D.C. Lobbying Trip–Kathleen Murphy

On April 16th, 10 members of the Legislative Action committee as well as some representatives from within SGA road tripped to Washington D.C. to lobby for financial aid and student loan forgiveness. We loaded into a 12 passenger JMU facilities management bus, listened to all kinds of music, and asked ice breakers such as “What is your favorite childhood movie?” Once we reached D.C., we checked into the Marriott and had an organizational meeting. After our meeting we all loaded into “the party bus” and went to dinner. We scarfed down Chipotle, Noodles & Co, ice cream and gelato.

With bellies full of food we went to Katie Stolp’s house, met her parents and watched part of Dodgeball on TV. We all got back to the hotel, went over the details of our bills concerning loan interest rates and loan debt forgiveness (S. 2051, H.R. 3826, H.R. 4170), and came up with talking points.

The alarms went off around 5:30 and we all stumbled out of bed. Everyone got dressed, and may I say, we we’re a sharp looking group. We hopped on the metro, were packed in like sardines for most of the way, and arrived at our stop after a 30 minute commute. Our first appointment was with Tom Culligan who is a JMU alum and works for a member of Congress. He gave us tips, approaches on how to talk to staff, and even had a pie chart with debt and spending numbers. He was fantastic and was very helpful. From there we broke into our separate groups, with 3-4 people each.

Each group had a different list of legislators offices to find to talk to. In total we spoke to over 25 offices and met with multiple staffers who have direct contact with members of Congress. Overall, our meetings were very well received. We handed out “leave behinds” which highlighted our talking points and those were a hit. We turned some heads. Everyone was professional, we knew our facts, and we asked tough questions. After our meetings we went to Good Stuff for lunch; we all just about inhaled our food, we were so hungry.

As senior, I was very pleased with my last (sniffle sniffle) lobbying trip. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip. Well… maybe if I was offered a job… All kidding aside, it was a great trip. We learned a lot and had the ability to bond as members of Student Government.  I’m proud to say that this group got a lot accomplished in short period of time and that I got to be a part of it.

Richmond Lobbying Trip–Rachel Francis

On Thursday February 16^th 2012, six SGA students drove from JMU to Virginia’s capital city to lobby with Virginia State legislatures. Our agenda started early in the morning with us attending over seven meetings with VA Senators and delegates to discuss the lack of financial aid offered to college students.

We teamed up with the lobbyist group Virginia CAN (College Access Network) who were the leaders of the Virginia21 campaign. Their main purpose was to poll students asking them for the amount of debt they will have by the end of their college years. After a total of 10,000 signatures, with JMU contributing over 1,400 of them, the average Virginia college student’s post-graduate debt surmounted to over $100,000.

The experience was very exciting for me because I had never been involved with the state legislature at such a personal level. This trip was my first lobbying experience but was not for sophomore Legislative Action committee chair, Shevy Chaganti and fellow committee member, sophomore Ben Copper. Their previous experience helped newcomer lobbyist Courtney Herb, a freshman in JMU’s student government organization, as well as myself. We learned to personally connect with each Senator and delegate and to seek out our own local constituents while attempting to persuade them about our financial aid problems.

We ultimately wanted the VA education budget to get revamped in hopes of utilizing every penny the state gives college institutions. In comparison to previous Richmond lobbying trips, Shevy believes that this one was the most effective trips SGA has taken. Later on this semester, a larger group of SGA students will be representing James Madison University in Washington D.C.

 

Left to right: Rachel Francis, Courtney Herb, Taylor Vollman, Shevy Chaganti, Ben Copper and Brian Estep

Little Dukes, Big Apple by Andrew Luethke

Tired and content, we watched as the shadow of Manhattan receded into darkness. We sank back and recollected our adventure in the concrete jungle…

Awakening to a misty and overcast New Jersey morning, the three tardy freshmen, Courtney Herb, Lauren Holder and Kaitlin Thomas, (we would later meet up with Nicole) arrived at Russell Zeltner’s house at 9:30 A.M. The group originally delegated the leadership duties, which included heading the convoy to the Park and Ride, to yours truly. As the “elderly” guide to Manhattan, my fellow adventurers felt that age begot wisdom and directional awareness. They were wrong.

