From the Heart:

The Torch BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

From the Heart:

IGNITING STUDENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TORCHBCC.COM

VOLUME 21 ISSUE 1

Latino Heritage at BCC

Joseph Cirilo Contributing Writer

As part of BCC’s Latino Heritage Celebration, Isolda Peguero, National Correspondent of the New York Bureau for the Telemundo Network, graced the Moses Family Meeting and Training Center at the Technology Building on Sep. 16 to talk to Bergen students about her life, her struggle as a Hispanic-American, and why you should never give up on anything that inspires you. Miss Peguero made it abundantly clear that she would not be reading from a pre-prepared speech, or even from notecards, but rather “...from the heart…” to best convey her message. The entire room was silently wrapped in her every word as she told us the life story of a DominicanAmerican’s struggle to attain success in the modern world both as a Latina and a woman. Early in life, Isolda recalled her grandfather teaching her that people on television were there because of a preconceived notion of beauty in order to persuade her not to pursuitand potentially fail- a broadcasting career. For some, this might have prompted a considerable degree of thought to imagine other more practical careers for themselves, but not Peguero. Although she understood his words were to protect her, she

turned that negativity into a positive reinforcement and went in with highminded goals, and great expectations. “Be disciplined, believe in yourself...and embrace your failures,” Isolda told the audience during her speech. “It makes you review yourself internally, so that you can do it again and be triumphant.

Isolda Peguero, Photo courtesy of Larry Hlavenka Many a Bergen student, and any college student at that, has at one point or another faced these challenges in his or her life, felt touched and inspired by her words, both Latino and otherwise. Isolda Peguero represents what can be accomplished by sheer strength of will and perseverance, and as a keynote speaker for the Latino Heritage Celebration, reminds us how to overcome adversity, and our own self-doubt. BCC’s Vice President of (need to get her official title inserted here) Dr. Naydeen Gonzales-de Jesus,

expressed how moved she was by Mrs. Peguero’s story because it reminded her that her sense of determination, pride, commitment, and never giving up was instilled by her mother and other strong Latinas that she grew up with. As an accomplished Latina herself, Dr. Gonzales-de Jesus identified with Mrs. Peguero’s message of struggles coming to this country. “We are part of a rich culture and tradition that surpasses centuries, kingdoms, tribes, and even clans, and we should be very proud of that” added an emotional Gonzales-de Jesus. In addition to Mrs. Peguero’s presentation, the following are some other important dates that will commemorate Latino Heritage Celebration: September 27th, Latin Night out, at the Hackensack campus, starting at 5pm. October 10th, LASA Take Back the Night, at the Student Center, starting at 6:30pm. October 14th, Jose Antonio Vargas, Pullitzer prize winning author and immigration reform advocate, at the Ciccone Theatre at 1:45 pm. and last but not least a Latin Heritage Dinner, starting at 6:00 pm in room Tec-128 at the Tech building on October 17th. While we carry on this month and the entire Fall semester, we should reflect on Isolda Peguero’s kind words, and carry them with us in everything that we do, remembering always that it’s okay to fall down, as long as you pick yourself back up and try again.

The Judith K. Winn School of Honors

Brandon Reis Co-Editor

Did you know that Bergen has an Honors program? According to a recent poll taken on-campus, most students are completely unaware, and those who are have little to no idea

“The program offers students nearly two dozen Honors level courses each semester ranging from art, music, and philosophy to math, English, and science.”

where to find it or who to contact. Well, look no further, you scholars, you; The Judith K. Winn School of Honors is going to change your life. So what is the Honors program and why should you be a part of it? Named after one of Bergen Community Colleges favorite past presidents, Dr. Judith K. Winn, the Judith K. Winn School of Honors

Opinion

is an academic program offering courses for all qualifying students, which include incoming freshmen, transfer, and continuing students. The program offers students nearly two-dozen Honors level courses each semester ranging from art, music, and philosophy to math, English, and science. Classes are more interactive and geared towards student success, and each class has a max of twenty students, keeping things nice and personal. Every Honors course is shown as such on your transcript, and at 18 Honors credits, students qualify to graduate with an Honors diploma, only further increasing their potential to succeed and transfer to some of the nations top universities like Rutgers, NYU, Columbia University, and many others! What does it take for you to qualify for the School of Honors? The fact is, you may already be enrolled. If you’re GPA is 3.4 or higher, you are already qualified to take Honors courses! If not, a 3.4 is what you will need in order to be considered. Once eligible, all you have to do is log in to your Portal and search and register for Honors level courses; and to make the deal even sweeter, Honors students get priority registration and are not

required to pay a fee for adding and dropping Honors level courses. Could you even ask for more? Yes? Good – because there’s more. For those who want to be more directly involved, the Honors Association is a student-led initiative that works alongside the School of Honors to promote the mission and objectives of the School of Honors, as well as create opportunities for its students through events and activates both on and off campus. Among these are seminars and workshops, trips to top local universities, and scholarly conferences, just to name a few. And let’s not forget about The Honorary, the monthly newsletter publication made available to all Bergen students. These newsletters are filled with Professor and student highlights, event schedules, updates and reminders, and all other things Honors! You have the information, now the rest is up to you; all it takes is a bit of dedication and a desire to succeed. So what are you waiting for? Prove yourself. **For more information, visit www.bergen.edu/Honors or find them on Facebook at Judith K. Winn School of Honors at Bergen Community College.

Student Life’s Backbone

SEPTEMBER 2013

Pepe Romero News Editor

Bergen Community College named a long standing member of Student Life staff as the Coordinator for Student Development: Greg Fenkart. Greg, a Bergen County native out of Midland Park High School, possesses an English Major with a certification in Criminology from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, and a multidisciplinary Liberal Arts Master degree from Ramapo College. By his own admission, it was perhaps the diversity courses that he took as a graduate student that helped him prepare best for his current position.

