Hey guys, I hope you didn’t miss me that much. It’s been a long week and it’s good to be posting once again. Last week there was the grand opening of the Confucius Institute of Chinese Opera at Binghamton University. The Confucius Institute of Chinese Opera is formed by Binghamton University and the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts (NACTA) and sponsored by the Confucius Institute.
The show was simply amazing. It stars off with a few speeches about how the formation of the Confucius Institute will make Binghamton University more diverse culturally and academically. Then the director of the Beijing Opera came out and explained a few aspects of the Beijing Opera. One major aspect is that they do not rely on props but instead uses something called virtual acting. Virtual acting is when the actors use their body movements to portray something that’s not there. One good example was when the two actors swayed back and forth to represent that they were on the boat, even though there isn’t a boat (prop) on the stage. They also do not use backdrops.
The first picture is about a young lady who is looking for a fisherman who’s willing to give her a boat ride to cross the river so she can meet up with her lover. The second picture is about a girl who is given a jade bracelet by a fated lover. In this picture, she is currently reading a book.
These actors had years of training and practice and I feel lucky to be one of the people who was lucky to see them perform excerpts from very famous Chinese operas. I look forward to the classes that the Confucius Institute of Chinese Opera has to offer Binghamton University in the upcoming semesters.

-Shutterbug Dennis

I just wanted to blog a little about my on-campus job at the Bartle Library at Binghamton. This is the main library- the one that is open 24 hours during the week except for Friday and Saturday when it closes at midnight and then opens at noon on Sunday. During finals week, it is open 24 hours . This library and the Science Library, a smaller library with resources in the science field, are the only two libraries on campus with resources such as books and journals. There are also residential libraries that are mainly used for study groups and studying. My residential community, College-in-the-Woods, has one upstairs of the dining hall. It is mainly used for printing, computer use, and study groups. Hinman community also has one used for study groups and studying.
To work at the Bartle Library or the Science Library, you need to be eligible for work study. I applied on the library website the summer before my freshman year right when they came out. My position at the library is working at the circulation desk. I had to go through a brief training- like half an hour’s worth— and then I was put up front to work with the patrons. Depending on the hours you work, it is either really busy or not at all. I usually sign up for the night shifts and during those times the library is usually not as busy as during the day when everyone is running around getting things for class or studying for an exam. Last year I worked about 7 hours a week split up over a few days but this year I work only 6 hours because of a pay raise. I love my job because during the slow hours I can do homework or go on the internet (as long as it’s reasonable) and blog like I am doing right now! It’s a really great job too because I get to see a lot of my friends here since the library is a good place to study and print out papers. Our library is great too- it has 4 floors full of books so if there’s anything you need we pretty much have if and if we don’t, you can request to have a book sent from another library. If you have a chance, check out the website!

Do you love to write?
You should take a Binghamton creative writing class!
Binghamton is the perfect place to perfect your writing. In creative writing classes you get to workshop your work with your peers. Everyone gets to submit their own stories and poems and talk about them openly. You might think this would be scary, but trust me, everyone is really helpful and supportive. Better yet, you get to be inspired by people who love to write just as much as you do! It’s incredible how much you can improve by taking one creative writing class- you get so much feedback and helpful hints. More so, you get to read some really cool pieces, which is a really nice break from reading textbook material.
Taking creative writing 250 also fills an aesthetic general education requirement, or an “A”.
Cheers!
Amanda Grannis

I’ve been lax in continuing my tales from abroad, but as I have a moment, I figured I’d start off where I’d started. When I last left you, we were leaving Luxor in March. Fast forward through the paper writing season to Spring Break in April, when I was desperately attempting to forget the stress of weekly Arabic exams through my favorite venue, travel.
A girl I’d met in orientation was planning a trip to Israel with a side trip to Petra in Jordan, which I thought was a great idea and subsequently was invited. I brought a better known friend, my travel buddy from Luxor with me.  As a group of six, we headed out from Cairo taking a bus to the Taba border crossing. We spent six hours getting to the border and half an hour getting out of the 100 meters of No-man’s-land, which was mainly because my travel buddy looks pasably Egyptian and forgot to conceal her Muslim studies homework, religious readings about radical Islam.  We sat awkwardly as she was drilled by the English speaking staff. Eventually, we were allowed to pass and caught a taxi to take us to the resort town of Eilat, Israel. I was in shock going from religiously conservative Egypt to Israel, where the first people I saw were in a western resort, clothed not in long sleeves and leggings for modesty, but in speedos and bikinis.  After recovering, resisting the strong urge to offer the tourists clothing for the sake of modesty, we proceeded to find a restaurant and enjoy the tourist ridden boardwalk, where I went through sticker shock at the difference in Middle Eastern prices, Israeli prices, and tourist gauging.  We eventually headed to the bus stop, took a group cab to Jerusalem for 10 shekels more than the bus, arrived at 1AM, checked in and crashed in the hostel provided beds. Little did I know, my bed was filled with bed bugs destined to follow me back to Cairo and make three weeks of sleeping on tile floors a misery, which I usually would not mind.
Come back on Monday to read about the redeeming features of the Holy City, the part where I was well-fed,happy and rested.

