are going to surprise you, but sometimes we need a little reminder!

Step 1: Get Organized!
Anyone who comes to my office, immediately knows that I am not always a very organized person. I know that this can occasionally affect the things I do. At least once a week, I take stock of where I am, flip through the papers on my desk and make sure that I’m not missing something. If I don’t, I know that things get lost or I will forget to follow up on something. My point here is to take a little time for you, where you can collect your thoughts, organize a to-do list and see what responsibilities you need to fulfill. Prioritize your list, make sure you get your assignments done! Then start to work through the list.

For you, getting organized is going to be something different then it is for someone else. The important thing is to just find what works for you.

Step 2: Communicate
If you know you have a big test coming this week, think about what other responsibilities are going to suffer. Does that mean you can’t go to an e-board meeting? Are you not going to make it to Bingo with your friends? Are you not going to be able to go to work on Wednesday? Then let people know. Most people are happier to help you out if you give them a heads up and let them know that you aren’t going to be around. Sometimes, that may mean bigger things. If you need to step away from all of your responsibilities for the club you are in for two weeks, then do that, but make sure you tell someone and that they know all the information they need in order for the club to not suffer. Talk with your club advisor, let him/her know what is going on and seek their advice on how to manage things. That is what they (we) are here for!

Step 3: Know when to cut back
One of the hardest things about being involved on campus is stepping down from a position. I can still remember my own personal debates when I had to resign from a position in a club in college in order to pursue other things. If you feel that a one or two week break from a club is not going to cut it, that you are feeling overwhelmed and can’t handle all of your responsibilities, then it’s time to step back and reevaluate what you are involved with. There is nothing wrong with stepping down from a position. Many of the students who I have seen step down from a position, are some of the people I respect the most as leaders. The leader who is overwhelmed and steps down, does more good for their organization then the leader who is overwhelmed and holds on to the position, leaving others to pick up the slack.

This is not a call for all leaders to resign. I know that at times you will get stressed out, and that doesn’t mean you need to immediately step away. You need to do what is best for you and you need to organize, prioritize, communicate and then refocus your energy and sometimes that means stepping down from certain clubs or focusing your attention on your class work and only one organization. Remember that the staff in OSIL is always available to talk to you about your club responsibilities, and we can help you with some of the organizing and prioritizing.

Keep up the good work you are doing and remember to always do your best!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

A Bear-ific Interview (Raul)

Hey guys!! So this week has been kind of hectic and I'm about to throw a bunch of posts at you!! Well, not literally..you know I would never throw anything at you guys :)

So this week Raul Vazquez was interviewed, and again we have an awesome Bear. Check out the interview....





Name: Raul Vazquez

Nickname: Macho (no joke that's what my family calls me)

Year: Junior 2011

Major: Business Management

Three things you didn't know about Raul Vazquez until now:

1. I love to beat up the beat and fist pump when I go out.
2. I can't stop smiling when I am nervous.
3. I just found out about 1 year ago that I love to travel to different countries. Since then I have traveled to three countries and am going to my fourth one maybe in the summer.


There isn't anything that Duck Tape can't fix.

How are you involved on campus?
I am the President of our Student Government Association on campus, I am a brother of Sigma Pi, I am a member in the Student Leadership Council, I work in the Moakley Center IT Helpdesk and I work in the Commuter Services office.


My favorite sport is baseball.

How can your personality be best described?
A. Dorky
B. Fun
C. Timid
D. Loud
E. Other: Overconfident and silly

My favorite class so far has been French Film with Professor Lizie, because we traveled to Paris on a study tour and I had one of the best times of my life there. I got to go on the Eiffel Tower, see the Mona Lisa, and made 19 new friends; it was a great time.

One of my favorite memories here at BSC so far is the Spring 2009 elections for the student body presidency. It was a heated race, but myself and Kara Crosson came out on top.

