By  Angela Hart

Many people think that if they eat less throughout the day, they will lose weight, and that calories are not important. The truth of the matter is that the human body needs between 1,200 and 1,500 calories a day.

This may sound like a lot, but think about how many simple tasks you do every day. Even just walking to class; that burn a lot of calories without you even realizing it.

Not eating throughout the day can actually have a backlash effect on your body. If you don’t eat, when you eat your next meal, your body will hold onto the fats and the calories, the good and the bad.

Or, you will be so hungry at your next meal that you will over eat and your body will hold onto those fats and calories, too.

Be aware of these two situations. If you start to get hungry, eat a power bar, such as a Lara Bar, or try to have another small snack.

It is recommended by nutritionists and trainers that people eat throughout the day. One personal trainer in particular, Janelle Nicolo, recommends that you eat every couple of hours.

This keeps up your energy, which in turn allows you to remain alert and active. This can be a useful key to college students. If you are going to be up until midnight, you need to eat small snacks every few hours to keep you on track and productive.

A few examples of healthy snacks are eight to ten carrots with ranch dressing, six to eight celery sticks with organic peanut butter, two handfuls of almonds, six to ten crackers with cottage cheese and power bars, such as Lara Bars, Cliff Hangers and Luna Bars.

Calories are considered to be classified in three main categories: Fats, proteins and carbohydrates. There are a lot of preconceived ideas about fat in foods. The fact of the matter is that fats are essential nutrients in the diet.

Although most people generally associate fats with causing obesity or gaining weight, that’s not necessarily true. There are good and bad fats. Good fats include vegetable oils, corn, nuts, tuna, trout and salmon.

Bad fats include saturated and trans fat items, such as beef, baked goods and fried foods. Although fats are essential to the body, they still need to be consumed in moderation.

Proteins should also be consumed in a reasonable manner. There is a general rule about protein that everyone should learn: It is best to have one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight to maintain a healthy weight.

This allows one to ensure that they do not overindulge. If one consumes too much protein, there may be some negative side effects, because the human body is not meant to absorb large amounts of protein.

Carbohydrates are considered the main source of energy for the body, which is why you hear about athletes eating pasta the night before a big event. When I was on my school’s swim team, we would have pasta parties the night before a big meet. Some of the most common forms of carbs are potatoes, bread and pasta. However, just like the other two categories, one should not overindulge.

To learn more about calorie consumption, go to webmd.com/diet/healthtool-portion-size-plate.

Glasgow, Scotland is very similar to Boston, a city I grew up with. In terms of size, geography and history, they seem to complement each other very nicely. Aside from getting used to a Scottish brogue and figuring out which coins are worth what, the adaptation into life in Glasgow has been fairly simple.

The transition to living in a city, rather than a closed, suburban campus like Bentley is something that isn’t unique to Glasgow, but rather an adaptation anyone would have to deal with when going to a new place.

For me, the weirdest thing I’ve encountered is the class structure. Rather than taking a curriculum with requirements across the disciplines, students take one, two or three areas of study.

Of those areas of study, students do not take any other classes. Someone might be studying English Literature and English Language and would never take a science course. In that case, you really know everyone within your discipline, as each course usually only has one lecture section, which separates throughout the week into smaller seminars and tutorials.

I have a loaded schedule, comparatively, with four classes this semester. Three is typical for most University of Glasgow students. This structure, however, seems to be unique for Scotland alone, not even the whole United Kingdom.

There is not much in the way of homework. Every week, I can expect to have a few articles for my film class and an assignment for my photography class, but nothing else. There is not any pre-reading, periodic essays, quizzes, homework or the dreaded online worksheets.

Here, your grade is dependent upon a final exam and a midterm essay. The essays are only one or two thousand words – not even a term paper that might be expected.

With that amount of free time, people go out a lot more. I do not know how they have the energy to! An evening starts at 10 or 11, going until the wee hours of the morning. Students usually go out several nights each week, but don’t go out on the weekends because it is more expensive.

I have still to determine whether this course structure leads to students more or less invested in their studies. People love to talk about their courses, yet I find little interaction within discussion seminars. It will be interesting to see how the campus changes around midterms and finals. Will it quiet down like Bentley? Or will the carefree attitude continue?

