Friday, June 19, 2015
Jon Stewart: The Best in The World
I sure am going to miss Jon Stewart when he leaves his role as anchor for The Daily Show. Even though it was comedy, he always knew how to address the issues that our country faced in the most professional way possible. Just look at yesterday's monologue and look at the post-9/11 episode of the show. He was able to put the humor aside and talk with sincerity. While his show is normally very liberally charged, when he talks from his heart, it's obvious to see there is no liberal or conservative undertones. It's just him speaking on behalf of righteousness
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
TAMS Summer O
This weekend, I had the pleasure of being an TAMS Summer Orientation Leader for the incoming Junior class. Organized by the TAMS Student Life Staff, the Orientation weekend was filled with meeting new people, and reconnecting with people I haven't seen since school ended in May.
The orientation started Friday at noon when all the Orientation Leaders (OLs) came together and discussed the plans for what we would do once the Juniors show up. We practiced playing games that would be ice breakers for the juniors, we broke out into teams of 3 and created our own team names and chants (I was a part of "team 13 so fresh, so clean" with Wesley Miaw and Annie He), and we set up McConnell Hall to make it easiest for the juniors and their parents to check in and get around.
After the juniors were checked in by an OL, some of the other OLs led them to their rooms and helped them get situated at McConnell: their soon-to-be home for 9 months beginning in the fall. Then, the seminars began. The students along with their parents were greeted by the Dean, Glenisson de Oliviera, the Director of Student Life, Russ Stukel, and the Academic Counselors, Wendy Boyd-Brown and Sam Earls. After listening to the introduction from the Administration and the rundown of what TAMS will be like, the students left their parents to join the OLs, Hall Directors, and Assistant Director of Student Life to find out what they would be doing for the rest of the weekend. The students were divided into groups of about fifteen kids and assigned to three OLs who would serve as their guides for the weekend.
Each small group split up and went to their own spot somewhere on the UNT campus. Wesley, Annie, and I had the kids play some of the most challenging games to get to know one another. The most memorable game was called Awkward Elephant, a game where the juniors would line up and stick their left hand between their own legs and grab the right hand of the person behind him or her, who is extending his/her right hand forward. With the juniors in such an uncomfortable position, we decided to make them move around as a unit to "encourage camaraderie". In the end, it was a successful ice breaking experience because almost everyone in the group knew the other juniors' names. This was the perfect transition to Roommate Rumble.
Roommate Rumble is a activity for students to talk to other members with similar living habits and find "the perfect roommate". By the time we were done with the pairings, it seemed that almost every student had found themselves a roommate for the fall. These students were becoming closer than I could have ever imagined. The juniors took their new closeness to the recreation center where they were allowed to hang out in for about an hour. With basketball and ultimate frisbee games happening on the same court, ping pong tournaments creating mini rivalries among teams, and board games laid out over all of the spare tables, the juniors were having the time of their lives!
We ended the juniors' nights with a wing meeting, explaining how the following day would play out. The students had to take their placement exams for chemistry and math, so we told them that we wanted them to get a good night's rest. Little did they know, the OLs would have an extended curfew that gave us the ability to go to Walmart, or Jack-In-The-Box, or even the OLs' own apartments on campus (as long as we were back in the hall by 1am). To top it all off, once we did get back, we just shared stories with one another until 4 in the morning. We knew what we were getting ourselves into: we would have to wake up all the juniors and send them to breakfast in 3 hours. We didn't mind.
The following morning, we woke up at 6:30am and, hoping that the juniors were at least well rested, got ready to wake up the juniors and take them to breakfast. We sat with them and discussed the joys of waking up and eating a plateful of sub-par cafeteria food before going to class.They then went to go take their math and chemistry placement exams. During this time, some OLs took a nap, some OLs just hung out at McConnell, and the rest of us went to the mall. We didn't have enough time to buy anything, but we went anyway. We headed back to pick up the students from their testing center and take them to lunch and then "Mock Semester", an activity that introduces the students to the various aspects of living at McConnell Hall during the school year ranging from academics to student life to personal hygiene.
The day came to an end with the juniors getting their textbooks and their summer assignments. They were lined up around McConnell Hall as though they were getting the new iPhone on its release date, These kids, who were uncomfortable just 24 hours before, had the biggest smiles on their faces. No kid in that line was left out of a conversation; everyone was talking with one another! For kids who probably didn't know a single person, they looked as though they'd known each other forever. The Student Life Staff's and the OL's primary goal for Summer O was to have each student have a personal connection with at least one other junior. I'm proud to say the students had exceeded our expectations!
The juniors were incredibly excited for the coming school year, and I'm glad to say that, as an Orientation Leader, I was able to help instill that excitement. Here's to a fantastic school year! Class of 2017, welcome to TAMS!
The orientation started Friday at noon when all the Orientation Leaders (OLs) came together and discussed the plans for what we would do once the Juniors show up. We practiced playing games that would be ice breakers for the juniors, we broke out into teams of 3 and created our own team names and chants (I was a part of "team 13 so fresh, so clean" with Wesley Miaw and Annie He), and we set up McConnell Hall to make it easiest for the juniors and their parents to check in and get around.