Greg Fenkart, Coordinator for Student Development Tania Boghossian // The Torch Behind his innate shyness there is an extremely approachable individual with a keen understanding of the student body at BCC. As he explains, ‘traditional students, 18 year olds out of high school’ do not make up the majority of those attending our institution, and he cites ‘economics’ as the biggest hurdle for students to overcome. It is exactly out of all the demands that students face, such as work, family, and other responsibilities, that Mr. Fenkart is left to address the biggest challenge in his position: student involvement. As Coordinator for Student Development, student graduation remains the number one objective of his. However, his main task is to put together a ‘fully developed student life program’ that brings ‘variety’ and ‘keeps people on campus’. He also deals with Student Government and all other clubs, therefore, cultivating leadership skills are a main focus to his method. According to one of his peers, Juhi Bhatt -Coordinator of Judicial Affairs and Student Information / CTE Counselor- says of Greg (as he prefers to be called), that she has ‘never worked with a more dependable, reliable and compassionate individual’ in her life. By the same token, he had a particular noteworthy impact on former SGA VicePresident Michelle Soto. Miss Soto, who worked ‘closely’ with him, explains that he is the ‘backbone’ of Student life at BCC and she is ‘proud to call him my mentor’. For all intents and purposes, it seems like we are all fortunate that he is the man in charge of his job.

Features

Sometimes the Grass is Greener on the

Sandy: Artists Respond to a Superstorm - centerfold

Other Side - p. 4 Using Rate my Professor: How Reliable? - p.4

BCC Tutors: Explaining the Most Important Service at BCC - p. 11

iPhone 5 VS Galaxy S4 - p. 10

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the torch

News

VOLUME 21 ISSUE 1 | SEPTEMBER 2013

BCC: There’s an App for That Brandon Reis Co-Editor

With the school year now in full bloom, there has never been a more perfect time for a bit of a revolution. Whether you are a new or continuing student at BCC, you know how difficult it can be when you first arrive on campus and have littleto-no idea where anything is. Adapting to a new environment is only natural, so we do; we rely keenly on our sense of direction, the kindness of others, and even a bit of educated guessing to get to our destinations. Of course, there are the maps at specific points around campus, but having to find even those can be a problem if you don’t know where you are to begin with. This frustrating and outdated way of life has come to be the norm for Bergen students over the year -until now. It has changed the way students will access information forever, and the best part? It was created by one of BCC’s very own students. Jorge Rivera-Schreiber, a Computer Science major here at BCC, sips his tea as he shares his incredible story, his TEDx presentation, and a student project he created known simply as “I’mBCCApp” over our Skype video-call. It stands for “I’m Being Connected to College App,” he says excitedly. Arriving in the United States as an international student from Peru a little over two years ago, Jorge’s dream was and continues to be set on becoming a mobile app developer. Once situated into his new environment in the States, Jorge started to pursue ways in which he could become more involved on campus. He joined the Computer Science Club and the International Student Association, both of which he ran and was elected Vice President. He also applied and was hired as a Peer Mentor for the 1-2-3 Connect: First Year Experience program. Right

Screenshots from the BCC App. Courtesy of Jorge Rivera-Schreiber. from the start, he noticed that even though BCC was the largest community college in New Jersey, its system of providing students with information left much to be desired, and, seeing an opportunity, he decided to combine his dream, his creativity, and his skills, to create a student project that is not only improving on one of Bergen’s biggest problems, but has also inspired the college itself to begin creating an official Bergen Community College App. Having no knowledge of the programming language needed to create the application, Jorge first had to learn this language, called Objective C. Beginning in the summer of 2012, Jorge spent the next eight months developing his application, using what skills he had as well as those that he learned while continuing to study at Bergen, to implement, improve, test, and perfect his masterpiece. He conducted surveys and research on campus and discovered that students as well as faculty/staff were in

need of this application. What resulted overall was an extraordinary way for BCC students to stay informed, and its creator is very happy with the project so far. The application features full-color maps of all the main buildings on the Paramus campus, as well as information on class cancellation, campus contacts, access to the BCC mobile library, and a direct contact to the developer himself. It is currently available for the iPhone and iPad in the App Store, but will not be around for long. As the college develops the official app, ImBCCApp will be taken out of the App Store, so only those who have downloaded it beforehand will still be able to access it. An application for Android phones can also be expected in the future. For most of us, Bergen is simply a twoyear stepping-stone. We take classes, go home, and repeat; we get our degrees, and move on to the next leg of our journeys without ever looking back. Granted, there’s nothing wrong with that, but there

is sometimes those students who go as far as to use their potential and creative energy to give something back to Bergen. Jorge Rivera-Schreiber is one such student, and he has been inspiring others to do the same. “Bergen has to keep up with technology, among other things, in order to be and continue as a competitive college, and to be appealing for students young and old who are interested in technology and science. I think that mobile-app development is important for the future of any important college or business. The current trend is to be mobile -- constant change and ease of use is what it’s all about.” We could all learn a thing from students like Jorge; instead of complaining when there is a problem, use what you know and have access to in order to create and inspire change for the good of all those around you.

TO VIEW THE ENTIRE TEDX PRESENTATION GO TO: http://youtu.be/_Um52-fqa30

Classes Online, Why Break From The Classic? Blair DeLong Senior Staff Writer

Bergen Community College has always been proud of the quality of the education it provides. Everyone, from the administration to the teaching staff, have gone to great lengths to ensure that all of it’s students educational needs have been accounted for. One of the major changes over the years has been technology and how it is used to help students learn. Now that many households have an internet connection, students can participate in a class from the comforts of their own home through BCC’s virtual classrooms using Moodle. Moodle allows students to take classes from home that they might not have been able to, due to any one of the obstacles today’s degree-seeking students face. Not only has distance learning become a great tool for certain classes where actual attendance isn’t needed, some classes are offered exclusively online. There are so many different reasons as to why a student would incorporate this way of learning over traditional lectures and being on the campus. Students with families to tend for, for example, and of course the ever-present need to work and pay bills. Not everyone can make it to BCC’s campuses at the times that the best classes are offered, and even night classes can pose a problem for students, especially those with small children. Distance learning is perfect for these types of students. Ranging anywhere from single mothers who must work and care for their children but would like to advance in their careers, to twenty-somethings who work multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. Not only can a student work and care for their families, but when night looms, they can now do their reading, homework and online discussions with other students enrolled in the same class, all without having to leave the home, office, or in some cases, the BCC Library. Students across all backgrounds have taken advantage of this opportunity. “With my work schedule, I find it