Well I’m sorry for the delay.
I have spent the past four hours watching anime, eating pizza, and playing tetris DS with good people from Anime Club.
I kid you not.

This weekend has been one large distraction.

Watched my friends group karoake Miley Cyrus’ Party in the USA at the International Entertainment Club

Spent two hours deciding what to get for the Decker School of Nursing Apparel sale

Shared a dining hall chocolate chip pancake twice the size of a plate with three other friends

Cleared around 80% of Beatles Rock Band with awesome friends

Watched silly Youtube videos in the Hinman Nite Owl at 2 in the morning following the Rock Band marathon

Watched people with hockey masks and hoodies chase and hurl socks at each other for Assoxination in College in the Woods

Had tremendous fun watching CollegeHumor Live featuring Dan Levy with a pre-show of the Peppy Parker Players (BU’s improv group).

Watched a girl perform Miley Cyrus’ Party in the USA in front of the crowd for a CollegeHumor t-shirt

Oh, I got an anthropological research paper about happiness and various homeworks done. But that’s not as poignant in my recall of this weekend.

So we sailed on to the sun,
Till we found the sea green,
And we lived beneath the waves,
In our yellow submarine,
-The Beatles

Catch Joey K, Apprentice Word Puncher, on Mondays and every other Thursday when he’s not trying to find a new way to procrastinate

Hi again!

Have YOU had a chance to visit Binghamton yet? If not, you should definitely book a tour!

First, our fabulous admissions counselors will treat you to some basic statistics and information about BU. They’ll help you learn more about the academic and extra-curricular programs we’ve got to offer, and they’ll provide some insight into the types of students that attend good old Bing-o. The admissions counselors are a great resource for prospective students: many of them have received degrees from Binghamton, and all of them can help you with the application process. Each admissions counselor works with a specific region of the state, country, or world and reviews applications from that area. Get to know your admissions counselor! Send an e-mail or arrange an appointment: they can help you figure out if Binghamton is the right fit for you.

After the information session, you’ll go out on a walking tour with the amazingly wonderful, ridiculously good-looking tour guides. (I’m a little biased-- I am one!) We’ll show you the sights: you’ll see many of the academic buildings and some of the libraries, make several stops in the University Union, and visit a dining hall and (everyone’s favorite!) a residence hall! If you’d like, we can also direct you to the Gyms, the Events Center, or the gigantic Nature Preserve. You’ll get a student’s perspective on the university and learn more about daily life in Vestal, NY (Fast Fact: The school is actually located in Vestal, not Binghamton). Plus, we’ve got the best stories and jokes around! I promise…

When you visit, you’ll also recieve a coupon for student pricing in the dining halls and for a discount in the bookstore!

Our second Super Visit Weekend for Fall 2009 is this weekend, November 14th through Nov. 15th! Of course, you’ll get a great visit whenever you’re able to make the trip, but, this weekend is especially packed with tours, information, and activities for high school students and their families. In addition to the general tours, there are special tours geared towards students who are particularly interested in the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering & Applied Science or the Decker School of Nursing and towards those students looking to transfer to Binghamton on Saturday the 14th.

Come see what we’re all about! 

If you’re at all like me, everything is starting to come due.  So, instead of panicking like I’ve done in the past, I’ve created a checklist of things to do to keep from getting sick because of the stress of all those projects we thought we still had time to do, but don’t.  This week I have a ten page paper due, in Spanish, and another due in English.  Luckily, this semester doesn’t include a great deal of tests, but if it does for you, you have all my sympathies.  I’m tapped into the literary and scientific paper stream this semester, so my linguistic facilities are about dead by the time it comes to creating regular, every day conversations.
To keep from reaching max overload, here’s my checklist:
1. Get enough sleep. For me it has to be at least 6 hours nightly for coffee to even have a chance. If I go under 4, it gets ridiculous.
2 Make sure you have a drink nearby. If you’re like me and get the munchies while studying or writing, usually stemming from dehydration or restlessness, a hot drink like tea can help you stave off gaining stress weight while helping you keep your focus.
3. Plan in some fun.  If you burn out too quickly, you’ll never make it through the close of exams. Thus, it’s extremely important to have fun. I like bowling, so I go to Laurel Ave’s dollar bowl on Sundays; the people there are sweet and it means at least 2 hours of activity and non-academic thought.
4 Start projects before the week it’s due. This semester all of my deadlines have been stacked one on top of the other, so in order to survive, I’ve given myself a week at least in advance of each due date to start preparing, even if it is only reflecting on the due date as I eat popcorn at the movies.
5. Finally, stay organized. There’s nothing more frustrating than not having what you need during crunch time, so keep a planner, make sticky notes, or whatever works for you. Personally, I stack all of my library books by topic with my notes on top so I can strategically ignore them until it’s absolutely necessary. Then, I write the deadline in my planner so I won’t ‘accidentally’ forget to turn in the finished product on time.
Best of luck to you all out there in academia as exams and projects loom over us during and after the break!