Review of One World Observatory New York City

 

Welcome, One World Observatory

When you hear “One World Observatory”, I am not exactly sure what comes to mind, but fun or exciting views of the five boroughs of New York was the last thing I imagined, rather I thought of it as a place that had something to do with the United Nations and their observation of world events, however, this place offered so much fun and incredible views, situated at 117 West St, New York, I almost ascribed a literal meaning to the name and didn’t think it’s a place I or anyone should visit when trying to relax but as we began the tour, I knew I was in for a refreshing time.

Visitors paying attention to the guide.

There was a brief history and preview session for all visitors at the beginning of the tour, it was an adrenaline-pumping experience as everyone clapped and giggled with excitement at the end of this session which ended with a special effect preview as the blinds went up and we all went into the “wow mode” and from this point on, it was fun, fun and fun all the way.

Worthy of note is the ambience and carefully planned interior meant to capture your attention so much that an extrovert in that building won’t feel as if they are missing anything from outside, oh Did I forget to mention the elevator experience as well? That’s an HD show you will have to find out yourself, thank me later.

As regarding how they are able to control and manage the crowd owing to COVID, during the purchase of the tickets online, all protocols and information regarding staggering schedule intended to accommodate a certain number of visitors and prevent overcrowding are clearly displayed, in addition, every nook and cranny had a hand sanitizer on display and we were strongly advised to wear facemasks whilst in the building and failure to comply could lead to being asked to leave and trust me, the security in that building can compete with those at the airport. ( this is not exaggerated) so non-compliance could lead to a not so pleasant chat with them which is best avoided.

Don’t visit this place on an empty stomach, because there’s not much option when it comes to food here, yes, there are some pricey snacks and drinks that would sustain a half stomach but to fill an empty stomach, be ready to shed some dollars on the classy and window view restaurant where the menu is great, the chef is good, but the price compliments the standard. (that’s all I have to say lol)

Tasty and yummy chicken bites- chef made

The view of the entire city is breathtaking, and should you have a good phone or camera and love taking pictures, then you will have a field day doing what you love, and not to worry, if you don’t,  just tuck your hands in your pockets and enjoy the view, give your eyes some treats as you enjoy the memory of a lifetime.                                                                                                                                  

Long shot from the Observatory.

Have You Met Professor Deborah Sheffield?

  I started schooling at William Paterson University at the beginning of the pandemic hence, I have not had the opportunity to meet most of my professors and the ones I have met on few occasions has been in class until everything was moved online so judging by the little experience with some faculty members, I will talk about the professor who made an impression on me the most.

 Deborah Sheffield is one professor that I won’t forget because of the role she played in helping me find my feet at William Paterson.

 I easily get nervous in a new environment due to fear of the unknown, and when I newly joined WPU was no exception, learning to deal with blackboard, how to write in APA and all other expectations that comes with being a student was one big sweat breaker.

 Of all the professors I had in my first semester, she stood out and made me feel like I could do and achieve anything I wanted, she was patient and made an effort to understand my point of view when I had issues, her attention and empathy to my plights really encouraged me.

 One of such was when we were asked to get adobe spark for her Comm 1190 class (Communications Studies and Practice)  which was a requirement in creating designs and submitting weekly assignments, I had limitations and couldn’t get on the application, I expressed my issues to her, and she went out of her way to get me a link that enabled me access the app.

 Asides from being my star professor, she is kind, warm as a person, loves dogs and Disney characters a lot.

 She is incredibly fun, beautiful in and out, and knows how to teach because I learnt so much from her and my favorite topic in her class was when she took emotional intelligence.

 Though she was not my advisor, I remember thinking she was my course advisor because of the way she responded to my degree requirement questions or issues then.

 Sheffield is one professor who does the most effortlessly for her students and does not realize the impression or impact it has on some of us.

 So, when I say she made the most impression on me last semester, I wasn’t trying to mince words, she did.

Returning to Campus this Fall

When we return to campus next semester, I look forward to meeting people, some of whom I have only seen online and while being online has been fun and unfun, relishing these last days as the spring semester nears its end is something I’ll come to appreciate when I look back to these times.

I know I am going to miss the confidence with which I roll out of bed and roll into class from one side of the bed to the other where my laptop has been sitting pretty all night while I drifted away in sweet dreams, yeah I roll like that sometimes lol.

Asides from making friends, on my checklist is a visit to the sports center or sport administrative block where I can see some of our athletes, coaches, or admin staff that I wrote about in my journalism class this semester, I can't tell if this has anything to do with sportsmanship spirit or its part of their orientation in the athletic department but most people I interacted with online in the course of manning my beat were so polite and forthcoming, ready to help as much as possible, so with the virtual love developed for the WPU sports family, it’s only fair I see them or get a ticket to watch some of their games.

Lastly, if the communication studio will be open to communication students, I intend to hang around there a lot because though a PR major, knowing how to read from a teleprompter won't hurt me in any way, rather, it adds to me as the popular saying goes “ no knowledge gained is ever wasted.”