I am _____'s # fan: Guilty Pleasure
A. New England Patriots
B. Indianapolis Colts
C. New Orleans Saints
D. Pittsburgh Steelers
E. Other: Jersey Shore


My favorite kind of food is:
A. Italian
B. Chinese food you can ask anyone, I know what I like and this is what they will tell you. It's so good I can just keep ordering Pork Fried Rice with pepper Steak and boneless spareribs. Hmm
C. American
D. Crimson Dining
E. Other: ____
Haha..Jersey Shore has taken over Bridgewater I swear! So what did you guys think? Feel free to comment or ask Raul any questions you would like!!!
Cat :)

Friday, February 12, 2010

Are you on the INside?

I’m thinking of something that can be considered the campus pulse, knows all the events on campus, has tons of “friends” but is probably slightly underused. That’s right, everyone, I’m talking about the Involvement Network. Perhaps you have absolutely NO idea what the Involvement Network is or maybe you think it’s just an added piece of technology that really doesn’t serve a purpose for you or for the clubs your involved in. Well, keep reading and I will enlighten you to what the Involvement Network is and how good it is to be on the INside.



First things first: do you have a login? If so, GREAT – you are one step closer to getting IN. If not, surf your way on over to the website. Create a log-in after using the sign up function and following the steps. Now that you are on your way to INsider status, let’s learn some fun facts about Insiders…


Fact: INsiders are never bored. They know something is always happening on campus.

So believe it or not, there is something going on at BSC just about all the time. Sure, you may not see as many flyers around campus or in the residence halls as you used to, but going green means more than just cutting down paper advertisements across campus. It means that all the events are right at your finger tips. The flyerboard is a pretty nifty tool. Go ahead, click the events tab and see what’s going on over the next few days. You can even RSVP AND add it to your calendar so you don’t miss the event. If you don’t see a flyer there, don’t get discouraged. You can search events by category too!

Fact: INsiders are networkers. They “know” key players in all different clubs and organizations.



Did you know you can see who is involved with any club on the Involvement Network? Yes, that’s right. You can see the President, Vice Pres, Primary Contact and sometimes even the adviser of a club. Sure, I’m using the term “know” rather loosely. It is highly unlikely that you will personally know all the important people in a club, but INsiders can find out who they need to get in contact with if they want more information about the club or becoming a member.



Fact: INsiders are INnovative communicators. They know how to communicate and group consensus without that pesky reply-all email that fills your inbox.

The Involvement Network has a number of built in communication tools that you probably didn’t realize existed. For instance, you can email anyone in your club through the Involvement Network. Then there are the discussion boards and survey features, too. Use discussion boards to post minutes for members that missed meetings! You can create surveys within organizations to take polls without pesky paper ballots AND all the data is already typed up for you. Talk about going green and making your life easier!



So fellow and future INsiders, these are just a few reasons why being IN is pretty cool. If you still aren’t sold or maybe slightly confused on the Involvement Network – FEAR NOT! February is INVOLVEMENT NETWORK Month in OSIL. Every week sessions are being offered on a variety of topics regarding the Involvement Network through the CEO Series. Sign up for sessions here!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Thursday = Fun Day :)

Hello Fellow Bloggers,



How about that snowday!?! If you were me you were probably wondering the entire day why there was even a snowday (not that I'm complaining), but before I knew it there was a huge blizzard outside! I basically decided to look at some scholarships, finish up some homework, hang out with my prince charming (my betta fish), and watch the movie Couple's Retreat which was hilarious. How did you spend your snow day? I would love to hear what you guys did.



Have you voted yet on our poll How are you spending Valentine's Day? So far here are the results:

  1. With my bf/gf: 50%
  2. Friends..duh: 30%
  3. Searching for my valentine: 10%
  4. Is that the day where a cupid aims an arrow at you? Um..no thanks!: 10%

If you aren't happy with the results, then what are you waiting for? Vote away.

Okay, so here's the fun part..at least I think it's pretty fun. I would like to share with you a few funny videos (all with animals..don't worry yet)
This one is of a dog that screams elmo..

Do you have really bad allergies? Well this panda does, it can't stop sneezing!!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your thursday!! Hope to hear from you guys.
Cat :)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

The Red Polos Are Coming, The Red Polos Are Coming!!!