Valerie Batista // The Torch extremely hard to attend some classes during the day. At least with Moodle, I can take the classes I need for my degree online,” said Paul Kim, a General Sciences major. This is not to say that there is a certain aspect of traditional in-class education that might be lost, whether it is through the interpersonal interactions with other students or having direct access to their professors. Some students find it easier to take classes online rather than be in a classroom environment, however. This is not to say that there are advantages to being on campus too, such as a traditional classrooms not requiring an internet connection or even a computer at all, and that the Moodle system does not come without some flaws. There are times where Moodle can be taken down for maintenance and a student cannot participate in their chosen class or submit homework or papers when needed.

There is also the issue of the students’ Internet service provider that can run into problems, allowing for some glitches in the Moodle system. While no technology is safe from small problems like this, they are constantly being addressed and are thankfully becoming fewer and farther between. As with anything in life, it is your personal choice whether or not to participate in distance learning or the traditional classroom setting; if you would like further information on the Distance Learning program offered at BCC, check out the college’s website, www.bergen. edu, and click on the Distance Learning tab. From there, you will be able to find any and all extra information that you need. Best of luck!

torchbcc . com

The 1-2-3 Connect: First Year Experience Program

SEPTEMBER 2013 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 1

News

Brandon Reis Co-Editor

Over the last couple of years, BCC has been working on a grant-funded project that has now come to be known as 1-2-3 Connect: First Year Experience program. Right from the start, the program began and has continued to be a dedicated initiative, providing first year students who test into remedial Math and English courses the opportunity to connect with a secure network of likeminded students, faculty, staff, and administration with one major goal in mind – ensuring academic success and beyond for all who apply and embrace its principles. In 2010, Bergen received an approved $3.2 million Title-V Grant, the purpose of which is to create and fund an intensive fiveyear, institution-wide program with the goal of improving student academic success and retention. Here’s how it works: remember the placement test we all had to take when we first got accepted? Well, those scores determine whether a student is prepared for college-level math and English courses. If so, they go straight into those courses and the rest is history. For those who are deemed ineligible, however, several courses are offered in each subject based on their scores. This is where 1-23 Connect comes in; as soon as a student receives their grade and is told they are ineligible

Photos courtesy of http://bergen.edu/ a Peer Mentor, explains their scores and invites them to watch a presentation given about the program. The student is then given the chance to sign up for the program or can decide against it completely. If they decide to go for it, they are given access to many advantages that other first-year students are not. Among these are one-onone advising, registration, and

class scheduling. Students are also given access to the 1-23 Connect team, comprised of a growing network of BCC administrators, faculty, staff, and students. During the summer, 1-2-3 Connect students are taken through a more interactive student orientation, which includes Moodle and Portal training and Q and A’s with Professors and other professionals. As part of

the curriculum, students are required to take a two-part course throughout their first year (two semesters), as well as their remedial courses. These courses, dubbed Success 101 and Success Practicum respectively, involve teaching students useful skills such as time management, professional etiquette, emotional intelligence, and even leadership and career skills that are

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absolutely vital in today’s competitive job marketplace. Students are also paired with a Peer Mentor, a seasoned Bergen student hired on the basis of their bright personalities, willingness to serve, and knowledge about the in’s and out’s of life at BCC. Students meet with their mentors on a regular basis and are given advice and tips on everything to classes, club and activities, and even personal advice. All Peer Mentors are trained in Mental Health and First Aid, only further contributing to their immense benefit and potential for the first-year student. To top it all off, events are provided throughout the semester, ranging from picnics and sports games to resume-writing workshops, motivational speakers, and other activities that foster a more worthwhile first-experience in college. Now coming into it’s third year, the 1-2-3 Connect: First Year Experience program has grown to become one that offers hundreds of students the opportunity to grow and progress each year, at an appropriate level and speed that almost puts students that aren’t part of the program at a disadvantage. So if you didn’t do so well on the placement test, don’t sweat it; it may have just been the best mistake of your life. For more information on being eligible for the program or about becoming a Peer Mentor, visit Room: A-126, call (201) 447-7873, or email success@ bergen.edu.

Financial Aid: New Students Be Informed

Gabe Wanissian Staff Writer If you’ve wondered what that long line is in the hallway near past the Student Life office in the first floor of the Pitkin Center, its basically procrastination for all to see. Financial Aid gets a bad rep

New students be informed Valerie Batista // The Torch for being “unreliable” or `”impossible”, but fret not, this can be easily avoided if you are prepared with a game plan. For starters, before you even visit the financial aid office, make sure your FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid) was

completely and accurately submitted, preferably online, that way you have information to “work with” in the database if you were to ask any questions at the office. Second, if a visit to the Financial Aid office is required, make sure you bring along any potentially useful forms of paperwork or id along with you, treat this like you were visiting the DMV (We all know that feeling). Also, what may come of use is to ask questions beforehand, whether you call the office (Phone Number can be found on the schools webpage), or if you ask somebody who received/ is receiving financial aid how they got started, any qualified source could come of big help. Lastly, and most importantly, do not wait to the last minute! Not only will the long lines test your patience, but the bombardment of applications may cause your case to get lost in the shuffle, in which you may get a delayed response to where it may be too late to receive benefit for the forthcoming semester. While they may and have assisted people for previously uncovered semesters, taking care of things ahead of time will avoid any potential troubles. Financial Aid is not this elusive thing its made out to be as long as you stay on top of things and perform the necessary actions that are needed to get things going ahead of time, you will get the benefit that you qualify for. Just have some patience.