After missing the initial Park and Ride, along with subsequent detours and teasing (at my expense), Russ called an audible and we opted for the “more visible” Ridgefield Park and Ride. We purchased our tickets and we began our voyage through the Lincoln Tunnel. Thankfully, there we did not have to venture through seven levels of the candy cane forest.

Upon entering the Concrete Jungle, we met up with our Long Island native, Nicole Bologna. With a more appropriate emulation of the infamous JMU ratio, it was time to begin our adventure.

Our first stop on the NYC tour was Toys R Us.  When we first stepped in the behemoth of all stores, we were taken aback by the sight of a giant indoor Ferris wheel.

The store catered to the little Dukes within, and we quickly lost sight of Tyler and the girls in the giant Barbie house. After an hour of exploration, including the likes of adorable stuffed animals, giant Legos and a T-Rex, the SGA Team of 7 decided it was time to acquire good ole New York grub.Although the initial plan was to eat at an Italian restaurant outside Times Square, the group entrusted the duties of “finding” a cheaper and more eatery to me. After nearly 30 minutes of wandering Manhattan, we found ourselves in the restaurant next door to our initial choice. The freshman women “found” a good place to eat and declared Brooklyn Diner to be our lunch setting.

In the aftermath of three cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, pizza and a larger than life chicken potpie, we departed for more sights along Manhattan.

During the journey, the women of SGA were pleasantly distracted by the discovery of a Forever 21. The store, which numbered four levels, swallowed up Nikki, Kaitlin, Courtney and Lauren. Tyler, Russ and I, although apprehensive to descend the clothing oriented abyss, decided to find the girls before they maxed out their (parent’s) credit cards. The rescue mission was successful, although we had to descend all four floors of overpriced merchandise.

Following the rescue mission in Forever 21, the group headed to the Nintendo World Store.

Among customers half our age, there were larger than life models of both Mario and Pikachu; the former posed with Tyler and Russ, while I was seen with Pikachu.

The store also included a giant display of previous Nintendo handheld consoles, one of which survived the first Gulf War.After the Nintendo escapade, the crew decided to see Rockefeller Center where pictures were taken, and Kaitlin pestered the group to go to Tiffany’s. We relented.

The final stop, Tiffany’s, proved to be the greatest trial and tribulation. Upon arriving at the Tiffany’s entrance, the concierge rudely greeted Tyler, and insinuated that he would be only “window-shopping”. Manners aside, the rest of Tiffany’s proved to be very helpful and conscientious. Unfortunately, the group did not know the elevator existed and we ascended eight flights of stairs. The top floor brought a lot of nervous bachelors, many of which looked borderline suicidal. One exclaimed in a nervous shriek that his fiancée had his credit card, and feared it would be maxed out.

After the guys did their own “window-shopping”, the group rushed back to the Port Authority. Unfortunately, not many of us were great at interpretation public transportation schedules and we almost got on the wrong bus. Nearly 20 minutes later, we were on the bus headed home. In the extremely warm sauna bus, we watched the outline of Manhattan fade to black.

JMU SGA, Country Music and the White House–Alicia Pettis &Matt Klein

After representing JMU at the American Jobs Act Q&A at the White House back in September, an opportunity arose for us attend the Celebration of Country Music at the White House.  We were excited to see top-performing country music artists as well as to be in the presence of President Obama and other influential politicians.

Similar to our other trip to the White House, it was raining out, so Matt took the opportunity to take a picture “Singing in the Rain” outside the gates.

 

We walked through multiple security checks and proceeded to enter the White House through the front door.  Making our way down the historical hallways was exciting and we chatted with other guests who expressed similar feelings. Specifically we spoke with producers from PBS who were in charge of the video production for the night.  We were then ushered into a room where we received refreshments and had the chance to mingle with the other lucky guests.