Yesterday you might have felt like the campus was being invaded by people in red polo's. Don't be alarmed we came in peace (yes...I was one of them). All we were trying to do was get all of you to apply to become a Summer Orientation Leader.. see I told you we were harmless :)


A Few Reasons to Become A Summer Orientation Leader:

  1. The people you work with, most of which you will never have met before, will turn from co-workers to friends by the end of the first day. I've come up with two theories as to why this happens: a) there's some weird orientation magic, and b) all the orientation leaders are just naturally awesome. (I tend to go with theory two).

  2. You get to wear awesome red polo's and name tags.

  3. You're communication and leadership skills improve immensely. You will be able to speak more comfortably in front of people, and learn how to be more decisive.

  4. You get an early preview at the new faces that will be attending school with you! Not only that, but you can make their transition from their high school to BSC a fun and exciting one!

  5. Isn't Chelsea Bracchi a good enough reason? Can't you SEE how much fun the OL's are?






So what are you waiting for?? Applications can be found at www.bridgew.edu/sil and they're due FEB 17th!





Cat :)

Monday, February 8, 2010

Be the change...

"Be the change you wish to see in the world", that's what I always say... ok so maybe Ghandi said it first, but I like to keep it alive.

With the new year and all... I got to thinking... do you ever look around and think how you are impacted by the kindness (or lack of) of strangers? I often think about the messages I give every day more specifically how I role model to others in my every day life. What messages do we send when we don't exchange any words? As some real life examples, I lived and worked in NYC for 5 years and would always appreciate the person who would give up their seat on the subway for a pregnant mom or an elderly man/woman, I made a judgement... I like that person. Simarlarly I made a judgement for the guy who ran into me while walking down the street and didn't even apologize, he was wearing a Yankees hat.. figures. (See I did it again..I judged!). I love working with fraternities and sororities because we talk about role modeling on a regular basis, do you live the values of your organization only when you are wearing letters? Or do you believe in them wholeheartedly and work every day to made our Founders proud. The power of role modeling isn't limited to fraternities and sororities, imagine if every person that wore their BSC hoodie held the door open for the person behind them, thanked the staff at the Bears Den for their service, or volunteered to put someones groceries in their car at Roche Brothers. Imagine all the people that would see that and think, hey.. I like BSC students, staff, & faculty. Imagine the positive impact we could make in our community by role modeling to others our value of service.

I have to give a shout out to some of the students I think do this best... its the Orientation Staff. I love watching the OL's in action because they breathe life into Ghandi's mission, they show new students the community they want here at BSC and that, in turn, creates change. So my challenge to you (and myself) is to go on, put on that BSC hoodie, and change the world! Go BEARS!

Have you seen Bears out there doing nice things for others? Was it a stranger who let you cross the street by Moakley, a maintainer in your residence hall, or maybe a BSC police officer who helped you out when you needed it most.Tell us about it!

A Bear-ific Interview with Meg Ryan

MONDAY.MONDAY.MONDAY.MONDAY!!!!
You know what this means..another interview with one of our Bears. Today you get to see the interview with our very own Megan Ryan. Remember all of her responses are in blue, check it outtt...

Name: Megan Ryan

Nickname: Meg; Meg Ryan..maybe..is that a nickname?

Year: Junior; May 2011

Major: The forbidden Elementary Education with Psychology!



Three things you didn't know about Meg until now:

1. I have an obsession with the color blue and have an unhealthy amount of blue shirts. My roommate is currently staging an Intervention.

2. I taught myself how to play the guitar in the summer of 2008 because I spent far too much time on Facebook.

3. My right foot is a half size larger than my left foot...it's a pain.



There isn't anything that chocolate can't fix!



How are you involved on campus?

Hmm..I am the Marketing Director of Program Committee, I am a Student Orientation Coordinator for the Summer 2010 Orientation Program, and I work in the Print Shop!



My favorite sport is baseball. I love watching my younger brother Sean play!



How can your personality be best described?

A. Dorky

B. Fun

C. Timid

D. Loud

E. Other: Vibrant



My favorite class so far has been Intro to Elementary Education, because I got to work in the classroom of my 2nd grade teacher (who now teaches 1st grade!) and I got to learn more about my major.



One of my favorite memories here at BSC so far is hosting the Homecoming Pageant with Devan Carrington. I dressed as the rapper, Lil' Wayne, and Devan dressed as the rapper T Pain! We also dressed as the Spartan cheerleaders from SNL!