Erin Monahan and Her Journey to Reaching 500th Milestone

Erin Monahan, Head Coach women’s basketball team at William Paterson University recently achieved a major milestone in her career by earning her 500^th victory as she led her team to a 67- 42 win against Rutgers-Newark in February 2021, Not only is she the most successful women basketball coach in WPU history, but she is also one of the best in the nation. Until this achievement, she held a record of 498 – 238 in 27 seasons and led the pioneers to 11 NCAA tournament bids and three NJAC Tournament Titles.

Monahan speaking on what this milestone meant to her said “It means I’ve been coaching a very long time (ha); we have been fortunate to bring in some very talented players  who could have played at a different level, but their parents trusted us to help their daughters get their degrees as well as play on talented teams, we have a great alumni group that I keep in touch with and without them, this wouldn't have been possible.”

Monahan who hails from Clifton N.J  and comes from a family very active in sports not only had dreams of becoming a teacher at a young age, but also pursued her dreams and went on to graduate with a physical education/teacher’s degree at William Paterson University while playing softball and basketball during her college days for the school and envisioning herself as a teacher and coach of her high school, Clifton H.S after college but like her mom’s favorite mantra goes, “Everything happens for a reason” indeed with Monahan, a slightly different career from teaching did happen for a reason.

“I honestly have always believed; you don't have to put the most talented team on the floor- they have to believe they can do it. If their work ethic displays their belief- anything is possible!” said Monahan.

According to the WPU sports page, “Before becoming the head coach at her alma mater, Monahan was a second-team all-NJAC performer in 1990. She finished her career with 1,025 points, a total that still ranks 21st all-time. She also was a starting first baseman for the Pioneers’ softball team from 1987-90. Monahan and her husband, Kevin, have three children: Caitlin, who plays on the Pioneers’ softball team, Patrick and Colleen.”
 

 

Lets talk about my major

 

 My major is communications with a concentration in Public Relations, who would have thought that my career path will be along these lines? because everyone including myself saw “journalist” or journalism written in my stars. By everyone I mean my parents, witty and educated aunts and uncles in the family, cousins, and so on all ascribed my curiosity as a kid and being the one who would ask questions as a trait in me that was going to lead me to be a reporter, writer or something that has to do with working in the media.

While my curious nature is still very much intact, I started to see things differently as i was taught the various fields in communication. Between advertising, marketing, journalism, and Public relations, my love for PR was unmatched with the other three because in my major, I am taught how to be a journalist or at least think and write like one, understand the concept of marketing and advertising which sometimes is interwoven with PR when considering the integrated marketing mix and because of the broad nature of PR I found myself being very passionate about wanting to be a PR specialist. This means thinking out of the box and helping organizations and their publics/ communities have mutually beneficial relationships.

The best part of being a PR specialist is that one can snag an employment opportunity with almost any organization as PR is all-encompassing in dealing with various stakeholders of an organization, internal communication which has to do with employee relations and general welfare and external communications which deals with publicity, image, advertising marketing and promoting goodwill where the target audience or potential target audience of an organization can be found.

I can't wait to get out there and change the world with my skills and acquired knowledge in PR but if I also find myself in front of a teleprompter reading the evening news for CNN or ABC news, I will be ready.

The Sound of Silence

 

Photo credit- eventbrite.com

While the Cheng library may not look like the ideal place to experience a quiet time, a place to connect with one’s self or bring down mountainous assignments that feel impossible to complete, one of the study rooms on the mezzanine floor seems to do the trick for me.

 On the ground floor, the footsteps of the librarian walking between shelves or students whispering and laughing intermittently, the printers working, and random phones ringing are all enough distraction but the minute I secure a room to myself in one of the study rooms above the ground floor and shut the door behind me, it feels as though every other thing is shut out. Perhaps the walls are soundproof, that is yet to be known but what is known is the silence that occupies the room behind the closed doors.

 The day you run out of luck in securing a study room, then you have to deal with the sound of noise in the main or general library, and that is why I look forward to the fall semester when campus will be  fully open to enable me  explore other places that can speak to me in silence but for now, somewhere behind a closed door in the Cheng library does it for me.😀

Justina Cabezas of WPU Women Basketball Team Shines

Justina Cabezas -WPU Forward

In what appeared to be a double win for the William Paterson University Women Basketball Team as they defeated Rutgers-Newark, Justina Cabezas, a junior with a major in criminology and criminal justice was named Player of the week by the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball on Feb. 15.

“Getting NJAC player of the week was a great accomplishment, it means a lot and getting recognized.” Said Cabezas.

Before the announcement, the team won their third game of the season against Rutgers-Newark with a 67- 66 on Feb. 12 with Cabezas leading all scorers with 18 points.

Cabezas who hails from Carlstadt, N.J, before being a student at WPU attended Becton Regional High School where she scored her 1,000 career points and was a letter winner in volleyball and softball teams.

