I Cannot Go To School Today

by Shel Silverstein

"I cannot go to school today"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry.
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox.

And there's one more - that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue,
It might be the instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke.
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in.

My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My toes are cold, my toes are numb,
I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There's a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is ...

What?

What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is .............. Saturday?

G'bye, I'm going out to play!"

It's winter break...no more classes, no more finals, no more papers...at least for a while!

Everyone in New School Student Housing and Residence Life wishes you Happy Holidays and hopes you enjoy the Winter Break. In the spirit of Penny Ann McKay...make sure to go out and play today!

The Moon is Brighter at 20th Street

Congratulations to Kristina Koelle and Morgane Moulherat, the 20th Street RAs who implemented the November Program of The Month - "Moon over Manhattan"! The event was co-sponsored by William Street RA, Jeff Barton, 20th Street Hall Council, The ActiveMinds student organization and New School staff members Eric Garrison and Mike Corbett.

Students who attended this event were provided with a relaxing environment where they learned techniques that focused on health and wellness and taking care of ones self during tough academic times such as mid-terms and finals. Active Minds, a peer health education group on campus, worked with the RAs to make "mar-TEA-ni's" (tea-based mocktails). Students also found a stress ball-making station set up for them and were invited to participate in a live Jazz session.

Having staff members at this event allowed opportunities for residents to speak with professionals at the University to learn more about campus resources and how residents can find support throughout the year when times get tough. Among the resources discussed were The University Writing Center, Student Health Services and Career Development.

Runners up for November's program of the month include:
Rock Band Night at 13th Street hosted by RA Mark Josephson and the 13th Street Hall Council; Flava of Loeb sponsored by the Loeb Hall staff; Poetry Slam at William Street sponsored by RA, Jeff Barton and resident Imani Sutton; and Dodgeball at Stuy Park hosted by RAs Markesha McCoy and Katie Saunders. Congratulations everyone!

This Holiday Season – Recycle, Reuse and Re-invent Your Holiday Spending!

The school year is half way complete, and by now you've become enlightened on what it means to be a college student in New York City. For example, you know that taking taxis everyday and shopping for groceries only at Whole Foods are two sure fire ways to drain your bank account quickly. But just because you've adjusted your daily habits to cut costs doesn't mean you won't be tempted to spend spend spend this holiday season! So before you head home for the break, use these tips to help you curb your shopping appetite. After all, Mom and Dad can't be too proud of all those A+s if there are minus signs in front of your bank account balance!

Get in the Holiday Spirit, for Free!

New York City is notorious for holiday sightseeing and events. Free options include enjoying the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, admiring the window decorations on 5th Avenue, watching the nightly lighting of the giant menorah on 5th and 59th during Hanukkah, and of course, visiting Santa at Macy’s Herald Square. Not big into tradition? Well that's okay, too! Check out some unique and diverse activities, like the parading boom box carolers of Unsilent Night, the 500 tuba players at Rockefeller Center for Tuba Christmas, or celebrate the seven principles of Kwanza at the Museum of Natural History .

Get into Giving Gear and Donate!

Perhaps your dorm room is looking a little cluttered. When's the last time you wore those floral platform wedges, anyway? Help out your community (and spare your roommate some extra space!) by donating this season - and you can do it all right from your residence hall! Check out the bins in your lobby and drop off some coats, clothes, and canned goods.

Swapping Equals Saving

Not sure who to buy for this year? Spare yourself the torture of deciding which friends make the gift list by doing a group exchange. Have a Secret Snowflake Swap and set a price limit. Or be sustainable and do a White Elephant gift exchange...for once, re-gifting is encouraged! For more ideas, check out http://www.santalady.com/xmasgame/whiteelephant.html.

DIY and Use Your Talents!

Ever notice how Mom and Dad seem to love everything you've ever made, even those pictures where you colored outside of the lines or saturated the paper in glue? Well now that you're in college, odds are your talents have expanded, so using them for gift-making is an idea they'll truly appreciate. Got some time to kill on the long bus or plane ride home? Try knitting or crocheting. Decided to major in art? How about making a series of small paintings? If you're a writer, try filling a scrapbook up with some of your favorite memories, accompanied by photographs. It won't cost much to make, but you'll be sure to see many happy faces as your gift recipients open these hand-made gems.