Posts by Erica

Hey, Stony Brook!

If you were on campus yesterday, I am sure you noticed an incredible amount of GREEN stretching stretching from the SAC all the way to the Humanities building…

Why, you may ask, were there a myriad of tables adorned with green tablecloths, people in green t-shirts, animals, cartloads of fruits and vegetables, live flowers and plants, homemade cosmetics, live music, and SO MANY PEOPLE teeming on campus yesterday…

It was Earthstock, of course!

Each spring, Stony Brook hosts its annual week-long celebration of Earth Day (which, this year, falls on Monday, April 22).  This year, the 10th Annual Earthstock week spanned April 15-19, culminating in the “green” day of festivities we saw on campus yesterday!  As you may have read in my most previous post, Earthstock week was chock-full of fun and exciting events, including the screening, discussion, and reception of “Dear Governor Cuomo,” an extraordinary artistic environmental protest film, at which the filmmaker, Jon Bowermaster himself was present.  Stony Brook has, and continues to work towards a more environmentally-friendly and sustainable future, and such efforts were focused on all week during this year’s Earthstock.

Have you taken Stony Brook’s “Green Pledge?”  If not, sign up online!  Event-goers could sign the pledge and pick up their green ribbon yesterday at Earthstock, but if you missed out, do so now!

“I pledge to use the knowledge and skills that I have acquired to improve and sustain the natural world and resources around me. Furthermore I pledge to minimize the impact of my ecological footprint and promise to take action to fulfill this commitment.”

Whether or not you were able to participate in this year’s Earthstock celebration, it is never too late to learn about and take part in all of the eco-conscious practices that Stony Brook engages in every day.  For instance, consider the expansion of SBU’s bike share system, the South P Lot composting program, the Stony Heights organic rooftop garden, SBU’s participation in RecycleMania, the construction and redesign of LEED-certified buildings on capus…learn more by visiting the sustainability page of the SBU website!

All of Stony Brook’s eco-efforts have not been in vain; we have been recognized by the Princeton Review, Center for Green Schools, an US Green Building Council (USGBC) as one of the eight SUNY schools assigned the honor of being one of the 230 most “green colleges” in the US and Canada! The recognition is based off of “Green Ratings” determined by the Princeton Review, compiling ratings for over 800 schools for the 2011-2012 school year based on eco-friendly practices/policies and “green” course offerings.  Only schools with the most sound “green” practices, polices, and most comprehensive environmental courses made this list!

WAY TO GO STONY BROOK!

Hopefully, if you were at Earthstock, you stopped by tables 78 and 79, AKA “Hutner’s Heroes” AKA Stony Brook Professor Dr. Heidi Hutner’s SBC 325: Environmental Writing & the Media class!

Our groups presented information on GMOs, Fracking, Toxins, Climate Change & Hurricane Sandy, and MORE! You can check out our class blog here for the latest in all things environmental!  You will find the incredible projects produced by your fellow Stony Brook students.

All for now-have a great (and green) weekend, Stony Brook!

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica.

Hey Stony Brook!

Happy spring…I hope that you all are enjoying this nice warm weather!

I just wanted to mention that next week is Earthstock, Stony Brook’s annual Earth Day celebration.  This awesome event will be held on the Academic Mall (Rain Location: SAC), and will feature exhibitions and demonstrations from Stony Brook students and professors, local environmental organizations, and sustainability-minded school groups!

The event is free and open to members of the public.

Please click here for a complete list of Earthstock week events!

In particular, on Wednesday, April 17, there will be the showing and discussion of filmmaker Jon Bowermaster’s “Dear Governor Cuomo,” an amazing anti-fracking cultural statement!  Meet Bowermaster himself, and join us for some refreshments following the film: Humanities 1006, 4PM.

Come and learn how we can live better.

Come and learn how we can preserve our planet, our home.

Passion flower, grown right here on Long Island!

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica

Hey Stony Brook~

I hope you all have been well during this busy spring semester!

The weeks are flying by—can you believe, midterms are upon us already?

But think; soon you will be relieved of your hard work…sunny days, warm temperatures, and the highly anticipated “spring break” is just around the corner!