By Meagan Pratt

The most shocking difference I have experienced while in Singapore has been something essentially simple: The amount of people. Usually living just outside Boston, I didn’t think that the city would be much different from the busy island of Singapore.

However, I was truly shocked when I arrived to see that each day, from the bright and early hours of the morning, until pitch dark at night, people are everywhere.

It is sort of like experiencing constant rush-hour traffic. The buses are packed, the Mass Rapid Transit is packed, the malls are packed and even the streets are packed! This constant surrounding of people has made it a bit difficult in other areas, as well such as simply crossing the street.

If you wander out into Boston traffic, most people will stop for you; not here. If you wander into the street, you will get honked at, almost run over or receive angry stares. You must cross at a cross walk, when the light is green, or get a ticket. You choose.

With that being said, people here also drive “on the wrong side of the road,” which can be quite scary when on your first taxi trip from the airport to school and you keep thinking you’re headed into oncoming traffic. Singapore is also a “fine country,” meaning that there is a fine for almost anything you could possibly do wrong: Spitting on the sidewalk, littering, jaywalking, spitting your gum out, etc.

Speaking of which, I haven’t found one pack of gum for sale here in Singapore. Since it is such a large offense to spit out your gum onto sidewalks or any other public area, they simply don’t sell it.

Overall, the experience has so far been one of a kind. Learning to swerve in and out of people in roads, malls and everywhere in between while obeying all the new laws has been quite the task, especially coming from the U.S., where our rules are not as strict or as enforced.

After attending Australian Pop Culture lecture, one question posed in the lecture stuck in my mind that appropriately describes one major difference I have noticed since my arrival on the Gold Coast, Australia. A lecture slide read, “Does Australian culture tend to celebrate the ordinary, rather than the extraordinary?”

Even after spending only a few days at the university, that special essence was obvious. Not only do Australians live up to their laid-back lifestyle, but they are cordial and extremely hospitable. Anytime anyone has needed help since our arrival, most of the Australians have gone out of their way to help us any way they could.

Although it is only the first few weeks of the semester, their attitudes towards helping us out in any way seemed to be unique in comparison to attitudes in the United States. From my experiences, Americans can be very helpful, but Australians have a certain charm, as if they truly do “celebrate the ordinary.”  Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be unusual for an Australian to randomly strike a conversation either, even outside the university.

This is especially noticeable in restaurants or cafes. The service is exceptional and never disappoints. From the moment you step into a café, you feel as if you have somehow known your waiter or waitress for ages.

However, no matter how “mate-y” the experience seems to be, tipping is never expected in Australian restaurants. A tip is only given if you believe the service went above and beyond the personable and remarkable service.

In the U.S., a waiter or waitress is always expecting at least a 15 percent tip and even more for larger parties. Some restaurants even automatically add gratuity for larger parties or give suggestions on the receipt based on the total bill.

Australians believe there should always be great service and a tip is only earned if they went completely above and beyond the usual service.

By Nick Vasiliadis

By April Gammal

First of all, at least you recognize that you’re not the greatest dancer. There is nothing worse than someone who thinks they can dance really well and the truth could not be farther from it.

How you look while you’re dancing is almost as important as the rhythm under your feet. Let’s think about this for a minute. You’re going to be in a crowded room dancing close to some good- looking girl…well, hopefully. Brush your teeth, pop a piece of gum, stay away from onions and garlic – whatever it takes – because that girl will run if your breath smells bad before she even realizes you can’t dance.

Next, stay away from silk shirts because they do not absorb water, and if you’re nervous, then you’re sweating, and if you’re sweating, you don’t want it all over the girl you’re dancing with, and she doesn’t want it all over herself either. Your best bet is a dark-colored, cotton shirt. Lastly, never leave your place without cologne. While guys are more sensitive to a girl’s physical features, believe it or not, girls are more sensitive to sounds and smells…so make sure you pick out good-smelling cologne. Now… about that dancing of yours.

