Harry Potter Movie Night

Gobble Gobble! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Prior to the break we had a Harry Potter Night in the community room as a way of starting the break off with FREE butter beer and popcorn.

Everyone had a good time and lots of butter beer. Some residents even suggested doing the next Harry Potter movie, so keep your eyes open for that!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey lovely people of Ludlow, it's Thanksgiving! I hope you guys have a wonderful holiday, enjoy all the delicious food and say to to those relatives you only see once a year! And for those who are staying, Ludlow is hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner tomorrow in the common room! Eat your hearts out with us!

Have a safe trip home, and a great Thanksgiving everybody! 

Free Movies at the MoMA

Along with a lot of great museum benefits you get as a SVA student the MoMA provides a considerable amount of great events and shows that are free to SVA students. Specifically one that I stumbled upon recently that most MoMA hosted movie screenings are 100% FREE! Check out some of the great screenings being held every week. Right now they have some great series going on including there annual International Festival of Film Preservation as well as their Contenders series which rescreens new films that could be up for Oscar season!

http://www.moma.org/calendar/film

New study on coffee and health

Turns out your daily addiction to coffee is good for you. Check out this article on coffee and longevity from NPR: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/11/16/456191657/drink-to-your-health-study-links-daily-coffee-habit-to-longevity?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2042

Ludlow Billiard Classic

It was a smaller tournament this year but one of epic proportions. Yet Mo, holds another tournament championship under his belt.

3 Videos About Sleep

Two weeks ago I made a list of ways to fall asleep quickly. Here are some scientifically supported reasons to get enough sleep!

1. The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

2. What If You Stopped Sleeping?

3. Should You Use the Snooze Button?

Things I Learned in College

I'm not sure if I feel more excited or anxious over the fact that the weeks seem to be flying by. Thanksgiving will be here in a matter of days and graduation in just a few months. I sometimes catch myself wondering what my life would be like if I had gone to a more traditional college, but then I realize it doesn't matter because a) I have one foot out the door with a diploma and b) I know I've made the best of my experience and would have done so anywhere else. Allow me to spare you any nostalgic flashbacks and give you my list of advice that has my experience in college at SVA the best college experience I could have wanted.

1. Take advantage of all of the facilities. 

It doesn't matter if you're a film major, you should feel totally comfortable enrolling in a printmaking course or something in the Fine Arts building. As an SVA student, you are entitled to make use of all of the facilities to learn something new or just for the fun of it. There is so much more to SVA than just your department.

2. Make an appointment with Career Development.

One day not too far off you'll be faced with the task of walking across the stage with your diploma and will no longer carry the title of a student. While you still can, make use of those paid to help you. Career Development has their office on West 21st and can help you make sense of a resume, job opportunities and of course internships as well. There is no such thing as being too prepared. Maybe too cocky, but that's a whole different conversation.

3. Discount movie tickets! And FREE MOVIES!

SVA regularly offers discounted movie tickets and even better, screens films you otherwise would have to pay to see. Seriously, why aren't you doing this!?


4. Help your teachers help you. 

SVA has a pretty impressive faculty list, which is probably one of the reasons you enrolled in the first place. Skipping class, half-assign assignments and drooling on your desk is not the way to make a good impression. Your instructors are part of your first-person network that has all the means to introduce you to a mentor, potential employer and ultimately get your foot in a door you otherwise might not have had available to you. Connections can be so important in the art world, so use them or lose them!

5. Get to know your peers and upperclassmen. 

They were just in your shoes a few months or year ago. They know what the curriculum ahead is like, have the experience of working with more instructors and maybe know the artist they're interning for now (or design studio) needs more help and they can pass your name along. Again, networking is super important and your peers in college could very well be a future colleague. Plus, you can always afford a new friend. :)


6. Don't forget why you're here. 

Reread your application essays. Sure, some of it might have been fluffed up bullshit but I bet you squeezed your dreams and intentions in there as well. It's so important to remember why you wanted to pursue your college career here in NYC at SVA. You had a dream coming into this place and it deserves to be remembered.

Best of luck out there!

