PASSAGE THE LITERARY MAGAZINE OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES DIVISION NORWALK COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING 2013, vol. 7 2 PASSAGE SPRING 2013 Editor Forrest C. Helvie, Instructor of Developmental English Advisor Elaine Delvecchio, Director of Developmental Studies Division Front cover based upon original work, “Relativity,” by M.C. Escher. 3 “To me, a published writer is a person who has become good enough at writing that he or she is recognized by his or her peers.” --Anonymous NCC Student The purpose of this magazine is twofold: to showcase the writing of students taking Developmental English courses and to offer models for study and discussion in the classroom. Editor’s Note: Adhering to the magazine’s purpose, which served as the guide for the editing process, meant that few editorial corrections were made to the original pieces aside from some basic standardization of spelling, capitalization, and general use of punctuation. As a result, these submissions may appear less polished than others found in traditional literary magazines; however, these submissions also closely maintain each writer’s voice within the essays & poems and preserve a more authentic experience for the reader. We seek to recognize and celebrate the work of all of our students at Norwalk Community College, and the entries selected for this year’s edition of Passage represent the unique and diverse voices of our developmental student body. 4 Contents Literature Review Page 5 “A Book Review of Robert Kirkman & Tony Moore’s The Walking Dead vol. 1” Timothy Long “A Book Review of Art Spiegelman’s Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began” Zac Pavelchak “A Book Review of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns” Kevin Ramirez This I Believe Essays Page 12 “My Mother My Father” By Jorge Larregui Jr. “Bullying Should End” Andrew Fitzgerald “I Believe in Life After Death” Natasia Humphries “I Believe in Being a Jew” Simona Levin Song Lyric Reduction Poems Page 20 Inspired by Langston Hughes’ “Dream Deferred” Ilya Melinikos Inspired by Jay-Z’s “Young Forever” Jalin Sead Inspired by Demon Hunter’s “Deteriorate” Courtney Baldwin Inspired by Type O-Negative’s “Dead Again” Mike Finch Inspired by Shayne Ward’s “Breathless” Natalia Miranda Inspired by Don Trip’s “Letter to My Child” Jhony Cambisaca The Survival Guides Page 23 How to Survive ENG 066 By the Spring 2012 & Fall 2012 Students of ENG 066 How to Survive ENG 074 By the Spring 2012 & Fall 2012 Students of ENG 074 How to Survive FS 101 By John Torres Open Submissions “Wind Chimes” Gracie McConnaughy “How My Son Vernon Changed My Life” Vivan Dennis “A Wake Up Call” By Alberto Elvir Page 33 5 THE PASSAGE LITERATURE REVIEW New to this year’s volume of Passage will be a selection of book reviews of all award-winning comics and graphic novels spanning the past thirty years, one of which earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1991 for Special Literature. Check out these reviews and perhaps even check one out at the NCC library! A Book Review of Robert Kirkman & Tony Moore’s The Walking Dead vol. 1 Timothy Long ENG 066 Who doesn’t love a good survival story? “The Walking Dead” is one of the best names out there where undead, post-apocalyptic survival stories are involved. It has grown from its roots of a graphic novel to a hit television series to an award-winning video game, but every good story has its beginning. If you are someone who loves the end of the world genre or zombies, “The Walking Dead” is the perfect story for you and I am going to give you some great examples of why. When I was given the option to choose what graphic novel to read for my school project and I saw “The Walking Dead” created by Robert Kirkman, I was simply ecstatic with tearful delight. The choose seem so perfect, I like comics and all their wonders but Batman just didn’t catch my eye and the other choices seemed dull to me, so much that I can’t really remember their names. But there it was, “The Walking Dead.” It was staring me in the face and it was the only choice I really wanted to read. I can’t resist a zombie story no matter if it’s good or bad as it turns out I got more than I could have ever hoped for with the graphic novel. The very first thing that caught my eye when I opened Book One of “The Walking Dead” was the color. There wasn’t any but instead, it was inked within the black and white spectrum. All I could think was this was so befitting to an end of the world story. By doing this, it showed the world as it would be if the world had ended, black and white with a whole lot of gray areas 6 holding on to your humanity while trying to survive. The next thing that caught my attention was the way they introduce the main character Rick Grimes, a police officer who gets shout in a shoot-out and then Rick waking up from a coma sometime after to the zombie apocalypse. The thought of waking to a world where the dead don’t stay dead, and then walking into that world without any clue to what has happen is simply a terrifying thought. What I found most satisfying about this story is no matter what this group does to get to survive and get ahead, they are almost always set back. Robert Kirkman is their puppet master and he does an amazing job of holding a flame of hope in front of this group and having it burn out whenever they are getting too comfortable with the world around them. The sheer agony Robert places on Rick Grimes and his group’s survival at every turn of their journey, Robert torments them with every messed up situation imaginable. Robert pulls on the strings of the group’s emotions at every step along the way twisting their humanity from them and asking them questions about what it is to be alive. However, if you are someone who doesn’t like violence or you don’t have the stomach for the gore that comes with flesh eating monsters that gorge on the people regardless if they are dead or alive. This story is full with the disgusting images that go with the zombie apocalypse, and if you are impartial to looking at zombie slaying, murder, intimate relationships, etc., then I would have to say this story is not for you because Robert Kirkman truly puts the word graphic in graphic novel. But if everything I just said sounds good to you then “The Walking Dead” is a work of art when it comes to zombie apocalypse genre. I love a good survival story and it is one of my favorite themes for anything and I have seen enough of the good and bad in general to know if something is worth the time. “The Walking Dead” is more than worth it. This story left me wanting more, so much so that I’m 7 probably going to read all sixteen books over time because I feel it’s worth it. The first two books gave me the same impact I have to know what happens next, and I think it will leave all of you feeling the same. A Book Review of Art Spiegelman’s Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began Zac Pavelchak ENG 066 Approximately six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust between 1933 and 1945. In this review, I’ll be responding to four questions about Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began. In my opinion, Maus II is a very informative and relatable book about the Holocaust and I feel that it’s a great book to read if you’re looking for a good read or if you want to know what the Holocaust was like for a survivor. This review will be discussing why I chose to read the book, who the target audience is, what my first impression of the book was, and how the conclusion worked for me and if it was problematic for me. Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began is the second half of Art’s father’s (Vladek) and mother’s (Anja) struggle to survive the Holocaust. Vladek’s son was interviewing his father about his stories in the Holocaust. For example, how he taught a Polish cop to speak English. Because of this, Vladek is given better food, a better uniform, and advice on how to avoid labor during prison stands. Art and his wife, Francoise, go to Vladek’s house because Mala, Vladek’s second wife has left him. During their stay, Art continues his interviews with his father, thus developing Maus II. I chose to read this book because I was very interested to learn about the Holocaust and how it affect the lives of some people. The Holocaust was a big impact on the world and has murdered a large number of Jewish people. This event has taught us that Anti-Semitism is 8 wrong and it also taught us to respect religious freedom. It has also taught us to respect all people regardless of gender, race, religion, etc. The Holocaust has also affected the lives of some people, especially Jewish people. 9/11 is nothing compared to the Holocaust, but 9/11 has had some of the same after-effects as the Holocaust. Both events has killed many of the people we love and they both have taught us to be more prepared for another horrific event. The targeted audience for this book is everyone. I think it’s for everyone because of the content of the book. Every person can learn a lot from this book; They can learn about the dangers of too much power and what the Holocaust has done to most people and how it has changed the world. People can educate themselves about the Holocaust if they’re not too familiar with the event. I think this book was written to teach people about the Holocaust. When I first looked at this book and flipped through the pages, the first thing that came to mind were the pictures. I thought it would be so much easier for anyone to read and understand the scenes and it was. When I saw all of the mice, pigs, cats, and dogs, I was a little confused, but now that I’ve read the book, I understand why all of the characters are animals. The mice were Jews, the pigs were Polish people, the cats were German, and the dogs were Americans. Another first impression I had about this book was the detail of the panels. The panels with dead mice laying around really hit me. It told me about how wrong the Holocaust was and what it did to others. The conclusion of the book worked for me because it seemed like a suitable ending for this kind of situation; the Holocaust ended and everyone was reuniting with their loved ones. In the end, Vladek says, “More I don’t need to tell you, we were both very happy, and lived happy, happy every after” (Spiegelman 134) and in my opinion, that would be the best way to end a story about the Holocaust. 9 In conclusion, I thought Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began was a really great book to read. I chose to read this book because I was very interested to learn about the Holocaust and how it has affected the lives of some people. I thought the targeted audience could be everyone because everyone could learn something and I think this book was written to teach people about the Holocaust. My first thought about this book was that this book would be so easy to understand because it had pictures. I also thought the conclusion of this book worked for me and was really clear. A Book Review of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns Kevin Ramirez ENG 066 The author Frank Miller provides dark and intense as in the world of graphic not. The return of an old enemy Thompson now 55-year-old Wayne to don the Batman costume again. Batman faces death threats and challenges in question self. Being a fan of Batman makes choosing the dark Knight returns easy. One has to be curious how this version of Batman various previous versions. Well known Batman undertakes his own roads and that means leaving his own mark on the Batman series. I want to see what makes this worse than that in different from all others. What approach the other two for his visit the Cape Crusader leave a mark on fans. Being familiar with illustrative of Batman's I also wanted to see the similarities in this graphic novel another that. The role of Batman is provided a dark and chilling set. Reading this novel, delivered a heartbreaking story from start to finish, with good health care. My impression was that I like the idea of targeting mature theme, the previous stories. The tone and atmosphere of the book takes us deep into a dingy future version of 1980s Athens 10 and creating the most violent incarnation of fictional metropolis that I've never seen the. When you read and look at the fight scenes in this book, it creates an image of a fast-paced sequence in your head. One of my favorite things about Frank Miller is that he puts you inside the heads of Batman, and Gordon, Robin, Superman, even the Joker and make this, the most action/adventure oriented of the three, also the most character-driven as well. Anticipation and suspense builds up from the scene of Gotham to the first appearance of Batman. It keeps you wanting to know what's going to happen next, and how well the story and pulls. It sends you a ruthless and disturbing roller coaster ride in the beginning to the end. My favorite part of the novel would have to be when Bruce reawakens the darkness that is lived inside him for years, is able to cast vengeance on the new leader. That showed me that no matter the age, Batman is still able to find that inner core made him who he has become. As for my least favorite part, I can't really say that I have one book from beginning to the end really kept me entertained. Now if I had to choose one it would be the introduction of the new Robin (Carrie Kelly). And nothing is really known about her. We don't get an in-depth coverage of who Carrie Kelly is, where she comes from, and why she decided to take the role as the new Robin. Is there something unique about her that makes her different from all the other past and present Robins? The ending for us fans personally was excellent and really. After protecting Gotham city for many decades of his life by himself, he takes in a new generation known as the Sons of Batman to protect Gotham. Seeing Bruce lead Robin, Green Arrow, and his followers, preparing for a new war against corruption gives us the satisfaction of knowing that his work can continue even without his help. 11 In the end, the dark Knight returns delivers an intense and crazy joyride that kept fans and me on the edge of their seats. The dark Knight returns shows a figurative fight three new generation of evil. Miller's narrative is at its peak. Also his art of blend surrealism, stylized, and downright cartoony does what is supposed to do, to tell a story. All of this makes the dark returns the most readable, the most viscerally successful of Miller's dark Knight series. 