For me, this spring will be my SIXTH semester at “The Brook,” and I can hardly believe it! Just three years ago, one would find me at Cold Spring Harbor High School, hard at work preparing my AP Art portfolio: cutting, pasting, and painting my way through the final push of the school year.  However, my mind was largely at ease. Unlike many of my peers, I already knew where I was going to school…

Since my freshman year in high school, they had been piling up.  “They” being: the letters.

Over my four years of high school, starting with the one from Babson College, a stack of forty-plus hand-written pleas from the running teams at a wide variety of private and public universities accumulated in my bedroom; Syracuse, Cornell, SUNY ESF, Georgetown, UNC Greensboro…the list goes on.  I had spent the end of my Junior year through the start of my Senior year in high school flying to and from the various colleges attempting to court me to join their Women’s Cross Country and Track teams.  You see, I am a natural runner—and once I got a taste of the college running life, I knew that was where I needed to be.

I traveled more within the span of those 6 or seven months than I had previously in my entire 17 years of existence.  At Syracuse, it was the never-ending supply of new sneakers and myriad choices of uniform that pulled me in.  What can I say, I’m a sucker for “schwag.” At Wofford in South Carolina, it was the incredible trails, scenic and winding that attracted me (I’m a Cross-Country girl, at heart).  At Cornell—well, I could say at the end of my four years, “I went to Cornell.”

Unlike my high school friends, who had sent in ten or more “Common Apps”—complete with the necessary essays and letters of recommendation—I had only submitted five: Wofford, Syracuse, and Cornell—and, as my “safeties,” Stony Brook Southampton and, here, regular old Stony Brook U.

After ripping open my acceptance letters, I was filled with a sense of excitement.

I had my pick of any school I wanted…

Particularly to my delight, Wofford had offered me a partial athletic and academic scholarship!  From my visit, I had seen that the school had an awesome new Environmental Studies facility, located in an old converted textile mill perched on the banks of a slow moving river.  I figured this was my way to realize both academic and athletic success.  It was an awesome feeling.

I picked up the phone to call my “new coach” to tell him the news; I was ready to be a Wofford “Terrier,” D-1 status.

But then, I stopped.

I looked down, and I saw my Alaskan Malamute, contently snoozing on the floor.

I looked to the left, and I saw my work bag, Wildlife Rehab Manual poking out of the top.

I looked to the right and I saw an almost-finished art piece, a pencil drawing I was working on for my brother, Evan.

I looked in the mirror, and I saw in my heart that I was not ready to leave.

I was not ready to sign away my college career—knowing myself, I put the phone down.

Instead, I decided to choose Stony Brook Southampton for its incredible Marine Vertebrate Biology program—I could live at home, where I was comfortable, and commute to school.  Giving up competitive running, I would have time to work, spend time doing my art, and truly become engrossed in my studies.

Ironically, SB Southampton shut down in the fall of 2010, so I made the choice to attend the original Stony Brook University instead. Three years later, I truly realize that this was the best choice I could have ever made.

Here at Stony Brook, I realized my true passion: writing about the environment.

The professors, courses, and amazing friendships I have forged here at Stony Brook have made the sacrifice to give up competitive running “worth it” for me.  Do I miss it—the sense of team, the thrill of the race?  Sure.

But I also love waking up every morning and being able to walk my dog on the North Shore beaches of Long Island, to visiting my local friends and family, to being able to have a landed a great job, to buy my own car (actually, this is number three!).  Not being on a team has afforded me time to do such things.  Despite giving up my athletic scholarships, I found, upon admittance, that I had actually earned scholarships to Stony Brook, making it, in actuality, the most affordable choice!

Going away would have been fun, and sure, I could have still ran competitively here at Stony Brook—we have an AMAZING team! But instead, I choose to run in my local running team (Nortport Running Club).

Sometimes, I wonder what my life would have been like if I had gone to one of those schools that had sent me those letters…what races would I have won, what friends would I have made?  I had for so long, been convinced that I was supposed to go away to school to run…

Though the thoughts sometimes bother me, upon further examination, I always recognize that such is not my destiny.

Stony Brook is where I belong.

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica.

Here at Stony Brook, I have been able to bring my dog to school, the famous "Foosa!"

