By Carrie Mahoney, 2012-2013 Chapter President

Well here it is the end of my college career. Graduation is a week away and I can’t believe it is over. The end of college always seemed like a far off finish line, the mountain on the horizon that was never getting closer but then all at once I am on top of the mountain. However the view from here is quite different. I see at last that this mountain top is only the first in an ever-growing range longer than the Rockies and that finish line is only a drink stand in my first mile of a marathon. How foolish it was of me to race through this leg of my journey, to view it as an obligation and hindrance instead of a gift. But that’s hindsight right?

I won’t sit here and reminisce what could have been, instead I will leave my chapter and friends with the final lessons that I have learn here at Salem State University. While at first they may seem contradictory I will advise that they are not. It will be a constant struggle between the two thoughts but the battle will only make it more memorable.

The first is quite predictable but it is a lesson that I have struggle with since high school. Never tire of excellence. I used feel ashamed sitting in a classroom, having received the only A on a paper surround by an ocean of C’s. I would shrink back into my seat and quickly shove that proud mark into my bag. When did we become ashamed of a job well done? We should not be. There is nothing embarrassing about achievement and no shame in success. Throughout our lives people will try to tear us down, to belittle us, to interrupt our journey; do not help them. Be strong for yourself because there will be times when no one else will. Be proud of your accomplishments because people will not always recognize them. Never tire of excellence, of distinction from your fellow man. Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” This should be our goal; to strive for excellence and not be satisfied with anything less. Hold yourself to your own standards and not the minimum that is set by those around us. We are each destined for great lives, make the most of that.

The second lesson is a little simpler; don’t let the moment ruin the whole. It can be easy to get caught up in the here and now, but we must remember that the here and now is ever changing. We must seize every opportunity no matter how tired or stressed or unsure we are. So apply for that extra internship and try out to be a speaker at commencement. You might not succeed at everything you try, but what if you do? Don’t lean too much the other way though. I am not suggesting that you always blow off class but once in a while go crazy on a random Monday night. And skip a lecture or two and go to the beach. It is these moments that we are able to breathe, to remember why it’s all worth it. Looking back you never remember how tired you were after a sleepless night but you do remember the adventures you took.

Life is special, each and every day of it. We will never fully appreciate the stage we are in but we can try. And we can make looking back on the memories a whole lot sweeter. Thank you to my chapter for all the lessons you have taught me and my friends and family for your constant support. It has been an honor being a part of each of your lives and a privilege to be your president for the past year. I will miss you all.

By Kelley Flynn, Chapter Member

Most people use Facebook every day. We put our whole lives on it. It is being used by billions and not just to meet new friends.  Companies check potential employees’ Facebook pages in the hiring process. This way they can weed out the applicants that they think may not be good at representing their company. So, how do we know what is acceptable? Do we use it only as a business tool and leave our personal lives behind?  Or, do we just use Facebook like we always have and pay no attention to the eyes on us? The answer is neither. It isn’t just one sided; it’s a little bit of both.

My golden rule for Facebook is: don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your grandparents to see.  Employers understand that you’re still a person. No one expects you to be a business professional 24/7. You just need to find a balance between personality and professionalism.

Think of yourself as a brand. Your job is to keep your brand’s image intact. You don’t need to stop posting all together, but start making choices of what you think you should post. Be selective. Before you post, think to yourself, ”How does this make me look? What does this say about me? Am I okay with that?”

So first things first! Clean up your profile so you can start fresh. What you decided to post in high school has probably changed. Scan through and start picking out pictures that don’t represent you in the best light. For example, the picture of you drunkenly throwing up on a stranger’s car- delete. The picture of you volunteering at an animal shelter–keep. It’s easy. If you take the time to go through them it will be simple to figure out what is appropriate.

The next thing to do is to delete the people on your friend list with whom you wouldn’t want to be associated. The saying, “You are who you are associated with,” is also true on Facebook, and that dude on your friends list you met at a party three years ago may just be the man your dream job recently fired for coming to work drunk.

Go into the “about” section of your profile. You know the part that was important to you during your freshman year of high school, but you haven’t looked at since? Make sure your friends haven’t logged in and changed your political views to devil-worshipping anarchist or anything like that.

After you have made sure your about page is actually about you, look at what is directly on your page. You don’t have to check your statuses from 2009, but go down about three months and remove any posts about how much you hate your parents or how drunk you got before you drove home.

Finally, you can move on with your more professional social presence and begin making careful choices about how you’d like to be represented. It seems tedious at first, but once you start to do it you will be glad you made the effort.