I am ______'s #1 fan:

A. New England Patriots

B. Indianapolis Colts

C. New Orleans Saints

D. Pittsburgh Steelers

E. Other: Lady Gaga



My favorite kind of food is:

A. Italian

B. Chinese

C. American

D. Crimson Dining

E. Other: CHINESE FOOD! especially at Mee King.

What another great interview and I must agree, Mee King is quite delicious!! So what did you guys think?? Feel free to ask her any questions!

Cat :)

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Action Packed Weekend!

Welcome to all our loyal fans and welcome to our new friends!

Thanks to everyone who came out this past weekend to Trivia Night at Crimson. Hope you guys enjoyed the event, there was a good turnout, I'd venture to say around 60+ people participated, Students were paired off for competition and played three separate games with three rounds, $25 gift cards were given to 1st place, movie tickets for 2nd place and $5 gift cards for 3rd place. Winners included for 1st place Kelly Tanguay (Junior), and Matt Menard (Senior).

Here's the low-down on this weekend's happenings on campus.

To start off our Friday night, Program Committee is having Video Game Night in Crimson Dining Hall at 8pm. Everyone should come out and show your stuff on
Mario Kart!
We’re bringing it back old school to the day’s when we all played Mario Kart so bring your skills and there might be some prizes in store so play your best!

Saturday Night is MOVIE NIGHT!
Come watch the hit movie Twilight at 7 pm in the Dunn Conference room with your friends to get geared up for the campus premier of New Moon on February 20th. Snacks will be provided so bring your friends and remember, what team your on…. Jacob or Edward?

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday…. Super Bowl Sunday at Dunn Conference Room 6:30 pm have free food come while watching the Indianapolis Colts vs. New Orleans Saints with your friends and learn more about what’s happening at BSC on the weekends S.W.A.T.

More interested in checking out Basketball? On Saturday at 1pm BSC Host’s Fitchburg State in the Tinsley Center, Our Women’s team plays at 1pm, and Men’s starts at 3pm to follow.


Lastly.. and probably most importantly... are YOU following US on Twitter?! If not, do it do it do it! ( www.twitter.com/bscSWAT ) MAKE SURE you turn on
Receive Mobile Updates from BSCswat in order to be eligable to win an INSTANT door-prize at our events! All you have to do is show me the text message that was sent to your phone and you win!

Have a great weekend Bears! Hope to see you!

Monday, February 1, 2010

A Bear-ific Interview with...

So even though I'm having a not so grand day (figures its Monday), this interview sure cheered me up a bit. I was convinced this entire time that Constantine's real name was actually Dino! I've been fooled this entire time!!! Read Dino's interview, he's a pretty interesting bear.

Name: Constantine Dourountoudakis
Nickname: Dino
Year:Junior, graduating in January 2012
Major: Physics
Minor: Computer Science and Mathematics

Three things you didn't know about Dino until now:
1. The only music I listen to is Cretan music. Seriously, take a look at my Ipod sometime.
2. I have an addiction....to the Internet in genera. And Stumble-Upon.
3. I've always wanted a pet monkey like in Ace Ventura.

There isn't anything that a sense of humor can't fix.

How are you involved on campus?
At the moment...Social Chair for Sigma Pi Fraternity, Orientation Leader, and Senior Consultant at the IT helpdesk.

My favorite sport is baseball.

How can your personality be best described?
A. Dorky
B. Fun
C. Timid
D. Loud
E. Other: _____

My favorite class so far has been General Physics, because I like torturing myself.

One of my favorite memories here at BSC so far is either working Summer Orientation or being part of Sigma Pi.

I am _______'s #1 fan:
A. New England Patriots
B. Indianapolis Colts
C. New Orleans Saints
D. Pittsburgh Steelers
E. Other: ________

My favorite kind of food is:
A. Italian
B. Chinese
C. American
D. Crimson Dining
E. Other:_______


I don't know about having a pet monkey but Ace Ventura is one of my favorite movies. What did you guys think? Comment on this interview or ask Dino anything you would like!!

Rawr Cat :)