This past Sunday, February 17th, over 20 representatives from Stony Brook University joined over 40,000 other concerned students, activists, scientists, government officials, and citizens, in what was the biggest environmental rally in our nation’s history!

Additionally, thousands more joined the movement in over 20 solidarity rallies across the country on the same day!

We gathered in Washington DC, taking the long trek down to America’s capital with over 100 other Long Island activists in three buses.  Immediately upon exiting the bus, we were filled with excitement; we could see the towering Washington Monument, the National Mall…we could hear chanting, drums…we felt a sense of purpose and a desire to make our voices heard.  It was a bitterly cold and windy day, however, we marched toward the White House with an unwavering energy…

Stony Brook students and staff march on Washington, urging our President to reject the Keystone XL Pipeline and dirty energy!

What, exactly, were these “Seawolves” trying to accomplish?

We were showing our support in the campaign against dirty energy; urging President Obama to reject the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, among other dangerous and harmful sources of energy (including fossil fuels and nuclear energy).  Instead, we endorse clean and safe renewable forms of energy (such as wind, solar, and hydropower).

The proposed Keystone XL Pipeline would transport millions of gallons of tar sands oil across the United States from Canada.

Besides the risks of pipeline cracks, oil spills, and other “accidents,” extracting crude from tar sands is inherently dangerous to our health (containing heavy metals and carcinogens), inefficient (it requires more energy input to extract crude than the energy actually yielded), and causes massive environmental degradation (requiring infrastructure construction, thousands of truck trips to extraction sites, and the creation of sludge-filled, above-ground tailings ponds)…

Thus, we showed up in Washington DC with the spirit of change in our hearts.  We believe that our great nation can follow the example of other countries (like Germany) already divesting in dirty forms of energy, and make the necessary infrastructure, economic, social, and political changes here.  Through a campaign of divestment in fossil fuels and nuclear power, and the endorsement of clean and safe renewables, America will be able to progress into a healthy and successful future…

We joined the Forward on Climate 2013 movement to show that our nation must change.

After being fired up by speeches given by Bill McKibben, local and Canadian native peoples, Rosario Dawson, Mike Brune, Tom Styer, & Rev. Lennox Yearwood…and the music of the “National Hip-Hop Caucus,” we marched on!

The "front lines" of the protest group (Bill McKibben, indigenous people, and others!)

It is no secret that climate change is occurring. Record levels of sea ice are melting in the Arctic, oceanic and atmospheric temperatures are rising at an alarmingly quick pace, and sea levels are shooting up… “superstorms” and catastrophic weather events are occurring all across the globe… both desertification and drought as well as torrential rainfall and deadly flooding.  All because we, as humans, are addicted to dirty energy.

Why? Because we are stuck in a rut…we have “learned” that fossil fuels and nuclear power are quick and cheap sources of energy. But, what if we focused on installing a renewable energy infrastructure in our country, replacing our existing system, which is simply not working?

The answer is, we would get change.  We can and must change our current energy system, for the future of our country, our planet, humanity.

A key issue we must address in this campaign is the divestment, in, not only dangerous fuel sources and dirty energy technologies, but the oil, gas, and nuclear companies themselves.  Such corporations wield massive economic and political clout, swaying laws and policy in their favor, regardless of what the consequences on the environment or public health may be.  Science has told us the facts.  We must listen.  And act.

Consider the words of scientist, writer, and “350.org” activist, Bill McKibben:

“We know how much we can burn, and we know who’s planning to burn more. Climate change operates on a geological scale and time frame, but it’s not an impersonal force of nature; the more carefully you do the math, the more thoroughly you realize that this is, at bottom, a moral issue; we have met the enemy and they is Shell…”

This is why we marched past the White House.

We stand for divestment.

We stand for change.

Power to the Seawolf.

Power to the people.

Clean, renewable power, to the world.

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica

Hey Stony Brook!

When you hear the words “climate change,” what images come to mind?

Perhaps your brain immediately conjures up the image of a malnourished, rangy-looking polar bear clinging on to an ever-shrinking iceberg…or some poor, unassuming penguin perched on the precipice of a melting glacier, about to plunge to its demise as another huge sheaf of ice is sheared off the side of the thawing mass…

Though the disappearance of the critically important Arctic Sea ice and melting of the earth’s glaciers (which are thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of years old!), there is more to the story…

Scientists have acknowledged since the 1980s that earth’s climate has been warming.  Though our planet naturally enters and exits periods of warming and cooling (known as interglacial and glacial periods, respectively), human activities taking place specifically in the past few hundred years have drastically changed the earth’s climate for the worse.