News

The Torch

THE TORCH, a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the College Media Association, is the official student newspaper of Bergen Community College. The purpose of THE TORCH is to report on the events at BCC and the local community, and to offer the BCC community a forum for expression. The opinions expressed in THE TORCH are not neccessarily those of THE TORCH. All the materials submitted to THE TORCH become property of THE TORCH. RICARDO MONTERO Editor-In-Chief BRANDON REIS Co-Editor

JEFF CARBONE Copy Editor PEPE ROMERO News Editor

ROGER ECHEGOYÉN Features Editor JESSIE CASTELLANOS Sports Editor BRIAN FELIX Layout Editor NATHAN FISHMAN Ad Manager VALERIE BATISTA Photo Editor PROF. LEW WHEATON Advisor

Corrections

The Torch strives for the highest journalistic standards and accuracy. Readers are encouraged to contact us if they find any mistakes in any edition of the Torch.

Editorial and Opinion Pieces

As an open public forum, The Torch welcomes guest opinion pieces and letters to the editor from any member of the Bergen Community College community. Materials should be submitted to [email protected] or delivered to The Torch office, SC-111. Such submissions must include the writer’s name, contact information and affiliation with the college. Students should include their major; faculty and staff should include campus title or position. Opinion pieces are limited to 600 words and letters to the editor to 200 words. The Torch reserves the right to edit and to refuse publication of any submission.

The Torch offices are located in Room SC-111, 400 Paramus Road Paramus, NJ 07652-1595 201.493.5006/5007 [email protected]

Sometimes the Grass is Greener on the Other Side the torch


Ricardo Montero-Hernandez Editor-in-chief

Those who have lived in the United States all their lives and have only known the world because of its cultural diversity have begun to question the importance of the rest of the planet. In a country like the United States – so vast, multidimensional, and advanced – can offer a person anything they could ever want or need… except an appealing vision of the rest of the world. Even with the great blue passport, with the modernized transport technology available in the U.S., some still hesitate to leave the land of the free. Perhaps those individuals do not recognize the importance of seeing different countries, especially when those cultures can be found within the United States. Perhaps the media and yellow journalism about different countries have inflicted a false idea of danger into America’s mind, making Americans hesitate going somewhere else. The “There is nothing out there for me that I cannot find here” ideology is thought to be formed at a young age. Since few World History classes are required at schools, young students are not as intrigued about the world as they should be; American History, on the other hand, is a requirement for almost 9 years of education. This can and does affect a growing child’s sense of importance about other countries and the student can fail to see the opportunities available

Travel the World fdecomite // flickr.com outside of the States, all because of ethnocentrism taught by ignorant adults. I personally know why it is wise to find opportunities elsewhere. I am a Colombian immigrant who arrived in the United States at eleven years old. I went to public school from seventh to twelfth grade and completed my first semester at Bergen Community College by the age of 17. Then summer came, and I decided to go to Colombia until September 2nd, just to see what kind of person the country of Colombia would now see me as. After eight years of absence from my homeland, I was practically a tourist in my own country. Upon arriving, the way I was treated was automatically noticeable. Simply for having an American high school degree, I

was offered a job as a translator for a prestigious college, with a pay that promptly made me forget what minimum wage meant. Strolling into a college that is only a dream for most Colombians, I spoke with a Dean and was immediately guaranteed a job. For a while I thought this strange and sudden behavior was a bit pathetic. I did not like being treated better than usual just because I came from the outside; I did not feel worthy of special treatment, especially when I myself am Colombian. Eventually I realized that the treatment was not due to my American residence, but because of my American education. The simple fact that I had an American high school degree made those around me think that I was admirable and worthy of

respect. I, a simple immigrant with average grades in the U.S. was now a respectable man with a prominent future in Colombia. Overall, this experience has made me develop a plan for my future. I will finish my education in the United States and move out of the country, preferably to South America, and take my pick with the avalanche of opportunities that present themselves for a bilingual American graduate. I am Colombian; imagine how well an American-born professional can do by simply having a degree in English. Even if you do not have a degree or did not graduate, you will do better in other countries, proven by simple math. Given whatever currency is used in your destination, chances are that the dollar is worth more except maybe in Europe. The dollar is worth two Colombian pesos, which means that whatever amount of money you bring with you will automatically be doubled. American minimum wage is more than enough to have a comfortable and stable life elsewhere, and you will not have to worry about struggling to eat. The United States may not be ranked as one of the top 10 educations in the world, but it surely is appreciated as such in certain countries. Whatever your economic or educational profiles are, you can always try your luck at other countries and gain so much more than simple wealth. You are a citizen of the United States, but you are also a citizen of the world, and it is up to you to size up to that title.

Using Rate my Professor:

Gabe Wanissian Staff Writer

How Reliable?

Making classes for some students can be more overwhelming than anything else during the actual semester, and for good reason. “What classes are needed for my Major?” “What classes would benefit me personally?” “Will this fit into my daily schedule?” “Will I regret this decision?” These are all fair questions to ask when making your schedule, but while some decisions need to be made on a personal level, choosing a class with a suitable professor can be one less concern when you schedule your classes through a website called Ratemyprofessor. The website contains a database of reviews of various different professors in all different universities and colleges, including our very own, BCC. Reviews usually contain a short summary of the experience of having the professor along with

scoring Criteria for helpfulness, clarity, and easiness (even a bonus “Hotness” indicator, not that it makes a professor any better) on a scale of 1-5. While this tool seems like a godsend, its scores shouldn’t be taken at face value, as things such as consistency, total number of reviews, and the quality of the reviews themselves could easily create an unfair scoring. Once delving in, you will notice that some of the reviews aren’t written from an objective point of view, as some will give a poor score for the sheer fact that the class subject itself didn’t interest them or that they failed the class, when the quality of the professor seemed to not be the reason for their poor experience. Also count the fact that the Internet always has its share of “trolls” that will hate on nearly anything, and you can end up with a skewed average that may give a false impression on the professor. RateMyProfessor definitely has beneficial qualities and it may be supplemented in your class-making journey, but like all other things that seem too good to be true, you must tread lightly.