12 THIS I BELIEVE… “This I Believe is an international organization engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Some 100,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, are archived here on our website, heard on public radio, chronicled through our books, and featured in weekly podcasts. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.” –ThisIBelieve.org. The following essays take a similar approach as students discuss important issues centered on what they believe. “My Mother My Father” By Jorge Larregui Jr. ENG 066 My mother has been an inspiration in force behind life. She was single mother was my father same time. She was always there, when I needed that extra love. My mother made sure she raised in the proper manner she could even though she was a teenager's. Growing up, my mother taught me respect, courage, and this. My mother made sure irrespective all my adult years. I was taught early on I always ask for my boat blessing" for my family members we arrived to the house when we left their homes. We came to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use, I got schooled every day without skipping a beat in between. When I got out from schools to smell my breath and smell my clothes make sure I was doing illegal stuff or doing anything wrong. When he came to supporting me in school, she was always there. When I played sports, regardless by one or lost, she was very encouraging, and always make sure you have a weak backbone and I was always a winner hard. She always said quote if you put your mind behind what you want to accomplish in this world, you will succeed and be a strong person, not only for you but for your offspring to." Today look back at those words and it has 13 played a major role in my life, to be a person that respects others, and understand others to earn my respect and trust. She has taught me that critical points in early childhood, so they can be shared later in life, live a good life in an easier. I was lucky to have a mother like her. Some kids don't have any parents; but I was lucky enough to have my mother. She was always very supportive in school when we needed to talk about my parents. Although she was a single parent, she was always there to support me as a father would have. She made it seem so easy to be a mother and a father all in all. My father left when I was a year old. He obtained a career as a police officer in Puerto Rico and was ready for fatherhood at that time. So my mother ended up playing his role for him. He sacrificed a lot by working many hours to make sure I was neglected or missing. I never had a chance to lose focus that I didn't have a father support and one never around. She just seems to make it so easy for her to be both a quote mother and a father" that in reality I didn't even notice I needed that part of the quote father" support. I learn to be independent and learned friend like she taught me how. She commented that, and she also taught me how to repair my flat bicycle tire. When it came to my discipline she was on top of it, she was always on point and was strong like a man, but gentle like a mom. When I cried in you to be cuddled she was on cue. My mother play the role of two people. How hard that is since I know how hard it is to display my own role as one person, mentioned to. My mother being a teen mom somehow managed to raise me well. She struggled in life, but made sure to never show it to me. She was always encouraging to talk to and it was also easy to hold a conversation with her for just about any. I remember as a child my mother would do carpentry work around the house and helped me learn to do simple things as well from. It must've been very hard on my teenaged mother raising them, without the support of my father 14 that she was strong and no obstacles put in front of her. Her or slowed her down. At times I thought she was mean, but also is doing is reinforcing good behavior patterns and make sure I didn't go the wrong way life. She was prompt when it came to gangs and violence always make sure I wasn't a part of it. I felt very overprotected then, but I now know why she was the way she was. Although we quote Butthead's" many times, I began to realize that she did as a full or when. Should raise a mold of herself in me. I learned to be strong like my mother, powerful and mind and spirit like I was taught. She was a positive role model in my life, raise me to be who I am today. Many tears my mother might've said, writing realize her was too young to see, commands via Star mother, Carrie, fearless, enforcer, the great leader and a strong invisible quote father." My mother played a huge part of my growing up. She worked inside a house that the mother would; to minister workouts on the command. I was lucky to learn both parents traits, by one person and one person only quote my mother my dad." Mom is but a huge part of my everyday life and a tremendous person in that aspect to. She will live in me and my kids and my kids told. Because what I was taught by her will always carry past generations, love is framework; love your mother like your father. Sometimes one can be missing or both. But regardless which one is missing or not in the picture, one of them usually takes on the workload of two people. For this I love my mother. Today I make myself responsibility for my own life it's very important for me because I was raised by my mother's high standards, and driveways. I'll make sure to never let her down always thank her for the person who I am today will be more. I'll always believe in her. My case I will always love my special parent. 15 “Bullying Should End” Andrew Fitzgerald ENG 066 Ever since Elementary School slowly came to an end, there was still that feeling I had in my mind that I couldn’t escape. Being a victim of bullying for over hour years really brought me down as a person. I believe that bullying should end so everyone has a chance to live life to its fullest. Back in the fifteen grade, I was the only kid in my grade that everyone bullied. I was only ab out four feed tall back then, and there was no possibly way that I could stand up for myself. I had really big teeth when I was in elementary school and middle school. Everyone call me “buck tooth” or “beaver boy”. It always brought me down every time anyone called me that. I also really didn’t have a lot of friends so I felt alone. People laughed at me often for being so short and weak but I couldn’t do anything about it. I was always pushed around a lot and people always gave me weird looks every time they saw me. I was often called names such as ugly, small, weird, and skinny. I couldn’t take it anymore. Once I graduated from elementary school, I headed off to middle school to experience even more bullying, which I had to be prepared for because I was going to a school with much older kids. Instead of verbal bullying in elementary school, I began to experience physical bullying in middle school. Every time I walked the halls, I would always getting pushed into a locker or sometimes tripped. I also had my notebooks and folders knocked out of my arms too since students weren’t allowed to walk around with backpacks at my school. I hadn’t grown much since elementary school so it was hard to stick up for myself. I spent countless hours with my guidance counselor trying to resolve the bullying but it never worked. 