Cabezas speaking on playing basketball amid the pandemic, “This season is very different because of COVID-19, There are so many new rules and regulations to follow but the most important thing is that I get to play on the court with my team every day safely and I enjoy what I do, I don’t take that for granted.”

Stomach Business on Campus

 

I seldom visit the campus due to the pandemic and the fact that most classes are online now but when I do, while I am taking care of my mental buildup and other stuff, things have to go smoothly in the stomach department as well else “all learning and no eating makes Beatrice a dull girl” lol.

So here are a few places I usually visit depending on the stomach infrastructural situation.

Wayne Dining Hall: Located in the Student Center, is one place I like to visit when I need a buffet kind of setting and crave for a variety of foods depending on my mood and the need to flex. (not typically my best idea of flexing but hey, I take what I can get). They offer a variety of delicious food services ranging from keto, vegan, Asian, and Indian foods and the good thing is you get to eat as much as your stomach can consume for a student-friendly rate. Also included in their daily line ups are pastries, fruits, ice cream, drinks and so much more. good luck walking down the stairs when you are done eating.

Overview of Wayne Dining

Something light.

Overview from another angle

Extra light

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Located in University hall is one place to grab a quick snack and coffee when you are studying, and the energy is going down due to hunger. While I can’t say I have tried all their snack and would tell it’s the best and whatnot, I can certainly tell you about their bagel, its so good that on days when I am not even hungry, I randomly just order it to obey my cravings. Don’t take my word for it, give them a try and thank me later.

Delight

Ignite:  Also located in the student center is a nice place to grab a quick bite while on campus. Visiting this spot is usually to get their onion rings, yes you read that right. Their onion ring is so good and filling. I have tried onion rings in several places on and off-campus and while some give me blisters in my mouth after eating due to being way too crispy for my pallet, ignite happens to be among the few that just treat my taste bud and pallets about right.

 

What's Your Beef?

Credit- belchonock /123RF

Spending a semester at William Paterson University amid the COVID situation doesn’t give a true reflection of the school’s state as usually crowded spots and areas seemed scanty or almost empty, parking lots meant for commuters seemed like a reserved lot meant for VIPs and one had to hardly wait on queue for anything so basically all seemed nice and quite rosy in the fall semester of 2020.

However, my only beef is with the tuition fees which  I find expensive and my thinking on it is this, since most of the classes have been moved online and in some cases hybrid, we should be getting reimbursed for studying from home and not using the facilities on campus or just a reduction in tuition will be just fine. So apart from dealing with expensive tuition, another thing I can't wrap my head around is the need to pay distance learning fees, The logic behind that completely eludes me, students are learning from home, faculty staff is teaching from home, school is free of both parties in most cases, why should students pay for distance learning that they are enrolled for not necessarily by choice? Now that’s my beef, lol.

If there is anything I could do and I had the power to do it, it will be to reduce tuition knowing that as the school is going through financial difficulties so are students and their families having even a more difficult time financially. If only wishes were horses.

 

Hidden Gem

Hidden Gem on Campus

Scenery behind 1600 valley Road, William Paterson University building
Photo credit- Beatrice Amune

In the fall semester of 2020, being a transfer student and attending William Paterson University for the first time, I struggled with a lot of things as an international student with a different educational setting back home. The COVID-19 situation made it even harder to adjust to the school environment here as classes were hybrid and my hopes of being able to interact with other students who could help and point me in the right direction were constricted as everyone was being extra careful.

Since I often commuted to school, I’d usually like to take advantage of being on campus whenever I had class and would stay back to read and complete assignments but sometimes that was difficult as the library, try as it may, could not fulfill my three in one needs of studying, having a quiet time and enjoying a mini adventure all at once.

So I embarked on a special mission to find that unique spot now referred to as the “hidden gem” where I could do all three things while on campus.

"Marketing Principles" was a course I had to take at 1600 valley road and I’d stay back in class after we were done but little did I know my long-sought special spot was right behind the building.

On this fateful day in September 2020, I decided to look around before leaving, and to my utter amazement, I stumbled on this view right behind the building. The pond and green scenery became my mini-adventure when I got tired of reading, the table and chair were my companion in studying and doing assignments, and lastly the quiet environment was my place of peace and calm.

 

Happy News

 

  On a chilly Saturday morning like this, all I can think of is the past year and all that we went through collectively as the Covid sparks blew into full flames taking so much from us and denying us of the basic pleasures of life, the lockdowns, change in the way we do things as a society, what started as a mere rumor from Wuhan turned out to be an awfully bad dream that we are yet to wake up from.

  My reflection is not all about the bad things, but it takes conditions or situations like this to help one give true meaning to life, the opportunity to still be here and keep fighting, hoping, appreciating and being thankful is why I am writing this because some of us, our friends, classmates, professors, and family members came down with this disease and while some fought extremely hard and came through, others fought and fought till the very end, but they are no longer with us. Sometimes it takes experiencing sadness to appreciate happiness, darkness to appreciate light, rain to appreciate the sun, the storm to appreciate the calm and death to appreciate life.

So today all I want to say is that I am grateful and happy to still be here.