Photo courtesy of http://www.ratemyprofessor.com/

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Sandy: Artists Once and Futu

top left: Rhoda Sidney, Survivor Dinosaur, 2013. Digital photograph. bottom left: Susannah Sayler & Edward Morris (The Blair DeLong Senior Staff Writer The Bergen Gallery, BCC’s oncampus art gallery, will be presenting an art exhibition starting October 1, 2013 featuring artwork inspired by last year’s Super Storm Sandy, and will run through December 4. The exhibits will feature unique art styles, from photographs and paintings to sculptures. Superstorm Sandy affected many students at Bergen Community College in one way or another, so this gallery will certainly hit close to home.

Co-Curator Suzaan Boettger, author of Art and the Landscape of the Sixties, said that Marriott Sheldon, a fellow Co-Curator, chose the artwork to be featured for the exhibit by having pieces be sent in across the community along with statements about the work and their significance. These statements will be on display along with the pieces so that the general public can more clearly understand what the artists wish to convey. Not only will the exhibit feature artists such as Greg Brophy and Adam Farcus, but also Susannah Sayler and

Edward Morris, otherwise known as the Canary Project; focusing mainly on environmental issues through their art. On October 15, 2013, there will be a reception gala at the gallery. This event will give the public, students included, a chance to meet the people behind some of the pieces on display. Also featured will be a panel discussion with the artists on Tuesday October 22 from 12:20-1:40 p.m. Both events will be free of charge and are a can’t-miss for students interested in art or the creative process. The inspiration for the exhibit was

the one year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy: “My Co-Curator, Marriott Sheldon and I, both members of the Gallery of Bergen Advisory Committee, each were thinking of organizing an exhibition promoting consciousness of climate change,” said Professor Boettger. With climate change being such a large topic today, this is a relevant way to bring attention to this sensitive subject while also creating exposure for local artists and their works as well.

s Respond to a ure Superstorm

e Carnary Project) Extreme Weather Events XIX: Found Photographs, Staten Island, 2012. Melting in to the Ocean, Greg Brophy. Gelatin silver printd, 8 x 10 inch negative.

Co-Curator Suzaan Boettger, author of Art and the Landscape of the Sixties, said that Marriott Sheldon, a fellow Co-Curator, chose the artwork to be featured for the exhibit by having pieces be sent in across the community along with statements about the work and their significance.

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Features

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BACK TO SCHOOL FASHION

Domenica Pazmino Staff Writer

Back to school fashion at Bergen Community College - Tania Boghossian // The Torch

School is here again, and it’s time to put away your daisy dukes and crop tops, ladies. This new school year means lots of new things, most importantly new clothes to wear during the season. Girls can start up this semester by rocking some of their favorite clothing items -- yes, even that old cardigan that you’ve been keeping for months! There are no rules to follow; it is all about feeling comfortable. As designer Betsey Johnson advises, “Go to school looking like you! Feel comfortable, confident, and happy.” Girls, this school year we get a full variety of fashionable looks to consider. Starting with trends from

Nathan Fishman Ad Manager Gabe Wanissan Staff Writer There were many hit songs this summer. Between “Can’t Stop Us” by Miley Cyrus, “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons, and even “Clarity” by Zedd, this summer’s soundtrack was amazing. Whether at a long day at work, relaxing at the beach, or doing homework during BCC’s summer semesters, this was surely a good season for pop music. However, among even the best of soundtracks, there are standouts, and this summer’s standouts were definitely “Same Love,” “Get Lucky,” and “Blurred Lines.” Starting with the third best song this season, “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, this is a bit of a serious track. Released as part of Macklemore’s and Ryan Lewis’ team-up album “The Heist,” this song took off alongside “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us.” While Macklemore made it mainstream for his simpler catchy songs, “Same Love” saw the Seattle MC show some of his lyrical storytelling by supporting LGBT Rights, while shedding light on the blatant homophobia in the rap community. With the growing support of LGBT Rights; this song found a receptive audience by addressing an important issue

the runway; bold 60’s style prints, 90’s inspired denim pieces, and layered looks are what’s in this season. There’s something to consider for those who love wearing black or muted colors as well, which consists of adding bold pops of color or a fun print that can change any outfit into the fall season easily and effectively. Do you want to add more life to a plain outfit? If yes, then adding accessories to your outfit is definitely a must this school year. Whether it’s a piece of jewelry like some bold bracelets, a vintage necklace, or even a unique pair of shoes! Any piece that you choose will give that final touch to your outfit and make it 100% fashionable.

while throwing down a beat anybody could appreciate. “Get Lucky,” by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams is an electronic song married to a nostalgic 80’s club hit record, and is about a party where girls stay up for fun, and guys stay up to “get lucky.” Daft Punk has not released an album since 2005, and it is a relief that they stayed true to their original sound. Easily the dance track of the summer, you probably heard this if you went to a club or house party. Pharrell not only helped with this song, but was also part of the trio involved with making the number one song this summer: “Blurred Lines.” “Blurred Lines” is what happens when Robin Thicke, T.I. and Pharrell Williams come together to create what many call the summer anthem of 2013, and with good reason. This song has hit the top of the charts for months, and is Robin Thicke’s first #1 hit single. This song has made Robin Thicke the man of the summer, appearing on talk-shows such as “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”. In between Youtube banning the music video for objectionable content and raunchy lyrics, the song developed a certain amount of notoriety. Regardless, this song, a catchy, upbeat tune, rightfully deserves the title of “Song of the Summer.”

Guys, getting rid of your hoodies are a must this season! You want to be presentable for school, but not too professional. Why not try layering a graphic tee with a plaid shirt and pairing it with a straight or slim jean? This works great for fall and will make you feel comfortable and clean. You don’t want to look like you just finished football practice. Here at Bergen we see a huge variety of fashionable choices made by students. At the end of the day, the best choice is whatever makes you feel happy with yourself!