Once we entered the East Room, we were directed to sit in the third and final row of chairs.  Little did we know, that we would be sitting amongst people with interesting stories and impressive titles.  Matt sat next to the President of the Country Music Association (CMA) and his wife, while Alicia sat next to a couple whose son had worked on the President’s campaign and now worked in the White House Administration.  It seemed as though many of the guests were either from Nashville or were involved in politics.

One memorable quote from the night was when Matt made small talk with the President of the CMA, Steve Moore.  When Matt asked him about his job, Mr. Moore joked around asking Matt not to hold his title against him.  Matt replied with, “I’m the President of the Junior Class at JMU, don’t hold that against me.” Mr. Moore laughingly answered with, “Touché.”  Common titles aside, Mr. Moore introduced us to Lyle Lovett later in the evening.

With two empty seats in the front row, we anticipated the arrival of the President and First Lady.  Then, President Obama and Mrs. Obama entered the room to the sound of applause.  The President walked up to the podium to give an opening speech on Country Music’s impact on America.  In his speech, country music was described as: “It’s about storytelling -– giving voice to the emotions of everyday life.”

Performances for the night varied and included: Dierks Bentley, Mickey, Darius Rucker, James Taylor, Lauren Alaina, Lyle Lovett, The Band Perry, Lauren Alaina, and Kris Kristofferson.  Artists not only sang their own songs, but also covered classic country songs and performed together in duets. The wide variety of songs sung represented the many facets of country music.

During Lauren Alaina’s time on stage, Matt claimed that she kept making eye contact with him.  He even went as far as to say she was singing to him.  Alicia disregarded the comment, only to find out later that Matt was right.  After the performances, the audience proceeded back into another room in the White House for a reception. There were hors d’oeuvres and desserts, but most excitingly, the artists came out to greet the guests.  We were both able to take pictures and speak with The Band Perry, Dierks Bentley, Lyle Lovett, and Lauren Alaina.  When Matt introduced himself to Lauren Alaina, she said, “I was singing to you out there,” and she added that she finds a select few in the crowd who look like they are enjoying themselves and chooses to sing to them.

At the end, both couldn’t believe the incredible opportunity they received in this fun experience. By continuing the contact within the White House, we are helping to keep JMU’s SGA in the minds of our Representatives in D.C. We are very fortunate to have been invited back for such a great event, and hope to keep fostering the relationship.

 

Here is the link to the video of the performance: (Heads up, look for Alicia’s bright red hair when the camera focuses on President Obama)

Apply to be an OPA (Orientation Peer Advisor)

The Orientation Office invites applicants for the Orientation Peer Adviser (OPA) position. Orientation Peer Advisers are a diverse group of undergraduate students who play a critical role in the success of JMU’s Orientation programs, which engages students in the JMU learning experience by preparing them to be active and authentic members of the university community. Orientation Peer Advisers do this by being a mentor and role model to first-year students, supervising First yeaR Orientation Guides (FROGs), providing direction and support to new students and parents, representing JMU through professional and competent behavior and accurately depicting life as a student of James Madison University.

We strongly encourage applicants of all backgrounds, programs of study, leadership experiences, involvements and interests. As an Orientation Peer Adviser, you will have an opportunity to enhance your leadership, communication and customer service skills, while making a difference in the lives of first-year students and the campus of James Madison University.

Students must attend one Information Session:

o   Tuesday November 8- 7:00pm, Showker 101

o   Thursday November 10- 6:30pm, ISAT NTelos (259)

o   Friday November 11- 11:30am, Wilson 207

o   Monday November 14- 1:15pm, Taylor 404

Applications are found online

• Applications are due November 14^th, in Wilson 113, by 5pm
• The theme this year is Dr. Seuss!!!

A Chance to Relive the 90′s for a Whole Week? Yes Please!

University Program Board (UPB) is giving everyone the opportunity to relive your childhood beginning Tuesday November 8th.  Every day and every event features some form of throwback to your memories of growing up! It all kicks off with…

Tuesday: Crazy Commons, 11am-2pm on the Commons. FREE 90′s
tshirts, food and activities.