16 I signed up for Facebook once I was done with middle school. Well I guess that was a big mistake. Now I got myself into cyber bullying. Out of all the bullying I experienced, cyber was the worst. This happened mostly on Facebook and Twitter. I received so many messages from people saying no one likes you, get a life. I honestly I had no idea how to respond. I felt like no one cared about me or even loved me. Creep, annoying, and stalker were three words I was always called. I never bothered people on Facebook or Twitter but people always bothered me. I remember one of my “friends” made a Facebook group about me. It basically was saying that I was a faggot. That word faggot just destroyed all the hope I had to free myself from bullying. I’ve never seen that person since they made that group about me. At least 300 people joined the group and they posted on the page things like this is hilarious, he’s the biggest faggot. Luckily, I had friends who cared about me and they reported the group and got it deleted. After all this bullying, I went to a social worker to figure out what was going on and they also asked me if I ever thought of killing myself. I thought about it but I knew I had to ignore those annoying people in my life and just move on from it. They bullying has stopped for a while now, but those five years of my life were terrible. I realize that I have friends that care about me and it’s not worth ending my life. I’m a much happier person and I will continue to be for the rest of my life. “I Believe in Life After Death” Natasia Humphries ENG 066 My first encounter with a spirit was when I was about 6 years old. I lived with mom, and dad in Bronx, NY. We lived in an apartment building on the first floor and my grandmother (on my mother’s side) lived right across the hall from us. My grandmother was like another mother to me. She practically raised me when both my parents were working. She was never in good 17 shape like she used to be she seemed mostly sluggish and beaten down lately but she would always try to hide it when I was around so I wouldn’t worry. One day I came home and my mom and dad told me grandma was sent to the hospital because she is feeling ill. I thought she would get better and come back home soon. The next day I was brought to the hospital to go visit her. She looked worse than before, her skin was pale, she lost a large amount of weight, and she was always cold. I stayed with her until it was time for us to leave. The next night I went to bed as usual and fell asleep. Around midnight, I felt someone shake my arm whispering “psst. Wake up. psst.” I slowly opened my eyes and realized my grandmother sitting on the side of my bed. I could tell it was her by her scent she always smelled like a mixture of vanilla and cinnamon. She was smiling so bright I can’t remember the last time I saw her so happy. She whispered “I’m glad I get to see you before I go.” I questioned her where is she going. She said “I’m going back home, my sweet.” She slightly reached towards me to caress my face. I felt illuminating warmth from her hand onto my cheek. She pulled my face up to her lips and kissed my forehead. “Be a good girl, and I love you.” I grabbed her hand and asked her to sleep with me. I missed her so much. So she lay down next to me and I held on to her until I was deep in sleep. Next morning I woke up and she wasn’t there. I thought she got up and left somewhere in the house. I got up out of bed and found my mom and dad at the dinner table. I noticed my mom had tears running down her cheeks and my dad trying his best to comfort her telling her its ok. I asked what happened. My dad told me to sit down and listen to him. So I did. He told me they received a phone call this morning that grandma had passed last night. There’s no way she passed away because I saw her with my own eyes, I recognized her scent, and everything. It’s 18 just not possible. Then I remembered what she told me last night. “She went home” I whispered. “Yes, exactly sweetie. She is home, safe and sound.” After that day, I began to grow to miss her. She was such an important person in my life, now she’s gone. But as every day passes, I feel her presence as though she is watching over me. This is why I believe in life after death. “I Believe in Being a Jew” Simona Levin ENG 066 I believe in being a Jew. How could I not be a Jew when my ancestors died in Auschwitz? How could I not be a Jew when my ancestors fought against the Nazis? How could I not be a Jew when my family suffered at the hands of Stalin? How could I not be a Jew when my family risked everything to leave communist Russia? How could I not be a Jew in a free America? As I walk through the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., I see the countless images of people who had died in misery, agony, and torture for merely being a Jew. Those images had been my very own family members. As I look at the pictures of Jews getting lined up to go to the gas chambers, I see images of my grandmother’s little cousins standing in that line. I hear their names “Asta and Bella” being called by their mother for the very last time. As I approach the end of the museum, I continue to see images of the brave, daring, and committed soldiers who fought against the Nazis in World War II. I remember the numerous stories my grandparents told me about how many members of my family had never come back from the war or came back severely wounded. How committed they were to fight the ultimate evil. 19 As I read my grandmother’s memoirs, I learn about Stalin’s crimes against his own people and his crimes against the Jews. I can understand the pain in her writing—growing up without a father when he was sent to a Soviet prison for being an innocent man. Because of this, my great-grandmother was labeled an “enemy of the people.” Many of my relatives lost their jobs over their religion. My grandparents as well as my parents left the Soviet Union in the 1970s. At that time, it was very risky to leave as a political refugee, because everything could have been taken away from them including their children by the Soviet regime. They came to the United States with only a few suitcases in hand. Without any chance to ever come back or see their family again. As I sit here in my room, typing this essay, I come to see how easy it is for me to be a Jew in America. How I, compared to my ancestors, can go to the temple on high holidays and practice my religion. I can wear a Jewish star on my neck and be proud to be a Jew. I can learn about my Jewish heritage without any fear. Through all pain and suffering of previous generations, I believe in being a Jew. 20 SONG LYRIC REDUCTION POEMS In a song lyric reduction poem, writers create their poems from popular music or poetry; others are simply inspired by these songs or poems. First, these writers took the lyrics and cut out about half of the words in the song. Then, they did