Alli

Best Hot Cocoa

It's starting to get cold out, which means it's becoming the perfect season for a nice warm cup of hot cocoa! Lucky for us, we live in a grand city filled with many options when it comes to warm chocolatey beverages. Here's a link to an article listing NYC's top 5 best places to get some hot chocolate: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/top-lists/nycs-5-best-cups-of-hot-chocolate/

Brunchtime Blabbin'

Brunchtime Blabbin' was a smash hit! We ate some french toast sticks and drank some virgin mimosas and put up all these things that inspire us - if you missed out, then stop by the community room and check it out and learn about things that you might not have known about before, or put up your own inspirations to help other people.

It's Friday the 13th!

Friday the 13th! Superstitious holiday extraordinaire! And the last one we're going to get until May of next year (which is going to be the only one for 2016! Woah!).

We normally associate Friday the 13th with bad luck, but did you know some studies actually say it might be one of the safest days of the year? The Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics put together a report in 2008 showing statistical proof that traffic accidents and other damaging occurrences happened less on Friday the 13th. They theorized that the superstition caused people to be extra cautious, and so more people were safe! If only every day were Friday the 13th...

You can check out more Friday the 13th facts and trivia on its Wikipedia Page, linked on those capitalized words. For all y'all making essays on various topics in the next couple months, your teachers are going to hate you using wikipedia as a source, but any worthwhile wikipedia page has sources at the bottom that are totally fair game for your bibliographies. Use them to your advantage!

Top 5 bird videos because birds are great

I know everyone loves cats and dogs but what about birds? Not only are they potentially smarter than our furry friends but they also are really great at peek-a-boo. Honestly what else could could you ever want in an adorable animal companion.

1)birb=peek-a-boo, only equation you'll ever need.

2) Like Final Fantasy? I don't, but I do love this bird whistling the chocobo theme.

3)Kiss Kiss. Need I say more?




4)The tiniest peek-a-boo you will ever hear. 


5) SO small.

-RA Desiree

Final Post-It Poetry!

So many new additions to the wall!

Thank you for those who joined in the the stress relief!
The calm music was booming and creative juices flowing. Sorry if you missed it!

Please take a look next time you are in the community room to see what people wrote and drew!

Ludlow AV Club PT 3

For those of you who missed our program last night, you missed out on some great short films and our pleasant company. Well, I'm not going to stay mad at you. Instead, I'm going to show you where you can catch up on these short films, because you should totally check them out!

Curfew

At the lowest point of his life, Richie gets a call from his estranged sister, asking him to look after his nine-year old niece, Sophia, for a few hours.

Watch

Hotel Chevalier

A prologue of one heart-breaking history of love and the prologue of the travel told in The Darjeeling Limited(2007).

Watch

Gasman

It's the Christmas season. With her mom's help, Lynne, a girl of perhaps eight, dresses up; her younger brother Steven plays with a toy car. The children leave with their dad, who's affectionate with them. They walk down a railroad track where an unkempt woman waits with two children, about the same age as Lynne and Steven. The children go with them. They're all headed to a holiday party at a pub. Lynne notices that the girl acts all too familiar with her dad. What's going on?

Watch

BONUS PICTURE!

Top 10 Strange Phenomena of the Mind

Déjà Vu

Déjà vu is the experience of being certain that you have experienced or seen a new situation previously – you feel as though the event has already happened or is repeating itself.

The experience is usually accompanied by a strong sense of familiarity and a sense of eeriness, strangeness, or weirdness. The “previous” experience is usually attributed to a dream, but sometimes there is a firm sense that it has truly occurred in the past.

Déjà Vécu

Déjà vécu is what most people are experiencing when they think they are experiencing deja vu.

Déjà vu is the sense of having seen something before, whereas déjà vécu is the experience of having seen an event before, but in great detail – such as recognizing smells and sounds. 

Déjà Visité

Déjà visité is a less common experience and it involves an uncanny knowledge of a new place. For example, you may know your way around a a new town or a landscape despite having never been there, and knowing that it is impossible for you to have this knowledge. 

Déjà Senti

Déjà senti is the phenomenon of having “already felt” something. This is exclusively a mental phenomenon and seldom remains in your memory afterwards.

You could think of it as the feeling of having just spoken, but realizing that you, in fact, didn’t utter a word.

Jamais Vu

Jamais vu (never seen) describes a familiar situation which is not recognized. It is often considered to be the opposite of déjà vu and it involves a sense of eeriness. The observer does not recognize the situation despite knowing rationally that they have been there before.