Wednesday: Nineties @ Nite, 8-10pm in TDU featuring 90′s snacks, raffle prizes, and our very own version of Don’t Forget the Lyrics made up of classics from Britney Spears, Semisonic, Backstreet Boys, Will Smith and more.  Test your memory with a group of your friends and stick around for a FREE show from The Overtones.

Thursday: 90′s Late Night Breakfast, 10pm-midnight in
Festival with crafts from the past including Perler bead creations, a Cootie Catcher station, and velvet coloring pages. Compete with your friends on the inflatable Ladder Climb and see if you can defeat the Aggro Crag!
Menu will include:
- Mickey Mouse Pancakes
- Tater Tots
- Bacon
- Fruit
- A SLIME FOUNTAIN

Also on Thursday night is Throwback Shows and Cheerios, 9-11pm in Festival.  Come watch 90′s classic TV shows and enjoy your favorite childhood cereals.

Finally, on Friday: Dave Coulier, 8pm in Wilson. JOEY FROM FULL HOUSE! Dave has done work for many other shows including, “Extreme Ghostbusters”, “Real Ghostbusters”, “Muppet Babies”, “Scooby-Doo and Scrappy Doo”, “The Jetsons”, and the Disney Channel original Movies, “The Thirteenth Year”, and “The Even Stevens Movie”. It is sure to be a hilariously entertaining evening.

Tickets went on sale in the Warren Box Office at 8:00 a.m. on October 28th. Tickets are$5.00 in advance and $8.00 at the door, for both JAC holders and the public.

Have questions? Concerns? Excitement? Let UPB know! They have a blog, a Twitter, a Facebook, give them your feedback, they plan these events for YOU.

A Summer of Cities — Alicia Pettis

To my fellow Dukes whom I have missed a ton, we’re almost back! Even after having a very eventful summer I am definitely ready to be with you all at the greatest University in America, JMU.

My summer began after finishing my Chemistry exam on the last slot for finals.  Racing through my dorm I packed and cleaned with my parents, leaving my freshmen year behind.  I then left the U.S. two days later, arriving in Florence, Italy with 21 other honors students for our study-abroad experience.

Looking back on my three weeks in Florence, I would say it was everything I hoped for and more.   There are too many amazing memories to write about so I will just name a few out of the main categories: food, art, literature, politics, and seminar class.

Italian food is absolutely delicious, mainly because they use only fresh ingredients.  We ate pasta, pizza, paninis, gelato (a lot of it!) and more.  While we were there, Florence was having a gelato festival, in which we definitely partook!

The art was definitely my favorite part of the trip.  The amount of famous artwork in Florence is astounding.  We saw Donatello’s “Mary
Magdalene,” the Baptistry doors, Brunelleschi’s dome, Michelangelo’s “David”, Botticelli’s “Primavera” and “Birth of Venus” and so much more.

I am an enthusiast for politics, but had not yet been exposed to Renaissance politics.  I discovered the incredible impact that one family had on investing in and basically starting the Renaissance.  The Medici (med’-eh-chee) family was probably mentioned at least 100 times a day, due to their involvement in just about every part of life in Florence.

And finally I must mention studying and classes, since this was a “study” abroad
program.  The seminar class was entitled “Art & Politics in Renaissance Florence.” We had class every day of the week for at least 3 hours and ventured out to multiple sites all over the city to get hands-on experience in what we were
discussing in class.  The best part about the class was that I learned not only from lectures given by our expert professors, but also from my fellow classmates who were extremely enlightened.  I guess studying the Renaissance can do that
to you!

We even were able to explore other cities in Italy.  The entire class went on a day-trip to Sienna, which is a medieval city just 2 hours away.  And on our long weekend we travelled either to Rome, Venice, or the Amalfi Coast.

Our final exam was long and grueling but we made it through and spent the last
night in Florence reminiscing on the eye-opening experience we had encountered here in this beautiful Renaissance city. The next day, we all went our separate ways; some heading home, others heading to further destinations in Europe.

