Sense of place blog

When I first came to Salem I didn't know what to expect. Being in a place this big was new to me, and I had a lot of anxiety for the first few days being on campus. I tried to the basic things when I first came here. I did things like move things around my room so I had more space, unpack everything. I met my roommates for the first time, they were nice. I liked the idea of going to college because it has been a dream of mine for years to be able to go in the hopes of one day getting a degree. My first few nights in college the lounge was full of people  that were in the same position I was in. Everyone was trying to meet new people and branch out of their comfort zone. The first day of classes was finally here, all of my first class were just introductions and going over the syllabus of what is going on in each class. Then the next weekend came around and that was when I first started to feel connected and had a sense of place in Salem because those two days were spent going downtown looking at the different shops for the first time. People even in the early part of September were already setting up for Halloween. That Monday was my first Freshmen Seminar class I remember walking in and finding to my left sandwiches. I don't remember wich sandwich I picked I remember it being very good, and the sandwiches were the first thing I ate all day so it was nice to go to class on a Monday afternoon. We were able to do some really cool stuff in this class. Whether it was learning about the history of the Salem economy and learning about the pioneers giving us the ability to win the revolutionary war. I also liked the group of students that came in from first-year success and they gave us tips on how we can get involved more on campus and told us how we can make the most out of our freshmen experience We also took a trip to the library and were given a tour as well as some tools to help with citations in essays. To go along with that we made an appointment with the writing center to help us with our essays and get an idea of what they are all about. My favorite thing that we did as a class was going to the park and just sit there and take in nature. Nature is so peaceful and can be relaxing in a time where it seems like we are always rushing to get things done.
What sense of place means to me is having the knowledge of knowing where you belong and how you feel comfortable and you have fun. That's what sense of place means to me, college are where bonds are made and you come in as your own person and with something unique to offer. I have had a great first semester because I was able to enjoy where I am and who I am as a person. There are a lot of ways college can be fun and enjoyable with tons of wonderful possibilities for us to take advantage of everything that Salem has to offer.

The Salem State orchestra

The school event I went to was an orchestra, this took place in one of the rooms right below the navigation center in central campus. The show had really nice lighting to it and a very good ambiance to it. It was nice to sit in a seat and take the time to appreciate the music but also to appreciate the effort that everyone put in to make this show possible. The composer was very nice and welcoming. What I loved most about the show was the fact that I know that playing an instrument is not easy it takes so much time but to play an instrument in front of a crowd of people takes a lot of work so I loved going and seeing this orchestra it was something fun unique and interesting. I truly enjoyed every moment.

My thanksgiving was really fun. I love being around the food my friends and my family. I am so thankful for my family and all the good times we share together. That's why I like Thanksgiving as a holiday so much. Often times we forget to be thankful for all the great things we have been given throughout the year. Thanksgiving is a time to do that and see faces of those you have not seen in awhile. I am very thankful that my whole family is filled with great cooks. Thanksgiving dinner is best when the food is edible. I love having leftovers it's the best feeling in the world to know that good food is in the fridge and an even better feeling knowing I have a great family to share it with. I don't like the cold whether but that doesn't stop Thanksgiving and the month that follows to be the best time of year. There is a certain time of cheer in the air that will never get old during the November and December months. Thanksgiving is a time to see what truly is important in life.

 

Salem Witch Museum

• The Salem Witch museum wasn't a typical museum. They do it in little shows that last 45 minutes the majority of that show or tour is in an auditorium. This was cool a person would narrate and there was props set up but photography was not allowed, which was too bad because there was a lot of information and cool stuff. Then the guide brought us into this room and explained things about the Salem witch trials and the background behind wicker  religion. Which is often confused with witchcraft but is actually the opposite and is a very peaceful religion. She talked about why people were so afraid of witches and as human beings, it is our first instinct to be afraid of things we often don't understand. This left for some pretty awful consequences for the people that were accused of witchcraft. Overall the Salem Witch Museum was very informative and the tour guide was very nice. The auditorium was cool I just wish there was more of a museum part of it and maybe if it wasn't set up so much as a tour I would have liked it better. It was definitely worth it though I learned a lot of neat facts while there and I am glad it is free for Salem State students, which is very nice of the museum and I enjoyed my time learning a little more about Salem's history. That's why our group chose this to learn about the history of Witches in Salem. We didn't get a chance to ask many questions but we did learn a lot about the history.