Chris Moulin, of Leeds University, asked 92 volunteers to write out “door” 30 times in 60 seconds. He reported that 68% of the precipitants showed symptoms of jamais vu, such as beginning to doubt that “door” was a real word. This has lead him to believe that jamais vu may be a symptom of brain fatigue.

Presque Vu

Presque vu is very similar to the “tip of the tongue” sensation – it is the strong feeling that you are about to experience an epiphany – though the epiphany seldom comes. 

L’esprit de l’Escalier

L’esprit de l’escalier (stairway wit) is the sense of thinking of a clever comeback when it is too late. 

Capgras Delusion

Capgras delusion is the phenomenon in which a person believes that a close friend or family member has been replaced by an identical looking impostor. This could be tied in to the old belief that babies were stolen and replaced by changelings in medieval folklore, as well as the modern idea of aliens taking over the bodies of people on earth to live amongst us for reasons unknown. This delusion is most common in people with schizophrenia but it can occur in other disorders.

Fregoli Delusion

Fregoli delusion is a rare brain phenomenon in which a person holds the belief that different people are, in fact, the same person in a variety of disguises. It is often associated with paranoia and the belief that the person in disguise is trying to persecute them.

It was first reported in 1927 in the case study of a 27-year-old woman who believed she was being persecuted by two actors whom she often went to see at the theatre. She believed that these people “pursued her closely, taking the form of people she knows or meets”.

Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia is a phenomenon in which a person is unable to recognize faces of people or objects that they should know. People experiencing this disorder are usually able to use their other senses to recognize people – such as a person’s perfume, the shape or style of their hair, the sound of their voice, or even their gait. A classic case of this disorder was presented in the 1998 book (and later Opera by Michael Nyman) called “The man who mistook his wife for a hat”.

Namaste Part 3

Last and final round!

This past Saturday was the final yoga program for the semester! And even though there were fewer people everyone still had a good time.

It's good to see residents coming on a consistent basis. I've started to build a friendship with a lot of residents who come because of this yoga program.

Hopefully there will be more yoga programs so new or old residents could come experience it!

Namaste.

The divine in me honors the divine in you. 

Fallout 4 more like GOOD GAME 4!

Hey Fallout 4 just came out and it's pretty flippin' good. Fallout is a game about guns and robots and stuff  but there's also 50's swing music! Whoowee what a great dang game. Y'all should check it out. here's a review from ign. http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/11/09/fallout-4-review

SHIA LABAFF I LOVE YOU!

Actual cannibal Shia Labouff is doing something crazy again. Starting yesterday the 10th of November Shia is watching all of his movies back to back! Admission is free for guests who also want to watch and there is a live stream of Shia's face!!!!

http://newhive.com/allmymovies

CHECK IT OUUUUT
http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/10/shia-labeouf-movies-angelika-film-center?hootPostID=0139e9fdcf074a647ce81cd8f2186310

Keeping It Together In Class Challenge

We've all had those moments when we are sitting in class, bored out of our minds, and we pull out our phones and browse our site of choice. What's worse is; you happen to discover the funniest thing you've seen in a while and you have to keep yourself from laughing out loud. Below is a list of links. Can you make it through all of them without laughing out loud while sitting in class?

1. Worthless Robots

2. Unhelpful Dating Tips from Animals

3. What Terrible Event Lead to these Bathroom Signs

4. Unexpected Endings

5. Seductive Animals

6. Kids Being Smart

7. Messing with Cats

Did you make it through all of them without laughing in class? If you did then post something that makes you laugh in the comments. 

Sex Baby Sex!

So in case you missed it, here's a recap of the trivia questions asked during our program Sex Baby Sex! 


What is the most common STI?
Chlamydia!

Why are orgasms good for you?
Some benefits include a reduced risk for strokes, heart disease, depression and breast cancer!

What were vibrators originally invented for?
To cure hysteria!

Can women orgasm from vaginal stimulation alone?
Most cannot!!!!



Can you contract an STI from oral sex?
Yes! like herpes!

How much does a vagina grow or expand when aroused? 
It "grows" about twice as long! Vaginal tenting!

Can you pee during sex?
Most likely not! Antidiuretic hormones kick in!

How long is the average erect penis?
Six inches!


Blue balls: Real or Fake medical condition?
Real! It is formally known as vasocongestion, which is mild cramping or an ache that WILL go away, regardless of whether or not the person engages in sex and is no excuse for pressure to have sex!

When should women get a Pap smear?
When they are 21 years old or sexually active for 3 years. 