I met up with my family in Paris, France for a 5-day frenzy of trying to see as much as possible in the city of lights.  Highlights of Paris included: the Louvre, which I spent 8 hours walking around wide-eyed, the grand Eiffel tower, the Musee d’Orsay in which my sister and I encountered impressionist paintings and flirty French boys, delicious & long 5 course meals, and inspiring modern art at the Pompidou center.

We headed out of Paris on a train to the countryside to stay with family friends in Brain-sur-Allonnes in the Loire valley.  This is where I got a more
intimate taste of French culture.  We met with many French people with whom we dined and conversed for hours on tons of topics.  We went to a grand market in town, which had stand after stand of intricate pastries, meats and cheeses.  We also visited the famous Chateau d’Usee, which inspired the Sleeping Beauty fairytale.

After an amazing month in Europe I headed home to the U.S. where I immediately began my internship in the House of Representatives working for my Congressman, Representative Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11^th).  Work on Capitol
Hill is long days and debates, grueling decisions and the opportunity to serve
the American people. As an intern I mainly did office work, in which I organized hard-mail and email, answered phones, wrote memos, gave Capitol tours
and ran errands.

The “great event” of my internship was definitely the two weeks of debate on raising the debt ceiling.  The amount of phone calls, emails, hard-mail
and any other medium of response we received from our constituents was
astounding.  My office was very happy with the feedback we got from our constituents, in which we, of course, answered and read every single comment.  (The office prides itself on being very receptive in Constituent Services). The work in the office included phone system overloads, an extremely over-worked and slow email server, and energetic debates over the many details and consequences of the decisions.  I consider myself lucky to have seen a part of a debate of such magnitude and power from the inside of Congress.

I enjoyed very much working for a Congressman and staff who take their jobs of representing their constituents very seriously.  Unlike other offices, I interacted with the Congressman on a daily basis, accompanying him to constituent events, hearings, floor debates and working with him in the office. One of my favorite part of the internship was being involved in the Congressman’s rationale process for voting on or co-sponsoring a bill and not once did I hear talk of parties; it was about the issues.

When I was not working I got to catch up with my best friends from home and my family.  I celebrated my 19^th birthday, went to baseball games, saw the final Harry Potter on opening night at midnight, spent a weekend at the lake, caught up on my reading list, and spent time with people I care deeply about.

This summer has definitely been very eventful and probably my best summer yet.

I am now packing and getting ready for JMU.  I am also working on the SGA
Minor Elections for the incoming freshmen. I can’t wait to meet our new Class Councilors, Senators and Representatives from the Class of 2015.  This
year my fellow Sophomore Class Councilors and I will be able to put on a
dazzling Ring Premiere and hope to serve our class in the best way possible. Here’s to an awesome year at JMU.

– Alicia Pettis

@JMUClassOf2014 Class Council Secretary, @alicia_marie725

Once a Duke, Always a Duke — Rheanna Martino

A few weeks back, I found myself sorting through and organizing all of the things
I’ve brought to and from as well as acquired in my last three years at JMU. As
daunting as the task was, it was one I found enjoyable in a sense because it
allowed me to revisit memories that I had forgotten as well as reminisce those
ones that I’ve loved. From little things I’ve received from friends– birthday
cards, little notes of well wishes for rough days, congratulatory cards for the
milestones that have come up, to things that will forever remind me of my time
at JMU– my freshman year Mappy (which, I proudly admit, to this day– stays in
my backpack and goes EVERYWHERE with me), my name tag from when I was a 2009 FrOG and my fight song t-shirt given to me at my freshman orientation – I found myself moving along a path of tokens and nostalgia that brought upon me many bittersweet feelings. Of course I was happy—I was looking at things from JMU—things that brought my insurmountable joy and memories and would continue to do so for years to come. I was getting ready to head back to JMU—back to friends that have become family, my favorite professors, back to what I consider one of the greatest places on Earth.