The sense of place At the nearby park was a fun trip. I love nature and just sitting in the trees with a nice view of the water as I looked out beyond the park. There was a nice breeze that got stronger as it became late into the afternoon hours. This place felt nice in the sun and had some benches where people can sit. Each bench dedicated to another person. I saw squirrels rushing around and people just enjoying the park. This park was so close to the town of Salem, yet there was no sound of traffic just some leaves rustling in the wind and on occasion if you listened close you can hear the faint sound of birds chirping towards one another. Probably getting ready for the cold months that are ahead. It seemed as though time slowed down and I was just sitting on the bench with not a signal worry in the world. Life seems to be so simple if I let it be simple. I feel like we all need to be reminded of that from time to time. Life is always moving and can be stressful. As human beings, we think that it is often a good idea to think too much about the future. We forget how precious the present is to all of us. The wind began to pick up so we went back to the classroom. I really did enjoy this trip to the park nearby.

The first year office students came in today. They all had very positive attitudes about things, such as being students at Salem State and were very open to an questions we had as a class. They came very prepared and a lot of people had some great questions for them. They talked about the jobs they each had both on and off campus. They all fond that working with first year student to be very rewarding. They talked about applying for classes in the spring. The students also talked in detail how bag checks will work for the rest of October so that we feel less surprised when Halloween draws near. They also talk about how to stay on top of thing as a student suggesting things like the importance of sleep and take ever opportunity given to get assignments done. They told us never to procrastinate but also said to give ourselves enough free time so we do not go crazy. They talked about how important it is to use the resources provided to us on campus such as our RAs and career services and the center for academic excellence. What stuck out to me was how much there was to do here in Salem and if we can't find anything to do they told us where to look. Justin Snow also stopped by to help us use degree tracker he said it was very important to keep checking it so that when application for graduation comes there are no surprises waiting for us. He showed how to avoid anything unexpected and told us to use our adviser as a resource. He gave us tips and tricks to help us apply fir classes so that when the time comes to do so we will be ready. He was very nice and extremely helpful. I had a meeting with my adviser before class so a lot of this already made sense to me, but he was still very helpful and is a great resource.

HONEY POT FARMS

Our group went to the Farmers market and visited honey pot farms. We asked them things such as, do you have different locations. They have different locations in, Tewksberry, Haverhill, North Reading, Stoneham. We also asked how many Hives they had, they told us they had about 50 year round hives to produce honey. They also have several chickens to produce eggs. They told us about how the queen bee of each hive must be carried delicately, or the hive will die. We asked them how they kept the bees alive during the winter? They told us that during the summer the bees pollinate and they feed the bees sugar water during the winter. The actual farm where all this is being done is in Wilmington. We also learned that the left over bees waxed is used to make lip balm. They also sell maple syrup. Their children work on the farm with them. We also asked about honey in stores, they said honey is not really honey in stores, most of the honey in stores has been pasteurized. This makes honey lose pretty much all of its good properties. Honey is not just for eating and being sick, honey can heal a cut when applied to it. Honey can also clear up acne, among several other great uses that were surprising.  The people at the stand were nice and gave us a few free samples and gave us a lot of knowledge about the farm, about bees and about the business they run. I definatley learned a few new things from Honey Pot Farms.

HONEY POT FARMS

Our group went to the Farmers market and visited honey pot farms. We asked them things such as, do you have different locations. They have different locations in, Tewksberry, Haverhill, North Reading, Stoneham. We also asked how many Hives they had, they told us they had about 50 year round hives to produce honey. They also have several chickens to produce eggs. They told us about how the queen bee of each hive must be carried delicately, or the hive will die. We asked them how they kept the bees alive during the winter? They told us that during the summer the bees pollinate and they feed the bees sugar water during the winter. The actual farm where all this is being done is in Wilmington. We also learned that the left over bees waxed is used to make lip balm. They also sell maple syrup. Their children work on the farm with them. We also asked about honey in stores, they said honey is not really honey in stores, most of the honey in stores has been pasteurized. This makes honey lose pretty much all of its good properties. Honey is not just for eating and being sick, honey can heal a cut when applied to it. Honey can also clear up acne, among several other great uses that were surprising.  The people at the stand were nice and gave us a few free samples and gave us a lot of knowledge about the farm, about bees and about the business they run. I definatley learned a few new things from Honey Pot Farms.

NPS reflection

We took a trip to downtown Salem to really get a sense of place for the city, and to dive into more of Salems history. We all went down to one of Salems oldest docks, so that we might take in some of the sights sounds and smells of this historical area. I remember drawing a picture of an old house. In the distance of the old house was a vast ocean behind it, with the sun beaming down. That was a nice day in terms of weather, not to hot not to cold, with a nice breeze. Fall has just arrived, there were definite signs of fall especially that crisp air. We met up with this national park service ranger, she was very knowledgeable about the history of trade, ships and the way of life here in Salem over the past few hundred years. One of my favorite things to learn about was how the government supported piracy, they just calle it a different name essentially, they called it being a privateer. During the revolutionary war this was important that the privateers take over British ships, so the colonies could  get goods in some way and was a big factor in the reason we won the war. Salem was just a huge factor in the fishing business and the trade of many things from all over the world