Jael's blog: Homecoming

I did not participate in the festivities of homecoming. I wanted to prepare my best performance ever for Solo Night at the Blackburn this Sunday night. I did very well and recieved numerous compliments on my performance. I think it may have been a good thing that I did not party hard (or did not party at all) because one of my professors gave out the hardest assignment he could muster up for this homecoming weekend. I think he did this just to see who would procrastinate due to all the festivities.

On Friday, I saw the tents on the yard and browsed a bit. I thought the selection of clothes and jewelery was very nice. I wish that I had known that there would be vendors so that I could have had a little cash to spend. On my way home I was bombarded with fliers of homecoming related parties. One of the fliers showed that there was going to be some form of sex party somewhere on or near campus where a porn star and stripper were going to battle. I truly hope that none of the guys (or girls) I know attended that party.

Though I did not party or see much other that the yard vendors, I feel that I had a nice weekend and perhaps I can do some partying when I do not have any homework.

Howard Homecoming

Howard's homecoming festivities were an experience unlike anything I ever been apart of in my life. I enjoyed it for the most part. Homecoming started off with Midnight Madness. Midnight Madness was a fun event. I did not really like any of the performances though. Howard is a tough crowd to please. I also really did not understand why people were fighting and rioting outside. I enjoyed myself nonetheless. I did not attend any of the events that cost money. I'm broke. I did go to yardfest though. Yardfest was probably the highlight of homecoming week for me. The performances were great and it was free. Big Daddy Kane really did well. Young Jeezy was cool too. I did not like Wale though. After the performances I got to meet a producer by the name of 9th Wonder. This was a really big deal for me because he's my favorite producer. He was really cool and even had a conversation with me. Homecoming was a good experience but I'm glad its over now. I'm ready to finish the semester.

The Infamous Howard Homecoming

ALUMNI. PARENTS. SORORITIES. FRATS. FANCY CARS. BANDS. CHEERLEADERS. FOOTBALL.
These were only a few things that I came across during my first homecoming at Howard.The first thing I heard when I told my peers in New Jersey that I would be attending Howard was "I'm coming to your homecoming". Urban Dictionary defines Howard's Homecoming as "an event infamous for causing an influx of fun-seeking teens [and] college students/alumni...that all of DC shuts down for an entire weekend." Personally, I do not feel that my first homecoming lived up to the hype. However, I did enjoy myself.
The first homecoming event that I attended was the comedy show. This show consisted of the radio personality, Nephew Tommy. He hosted a show that consisted of various acts that kept the crowd in laughter. This was a good way to begin my homecoming week. The next event was the fashion show. This featured a range from shirtless guys to females in full length dresses. The next day brought the event known as the celebrity basketball game. The teams were a mixture of actors, comedians, and Howard's own basketball players. The coaches were Tocarra, Olivia, and Teyana Taylor. Halftime consisted of a surprise performance from the new rapper, Future.
The homecomign game was chaotic, but the win made it worth the trouble. The crowd cheered our boys into overtime and eventually lead them to a victory. House parties were abundant. Clubs were packed. As Urban Dictionary put it, Howard shut down DC, once again!

Jael's Blog: Reflecting on College So Far

Now that I am in college I have a different goal that I had in high school. In high school I was the type of person who was accustomed to getting a 4.0, but now I find that I am not as interested in my GPA but in becoming a competent music therapist. This new goal has changed how I study and my feelings about school.

In high school I was content with the half-hearted work that I did to recieve an A. I would simply regurgitate what the teacher said in form of an answer on the test. I was more of a disciplined worker than a hard worker. My study habits have caused me to leave high school with little sustaining knowledge of the subjects I did not care of about but recieved As in. But now education in no longer a task in which I am forced to take part of but now a means to fulfill a personal dream of using my musical talents to help others. I now find myself content with recieving constructive feedback from a teacher in response to a test I failed or understanding a concept that will aid in me becoming more efficient as a therapist.

Now that I am in college I feel like I am living my future and not thinking about it.

Research and Methodology

In this week's freshman seminar class, professor Dana Williams spoke to the class about research and methodology. I learned some important things during this seminar. The first thing I learned is that before beginnig research, one should plan out their methodology. Methodology includes determining how to show your research, and how you are going to go about collecting it. One should also consider the audience that will be reading your writing. The next thing I learned deals with framework. Framework is how you decide to structure your data. This is important because different types of data require different representations, such as graphs or pie charts. Lastly I learned that in college, students are giving the opportunity to present new data instead of sumerizing things all of the time. This is important because new research should confirm or deny previous findings and expand on those concepts. Dr. Williams' seminar was very informative.

Newark

The year of 1916 started a phenomenon that once started, could not be stopped. This phenomenon is known as The Great Migration. Until 1970, African Americans from the South packed their belongings and headed to the North in search of a new opportunistic life. Southern Blacks yearned to escape the Jim Crow Laws of the South that disallowed them the rights that the North allowed. Six million Blacks took advantage of this trending movement and made the North their new home. Specifically, Blacks settled in cities like Chicago, Baltimore, New York City, Washington DC, and Newark, NJ. These cities were eventually overflowing with Blacks who were trying to make a living with either: 1) the little pay they were receiving from their jobs or 2) no job at all. Cities like this began to become overcrowded and filled with people living in poverty. This is the start of what we know as the “ghettos”.

Growing up in Newark, NJ, I have always looked around and wondered how we got where we are today. Studying the Great Migration in my classes have given me new insight and a new appreciation for my hometown.

Jael's blog on The African Burial Ground

The trip to New York to see the African Burial Ground was life changing. I grew up in a predominantly African American community and the first school I had attended was an afro-centric Christian academy and therefore the trials and tribulations of slavery and the middle passage was nothing new to me. However, on the trip, specifically during the liabation ceremony, I was exposed to how other people have come to grips with their own blackness. I chose to not participate in the liabation ceremony by repeating the words and clapping my hands because many aspects of the ritual was contrary to my own spiritual beliefs. This experience catapulted me into maturity because I forced myself to respect the sacredness the ritual held for others while still standing my ground.

Later on when we were allowed to experience Harlem for four hours without chaperones I was able to excercise more adult maturity. Time management and social discretion was key in a strange and busy city. There was a situation where a man walked around whispering in people's ear "new movies, new movies". If I was the type of person who was interested in getting a "good deal" on bootleg movies, it could have ended very bad for me provided I was caught during the transaction or the man was an undercover police officer. I doubt the police officers would release me in time to catch the bus back to Howard University.

The trip to New York was very good for me. It strengthened my self-concept.