Orgasm Your Way to Graduation

Use the Library responsibly. Emanuele Calianno Staff Writer With classes starting and things picking up the pace, it’s only a matter of time before we all start to fall prey to the timeless problems plaguing us students. With everything from deadlines and exams to the dreaded freshman 15, it’s enough to drive most people to the edge quickly. What is worse is that every year, students resort to ineffective and even unhealthy methods to deal with things. This semester, instead of the usual Xanax/ sleeping pill/gallons of coffee cocktail, why not try a good old fashioned orgasm? According to WebMD, sexual stimulation has been proven time and time again to have incredible medical benefits, improving

your life and health. Many of these benefits are closely related to young adults, having sex is a versatile and amazing remedy to our troubles. Orgasms release a myriad of hormones into the body which do a wide array of wonders to your body. This includes relieving stress, anxiety and fear right before those important deadlines. One of these hormones, known as Oxytocin, is an incredible sleeping pill, helping us get more much needed shuteye. Oxytocin also raises endorphin levels, helping to reduce headaches, illness, even PMS symptoms; eternal sworn enemies of anyone trying to get anything done. As if it weren’t enough, having sex regularly has been linked with higher levels of antibodies, which boost your

immune system and keep you from missing important lectures and exams, due to illness. All that movement also counts as enjoyable cardio, and one of the most fun ways to keep that freshman 15 at bay, but it’s not over. Sex raises self-esteem, mood, improves menstrual health, and increases attention span. At the risk of going on forever, let’s agree that sex is the most powerful medicine in nature, and write ourselves a long prescription of it to help us get that degree we’re all after. Sex also helps slow down aging, improves blood pressure, and reduces risk of prostate and breast cancer. Make sure to keep filling that prescription well after you’ve reached graduation.

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Pushing off Procrastination: How You Can Avoid Putting off Reading this Article.

Tell yourself that you are going to finish one or two tasks a day. Tip 4. Avoid distractions. Find your quiet area and keep it that way. Whatever you do, do not do Every college student is familiar with this assignments in bed, especially when pulling an allscenario: 3:00 AM, working on that English paper nighter. Also, don’t pull all-nighters. For those who you were hearing about for weeks but decided find themselves distracted on the Internet, there instead that “You Only Live Once,” so instead are websites such as RescueTime and OmmWriter of finishing the paper early like you’d planned, that will help you stay on-task. RescueTime is a you are now drinking Red Bull from a keg, and program that runs in the background, logging what your sleep schedule is messed up for the next few you do throughout your day on the computer. It weeks. While this may be a tradition for many will give you a good idea of how much time you college students, it does not have to be. Here are a actually spend ‘working’ and how much time you few tips on how to finish that paper you have been spend on Facebook. OmmWriter, on the other hand, “working on” for the past few weeks. completely closes all other programs and makes Tip 1. Keep up in class. This tip is simple you focus on writing. The basic versions of both enough. Go to class, take notes, and pay attention. these programs are free of charge as well! Review the material learned during the day for Tip 5. Start the assignment as soon as approximately 15 minutes. Even in college, where possible. The number one rule in physics states that classes are generally only twice a week, keeping an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object up with the classes you are taking is an easy way in motion tends to stay in motion. Once you begin to make assignments less frustrating. your assignment, you may find it easier to keep a Tip 2. When assigned huge projects, make rhythm you can work with. sure that you understand what you are doing before Photo courtesy of MCTCampus.com Tip 6. Use punishments. Use this tip you leave class. This tip is obvious but it can’t be especially if you find yourself to be a chronic stressed enough. Even if you are going to start researching tomorrow, it is always better procrastinator. Give a friend you trust a significant sum of cash. Tell them to buy to know you completely understand what is required of you. If you are required to get themselves something nice if you do not follow your schedule. Hopefully, this will hard-to-find materials, for example, take note of that, even if you attempt to write the encourage you to step up your game and write your paper. Either that or your friendship paper the night before it is due, it will be much easier if all the retrieving is done. will improve, because your inability to follow a schedule will result in him/her getting Tip 3. Keep a schedule: Make a list of steps that need to be completed for some really nice stuff. This tip requires that you not be broke and that you have friends. you to finish your project. Useful items on such a list would be things like “Find ten So basically, I can’t use it. sources,” “Write an introduction,” or “Proofread.” Make sure that they are broken down into realistic chunks, based on how many days you have left to finish the project.

Nathan Fishman Ad Manager

Student ID’s,

To Wear or Not to Wear?

iPhone 5 VS Galaxy S4

Jessie Castellanos Sports Editor

Blair DeLong Senior Staff Writer

What would college be like if we all had to wear IDs everywhere? Valerie Batista // The Torch

Every student at Bergen Community College is given a student ID card along with an ID number on it that can be used for various things. This ID proves that you are a registered student at BCC, and with that comes all the amenities afforded to you such as access to the gym, pool, library, and even the college’s Wi-Fi connection. With school security being a concern at any college, however, there might be one more use for them after all. According to the Bergen Community College website, the rise of thefts on campus has risen from 71 in 2007 to 110 in 2011, which suggests a very serious issue. When a student is enrolled at BCC, their ID can be displayed on themselves during their time spent on campus. Not only does this prove that a student is authorized to be at the school and use its facilities, but it will also allow Public Safety and the Bergen County Police Department to better recognize those who do not belong

on campus. With Public Safety being able to identify those whose intentions may be to cause harm to students or faculty/staff, this can keep crime on campus down to a minimum. What about visitors though? This is when Public Safety might get more work added to their staff and issue visitor passes. This standard procedure is commonly used in hospitals and government facilities when an unknown individual is visiting their locations. Though this might be seen as an unnecessary hassle for most, this could stem the tide of campus crime. Students wearing an ID could assist Public Safety in conducting their jobs much more easily by more easily identifying those on campus who don’t belong. It sounds like an inconvenience to most, but the age old question is brought up once again: would you rather be protected by giving up a small amount of freedom?