But of course, blended into those feelings of joy, were the ones that stemmed from the fact that in just a few days, upon my arrival back to this wonderful place, I will begin my 4^thand final year as a JMU student.  I will begin my last year of football games on the weekends, long nights of studying in Club Carrier, impromptu lunch dates on the Quad, having doors held not because people feel like they have to, but because they want to and my last year of being a Duke. Being an overly sentimental person, I let the negatives get the best of me and I became overwhelmed quickly. I knew that I the best thing to do was get myself something that would help me get through the rest of my work. Of course, being a college student, one of the best ways to fuel my productivity is to fuel it with coffee.

Proudly sporting my Purple Out t-shirt, I dragged myself out of my house and away from memory lane and dropped in to my local coffee shop for my little pick me up. There I stood in the line, patiently awaiting my turn so I could move on with my seemingly normal day. Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I turned expecting to see someone from my hometown looking to say hello while we waited together. However, to my surprise, my attention was being requested by a young couple whom I had never seen before. The first thing the man said to me, with a joyous grin on his face, was “Go Dukes!”  Smiling, I repeated his statement and began asking him how he knew of JMU.  As he and the woman glowed with happiness, he began to inform me that he and the woman - whom I learned was his wife - met during their freshman orientation at JMU before graduating in 1999, and then marrying a few years later. My heart instantly grew 10 sizes as I listened to them talk of their time together that led them to fall in love and return to homecoming in 2000, where he proposed to her on the kissing rock and how it has been history ever since. Heart a glow, I eventually I order my drink and attempt to pay, when the man behind me jumps in and insists that this one be “their treat”. Grateful, I thanked him kindly as he proceeded to tell me: “You’re welcome. But please, we are Dukes. We believe in paying it forward and only wish we could go back, even just for a few days. Please, allow us to pass this one on.”  Completely shocked and
taken back, I accepted this kind act and simply moved aside. As I received my
drink, with tears almost forming in my eyes, I said my goodbyes and final thank
you’s to my fellow Dukes and was soon on my way.

Back in my car, ready to head back to my mountain of memories and belongings, I found myself frozen for a moment. The man’s words “We are Dukes”, streamed repeatedly in my mind, and it was only in that moment that it clicked:

I am going back to finish my time at JMU, but that does not mean that I am done being a Duke.

In that moment, it was as if every part of the world aligned perfectly. These kind
people—ones whom I shamefully admit I never even exchanged names with—just gave me every bit of assurance I needed to move forward and begin the end of my journey through college. Yes, it is true that in a few days I will begin my
last year at JMU. It’s true that there will be no more meal plans, dining
dollars, or afternoons on the Quad. Yes, my friends and I will move on to live
distances apart, erasing the ability to hang out at any given moment. And yes,
much as I try to avoid the inevitable, I will being to take more and more steps
to adulthood, therefore releasing the younger years of my life that I’ve
enjoyed hanging on to so for long. But the one thing that will not be changing,
the one thing that will never be taken from me no matter how far away I move or
how old I grow, is the fact that I am a Duke.  I am now and forever will be a JMU Duke.  The learning, giving, growing and sharing that you learn during your time as a JMU student don’t stop just because your undergraduate career does—they simply move on with you, waiting to be applied to the newest verse of your life. With a rejuvenated smile on my face, and a glow in my heart, I headed home to move myself further along memory lane.

It’s surreal to think that the last three years have gone so fast. If you ask my parents, they still see me as the little girl sprinting off down the hallway in her
dress to her first day of kindergarten, anxious to take on the world. While I
can’t see exactly that far back, I can however see myself as the nervous
freshman moving into Wampler Hall, starting a new journey 5 hours from home,
ready to write a new chapter of her life. And now, as I sit here and type this,
belongings sorted, packed and ready to head back to the last layer of my JMU
experience, I see myself as the young adult who is ready to write a perfect
ending to this chapter of her life before joyously beginning another one. I
don’t know where this year will lead me, or what adventures are in store. It
will be sad, for sure, knowing that each experience of something will be my
last– my last Homecoming weekend as a student, my last punch in DHall, my last time walking through campus on a beautiful day just to faces smiling back at
me.  However, dealing with these lasts will be made less painful knowing that I have my friends beside me, the entire class of 2012 experiencing these things with me and a long line of Dukes that will be there to help me along every step of the way.