Greenhouse gases (most famously Carbon Dioxide, but also Methane and Nitrous Oxide, among others) have existed in our atmosphere since life itself has inhabited the earth.  These gases trap some of the incoming solar radiation, which normally works to keep the globe at a relatively “normal” average temperature (based on historical temperature data).  Without greenhouse gases, our earth would be very COLD.

What we are concerned with is anthropogenic climate change aka climate change caused by us, humans.  It has been revealed by science that the increased burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, & natural gas) has been the single-largest contributor to global warming over the past 300 years…which has led to increased oceanic and atmospheric temperatures, species migration, mass extinction of many important species, more frequent extreme weather events, and more severe natural disasters. And now, the world population, thirstier than ever for such fuels, is running out of ways to quench its thirst…especially the population here in the United States, where we, for the most part, participate in and endorse a mass-consumer and “throwaway” culture.

WE need to wake up to this reality of a warming planet. Scientists are urging us to accept the facts: “Unless action is taken to curb global climate change, within the next 10 years the earth will pass a “tipping point” beyond which devastating consequences will become unavoidable. It is critical that America’s public health systems understand and adapt to the health implications of climate change.”

But, our government is telling us otherwise…besides the fact that the fossil fuel industry pours money into the coffers of some very prominent politicians and government organizations, our nation’s political leaders now think that the answer to “refilling” our nation’s energy stores with more dirty fossil fuels, rather than focusing on producing permanent, healthy solutions with renewable energy resources.  Opponents of clean energy cite fiscal, health, and public safety concerns, ignoring the science that is clearly telling us that fossil fuels are killing our planet, which will ultimately kill us and all the other life around us, just like those polar bears and penguins I mentioned earlier…

At the moment, Fracking (for natural gas) and the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline are the two most pressing issues on the table.  Please refer to my previous post on the upcoming Screening, Reception, & Discussion on Fracking (February 12, at the CAC in Huntington).

As for the Keystone XL Pipeline, YOU have the amazing opportunity to tell OUR United States government to divest in this technology! This fossil fuel “highway” would transport synthetic crude oil and bitumen from the Athabasca tar sands in the Northeast region of Alberta Canada…a crazy process of extracting oil that takes more energy input to carry out than the actual energy that is produced yields.  If this pipeline is to be built, acres upon acres of wildlife habitat would be destroyed, human lives would be interrupted, water would be contaminated in the form of spills and tailing ponds…and the list goes on and on.  And the creation of such a pipeline would only facilitate the further development of obtaining energy from the tar sands!

TELL the government that you will not stand for a dirty energy future!

On February 17, 2013, make history!  Join tens of thousands of other concerned citizens in what may be the most critical climate change rally ever to take place!  Come with us to Washington DC for the Forward on Climate Rally 2013!

Reserve your spot on a bus now…if enough join, we will be able to leave straight from campus!

This is truly critical! Make a difference…make your voice HEARD!

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica.

Hey Stony Brook!

ericarunsamerica here to report an important upcoming event that may influence the outcome of hydraulic fracturing legislation in New York State, and even the American nation at large…and YOU are invited!

Maybe you have heard about a little something called “fracking…” Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is a dangerous drilling method used to extract fossil fuels from rock (namely shale) reservoirs deep within the earth…a water, sand, and chemical (hundreds!) soup are shot into cracks in the ground surrounding a well to drive up natural gas and/or oil, thus enhancing fossil fuel recovery…but the practice comes with enormous added environmental, health, economic, social, and political costs!  Think of all the land that must be cleared, the toxic tailings ponds containing used “frack fluid,” the effect of boomtowns that turn into ghost towns, methane leaks, land buyouts, release of carcinogenic chemicals that taint drinking water supplies, the displacement of wildlife…the list goes on and on.  It is clear that hydraulic fracturing is a process that effects so much more than just increasing recoverable fossil fuel supplies. It is a dirty and dangerous practice…no matter what your view may be on domestic vs. foreign oil, I believe that our bodies and the earth are telling us that fracking is wrong.  Instead of poisoning ourselves and the planet, we need to focus on sustainable, clean sources of energy to power our futures.