It’s THE question in mobile tech today: Which is better, the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the iPhone 5? Let’s begin with the specs; The iPhone 5 weighs in at 3.95oz. It’s compact size measures 4.87 inches in height, 2.31 inches wide, 0.30in deep, and a 4 inch screen diagonally. The Galaxy S4 comes in weighing 4.59 ounces, measures 5.38 inches high, 2.74 inches wide, 0.31 inches deep, and has a 5 inches screen. The iPhone 5 includes a retina display, a 1136x640 pixel resolution at 326 PPI, an 8 megapixel camera, 1440 mAh battery, and a Geekbench performance rating of 1647. The Galaxy S4’s main display resolution, a 1920x1080 pixel resolution of 441 PPI, a 13 megapixel camera resolution, 2600 mAh battery, and a Geekbench power rating of 3157. Specs are just half of the experience though; the other half is it’s feel and practicality. If you are looking for simplicity and comfort, iPhone is the phone for you. It isn’t too large and fits very well in your hand, no struggle at all for your thumb traveling across the screen. The phone is laid out so well, you end up experiencing the phone almost effortlessly. The iPhone’s operating system also tends to receive major apps before they are released to the Android Market. The major con is that the simplicity

gets boring. The home button messes up easily, at times needing to be pressed multiple times before getting to the home screen and apps often shut down. After some time you have to make an effort to keep Siri relevant. The Samsung Galaxy is complicated in an enjoyable way. You just want to sit down and figure it out. The phone is also very customizable, all updates happen in the background automatically. All notifications appear on the top of the screen as long as you’re not playing a game or a video; its large screen is great for playing games and watching videos while a removable memory makes it possible to upgrade easily. The Galaxy’s greatest shortcoming is that it can be overly complicated. The air gestures and motion sensors are cool when you first get it but you find yourself using it less and less as time goes on. The “Pause Video” capability when you look away from the screen is flawed and inconsistent. It pauses repeatedly while you are looking at the video and half the time when you look away won’t pause. The layout doesn’t flow effortlessly. At the end of the day, the deciding question should be: Do I want something simple or something more customizable. The choice is inevitably yours to make, so be sure to think about what you need in a phone before you make your choice based solely on how it looks.


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The World Deserves a Better Ending

Roger S. Echegoyen Features Editor The end is nigh! This is the overall mood towards Edgar Wright’s latest installment of The Cornetto Trilogy with fellow chums, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost: “The World’s End.” They first started the trilogy with the zombie romantic comedy “Shaun of the Dead,” and later proceeded with the over-the-top action flick, “Hot Fuzz.” Now, with “The World’s End,” this oddball trilogy concludes the way they started: a group of everyday men battling against extreme odds. Gary King (Pegg) is a man trying to relive a time of his life that he felt truly happy, when as younger men he and his friends embarked on “The Golden Mile,” a pub crawl that would require them to go to twelve pubs, and drink one pint. They failed “The Golden Mile” by the time they reach Pub #9. Gary decides to gather up his old crew on the anniversary of their first attempt, and finally accomplish “The Golden Mile.” Gary rounds up his old mates by harassing them at their jobs, and asks them to join him for the pub crawl. His friends are: Andy (Frost), Oliver (Martin Freeman), Peter (Eddie Marsan), and Steven (Paddy Considise). They reach

Photo courtesy of FOCUS Features the town of Newtown Haven, where they lived in their youth and where the pub crawl is located. They are joined by Oliver’s sister, Sam (Rosamund Pike). They start to notice that the town has changed. Those familiar with the first two entries of the Cornetto Trilogy will love the hijinks in store. For those who are experiencing the Wright, Pegg, Frost collaboration for the first time, the same hijinks may feel like a sharp left turn. Many of the jokes within the film will remind many viewers of the deadpan comedy style from series like Monty Python or The Office (UK). While the film had me laughing, and thrilled me every minute, the conclusion left me disappointed. It seemed rushed, but with a film that tries to integrate an alien invasion with a drinking competition, no wonder the ending felt sloppy and hungover. Overall, The World’s End is an enjoyable and fun film to watch with your mates, and a perfect film to conclude the summer season of blockbusters. Hopefully, this won’t be the last collaboration from Wright, Pegg, and Frost. I give this film a B+.

Features

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Emotionally Attached to Home

Jessie Castellanos Sports Editor Are you a gamer that craves a psychologically compelling story that will keep you wondering? With characters that have enough depth to them that you can actually connect and grow emotionally attached to them, and not to mention an eerie, ominous feeling, The Fullbright Company’s Gone Home is exactly what you fiend for. You play as Kaitlin, the older sister of the Greenbriar family. You’ve been in Europe for a year and go back home to your family. You arrive to a note on the front door; your younger sister, Sam, stating that she is going away and that you’ll see each other again someday. Although you’re playing as the older sister, the story doesn’t revolve around you -- it revolves around your little sister. With the clues left around the house, you must find out what has happened to her The game takes place entirely in your childhood home. Throughout the game you’ll find yourself creating scenarios of what could have happened to Sam, genuinely worrying for her safety. The fact that there are some very unusual items fuels your suspicions.

Photo Courtesy of The Fullbright Company The developers of the game gave the characters life, from the first clues you find, you hear your sister’s voice narrating them, connecting you emotionally to her almost instantly. As if you are reading her diary, you are in the characters mind, trying to understand her and trying to find something that will point you to her location. The artwork was fantastic; the reallife references, the house feeling as if it was calling out to you, and the fact that the game is set in the 90’s, and feels like it too. An interesting addition, this was done since emails and cell phones would have caused a scenario like this to be easily resolved. You are left with notes, cassette tapes, pictures, answering machines, and questionable items to try to fit together what is going on. Although short, this game is worth every penny you spend. A must play 9.5 out of 10.