Is it safe to have unprotected sex while on your period?
No! You still are at risk for STI's, can get pregnant and menstrual blood may be a skin irritant for your partner!

Do morning-after pills terminate pregnancies?
No! They PREVENT pregnancies up to 120 hours after sex. Abortion pills will terminate pregnancies up to 63 days after the last menstrual cycle. 

Does peeing or douching after sex protect against pregnancy?
No! Douching can actually push sperm further inside you and also can imbalance your vaginal bacteria that keeps you healthy. Peeing after sex can help prevent UTIs, though. 

Cans for a Cause

If you're looking for something to take your mind off of school in the coming week, considering taking a trip down to Battery Park to view "Canstruction" - a series of sculptures created out of non-perishable canned goods! "Give “food as art” new meaning beyond those food-porn Instagrams at this 23rd annual cans-for-a-cause competition, pitting 31 architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life Pop-Art–installations using more than 120,000 cans of nonperishable food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest)."

Everyone of these sculpture was fabricated in one night after weeks of planning! 

 

Construction is a national charity that offers similar competitions all over the country. Makes me wonder what a group of savvy SVA students would do given the same assignment. If you want to take a gander, entry is free although they are requesting a small donation of canned goods. What a great opportunity to view engaging designs while giving back to the community! 

You can find more information about Canstruction here!

Music.... FOR CATS!?

2015 has been not only an exceptional year for music and new releases but cats have been shown a lot of love this year too. With Run the Jewels releasing their cat centric ep Meow the Jewels earlier this year we were given a taste of an exciting new cat oriented genre of purrrfect songs to rock out to with your cat. But now famous cellist and concert master David Teie has created an entire album centered  around orchestrated cat music! Check out his kickstarted in the link bellow to see how he came up with the concept. So if you're looking for the perfect holiday gift for your favorite kitty look no further in what will truly be the biggest cat chart success in recent memory!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/355308040/music-for-cats-0

His Dark Materials TV Adaption!

BBC One announced Tuesday that they will be adapting Phillip Pullman's award winning trilogy His Dark Materials into a television show. This is great news for anyone who loves the books but didn't love New Line Cinemas 2007 movie The Golden Compass. Nothing has been said about casting, but Dakota Blue Richards (the actor who played Lyra in the 2007 movie) tweeted that she wants to be apart of it.

Top Love Songs

Are you a romantic like me? That's right? Like me, Mr. RA Jon is a big softy. Believe it or not!

Anyway, I finished watching Grease and it is just such a wonderful movie that I felt like writing about happy endings and love songs. This is a personal list of the top love songs.

1) Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCArtney & The Wings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm2YyVZBL8U

2)  I Will Always Love You by Whiney Houston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU

3) Let's Stay Together by Al Green
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COiIC3A0ROM

4) Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQTHB4jM-KQ

5) Your Song by Elton John
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTa8U0Wa0q8

It's that season

The ice skating rinks are now open! Specifically the one in Bryant Park which is the one most easily accessible from ludlow. Currently, rentals for ice skates are $15 dollars but starting November 20th they raise to $19 dollars, if you have your own skates then it's completely FREE!!!!!!!!!!! It's a super fun way to get some exercise just make sure to wear jeans in case you fall so you don't get any scratches. Take the F or M all the way down to 42nd street and it leaves you right at Bryant Park, it's so convenient theres no reason you shouldn't go! Also if ice skating isn't your thing every year they have the holiday fair with various stores and eateries right in the park so take a look around.


Heres a link to their page!

-RA Desiree

You Are BEAUTIFUL

I really disagree with a lot of what society says we have to look like. I know there's a lot of campaigns to promote healthy bodies and self love for one's self, but I feel like the beauty industry is always being thrown in people's faces.

I love what Dove and Aerie are doing. 

Dove has a campaign called Real Beauty. "Imagine a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety." They did a study asking women who thought they were beautiful. Only 2% of women around the world would describe themselves as beautiful. That's too low of a number.
Aerie has a policy now on their advertisements.  No retouching because the real you is beautiful #aerieREAL. They want to make girls aware of body positivity and loving your real self.

Love who you are as a person and your individuality. No two people are the same, so be the best version of yourself.

Although beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, the feeling of being beautiful exists solely in the mind of the beheld.