Hey Stony Brook~

Happy 2013! I hope that the New Year brings you peace, happiness, and, oh yeah, prosperity…

Money may not buy happiness, but, admittedly, life seems a bit easier when you don’t have to fret over cash, especially when you’re enrolled in college!  Between the cost of student loans, housing, cars, and books, it is easy to see how money concerns can be a major stress.  However, as you make your tuition payments for the 2013 spring semester, never fear…I have complied a list of five financial tips that may alleviate some of your stress by saving you money and maybe even allowing you to set aside a few extra bucks to save.  This list is compiled of advice that friends, classmates, and I found to be the most helpful…

#1. Apply for financial aid.

Scholarships can be a great way to reduce tuition costs!  Stony Brook offers many helpful grants and scholarships.

Visit http://www.stonybrook.edu/finaid/programs/scholarship to learn about the various types of aid that you may qualify for at SBU.

Some scholarships you do not need to even apply for; the University will notify you if you qualify for such aid packages.  For instance, the Presidential Scholarship is based on your high school academic achievements, including SAT and ACT scores.  If you did well academically in high school, you may be rewarded with lower tuition bills now!

#2.  Know your loans.

Personally, I do not advise taking a loan unless it is government-subsidized (which means that it does not accrue interest until after you begin repaying the loan) otherwise you may find yourself drowning in interest.  Interest accumulates when you take out an unsubsidized loan (interest is dispersed until the loan is paid in full).  If you are able to pay tuition in full each semester without taking a loan, it may mean less money in your pocket in the short-term.  However, you can avoid the huge burden of having to pay back student loans (that may have mounted up a lot of added cost through interest) after you graduate, allowing you to focus more on starting your career!

If you must take out an unsubsidized loan, try to pay back the interest as it accrues (since the interest on such loans is capitalized, meaning that you pay interest upon interest that builds up, thereby drastically increasing the amount of money that you will ultimately owe) to reduce your debt in the long-run.
Regardless of which loan(s) you take, ensure that you fully understand the terms and conditions!

#3. Keep on top of your money, and SAVE.

If you haven’t already, I definitely advise creating a savings and checking account at your local bank.  If you are coming from off the Island or if you live on campus, consider creating an account at Teacher’s Federal Credit Union (TFCU), as there are a few ATMs located around campus and on Long Island, making it convenient to perform transactions.

If you have a job, direct deposit your paychecks into your savings account instead of depositing each check.  This will save you time that would have been spent traveling to and from the bank!  Additionally, by not “touching” each check, it is easier to forget about them: you will be less tempted to spend if you don’t think about the money.  If you save scrupulously, before you know it, you will have a mountain of cash stocked up in your savings account!

If you have a credit card, be smart about paying off your balance and interest.  This will help protect your credit score and prevent additional costs from piling up due to late fees!  Try not to use your credit card unless you know you will be able to pay it off.  And definitely do NOT impulse buy.  Think>swipe.

#4. Lifestyle: it’s where you live and what you do…

First off, how far away do you live from Stony Brook? Is it more economical for you to live in a dorm, off-campus with roommates, or maybe (the dreaded) live with your parents?  When I initially considered college, I was dead-set on accepting an athletic scholarship for Women’s Cross-Country and going away to school.  However, I found that enrolling in Stony Brook (a top-tier, Division-1, nationally renowned university!) and commuting made the most sense for my budget and lifestyle.

Living at home has saved me some major cash, and because I commute I am able to devote a decent amount of time to working, which allows me to pay my tuition.  If you have the time (depending on your course-load and other obligations), you may want to consider a job, if you haven’t already.  Even if you live on-campus, there are many great opportunities to make some money (or try an internship!)…just visit the Career Center (located at the bottom of the Zebra Path, near the new Sustainability Studies Offices) or online on ZebraNet.  Having a job or internship in college is an awesome way to build relevant job experience and boost your resume!

