Confessions of A Tour Guide

"Alright so we are going to head into the building that is directly behind me. This is Watson Hall and it is our main hub for all the Residential Suites here at Slippery Rock. The reason it is so is because located inside Watson Hall is the Office of Residence Life and the ID Card Office."

My tour group and I

That is just one of my few tag lines that I say while I give tours to prospective students and parents at my job as a Pride Guide. I don't think that I ever would have expected that I would be giving tours of the university to parents and their children. Who am I kidding? I am a shy, reserved kid that doesn't do well with strangers and basic conversation...boy was I wrong.

My career as a Pride Guide started the summer before my Junior year of college and have loved it ever since. Considering the fact that, I never in a million years saw myself standing (I mean walking backwards in front of people) speaking about why I love this campus so much and explaining all the fun facts about it, I was very nervous about this job.

I was givin' one accelerated training day and the next day I was on my own. I'll be the first one to tell you that my first tour was AWFUL! I have never been more embarrassed and felt so unprepared for something in my life. *On a side note, if you were in my group on my first day, please please please come back. I'm a lot better at my job now* Despite the struggle of my first day, I stuck with this job and continue to excel in it. 

So this really isn't meant to be a story about sticking with something and not quitting just because it's difficult, no, this is to really just express what this job has done for me and what I feel it can do for others. 

As a tour guide we learn all these facts about he campus not just for our own enjoyment or just because we always bleed Green and White and are supposed to be those staple students for the university. We learn all these things so that we can help to express our love for this campus and that hopefully the prospective students can feel that and gain that same level of love that we have for the university. When I was looking at colleges, Slippery Rock was the last school I visited. It wasn't my last school because I was "fed" up with looking at schools or just tried of the whole college search thing as a whole, this was my last school because when I was done with my tour I knew that this is where I wanted to go. I still wish I could remember the name of the guy who gave me my tour that day and thank him for helping me make one of the best decisions of my life and that because of him I'm following the path that I am on here at Slippery Rock University. 

That is why I love this job.  I hope that with every tour I give I can make someone fall in love with the campus just like I did, many years ago. 

KettleCorn Video Remix Proposal SRU125 Edition

For this project I plan to shoot and cover the SRU 125 anniversary events that are being held on Wednesday, 3/26.

I am already taking the picture that is explained in bullet #6 so I will be attending the days entire events.

The day's events include:

·       President Norton will honor SRU employees for their years of service and update the campus on accomplishments, budget and other issues at 12:30 p.m., March 25, in the Smith Student Center Ballroom.
·       Chris Ogren, a national expert on the history of teaching and author of “The American State Normal School,” will lecture at 7 p.m., March 25, in the Smith Student Center Ballroom. Slippery Rock University started as a Normal School. The President’s Commission on the Status of Women, the College of Education, the departments of history and elementary education/early childhood development and the SRU Women’s Center are sponsoring the event. 
·       National GREEN Day is March 26. In honor of Slippery Rock University’s 125th birthday, all students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are encouraged to “show their colors” and wear green March 26, 2014. 
·       Founders’ Day kicks off at 10 a.m. March 26 in the Russell Wright Alumni House and Conference Center with a ceremony marking the start of classes 125 years ago at Slippery Rock State Normal School. Proclamations, a brief history of SRU and other activities are planned. 
·       A “Birthday Bash” is planned for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., March 26, in the Smith Student Center Fireplace Lounge, complete with cake and party games. The Green and White Society is sponsoring the event
·       At 1:25 p.m., help pack the Smith Student Center reception area for a University photo commemorating SRU’s birthday. The photo will become part of the University archives and the125 time capsule. Don’t forget to wear your green and white. SRU’s Green and White Society is sponsoring the photo. 
·      SRU’s College of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts will present an “Evening of the Arts,” featuring art, theatre, dance and music March 28 in the Smith Student Center Ballroom. An opening reception and art exhibition begins at 6:15 p.m., followed by the performances. Thom Cobb, associate professor of dance, and Gordon Phetteplace, associate professor of theatre, are directing the show. The reception and show are free. Additional details are available at:http://rockpride.sru.edu/2014/RP030714/story.php?id=1

#sru125

A "Black & Yellow" St. Patrick's Day

Downtown Pittsburgh

As I am starting to grow up I have the urge to travel to new places and try new things and one thing I have heard such high praise of was the St. Patrick's Day parade that is held in
Downtown Pittsburgh.

It is said that the parade is one of the largest in the country. Despite the ripping winds and chilly temperatures, an estimated 200,000 people came to watch the parade and participate in the festivities. Unfortunately, because of my age there are a large majority of "festivities" that come along with St. Patrick's Day that I cannot participate in. Regardless of not participating in those events I was able to have a great time downtown with my friends.

Check out the slideshow below for some of the pictures I took while I was down there or check them out on my photography page.

Post by Alex Sidney Photography.

Extra! Extra! History of The Rocket Newspaper!

The Rocket Newspaper, formerly known as "The Slippery Rocket", has been a driving force for how students at Slippery Rock University get their news about the campus and the surrounding area. The current Rocket has come a long way from where it began. From a dollar a year for a paper to the award winning website we have now, The Rocket has continued to grow and will continue to do so. Take a step back in time with me and learn about some of the big things that The Rocket has done in its history while on its way to Volume 100!

The Rocket Newspaper on Dipity.

Great Scott! It's a hover board!

The day that all "Back the Future" fans have been dreaming of might have potentially arrived. It might have even come earlier than recently expected.

Back in 1989 a young man named Marty McFly, played by the famous actor Michael J. Fox and his scientist companion Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd traveled to into the future in the all famous DeLorean DMC-12 which Doc converted into a time machine to hopefully prevent Marty's future children from being imprisoned. One of the key scenes in this movie that really turned some heads, or "rubber neck" if you will, was when Marty jumped on his trusty Mattel made Hover Board and fled from his assailants.



Back story and movie clips aside, a company called HUVr Tech released on Monday a video of their product in action. A REAL LIFE HOVER BOARD!

Fact or fiction you may ask? Well, it's hard to tell if this is really a real product and if you are going to be able to hover across the pavement. Now for a science junkie like myself, I pray to sweet 8 lbs 6 oz baby Jesus that it is real. (For whomever got that reference...You are awesome) Here is the companies video releasing their idea to the public. If you notice they have some celebrity cameos that come in to test the board, such as Tony Hawk and Doc himself! Take a look and make your own opinion!



So what do you think? Is this really going to be a product? If so, how much is it going to cost? These are all wonderful questions and I would love to know your thoughts. Let me know!

If this ends up to be real, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be trying to spend my money on the blue and gray one!

Unfortunately the HUVr board was proved a hoax. Tony Hawk came out with this video explaining that the whole thing was a prank. Feel free to watch as I reach for my box of tissues. 

"Rock" Solid Fashion

The “Dress for Success Fashion Show” presented by AVI, Career Education and Development Office, CSIL, Enterprise, Grove City Premium Outlets and Prudential on Wednesday evening showed students the appropriate types of attire that is acceptable for men and women in the workplace. Students strutted their stuff down the cat walk and with a barrage of camera clicks and flashes made it seem like a real professional fashion show. There were many different types of dress that were shown off to spectators. Such outfits included proper interview attire, casual Friday wear and even proper gym wear. The Director of Career Education & Development, John Rindy stated that the event "is a chance for the students to see what professional dress looks like in many different circumstances." He hopes that with this event students can leave with the knowledge about how to choose the appropriate wear for the particular situation.