After the juniors were checked in by an OL, some of the other OLs led them to their rooms and helped them get situated at McConnell: their soon-to-be home for 9 months beginning in the fall. Then, the seminars began. The students along with their parents were greeted by the Dean, Glenisson de Oliviera, the Director of Student Life, Russ Stukel, and the Academic Counselors, Wendy Boyd-Brown and Sam Earls. After listening to the introduction from the Administration and the rundown of what TAMS will be like, the students left their parents to join the OLs, Hall Directors, and Assistant Director of Student Life to find out what they would be doing for the rest of the weekend. The students were divided into groups of about fifteen kids and assigned to three OLs who would serve as their guides for the weekend.
Each small group split up and went to their own spot somewhere on the UNT campus. Wesley, Annie, and I had the kids play some of the most challenging games to get to know one another. The most memorable game was called Awkward Elephant, a game where the juniors would line up and stick their left hand between their own legs and grab the right hand of the person behind him or her, who is extending his/her right hand forward. With the juniors in such an uncomfortable position, we decided to make them move around as a unit to "encourage camaraderie". In the end, it was a successful ice breaking experience because almost everyone in the group knew the other juniors' names. This was the perfect transition to Roommate Rumble.
Roommate Rumble is a activity for students to talk to other members with similar living habits and find "the perfect roommate". By the time we were done with the pairings, it seemed that almost every student had found themselves a roommate for the fall. These students were becoming closer than I could have ever imagined. The juniors took their new closeness to the recreation center where they were allowed to hang out in for about an hour. With basketball and ultimate frisbee games happening on the same court, ping pong tournaments creating mini rivalries among teams, and board games laid out over all of the spare tables, the juniors were having the time of their lives!
We ended the juniors' nights with a wing meeting, explaining how the following day would play out. The students had to take their placement exams for chemistry and math, so we told them that we wanted them to get a good night's rest. Little did they know, the OLs would have an extended curfew that gave us the ability to go to Walmart, or Jack-In-The-Box, or even the OLs' own apartments on campus (as long as we were back in the hall by 1am). To top it all off, once we did get back, we just shared stories with one another until 4 in the morning. We knew what we were getting ourselves into: we would have to wake up all the juniors and send them to breakfast in 3 hours. We didn't mind.
The following morning, we woke up at 6:30am and, hoping that the juniors were at least well rested, got ready to wake up the juniors and take them to breakfast. We sat with them and discussed the joys of waking up and eating a plateful of sub-par cafeteria food before going to class.They then went to go take their math and chemistry placement exams. During this time, some OLs took a nap, some OLs just hung out at McConnell, and the rest of us went to the mall. We didn't have enough time to buy anything, but we went anyway. We headed back to pick up the students from their testing center and take them to lunch and then "Mock Semester", an activity that introduces the students to the various aspects of living at McConnell Hall during the school year ranging from academics to student life to personal hygiene.
The day came to an end with the juniors getting their textbooks and their summer assignments. They were lined up around McConnell Hall as though they were getting the new iPhone on its release date, These kids, who were uncomfortable just 24 hours before, had the biggest smiles on their faces. No kid in that line was left out of a conversation; everyone was talking with one another! For kids who probably didn't know a single person, they looked as though they'd known each other forever. The Student Life Staff's and the OL's primary goal for Summer O was to have each student have a personal connection with at least one other junior. I'm proud to say the students had exceeded our expectations!
The juniors were incredibly excited for the coming school year, and I'm glad to say that, as an Orientation Leader, I was able to help instill that excitement. Here's to a fantastic school year! Class of 2017, welcome to TAMS!
Friday, June 12, 2015
Philanthropy In (loco)Motion
This Thursday I was coming home from Austin on a Megabus, so I could be an Orientation Leader for the TAMS Summer Orientation. After a 3-hour long bus ride, I end up in Downtown Dallas. To save my mom from a long car ride to downtown, I offered to take the DART Train most of the way home. I walk to the Arts District train station preparing to slide my card into the ticket machine to pay for my train pass, and all of a sudden, an elderly woman comes up to me and says "Here take mine, I won't be needing it anymore". I was confused for a second, and saw that this ticket hasn't been used at all! I was moved by this act of philanthropy by a woman I've never met before. To top it all off, just before she disappeared into the grid of skyscapers around Downtown, she said to me "Just Pay it Forward". It's amazing to see how selfless people can still be in a world full of people who would rather be the opposite. This is philanthropy.