Additionally, think about what you eat on and off campus.  Obviously, eating out all the time will be a major drain on your funds (and may lead to the ‘Freshman 15’).  Stick to healthy options, and try to bring little meals or snacks with you to power you throughout your day (And reduce the temptation to buy food between classes!  And it’s more ecologically-friendly to bring your own containers of food rather than to keep buying more food, in more packaging!).  My friends joke with me and call me the “Tupperware Queen,” as on campus I can be found with a myriad of reusable containers filled with all types of fresh fruits, veggies, and other goodies stuffed in my bag, ready to be eaten!

If you live on-campus or if you commute and always find yourself heading to the Union or the SAC to grab a bite, consider purchasing a campus meal plan…this will save you money in the long run, since if you pay without it, your food will be taxed!

One fun tip for free food: look for campus festivals and gallery art openings…there have been more than one occasion where friends and I have nabbed some fresh sushi or fruit salad from such cultural events! Plus, you can enjoy the fun of the occasion while eating!

#5. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle…

You need not be a tree-hugger to save money.  However, it is clear that living a more sustainable lifestyle can help reduce your expenses!

Buy, swap, or find free used textbooks for your classes. I recommend Chegg.com for renting textbooks; it is pretty affordable, and easy to return them once you have used them for the semester. Ask around to see if friends and roommates want to get rid of their books, and you may be able to strike some deals!

Keep organized: look at what food, school supplies, clothing, shoes, etc. you already own, and keep them neat! This will ensure you don’t make unnecessary purchases…you may be surprised at what you find lying around in the back of your closet.  You also may find some dollar bills stuffed in your old coat pockets!  Try to use what you have before going out and buying more items.

Hopefully these tips will start your 2013 off on a good financial footing!

For those who are really into economics, I suggest the book, blog, and podcast “Freakonomics” by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner…really interesting, smart, and relevant advice about money!

Put your money where your mouth is! Start thinking, working, living, and saving to a better, more-financially sound future.

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica.

Hey Stony Brook-

One week ago today, our nation stood witness  to one of the most devastating mass-shootings in our history.  On December 14, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, 26 people lost their lives, 20 of whom were young children.  Additionally, the shooter took the life of his mother and then, ultimately, his own life, bringing the grand total to 28 shot dead.  These children had their whole lives ahead of them-with their years cut short, they missed out on milestones that most of us take for granted: getting their driver’s licenses, graduating high school, going to college, starting a career.  Even worse, they fell prey to a disturbed young man who was the same age as many of us here at Stony Brook.  Though we may never know for sure what compelled 20-year-old Adam Lanza to engage on his reign of terror in his small-town community of Newtown, this event reiterates the need for Americans to change our relationship to violence, in particular, our obsession with guns.

Recent polls have suggested that gun ownership has reached nearly 90 guns per 100 people in the United States (Reuters).  Among Americans who do report having a gun in their home or on their property, 62% own more than one firearm! (UNODC)

For what reason?  These weapons, especially semi-automatic and automatic rifles (which require less re-loading to shoot more bullets than non-automatic weapons), are extremely powerful.  Such weapons were once reserved for use exclusively by the members of our military and police forces.  However, guns and our violent culture have mainstreamed: now millions of Americans over the age of 18 exercise their right to “bear arms,” purchasing guns for personal use.  In addition, wars involving the US have become more frequent, and have escalated in recent years.  Blockbuster movies, hit songs, and popular video games perpetuate this culture of murder and death.  The NRA is proposing to have armed guards on school campuses nationwide to help “keep the peace,” which would put guns in the faces of children on an everyday basis (and would cost approximately $8 billion, or $80,000 per guard {NPR}).  We as humans should be ashamed.

Why do Americans feel compelled to buy guns and be violent?  What is holding us back from recognizing that, our neighbors–despite our different ethnicities, ages, socioeconomic statuses, religious or spiritual beliefs–are people, just like you and me. Instead of jealousy and contempt, why don’t we focus on peace and understanding?

We need not “love” every person we meet.  We need not agree with every idea we hear.  However, we need to tolerate, respect, and be kind to each and every human, animal, and plant we encounter on this earth.