-Martha Beck

Fall Alseep in 15 mins with 7 Simple Tips

It's 2 AM. You've been laying in bed for 2 hours turning from side to side. You've to be up for 9 AM class but your head won't stop buzzing with all the things you need to do tomorrow. 

I've been in this situation many times and getting enough sleep as a college student is a challenge. So here are some simple tips to fall asleep quickly. These techniques have been tested by me. As a Resident Assistant, Student Ambassador, and fourth year student at SVA, I have a lot do to everyday. So I need my sleep. Also, better sleep leads to better decision making. Studies have also shown that people who get enough sleep are more mentally balanced and generally happier. 


1. Journal Before Bedtime.

Write down everything that happened to you that day, all your worries, things you need to do tomorrow. Everything. This technique empties your head ensuring you fall asleep quickly instead of laying awake lost in your thoughts and worries.


2. Establish a Bedtime Routine

Studies have shown that having a bedtime routine prepares the body for sleep. I use a bedtime routine and it makes a difference. For example before I go to bed I do these things in order. Journal, set my coffee maker for easy use in the morning, wash my face, brush my teeth, set my alarms, stretch, and then lay in bed reading until I feel tired. By the time I'm in bed, my eyes are already beginning to droop.



3. Get Screen Light Correction Apps

The blue light on your computer, phone, and television are fooling your brain into thinking it is mid-day. I use Flux (its free and for Apple and Android) which I have downloaded on my computer, phone, and kindle. This app turns my screens yellow after sunset. Studies have shown, staring at a blue screen can cause you to lose several hours of sleep at night because your brain still thinks it's the middle of the day and therefore produces a chemical to keep you awake. Turning your screen yellow tells your brain to produce chemicals to make you fall asleep. 



4. Get Up The Same Time Everyday

Mornings are hard. But your mornings can be easier if you wake up at the same time. Your body works best when it follows a routine. Before I used this tip my sleeping habits were erratic. I'd go to bed at 2 AM, wake up at 11 AM and go to noon class. Then the next night I'd try to go to bed at 12 PM only to lay there for hours, then have to get up for a 9 AM class. To wake up every morning I had to set five different alarms on two separate devices. It took half an hour of alarms going off to get me up on time. Since I decided to stick to a strict bedtime and wake-up time, getting out of bed is a lot easier. I get up the same time everyday, even on weekends. I start my bedtime routine around 11 PM and wake up every morning at 8:30 AM. As a result, I only need one alarm to wake up in the morning, sometimes I wake up on my own at 8 or 8:15. I can concentrate better in class and I am better at managing my time. Sometimes, projects require that I stay up a little late but I always make sure I'm up at 8:30 AM. 



5. Make a Study Schedule

Study schedules are really useful when it comes to managing time. In this case making a study schedule can ensure that you don't have to pull all-nighters to finish a project. Staying up all night can mess with your ability to sleep as well as your emotional balance. 


6. Invest in an Eye Mask and Earplugs 

Blocking out sound and light when you're sleeping is key for staying asleep. When you fall asleep your body goes through cycles of deep sleep and light sleep. Sometimes during those periods of light sleep a sound or a flash of light can fully wake you up and keep you up. Use an eye mask to block out unwanted light and if you can use earplugs to block out unwanted noise. An eye mask also allows for deeper sleep during deep sleep cycles. We live in New York where lights and sounds are happening every time of day and night. However, make sure your earplugs don't block out too much noise or you might not hear your alarm in the morning. 



7. Do A Calming Activity Before Bedtime

I mentioned above that the last thing I do every night is: read until I get tired. For those of you who may not enjoy reading you can listen to calming music or an audiobook. If you have the screen light correction apps on your devices you can watch a movie you've seen before. Doing this will help empty your mind of worries and help you fall asleep quickly. 



I hope these tips help. I use them and I've noticed a difference in my sleeping habits. I've also noticed I'm able to pay attention in class more. Good Luck!

Morgan Library Exhibit on Ernest Hemingway

For all you "book-readers" out there, the Morgan Library currently has an exhibit on Ernest Hemingway entitled "Ernest Hemingway: Between Two Wars". It includes early scripts, short stories, and heavily edited manuscripts for his major novels, as well as photographs, an oil painting of him, and other personal items.

Admission to the museum is $12 (but if you go Friday between 7pm and 9pm you can get in for free!), and it's located at 225 Madison Ave at 36th. The exhibit ends January 31st, so get to it before there's nothing left to get to!