6/18/2009

January 21, 2009

Posted by Hiroko Narimatsu on Thursday, June 18, 2009

Welcome Back!

Now that the holidays are over, it's time to get back to work. This holiday season Seattle U. students traveled to different places on the globe to visit their families and friends. Some took off to Alaska and others to a different country like México. Cheno Barajas, my roommate who is a freshman at SU, visited his family in Colima, a state on the west coast of México. He enjoyed the 80°F weather but mostly the authentic and traditional Mexican food. While many students enjoyed time-off from the Seattle weather, I actually got to experience the shocking and wild wind and snow storms that hit the Northwest over break. It wasn?t bad at all. I took my sleds and went snow sliding with some friends over at Snoqualmie Pass and at our local park. After all I was glad I had time to share with friends and family this cold and wet season.

The break seems to have been of great excitement for most us here but even more exciting it?s to be back on campus and ready for winter quarter classes. Last quarter my schedule was something to be jealous at. I was very lucky to have Fridays off and enjoy a three-day weekend to do homework and laundry. This quarter I have Mondays and Wednesdays off. When friends hear that I have two days off during the week they think that I am taking less classes or something of that sort but in reality I have the same work-load to deal with throughout the week, just dispersed differently. This quarter I am taking criminal justice, poverty in America and college writing; all of them very interesting. I look forward to having a great winter quarter and meeting new friends in my classes.

The first thing I did when I got back to campus was to check my mail and there it was, a letter addressed to me. But it the handwriting looked familiar, it was my own handwriting. The enveloped contained a letter I wrote during Welcome Week in which I tell myself to keep up the good work and to never give up on my dreams. The letter definitely helped. It reminded me of the first week when I was freaked out and nervous for what was coming on my way and it made me reflect on the successful first quarter I had.

With new classes, professors and soon moving to a new room just for two of us, I feel welcomed at Seattle University. After all it?s not just a campus to study and educate students; it?s the home for many of us who are seeking dreams and goals in life.

6/18/2009

December 02, 2008

Posted by Hiroko Narimatsu on Thursday, June 18, 2009

It's Official: Change Has Come to America

After almost 2 years of campaigning throughout the United States presidential elections are finally over. The most expensive and intensive presidential elections have come to an end, electing the 44th President of the United States with the historic election of the first African-American President, Barack Obama. Barack Obama, a charismatic politician, inspired millions of people around the nation, especially young voters; an important voting bloc that many political analysts say brought him to victory.

Millions of young voters across the country participated in the Obama movement, especially those in college campuses. Here at Seattle University, students are still celebrating. On election night, more than 400 students gathered in the Campion Ballroom to follow the election results. The energy and excitement was seen on every student's face around the room. As the electoral votes came from every corner of the country the cheers and the crying came from every corner of the room. It was the night that millions of Americans had been waiting for. That night, Americans were hopeful once more in the ability to bring change to Washington. As I walked back to my room in Bellarmine Residence Hall I could hear the screaming and excitement in every floor, in the lobbies and on the streets. My roommate and I decided to walk down Broadway and take a look at the excited crowds on Pike and Broadway. We could see police lights all the way from our campus and we wondered what was going on. Once we got there I was surprised to see hundreds of people gathered cheering and holding up Obama and Gregoire signs. Supporters climbed up traffic light poles and were celebrating with the entire Obama-Gregoire community.

Back on campus the celebration had not ended. In every room I passed by I could hear news anchors reporting live from Chicago about Obama's victory.

This election was a historic election. It was a very special experience for me, not only because I supported Barack Obama for President but because I had never felt such momentum excitement about politics within our generation. I believe that our generation, the young voters, have risen to make their vote count and to let their voices be heard. Young voters, especially college students who many of them are first-time voters, have spoken loud and clear throughout every college campus in the United States and they have shaped how politics work in our country. Young voters brought politics to the internet, to what many call, the YouTube Presidential Election era. I am glad and proud to see that our generation is now involved in the political process. It used to be that back in previous Presidential elections; young voters were the missing gap. Today, young voters seem to have closed the gap and even created a bridge to a new period of time in America: the period of Change.

Seattle University welcomes everyone as it was seen during this presidential election. McCain and Obama supporters both participated and volunteered for their candidates. Clubs were created to support and rally for their favorite party and most important; all political sides were always respected and accepted by the entire Red Hawk community, that's the beauty of our college and that's why Seattle University is one of the top universities in our country.

6/18/2009

November 05, 2008

Posted by Hiroko Narimatsu on Thursday, June 18, 2009

Many things have happened since last time I wrote something. So many things that I don't know where to start. One of the most exciting things that I have been part of at Seattle University has been the annual Street Fair. From anime to gaming, representatives from different student clubs provided a broad spectrum of interests gathered in the Quad where I was able to go and talk to these clubs and learn more about them. I decided to join the MEChA program and the Criminal Justice club. I am excited because they all something relevant to me because they seem to share the passion and the social justice that I am interested in. I really look forward in having great experiences in these student groups and hope that everything we do is for the good of our community.

My community at Bellarmine has been bonding more than ever since the beginning of the year. I remember last year, during the long and stressful period of college applications, in which counselors, teachers and college advisors would tell me that college was a place where we would be taken out of our social life. That social life was going to be something of the past and that all we would do was homework. I have to disagree with that. Even though my professors at SU have challenged me with writing assignments of 5-10 pages long and reading assignments between 200-700 pages per week, I have to say our communities in our residence halls make our days even more exciting. From root beer float to tours around Seattle, our RAs have been very successful in keeping the community together. There is no way you can be bored at SU. I usually leave my room's door open so that other fellow students come in and join me for a movie, games or just chit chat. Here at Seattle University is all about community, not about a single individual. Professors and staff want everyone to continue on and work harder every day, no one is better than anyone else and everyone is welcomed in our community.