Living Learning Corner: Fall 2010
September
As always, there have been a variety of fun events this fall, including a Boston Harbor Cruise with Salsa Lessons and a day trip to the Arnold Arboretum. In the spirit of Halloween, residents enjoyed Haunted Tours of Boston, a Haunted House in the basement of International Village, and a trip to the Salem Witch Museum! Students have also participated in a few service projects together – the traditional NU Service Day and the Mission Hill Road Race. This year Northeastern took home the award for having the most volunteers at the Road Race.
The Social Development floors in International Village participated in a Global Investments Competition. Residents had to “invest” $1,000,000 in at least 5 different securities, and the three students with the highest return on their portfolio won movie tickets! On September 22nd, the Honors LLCs of West Village collaborated with the NU Cycling team to put on “Bike to Basics”. Residents were invited to bring their bikes in for a personalized biking/cycling clinic. Students had the chance to get great advice from NU’s cycling authority on general maintenance, riding tips, and some exposure to one of NU’s lesser known student groups. The overall response to the program was very positive as the students voiced that they really enjoyed the hand-on portion, where they learned how to fix their own bikes under careful supervision from the NU team.
Speaking of movies, there have been two great film discussions this fall as well. The first event was a viewing and discussion of “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” with representatives from the Student Government Association. The following week, students went out to see “The Social Network” and discuss the realities of social networking today and with a professor from the Marketing Department.
October
The residents from International Village and West Village F have also visited the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) by the Water Front on Saturday October 3rd. The residents from different buildings enjoyed the modern art and were given the opportunity to interact with others from the other resident hall at the beginning of the semester. The residents also enjoyed an exciting Boston Celtics game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the TD Bank North Garden with Professor Rifat Sipahi. This program included a total of 50 residents from West Village B/C, E/F, and G/H. We experienced the Celtics spirit and the impact of sports in the city as well as on the individuals. As a group, the name of Northeastern University was shown on the display screen at the stadium! In mid-October, six Northeastern students attended a private bike tour of Boston’s waterfront area, led by Urban Adventours. Students got some exercise and braved the cold while learning about the history behind the ICA (once previously located in the Hynes Convention Center, thus the T Stop being named Hynes/ICA) and the landfill areas of Boston, like Back Bay. The group also visited other key sites like the Federal Bank of Boston, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the industrial areas near the waterfront, the Children’s Museum, and many more!
In late October 30 West Village residents attended a series of 3 events to explore the differences between Hollywood horror movies and medical accuracy. Dr. Rebecca Scott, who is an anatomy and physiology professor, spoke to residents about classic horror movies, such as House of Wax, Hannibal, and Last House on the Left. After discussing the overwhelmingly inaccurate gore in classic horror movies, residents enjoyed a Halloween-themed party before leaving to see the midnight premiere of Saw 7. The Saw series has been acclaimed by many as one of the most medically accurate horror movies, with a panel of doctors on the production staff, so students were able to see the differences between the earlier movie clips and the Saw 7 movie.
November
Students were led on a two mile loop down Huntington to Mass Ave and back up Columbus. While we jogged we discussed local eateries and how to maximize workout impact with nutrition and stretching. Residents met with Northeastern’s new Faculty-in-Residence, Rifat Sipahi, to discuss how to communicate with professors in order to be successful in class and some tips on studying for finals. The event was held in Rifat’s apartment in International Village and food was catered by Whole Foods. A full Thanksgiving dinner took place in West Village F on Thanksgiving day for students who can’t make it home for the holiday). The event had hot food delivered by Boston Market was in the lobby of West Village F It was a nice opportunity for Honors students to sit down and enjoy the holiday meal together.
-Gena Riccardi, Kylie Huang, Barbara Lee, Justin White, Angelo Grauel, Emma Bloomfield