On this December 21, 2012, we may not have experienced the Mayan Apocalypse that was predicted.  However, if we are to succeed as a culture, a nation, a people, we must learn to unite as one, instead of driving wedges between us and our fellow humans.  Our current emphasis on guns and violence is destroying our country, our planet.  We need to change, and I am confident that, at Stony Brook in particular, we can work to foster a kind and caring environment where we support our fellow students, not shoot them down.

Instead of drawing differences between you and your neighbors, look for the similarities you share.  When you look for the best in others, they will undoubtedly see the best in you.

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica.

Hey Stony Brook!

I wish everyone the best of luck in studying, paper-writing, and final-exam-taking over these next few weeks!

The end of the semester is a great time to reflect upon the amazing experiences and knowledge that we have gained since August.  Think about all of the great things you have accomplished and the massive amount of information you have been exposed to.  Although you may be looking forward to winter break (or those of us “lucky” enough to get a break-I know many may be taking an intersession course…or two!), take some time to “take it all in.”

How is what you learned applicable to your goals in life?  I know, for me, I was profoundly influenced by what I discovered this semester, both in and out of the classroom: my Stony Brook experiences have rekindled my passion for writing and art, and, coupled with the practical environmental knowledge that I have accumulated, I have honed in on my ultimate career goals to be an eco-artist and environmental journalist.

Stony Brook is truly a special place. Our professors demonstrate not only an academic prowess, but they also work hard to ensure that we have access to a multitude of helpful resources to help us succeed in life.  The influence of our instructors, classmates, the course material, and the college experience itself, all do so much to impact our lives.  Our time spent at Stony Brook University is a catalyst that helps us discover who we truly are and who we must be.

So, I urge you to take this time of year to reflect on your life: how has Stony Brook impacted you?  Perhaps you met a best friend here, found a new career, or simply expanded your practical knowledge.

You may find yourself cursing the heavy course load you took on at the start of the semester as you study for finals now… as you cram to pore over every note and textbook covered in your classes. But, find some time to relax and appreciate all of those notes, books, lectures, office hours, and field trips you may have taken, read, and attended this Fall of 2012.

Think for the long term; and set your goals high!

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica.

Hey Stony Brook!

Have you considered adding a minor?

Minors are a great way to either refine or expand on your current major (or even allow for you to pursue something you love but completely unrelated to your major!).  Stony Brook offers more than 200 academic programs, from English to Electrical Engineering; the choices of majors and minors are virtually endless!

Personally, I am majoring in Environmental Studies.  As I have chosen to concentrate in Environmental Journalism under this major, thus I am enrolled in an Environmental Literature and Film class during this Fall 2012 semester.  The class, a course written in the Environmental Humanities program, is fantastic.  It is taught by Professor Heidi Hutner, who also happens to be the director of the Environmental Humanities (EHM) program at Stony Brook.  Professor Hutner suggested that I add the EHM minor.  I pondered the possibility…what is Environmental Humanities? And, why should I pick up this minor?

Studies in Environmental Humanities, I have learned, supplies students with a vast knowledge surrounding the human side of environmental studies.  The major and minor both require students to pursue a specific area of higher-level course focus; “writing, literature, and philosophy,” “social sciences,” or “applied environmental aesthetics.”  I was really surprised to learn about a required course, “Eco-aesthetics in Art,” taught by Professor Marc Fasanella, a subject very important to me, as I am an eco-artist (I repurpose/recycle materials and also strive to create “balanced” and naturally harmonious pieces of art).  I was very (happily) surprised!

After learning about the program, I decided to add the EHM minor! It is amazing to me that such an interesting and relevant program exists that perfectly complements my major.  As a journalist, I will be studying the relationship between humans and the environment, but I will also be required to supply humans with the knowledge, questions, and answers in an efficient and effective manner, skills in which my new minor will prep me in.  I am so excited to have the opportunity here at Stony Brook to acquire the specific skills I need to successfully pursue my career in the environmental field!

So, I urge everyone to search for a minor! You may be surprised as to how the amazing minor programs here at SBU will serve as a complement, enhance, or diversify your major.  And, if you haven’t yet decided on a major, take your time to find one that really “speaks” to you…there are so many to choose from!

But it is certain that an appropriate and exciting program can be found for anyone at Stony Brook…all you need to do is look!

peace. love. run.

ericarunsamerica.