So here’s to us, JMU class of 2012. We’ve got a short time
left; let’s make it the best one of our lives.

In the spirit of Madison and all things JMU. Keep smiling
and Go Dukes!!

- @RheannaMartino, @JMU_2012 President

New York, New York — Kenzie Fisher

I’ve had a busy summer, from having guests visit to going to concerts to traveling
and more, it has been quite an adventure.  I have to say my favorite summer experience would be going to New York City.

My journey begins around 3 AM leaving from my house headed to DC to meet up with my friend, Courtney to catch a train to New York. After a while of sitting in the train station I was able to find Courtney and get in line to board our train, only to find out it was delayed an hour. Well after more waiting we were able to board our train and make our way to the city that never sleeps.

After about a three-hour train ride filled with listening to Frank Sinatra’s New
York, New York on repeat; we pulled into the station, met up with another JMU
friend, hailed a cab, and made our way to Times Square. We went into the corner
1515 Broadway office to visit my cousin and drop our things off while we walked
around the city. As we got permission from the security desk we walked to the
elevators and pushed the 42^nd floor button and zoom up went the
elevator traveling at speeds that lifted you off the ground, stopping on the 40^th
floor to let another passenger off and to reveal the VH1 logo. Then we arrived
in the MTV studio offices, said hello to my cousin and hit the streets.

Being in Times Square of course we had to go to the four-story Forever 21 and H&M and for a sweet treat we headed to a nearby Pink Berry’s for some delicious frozen yogurt. We decided to take a break on the red stairs and soak in the atmosphere. This place was great! All the people and buildings that touched the sky, it was just like being in a movie. After running around in the city, we went back to my cousin’s apartment which had rooftop access and a view of the nearby park. We then scurried down the street to a restaurant so that I could awaken my taste buds with my first taste of Thai food. And after a good meal and a very long day it was time to go to Courtney’s house to prepare for the next day’s adventures.

Day Two in New York started with my first subway experience, where someone almost fell onto the tracks, but luckily the caring JMU spirit can be found other places than Harrisonburg and people quickly helped the person up. After arriving at our stop, we headed to the museum that Night at the Museum was filmed at. After meandering around, we strolled over to Central Park for lunch, where we saw some boaters and were able to be in the right place at the right time and get a free carousal ride. With the day still young, we headed into FAO Swartz to look around and passed by the Plaza Hotel on our way.  We made a
wardrobe change and stopped by Tiffany’s for a picture and ran into the Trump
Tower for Starbucks, which brought up memories of studying at Carrier library
only minus having a giant waterfall, escalators, and marble floors.  Then we were off to the Broadway Comedy Club for a comedy show.  We had gotten tickets
on the streets of Times Square the day before and were very excited to see the
show. We got front row and were in the club that was seen on the Jerry Seinfeld
show where he did his stand-up.  It was a great time and we couldn’t stop laughing.

Day Three consisted of more shopping and finding cute boutiques in the central of Soho. Then it was mission get a purse. We did the whole walking on the street meeting up with different ladies and finally purchasing a purse on the street. Then we decided to take a break from shopping and walked to the Williamsburg Bridge and got some ice cream, which was such a great way to escape the heat. We then headed to Little Italy and found ourselves in a back room buying more purses. It felt like they had those kinds of shops everywhere. While wandering the streets we ran into a fortune-teller and all got our fortunes told. Dinner time finally rolled around and we headed to a cute little side street café called Café Napoli. We were able to meet up with another JMU friend there and shared some delicious fettuccine alfredo. For dessert we hit up a cute bakery and indulged in some chocolate covered cannoli’s. My time in New York was coming to an end, so once in Jersey again I made an effort to see another JMU buddy and then was able to leave feeling accomplished.

I had the best time in the City and can’t wait to go back again! I really have to be thankful that I met some great people at JMU that allowed to me to be able to travel and spend time with them outside of school and now I have some great memories to last me a lifetime. It was a great summer vacation!