Live On!

In case you haven't already seen the many flyers posted around your building about housing selection ... here's one more. Housing Selection is right around the corner and you will want to know as much as possible about choosing your home for the next academic year.

What you need to know:

• Check your mailbox for the 2011-2012 Housing Selection pamphlet- this has answers to all of your questions!
• Go to your MyNewSchool account to apply and pay your deposit by April 1.
• Check your email for your lottery number (this will tell you when you get to choose your room)
• Choose Your room! Selection begins April 11th and will take place in the Stuyvesant Park Residence Hall.

In addition to choosing your room, you'll have a choice to live in one of our Special Interest Communities if you think it's a good fit. These are communities of students who have similar interests in the areas of Green Living, Global Affairs, Honors, Healthly Living and Music. For more information on these and all questions related to the Housing Selection process please visit our website or visit your residence hall office.

We'll see you next year!

Pickles Prove Perfect for Programming

Pickling is an important survival skill, particularly for those living on limited supplies in enclosed spaces. In fact, the word pickle derives from an old Dutch word, ‘pekel’, for ‘brine’; a salty testimonial to the historical importance of pickling to those who lived for many months at sea. When the nutritional role of vegetables in the prevention of scurvy (a common disease amongst mariners) was recognized, pickled vegetables became a staple of thesea-diet. At present, scurvy is fortunately rare amongst New School students. But we can never be too vigilant.

The December- January program of the month, represents an inspired attempt on the part of its organizer, Camryn Mothersbaugh, to teach the residents of the Stuyvesant Park residence hall the art of pickle-making. Camryn’s goal was to teach students cooking skills that they could use in the dorm. She chose to run a class on pickling because, not only would the outcome be delicious, but pickling is an easy skill to acquire, and well-suited to the constraints of the dorm kitchens. Unsurprisingly, given this event’s unique character and the exciting promise that every student would depart “with a jar or two of pickles”, the program was very wellattended.

Camryn elected to follow a recipe for sweet and sour cucumber pickles. She began by demonstrating how to make the spiced vinegar used to preserve the cucumbers, and then let the students fill the jars with the vegetables and vinegar. Camryn says that her favourite part of the program was the student reaction over the following week, as students would approach her to tell her how well their pickles had turned out. Thanks to Camryn’s great program idea, the students at Stuyvesant Park now have the skills to survive long sea voyages, and the supplies with which to do so; something that will no doubt be appreciated even more as midterms approach.

Written by Simone Gubler- Philosophy Major at The New School for Social Research

A Lesson in Black History

Leadership and learning go hand in hand. Part of your own leadership development is learning new things about those you serve and work with. There are so many differences on campus --- cultural, gender, faith-based, geographical, to name a few. Take some time to explore areas that you are not familiar with. You will grow as a leader and as an individual.

In celebration of Black History Month, learn a little about the history of the African American culture by answering these questions, or asking others in an effort to raise awareness in your organization.

Questions:
1. Why was February chosen for Black History Month?

2. In what year did Black History Month begin (after being Black History Week)?

3.Which civil rights leader became the first African-American to make a serious bid for the U.S. presidency when he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1983?

4.Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Black Studies at Cal. State University, created _______ as a way to unite the African-American community after the Watts riots in L.A.

5.Who was known as the “Moses of her people,” helping more than 300 slaves escape via the Underground Railroad?

6.Which black track-and-field athlete won four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, thus derailing Adolf Hitler’s intent to use the Olympic Games as a display of Arian supremacy?

7.Which black broadcaster and author hosts his own radio and TV show?

8.Which state east of the Mississippi was the first to give African American women
the right to vote, in 1913?

Answers:
1. Because it contained the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, two men who made a significant impact on black history.

2. In 1976, the celebration was expanded to the entire month of February.

3. The Rev. Jesse Jackson.

4. He created the well-known holiday of Kwanzaa, which is celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, in 1966.

5. Harriet Tubman.

6. Jesse Owens.

7. Tavis Smiley.

8. Illinois

Want to explore more on black history…check out these websites!

History.com
Biography.com

This was brought to you by PaperClip Communications.

If and When Were Planted but Nothing Grew

As a leader, you’ve probably already noticed that some students are procrastinators. You may even be a procrastinator yourself!

Most people have experienced a missed deadline or cramming for a test. But how do you know when procrastination has become a real problem?

It’s okay to put things off every once in awhile or to give yourself a break from a task and then come back to it. But procrastinating regularly can be a real problem.

Procrastination has both mental and physical impacts. Procrastination can be caused by depression; a desire to avoid negative experiences; being overextended; perfectionism; a fear of others’ feedback; lack of training, along with other things. Dr. Joseph Ferrari, an associate professor of psychology at DePaul University (IL) told Psychology Today that real procrastinators do five telltale things:

1. Underestimate how long it will take to get something done.
2. Overestimate the amount of time they have to get something done.
3. Overestimate how motivated they’ll feel the “next time” when they
expect they’ll get something done.
4. Mistakenly believe that working when they’re not in the mood is less
than optimal.
5. Mistakenly believe that, in order to succeed at a task, they need to
feel like doing it.


If you are really concerned that a student has taken procrastination tendencies to the extreme, confront the issue in a caring way. Share your concerns and why you are worried by using “I” statements.

Identify what you have noticed. Perhaps the student is just going through a rough spell. If not, and you think the person needs assistance, direct him to the appropriate resource on campus.

Addressing the problem early on will enable the student to develop better habits for the future.

This article brought to You by PaperClip Communications.

Acupressure Brought to You by the Office of Wellness and Health Promotion

Did you know you could get free ear acupressure on a weekly basis? Over the summer months of 2010, Rachel Knopf and I, co-leaders of Wellness & Health Promotion (formerly known as Health Education), as well as Tracy Robin, Assistant Vice President for Student Health & Support Services, were trained at the Lincoln Recovery Center in the Bronx in auricular acupuncture and acupressure. Based on Chinese medicine, these healing practices are based on the belief that the body has pressure points that when stimulated promote health and wellbeing. Specifically, we were trained in the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol which stimulates five points in the ear (liver, kidneys, lungs, Shen Men and the sympathetic nervous system). Our aim via this training is to bring the practice of auricular acupuncture and acupressure to The New School as a way to complement and enhance health services offered to the student community.

Free auricular acupressure is offered every Thursday, 5-6 PM, at Lang Café for the entire 2010-2011 academic year. I am the primary provider and work closely with both Rachel and Tracy so that services are also offered through classes, by appointment, and during special events, such as the Day of Wellness, and whenever we table. One of the most amazing things about acupressure is that with appropriate training anyone can do it. We have trained Peer Health Advocates in acupressure and they, in turn, provide it when they table.

The point we stimulate when we provide acupressure is Shen Men (“Spirit Gate”). The tradition holds that when this point is stimulated by pressure (whether finger or seeds), it alleviates anxiety, controls nervousness, has a general relaxing effect, and helps bring the “Spirit Heart” (Heart Energetic) into balance for a conscious self. The images below show the approximate location of Shen Men as seen from the front part of the ear.In ancient times, actual plant seeds were used as the material for acupressure and the term remains with us today – ‘seeds’ (magnetic pellets) are placed on the Shen Men points on the back side of the outer ear, and can be left there for up to 3 days. We encourage participants to stimulate the point by lightly pressing on the seeds or when the seed is not in, massaging the ears. A bit of self love goes a long way!

For more information on acupressure or on any of the programs and services offered via Wellness and Health Promotion, email wellness@newschool.edu.

Written by: Tamara Oyola-Santiago, Health Educator