this a second time. It was important that each writer maintained the meaning of the original song while choosing the words that were removed. In Ilya’s poem, she took one line from a previously published poem and generated her own based on one line from the original—somewhat different from the rest of poems presented here. In both instances, not only will writing these types of poetry provide an exercise in creative thinking, but they also help students improve their ability to find the main idea of a passage, use accurate word choice, and create summaries of their own. Inspired by Langston Hughes’ “Dream Deferred” Ilya Melinikos ENG 084 Does it stink like rotten meat when I tell you I can’t help? Do you feel like you’re ashamed when I say what’s on my mind? Does your wine help you forget when you drink it all the time? Inspired by Jay-Z’s “Young Forever” Jalin Sead ENG 074, 084 Heaven can wait let us live forever, Without a wrinkle in today cuz there is no tomorrow. Fear not die, I’ll be alive for a million years, my name shall be passed down to generations I’ll be here forever. 21 Inspired by Demon Hunter’s “Deteriorate” Courtney Baldwin ENG 074, 084 Time has had its way with me. My broken tired hands can’t build a thing. The wires that have held me still embedded now in flesh to find my will. The idle of my days is won, the empty I have fed has made me numb, despite what you will find in me. The failures of my past just swirl beneath. I need a heart that carries on through the pain when the walls start collapsing again. Awaiting my end breathing in the day that finds me new. Redemption begins bleeding out the flaws in place of you. Inspired by Type O-Negative’s “Dead Again” Mike Finch ENG 066 The first to admit—I’m a doomed drug addict No excuse for drug abuse Said these lines a thousand times Please make me smile if you learn from my trial I’ll pay this price maybe saving your life The pickup’s easy but the putdown’s rough Up the nose or tap a vein I had no pulse last time I checked There are some things worse than death I can’t believe I died last night—Oh God I’m dead again I can’t believe I died last night—I’m fucking dead again Inspired by Shayne Ward’s “Breathless” Natalia Miranda ENG 066 If your love was a fairy tale, To an island where we’d say I do. It’d be so beautiful if that came true. You leave me breathless. You just walked out of one of my dreams. You’re something special, But all I can do is try every day of my life. 22 Inspired by Don Trip’s “Letter to My Child” Jhony Cambisaca ENG 066 I want to see my baby. And I see him for one hour— For one day a week. I love you, my baby. I’ll see you in court. You’ll be next to me, my baby. I will get you out. 23 THE SURVIVAL GUIDES Students in select sections of ENG 066: Foundation of College Reading & Writing, ENG 074 College Reading were given a task during their last week of classes. They had to reflect upon their experience in their course, particularly the areas where they succeeded, struggled, and what role they played in these experiences. Then, they had to write down these responses for future students to read and benefit from these experiences. Additionally, students from select sections of FS 101: Freshmen Seminar began writing their own “survival guides” in response to those published in the 2011-12 edition of Passage. From the Students of ENG 066 (Spring 2012 and Fall 2012 semesters) This selection takes the form of a Question & Answer session with selections from the student responses. What advice do you have about the course professors and the course itself? “I made sure I stayed on top of my school work. Not only does that mean complete all the school work on time, but also attending class every day assigned as well as studying outside of class. Professors take attendance and can tell how hard a person is trying in their class. A student must attend class to stay on top of his or her school work. Personally, I made sure I went to every class; after all I was paying for it. Attending class also kept me astute with my work. I was always up to date with the class discussion or lectures and never had to worry about catching up.” “At the beginning of the semester, many classmates and I often waited until the last minute for an assignment. I learned to focus on my assignments earlier, which really helped me out in the long run. The quality of my work improved enormously. I began to get the grades I wanted, which were essential to my success.” 24 “High school teachers and college professors teaching styles are very different. High school teachers do not ask you to fix a specific paragraph or your introduction. And that’s what I found from being in ENG 066. A few mistakes can make an impact on your essays. My professor was helpful on what should and shouldn’t be on essays. My professor’s detailed feedbacks really helped me understand what I did wrong with errors and how I should correct them.” What were some of the positive aspects of the course, and what were some ways students were successful? “Talking to your instructor and using e-tutoring.org are the best places you should look for help and support in this course. Whenever you have a question or do not understand anything, after class talk to your instructor. Also, check your instructor office hours and email. When you have that set an appointment to speak to him or her and if you are too shy or scared to speak to him or her directly, email is a great way to communicate. Another great source that is provided to all students is e-tutoring. With e-tutoring you can submit your essays to be read by other instructors and give you feedback on your essay. This is a great support to have, because you can submit the same essay up to three times.” ‘I honestly enjoyed interacting with my classmates. I definitely enjoyed that the most from class.” “I found the tutors and e-tutoring very useful for my essays. I used e-tutoring whenever I had an essay due and when I had to pick my essays for my final portfolio. The tutor helped me pick out 25 errors in my essay that I never picked up on my own. I was glad the instructor recommended these services.” “The time that was most enjoyable was when I was able to make an essay that I was very proud of, and to be able to reflect on the progress I have made from the beginning of the semester.” What were some of the most difficult parts of ENG 066, and where did you see students struggle? “One of the most difficult aspects of this course is the workload you will receive. Our professor did not make it easy on us during the semester. Homework was assigned that did not take fifteen minutes do. Homework can take up to an hour or more to do. Also learning time management is another hard aspect of the course. You have to be able to balance working hours and school work. This course is a full-time job and demands your full attention.” “In all I’m not saying this course is hard and I’m not saying it is easy but what I’m saying is that it is all worth working hard for. Which is the one things I would’ve liked to have known before taking this course that a lot of time and effort NEEDS to be put in at all times in order to do well in ENG 066, which I learned the hard way. Your professors will