Welcome to a new semester!  We look forward to seeing everyone at our meetings this semester!  Our first meeting will be on Monday, January 28 at 11 a.m. in Central Campus room 135!  Hope to see you all soon and we look forward to another exciting semester!

Another semester has practically come and gone and rounding the home stretch towards winter break only increases as a challenge. As a student we all know that there is nothing more challenging than sprinting down this final stretch. But there are definitely ways for students to keep ahead of the game, and not get bamboozled by what is known as Hell Week.

Hell Week begins either around the time of Thanksgiving break and expands through the completion of first semester finals; or the last week of April and the first few weeks of May. The most challenging year for me was freshmen year. As a freshman, I was ill prepared for what awaited my first encounter with the demon that is Hell Week. As time progressed the encounters became friendlier. A new trick has been learned for each semester completed. Some techniques I do wish I had ascertained sooner, but better late than never right?

I have compiled these theories and organized them into several groups, which with my experience, seem best suited.

I would first find a quiet relaxing place. My ideal location would be sitting on a comfortable pad located in the center of a Zen garden. A water feature would be ideal with soothing music drifting from speakers located in every direction. To quote the Rolling Stone, “we can’t always get what we want.” I unfortunately have to settle for the designated study rooms in the basement of the library with Pandora’s best selections.  

This is where you orchestrate an “action plan.” Your action plan should entail a level of specificity that only you would understand. A thorough, well thought out schedule, is the best way to accomplish your overall goal, to survive Hell Week. Your schedule should set specific goals that only pertain to you. Your day to day activities should only be centered on you. Taking away unneeded distractions is the priority. Afraid friends might get upset and think there is something wrong? Don’t fret. The best way to avoid this is to simply communicate with those around you. Explain to them that you are getting your life in control to finish the semester strong. The silent goal here is to plant the seed of aspiration and revitalization within you or your friend group.  This may feel a little egotistical at first, but let’s face it. We live in a “me me” society where we only truly care about ourselves.

But let’s not get ourselves overwhelmed and hyperventilating into a paper bag. It is ok to take breaks. I would not recommend studying in your actual dorm room. The temptation to rest the eyes for a minute or two will turn into suddenly waking up and realizing it’s already tomorrow. If living on campus, study in a lounge on your floor. Take walks down the hallways or invest in an electric kettle and become a tea connoisseur.

I also find success in rejuvenating the neurotransmitters by visiting local coffee cafes with live local talent. They say some of the best ideas come from coffee houses around the world.   

After completely this somewhat tedious task, a new feeling of self-accomplishment will overwhelm you. The achievement of successfully conquering Hell Week is grand.

Today, we live in a world where social media is among us in many ways. We have Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare, and many more. It has become a way of life. For many of us, we have learned how to use social media effectively, and more important, positively. But what about the social media that’s used negatively? What about the people who use it to bully?

We all know that cyber bullying has been an issue for years. There have been documentaries, movies, and websites created to fight against it, yet today we are still hearing tragic stories about young teens affected by bullying through social media. Over the years, statistics have only grown to prove that this is not a dying conflict.

• Over 95% of teenagers use social media networking sites to communicate with peers.
• Over 25% of teens have been bullied repeatedly through texts or the Internet.
• 1 in 3 teens has experienced cyber-threats online.
• 85% of teenage online users have been cyber bullied at least once.
• 90% of victims will never inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse.

I have been working with young children and teens at a YMCA for five years now. Recently, I have had at least three young teens approach me and say that they are experiencing forms of bullying through the Internet. Fake Facebook profiles and Twitter pages are being created to negatively attack peers. Rude comments are being left under pictures and statuses. This is social media gone wrong. So, what are ways to prevent cyber bullying from continuing its vicious circle? Here are a few solutions.

• Communicate with parents, teachers, or other adults. By talking, young children or teens will be informed about how to properly use the Internet, and detect early signs of bullying. If it happens, children/teens should immediately notify a parent or authoritative figure.
• Limitations of Internet use. Young children/teens should have limitations when using the Internet until they learn more about how it’s used and how it should be used. Having accessibility to too many social media sites may expose them to content that they are too young to see.
• Talk about the serious affects that bullying has. Bullying is no joke. It becomes personal and can cause depression.

Cyber bullying can be resolved by taking small steps like communicating and limiting Internet use. It has only grown bigger as an issue and has caused pain, depression, and worse. Social media should be used for good and only good. It truly is the best way to connect, communicate, and network. There should be no room for anything else.