BCC Tutors:

Explaining the Most Important Service at BCC Nathan Fishman Ad Manager

Valerie Batista // The Torch

Tutors are an important part of the BCC community. Whenever students have trouble with their most difficult classes, a simple trip to the tutoring center will help the student clear up the confusion most of the time. However, how does the Cerullo Learning Assistance Center (CLAC) choose the best peer tutors to supplement the education of Bergen students? I recently went through the selection process, and I can say that it is very thorough. The first requirement for a potential tutor is to do well in the subject that he or she wishes to tutor. Only an A or B+ is an acceptable grade for potential tutors at the CLAC. The student must then obtain a letter of recommendation from the professor of the class. In addition, a peer tutor must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher. After receiving a letter of recommendation from a professor, a potential tutor is interviewed by Luis de Abreu, the STEM Tutorial Supervisor at the CLAC. If the tutor meets his expectations, he will arrange a day to be tested. The test is designed to be more difficult than the final of the class that the student wants to tutor. A passing grade for this test is an 80 or higher. Many potential tutors do not receive a test score that allows them to tutor on their first or even their second time taking the test. If the class is a writing class, the student is asked instead to present a writing sample. After passing the test, they are interviewed by Mahdvi Shaw, another Supervisor at the CLAC. After the interview, the tutor is asked about tutoring other classes that he or she may be qualified to assist with. After the second interview, the tutor is required to go through two-and-a-half hours of training. After completing the training, the tutor must continue to show up to biweekly meetings to enhance their abilities as a tutor. The CLAC employs over 150 peer and professional tutors, so there will always be somebody to help you with any subject.

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SPORTS Giants & Jets:Week 2 Analysis

Jessie Castellanos Sport Editor When it comes to football, New York’s pride and joy, the Giants and the Jets are sometimes New York’s reason for grief as well. Week 3 is coming soon, so an analysis of how each team is doing so far is in order. The Giants are 0-2-0 after a loss to the Cowboys and the Broncos respectively. The Jets are 1-1-0 after a win to the Buccaneers and a loss to the Patriots.

soon as they touched the ball. Although the Broncos defense was impressive, Eli Manning seems to have lost his accuracy and ability to make plays when it counts most over the past few years. During the Cowboys matchup, he threw a painful 6 interceptions -- more than the infamous Tony Romo. One would have thought he would have learned his lesson when he threw 4 more during against Denver. 28 successful passes of 49 attempted, which even for a player as high a caliber as Eli Manning, is weak. The receivers, namely

they need a standing ovation. During both games, the Jets were able to stay close, never letting up too many yards. But where they prevail in defense, they lack in offense. During the Buccaneers match up, their offense was more impressive than the Patriot match up, but could still use some work. Ironically, almost all the passes to the sides were getting shut down by former Jet Darrelle Revis. The Jets second round pick, QB Geno Smith, who has been playing for the injured starting QB Mark Sanchez, made some

the New England Patriots; luckily for them, so were the Patriots, but could not offensively overcome them for a win. The Jets have a great deal of potential, and with a defense that are able to keep the game close throughout, all they need is a more organized and aggressive offense. These two New York teams have had rough start to the season. The Giants are struggling all around, not being able to maintain their stamina defensively, and their offense not being able to complete plays and instead throwing interceptions.

Courtesy of MCTCampus.com The Giants need work all around. Their defense does relatively well and can hold back and shut down the opposing team, but like we saw during the Bronco match up, it let up enough in the second half for the Broncos to comfortably cruise to a win. Focusing on the game against the Broncos, the Giants offense seems to need work. 17 rushing yards over 7 carries with a 2.4-yard average, the running backs seemed to be shut down as

Victor Cruz, were doing well in the beginning, but after the 1st half started dropping a large portion of the passes. This is a team that needs to focus, work all-around on their game, and play like a team that has won 2 Super Bowls in the past 7 years. The Jets defense is phenomenal. They are able to block, provide tight coverage, and shut down plays until the very end;

impressive plays, but also reminded us that he is still a rookie. Getting out of the pocket and getting demolished, not knowing when to get rid of the ball, and not seeing wide-open receivers were just some of his mistakes. Receivers did well statistically but seem to have the same butterfingers syndrome the Giants have, and rushing was not up to par for either game. The Jets got sloppy against

The Jets, although strong when it comes to defense, has one of the worst offenses in the NFL. QBs, receivers, and running backs all need work. Overall, we still have many weeks to see how these two teams change tactics to overcome this hump they have experienced these first few weeks. Expect these two very promising teams to shake this off, for our sakes at least!

Gay Athletes:

What’s The Big Deal? Jessie Castellanos Sports Editor It seems as though humans are finally beginning to put an end to the resistance against human nature; not being stuck in conservative mindsets and choosing instead to progress. One of the most natural things, in fact, is for humans to evolve and ideally move forward towards understanding our environment, each other, and ourselves. Is it safe to suggest, then, that taking steps in the direction of human equality seems only right? For us as the human race, to accept who we are and who others are is a step in doing exactly that. Jason Collins is an NBA center and first currently active athlete in major American sports to announce that he is gay. With fear of potentially facing ridicule and losing opportunities in his career, he stood up and declared, “I’m gay”. Surprisingly enough, across the nation most of America answered back “and we still love you.” We may not all have uttered those exact words, but the overall support received from the American public, media, fellow athletes, and most importantly, his fans, expressed this without a doubt. This is extremely significant because it allows others to follow in his footsteps, which Jason Collins of the WA Wizards they have. WWE Superstar Darren Young is yet another courageous male athlete to announce Photo courtesy of MCTCampus.com

that he is a homosexual. While waiting for his luggage in an airport carousel, he was asked by a cameraman, “Do you think a gay athlete can make it in the WWE?” Young’s response: “Absolutely look at me, ya know? I’m a WWE Superstar and to be honest with you, I’ll tell you right now, I’m gay. And I’m happy. I’m very happy.” The cameraman was in shock. Young continued, “ I don’t think it matters. Does it matter? Does it matter to you? Does it change what you think about me? Wise words from a very wise man; we must ask all ask ourselves these questions if we have not already: Does it matter? Does it matter to you? Does being homosexual really affect an athlete’s performance? Does someone’s sexual orientation really change the way you see your fellow humans, your friends, and your family? At the expense of not being able to be yourself or find what makes you happy? What drives us to be uncomfortable with this issue, really? When it all comes down to it, we are all human; all made of the same things, and America’s response to this issue has certainly WWE Superstar Darren Young shown us taking a step in a more forwardthinking direction. Photo courtesy of MCTCampus.com