make sure they push you to become successful and you may not like it but in the end it is all worth the hard work.” “Being late, absences, leaving class early and not turning in work on time are some behaviors that led students to be unsuccessful in this class. Being late prevents you from hearing important announcements. Every important announcement is announced at the beginning and end of class. Therefore, being in class on time the whole time is a must. Also, if any work assignment is no 26 turned in on time, your instructor can’t help guide your work in the right direction. You are not obtaining that feedback that the instructor gives back with every assignment turned in on time.” “There was something’s that I realized that made students unsuccessful in this class. One of them was never doing work. In the beginning of the semester the class had a lot of students; toward the end nearly half the class dropped the course. Some students would just come whenever they felt like it and then they would be behind with work. They wouldn’t know when assignments were due nor if we had any assignments handed out.” “Procrastination never works; the work will just keep building up in the future until you can’t take it anymore.” “The most important thing someone needs to know and realize as a student is to get help when you need it. When it comes to ENG 066 the biggest thing you will do is write, with that being said as student you need to make time to go to the writing center, it’s a place on campus that gives you the much needed input to improve your essay and help you to edit your argument so its clearer to your readers.” What was it like moving from either high school or the work place to college? “The workload had to be the biggest change from high school to college. During high school, the workload wasn’t enough and I felt that I wasn’t prepared for college. Once I started college, the classes were hard, but I managed to stick with it and keep up with my work.” 27 “The biggest change coming from high school to college is seeing all of the new students in the same class as you. Especially if none of the students went to the same school as you. It’s always hard making new friends in a new environment, but if you put yourself out there, you’re bound to make some new friends.” “Being away from school for many years made for a tough change. I was worried all the time how I would do. But I kept at it all the time, and after a while, things just started to fall into place.” Final Thoughts? “Hard work can put you high in the gradebooks. Hardwork can help you become a better learner. And also keep in mind that passing this class will bring your closer to your school goals and career. So its an obligation to work hard and make sure all the work is done.” From the Students of ENG 074 (Spring 2012 and Fall 2012 semesters) This selection takes the form of a letter from students of the past to students of the future! We were thrilled to finally be able to share our experience in ENG 074, and provide a reflective guide for future students. Even though we were faced with various challenges throughout the semester we are now capable of thinking, reading, and analyzing information critically. The skills we learned, such as how to read and think with purpose (including various studying and note taking skills), recognizing author’s patterns, and formulating main ideas, are essential and can be utilized in future classes and in life. 28 The first thing to do well in ENG 074 is to attend class. Sometimes things come up but attending class and getting material is one of the most important things to do. If the class has to be missed for anything serious or if something comes up at the last minute, EMAIL YOUR PROFESSOR! Your professors have a tendency to get back to you in a speedy manor as long as the emails come at a reasonable time. They are very understanding when it comes to class, but missing class will still hinder what they taught for the days. If you take the time to learn as they have taken the time to teach you will do well in this class. Leaving high school or the working world, and making the transition to college is not easy. First, we had to mentally readjust to the new environment and requirements of college. High school and college are very different. Some differences that we noticed were the workload, what is required, and what is acceptable distinguishes college from high school. In high school what would be considered an ‘A’ or a pass would actually receive a lower grade in college. In high school, we were required to write, reason, or share just small amount of information, or information that gives only touches the suface. On the other hand, in college, we were required to give more in depth information, and also provide support. Another change coming from high school to college was responsibility and being more independent. College is a choice and it’s up to you whether or not you come to class and complete the work. You won’t have someone on your back making sure you hand your work in or pressuring you to come to class. It’s your own responsibility as an independent person to push yourself further ahead. Those of us coming from a third world country found it was a bit difficult adjusting to doing work online and throughout the semester it seemed as if we were always on Black Board completing blog responses. However, to be successful in this course completing those responses 29 were essential to getting a check. I took the online work seriously, and was able to get nothing less than a check on all responses. One thing that was very helpful was just coming to class open-minded and finding a good side to everything we were being taught. If I engaged in the discussion, participating and trying my best to understand I usually got a pretty good result and understanding and it clearly showed on my homework assignments. Not understanding a concept is perfectly ok. What is not ok is not doing anything about it. I told myself I would get all of my homework done all the time and I did. Lucky for me all of the activities and discussions were based on the homework so I was always participating and involved in the class because I did what I was supposed to do. My professor plans everything out, all of the activities and homework assignments led up to something. Not one assignment was pointless because we all did an activity or a homework assignment for a reason. What I also enjoyed most about the class was that it is very active in and out of class as some online learning gets put into the class as well. In class we would take the learning outcomes and apply them in fun ways to help us practice and become consistent in our reading. Group work was also helpful in the course. If you do not understand something you could always discuss the subject you are having trouble with within your group and get input from others. I would recommend you have a “study buddy” in class, an exchange phone numbers with your “study buddy.” Once you walk through that front door and class has already started, put your phone away, take your headphones off and walk to your seat. Don’t try and be sneaky and slip a text in because your professors will see you. You may think they’re just talking to the class not worrying one bit about you but they are. Trust me and my classmates. 