-Amit
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Frisco High School Walks Out Part 2
For those wondering what my previous statement was regarding:
Several days ago, the superintendent of Frisco ISD, Dr. Lyon, sent an email to the parents of Frisco High School Students. The letter was a notification that the current principal at Frisco High School, Sylvia Palacios, was being "reassigned" to another position in the district. Many viewed this as a demotion, and disapproved of the district administration's decision. Students and staff believe the "reassignment" is due to a few parents complaining to the school board about her and claiming she should be "disciplined". In the eyes of many students, the school board was unjustified in their actions because -contrary to what some parents believe- the principal at Frisco High School was admired by most of the students. Many students have claimed to share a bond with Ms. Palacios that they haven't shared with any other educator before. In support of Ms. Palacios, the students of Frisco High organized a 2 mile march from the school to the Administration Building that will take place at around 12:15. The students hope to collectively show the district their position and get the administration to reverse the decision of her demotion.
Since I never went to Frisco High School, I never knew Ms. Palacios. However, after seeing the outrage most of the students, I can only believe that she made an extraordinary impact in the students' lives. It's amazing to see students fight for "righteousness" and "justice". And don't get me wrong: I am not and never have been "against Frisco ISD". I always support their decisions because I see the growth that it brings, but this time…I think the students (not the parents) know best.
Several days ago, the superintendent of Frisco ISD, Dr. Lyon, sent an email to the parents of Frisco High School Students. The letter was a notification that the current principal at Frisco High School, Sylvia Palacios, was being "reassigned" to another position in the district. Many viewed this as a demotion, and disapproved of the district administration's decision. Students and staff believe the "reassignment" is due to a few parents complaining to the school board about her and claiming she should be "disciplined". In the eyes of many students, the school board was unjustified in their actions because -contrary to what some parents believe- the principal at Frisco High School was admired by most of the students. Many students have claimed to share a bond with Ms. Palacios that they haven't shared with any other educator before. In support of Ms. Palacios, the students of Frisco High organized a 2 mile march from the school to the Administration Building that will take place at around 12:15. The students hope to collectively show the district their position and get the administration to reverse the decision of her demotion.
Since I never went to Frisco High School, I never knew Ms. Palacios. However, after seeing the outrage most of the students, I can only believe that she made an extraordinary impact in the students' lives. It's amazing to see students fight for "righteousness" and "justice". And don't get me wrong: I am not and never have been "against Frisco ISD". I always support their decisions because I see the growth that it brings, but this time…I think the students (not the parents) know best.
Frisco High School Walks Out
Good luck Frisco High School students! I'm proud of you guys for standing up for a wrongful demotion. Walk with righteousness.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Happy Mother's Day Mom
Happy Mother's Day Mom! My gift to you is another weekend where I'm out of your hair.
and this:
Thank you mom. You're super cool.
From when I'm hungry or Dave's drowning in the pool
to every afternoon when you pick me up from school
From when I'm hungry or Dave's drowning in the pool
to every afternoon when you pick me up from school
Thank you mom. You're not lame.
You wake up everyday make sure that we do the same
You comfort Dave and I when all we feel is pain.
You wake up everyday make sure that we do the same
You comfort Dave and I when all we feel is pain.
Thank you mom. You're the best
Oft we may not get along because we're stressed
But then we resolve the issue and move along with jest
Oft we may not get along because we're stressed
But then we resolve the issue and move along with jest
Thank you mom. You're the one I care most about.
You make awesome turkey sandwiches and steelhead trout
You made me an Eagle Scout
You make awesome turkey sandwiches and steelhead trout
You made me an Eagle Scout
.
Thank you mom. You're amazing
I'm always grateful that I'm under your wing.
Whether Summer, Winter, Fall, or Spring.
I'm always grateful that I'm under your wing.
Whether Summer, Winter, Fall, or Spring.
Thank you mom. You're better than ok.
You make sure that I'm never led astray.
That's why I love you even when it isn't Mother's Day.
You make sure that I'm never led astray.
That's why I love you even when it isn't Mother's Day.
-Amit
Monday, February 16, 2015
Do People Quit Caring?
Today, one of my Facebook friends asked a question on Facebook:
At what point do people quit caring about making change in the community and just focus on their own advancement?
It is an interesting and thought-provoking question. My response was "I don't think people stop caring about making change in the community, but rather they feel that they can't do it unless they change themselves. People naturally want to make a difference, but not all of them understand that they can do that regardless of their "status" in the professional or social world."
Others believed that it was maybe a result of failure when they did care about making change or perhaps the narrow approach to "make change". They only tried one way and didn't like it, so they gave up.
A general consensus is that an individual will care about making differences in the community so long as they feel they are actually making a difference, and will give up the moment they don't think they are doing anything significant anymore (even if they actually are).
What are your thoughts?
At what point do people quit caring about making change in the community and just focus on their own advancement?
It is an interesting and thought-provoking question. My response was "I don't think people stop caring about making change in the community, but rather they feel that they can't do it unless they change themselves. People naturally want to make a difference, but not all of them understand that they can do that regardless of their "status" in the professional or social world."
Others believed that it was maybe a result of failure when they did care about making change or perhaps the narrow approach to "make change". They only tried one way and didn't like it, so they gave up.
A general consensus is that an individual will care about making differences in the community so long as they feel they are actually making a difference, and will give up the moment they don't think they are doing anything significant anymore (even if they actually are).
What are your thoughts?
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