30 I noticed a lot of people dropped out of this class or stopped showing up, because they couldn’t handle it, was fed up, or felt it was too much work. But, they didn’t realize they took the wrong way out, they gave up. You never give up. This class may seem hard but when you finally finish the work given, weight gets lifted off of your shoulder. I can be honest, I wish I tried a lot harder in this class. Maybe I have to give it another found to show I can do it. But take this advice and do what you have to do. We are all adults. You’re going to college to follow YOUR dreams and be who YOU want to be. You’re not doing this for anybody but yourself. Good luck! Surviving Freshmen Seminar 101 John Torres ENG 084, FS 101 As I sat waiting for the start of my freshman seminar class which is the third class I would be taking on Tuesdays and the second class on Thursdays not knowing what to expect was part of the thrill. Now that I face the end of my semester and the end of this class I am proud to say I have learned a lot about myself, other students and the professor as well. This class helped to open up a new world for me, a world I didn't think I would ever belong to, a world of writing, reading and knowledge. In the next couple paragraphs I would like to reflect on some of the steps I took to hopefully pass this class and also share a little advice for new comers to Freshman Seminar. First off I would like to say that doing the work that is asked of you is one of the most important strategies one can use while in this class and having an open mind. Do not be afraid to try new things and talk to new people, ask questions all the time, when your lost on something, when your behind, ask as many questions as you need to get the information you need. The most 31 difficult aspect of this course to me was opening up to strangers and giving information about my life freely to this course, the student body and my professor. Once I got over the initial fear everything started to run very smooth for me. The easiest aspect of this course for me was the writing, sometimes it is easier to open up and divulge such personnel information onto a paper rather than speaking out loud. Do not get me wrong, there will be times when the professor will ask the students to be ready to speak in front of the class. This was made easier by the students I had around me which reminds me to tell you also that the students around you will be another key factor in success not only in this class but in the future as well and by my professor who has shown me that we all have the power to change our learning habits and overcome our fears. Me being a 33 year old student that came to school after 16 years on the work force can honestly tell you that the biggest change for me is that here in school you will be tested to do more than you thought you could and pushed to do your best. See at work one can usually hand off what is expected of them to a co-worker or someone who is willing to pick up the slack but here in school your grades and future solely depend on you. If you are honest with yourself and are willing to do the work then the rest will follow. This class to me is truly the obstacle I needed to get me to realize that there are open doors for everyone but one must reach out and find the help because it will not just come to you. I found in this class most helpful to me was that this class taught me to not judge a book by it's cover. Meeting the younger students for the first time I assumed they were all going to be the same immature kids I used to know back in high school but to my surprise that was not the case at all. Now I look at them with respect and I see before me some of the smartest kids I have ever known who all have such great potential to be anything they want to be in life. Beware, there are some behaviors one must avoid to be successful in this class and in life. One such behavior is not 32 showing up which is crucial to succeeding but also another is do not let the work pile up on you. If one lets the work pile up to the last second then you will be overwhelmed and that is a quick way to failing. The one thing I would have liked to know before entering this class is all the reading that is involved. One last thing I want to remind any and all students who will be attending the freshman seminar class is please pay attention to detail and read all instructions thoroughly. I fell victim to not paying attention to detail and missed a whole page on my midterm test and well that did not help my grade at all. Never would I have thought that I would meet an author with the accolades such as Nobel Peace Prize Winner, War Veteran and founder of many great organizations for youths as Wes Moore. The only reason I had the amazing opportunity to meet such a great man was because the hard work I put in and for my professor pushing me to strive for more than just ordinary. 33 OPEN SUBMISSIONS In addition to many of the more structured submissions, Passage also encourages open submissions from students. These may include fan fiction pieces, poems, or in-class assignments students are especially proud of writing. “Wind Chimes” Gracie McConnaughy ENG 074 Solely, the wind whispers a memory Shh, the silence lets time in the grass stand still Pretending the wind can take me, as green thimbles frost my spine I can’t help but smile when our laughter, smiles, divine grey eyes meet I am a lost youth, giggling with no path built Remember when our tears fell from laughter due to bruised knees, The laughter we cried from the silhouettes of our dreams? Solely, the wind blows away the misery Dancing leaves flow like a currant’s song beside the ocean Like your divine whispers tickling my ears; I am a giggling youth, guideless in revolt. Remember when my touch was gross due to my cooties, When my mom had to wipe the tears away? Your eyes bring the smiles from our youth to life. Solely, the wind starts a symphony Where the rain will wash sorrow away The rainbow carries your smile so soon it to come And we can breathe the air we knew as kids The chiming dance in your hands lets me recall the wind Like “Saria’s Song”, always taking my breath away. “How My Son Vernon Changed My Life” Vivan Dennis ENG 066 My son changed my life. He came into this world is Vernon Anthony Dyer and he left is Vernon Anthony Dyer. Vernon died April 28, 2005; we buried him May 5, 2005. That is when my life changed. He was born November 11, 1979 on Veterans Day. However, he was a preemie, weighing 5 lbs. 5 oz. My life changed that; I just didn't know it at time. On April 28, 34 2005 around 8:30 PM the phone rang. Jazz number, Vernon's daughter, who was just four years old and I were watching TV. I answer the phone. It was Jesse's mother. I heard crying then Shimon's words to me were mommy, Vernon got shot. I was 21 years old one Vernon was born. It was a hard year for me. My mother had just passed away, and my pregnancy was high risk. Yet, when he was born November that day he made a difference in my life, from the first moment when I looked at him. I knew that my life would never be the same. He was the first son to make me a grandmother, the first and leave his leave home on his own, and the first one to go to prison. With Vernon it was always something new and outrageous. His inspiration taught me how to enjoy life. What I would be feeling sad he would make me laugh so hard that I would cry. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, my son gave me courage to go on with life and continue living. During this frightening times he had to say quote we're going to ride this train until the mother talking wheels fall off!" Vernon went with me every step of the way he told me that I was going live a long healthy life. The things that he would say to me empowered me. Things like I was his Nubian Queen – the smartest woman in the world. However he begged me to go back to school. He is my inspiration to do exactly what I'm doing today – I'm back in school. On that terrible night of April 28, 2005 at about 9:30 PM I went to Harlem Hospital. When I got there the doctors told me my son had flatlined three times. Vernon passed away 11 PM. I got to see with the hospital for the very last time. My son was already gone but I sat with my son and talked to him. I asked Vernon what was I going to tell the kids? What was I going to tell Jesse? What was I going to say when the children asked me, “Grandma where is my daddy?" To this day, I can still hear myself asking him these questions – how do you tell a child that their 35 father is gone? I didn't know he could hear because he was already gone. I promised him that I would take care of his daughter's long as I have breath my body. That is when the real changes begin. The death of my son made me stronger, I believed in myself, and I became wiser and more possessive of my loved ones. Four months after the funeral we had to move out of New York City because of Vernon's death; there were too many reminders and painful memories for the family. So we moved to Norwalk, Connecticut Jesse went to Jefferson elementary school and onto poetess Ridge middle school. I continue working in New York for my uncle and the security business taking care of everybody and everything except myself. I felt myself grieving, but would not allow myself to grieve in front of anyone, however no one ever saw me break down. My son's death is a tragedy, I call it a gift. Why people mask? Is because his death enhances the life of my family. His daughter Jasmine is doing well in school, as for me I went back to school to get my GED. Although Vernon always said that I am a strong black woman, I did not know how strong! But I am intending Norwalk community college, getting my Associates degree in business like my son wanted me to do. I'll be opening up my own security business soon, thanks to my son. I also have a nice home – something that he would've bother me if he had lived. However, I am renting. If we had remained in the city, none of these things would've happened. Vernon gave me the strength to do all these things. We have our own private angel looking out for us. This year, this month, this week, is the seventh anniversary of Vernon a Dyer's death. My family is having a very hard time this year, especially his daughter, I don't know why this year so hard for us, but it is. As a parent this is what I would like every parent to do: hug and kiss your children and tell them that you love them and be there for them for tomorrow may be too late. 36 “A Wake Up Call” By Alberto Elvir ENG 066 Life is one precious gift, therefore we must all the right steps to make the right choices. Growing up in this generation is very difficult, and most the times it all depends on how we want to live our life. Life can be threatening and when it comes on situations like that is when people realize who their for them to make a difference. I love the situation would change my life entirely, for one night all the sudden everything got out of control, and the life of me and my brother were being threatened by people who thought we were our friends. Quote trust no one but yourself" is a saying used by teens as they grow up, they figure out its real meaning and relevance, and sometimes tragic but that is when people have to make the choice of what kind of life they will put themselves in. February 13, 2010 was a data change my life. I lost my brother tragic event. He was shot two times in his life instantly. I was also hurt by the same people but in a different way. I spent a couple of months in the hospital. I wrote that day like it was yesterday, I had a weird feeling that it was just not my day. My brother and I just got out of the car wash and we're doing inside cleaning the car near our house when all of a sudden another car pulled over next to us, there were a few people in the car but only two of them stepped out asking for something we didn't know. They probably thought we were not telling the truth, but we were. A fight began between my brother and one of the guys who stepped out. I tried to help him in any possible way I could, but I had another guy to deal with at the moment. Everything happened in less than 3 min. I was first picked up, I was stabbed one time. After that the last thing I saw before going into shock because of losing a lot of blood, was my brother dropping to the ground. People were around the place screaming for someone to call 911. My brother was 37 only 20 years old and what I regret the most was not named to do a little more for him that day. I'm still wondering why they shot him, why not to do something less harmful. We were not doing anything to anyone, but I can't say we're angels either. I don't think anyone should be treated like we were that day. It's hard losing someone that has been there since day one and ever since that happened I decided I didn't want to end up the way my brother did. I made a choice to change my life completely and so far worked out for me. School and family are now my priorities, I decided to step out of everything I've been involved in, not because of me, but because I was bringing more worries my family. Also the last thing a man wants to see a mother cry, I do well and mother to go through the same thing again. Now I think about it, see the differences in me, there are better things out there to do that I want to do the haven't got the chance. For example I want to travel and make better friends. I would've never thought I'd see myself or am right now at this point my life, it hasn't been easy, but I can't complain either. Life is beautiful; I have plan to do so many things in the future but I know in order to get what I want I must do the right thing I saw that being in the street was no place for me, that I needed to spend my time doing things that are going to benefit me in the future and to have a new type of friends. Life is full of lessons that no matter how difficult they get we must learn and take advantage of them to make a positive result from others who choose not to. I had to go through a hard situation but somehow it was like a wake up call. I don't need any bad influence in my life anymore. 38 THE LITERARY MAGAZINE OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES DIVISION NORWALK COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING 2013, vol. 7