The most basic thing you can do is to essentially pretend you know how to dance. This involves feeling the music and shifting your weight from one foot to the other foot. Remember that you are at a party and not a concert, so keep the jumping up and down to a minimum… actually better yet, no jumping at all. You can also grab a friend you feel close to and follow their moves. Holding their hands will make following their steps easier. It will also prevent you from flailing your arms around and either hitting your girl in the face or knocking someone’s drink out of their hand.

Girls not only like to be told that their outfit looks good, but also that they look good dancing. While you’re dancing with a girl, casually lean over and ask her where she learned to dance so well. She will not only be flattered by your comment, but will focus even more on her dancing, which will take the attention away from your moves. If you’re still having trouble following her feet, then ask her to teach you. She will most likely have fun trying to get you to move your feet the right way, and I’m sure you’ll both share a few laughs together. Also, look at the girl you are dancing with and not at your feet. She will think that you’re either trying too hard or that you think your Nike sneakers are prettier than she is.

However, if you feel as though you need some sort of instruction before you attempt to wing it at a party, you can always take a few dance lessons. You don’t even need to leave campus for these lessons, because the Ballroom Dancing Club is a pending organization on campus and will begin teaching students how to dance from the very beginning. So, you don’t need any sort of experience, and by the end of the first lesson, you’ll have a few dance steps which will be sure to impress the girls. Good luck…and hey, it’s not the end of the world if you mess up a little.

Right when I stepped off the plane, it became immediately evident that I was no longer in the U.S. I thought (ignorantly) that signs, message boards, etc. in the airport of Brussels would be in English, but they were not. Belgium has two official languages, French and Dutch, and therefore English is significantly less important than in the U.S. and even other countries in Europe.

I would say the most shocking difference that I can think of so far would be the fact that Belgians don’t have shower curtains? I was surprised to see that my host family’s bathroom not only had no shower curtain, but no locks on the door as well. The first time I showered, water got everywhere and I felt really bad, but I’ve learned to work around it.

Not as shocking, but definitely a noteworthy difference, are the attitudes in Belgium towards alcohol and the environment. First off, Belgians are extremely casual when it comes to drinking. I knew Europeans in general felt this way, however, I did not realize how casual they actually were.

Here, it is common to drink beer at any time, of any day. It doesn’t matter if it is noon on a Monday or midnight on a Friday, people are always drinking.

There is a pretty nice bar on the campus of our school and they even sell beer in the cafeteria. I’m not even kidding when I say my tour guide was drinking a beer while giving our tour.

In addition, there are no open container laws and therefore drinking on subways, metros, or in the street is perfectly acceptable. They also seem to not really care about the age of people purchasing alcohol. Even though I am legal to drink here, I was surprised that I was not asked for an ID one time in the first two weeks I’ve been here.

As I mentioned, attitudes towards the environment are also different on a nationwide scale. Water is more expensive to use than in the U.S. and electricity is double the price during the day, as opposed to at night. The dryers for clothes are pretty bad and you usually have to put your clothes through three or four cycles before they are completely dry.

Finally, public transportation and communal rental bikes are the main methods of transportation. My host family doesn’t even own a car.

Question: “What are you going to miss most about being abroad? ”

By Hanna Ogilvy

Luckily for me, I will also study abroad next semester. Thus, when asked what I will miss the most about being abroad, I have to refine my question to: What I will miss most about Nantes? –and this is not an easy question to answer.

Yes, the food is amazing the people I have met will forever be a part of my greater family. However, there is one thing I will never forget: The metro system.

For me, I take the metro system, here called the “tran,” every day. I take line one to Commerce (the hub of the city center) and then take line two out of the center towards school. The whole process takes about 30 minutes, but usually, it is the best 30 minutes of my day.

The tran system is not like the Boston underground system. Nantes trans are above ground and are usually rather clean. I have experienced two circumstances on the tran: I am with a friend or I am by myself.

As there are hardly any American’s in Nantes, if I am with a friend or friends, I am probably in the company of someone from a different culture. I could not even place a figure on the number of times I have had conversations about life, love, religion, or beauty on a tran. It may seem like a random setting for such a conversation, but it has become a normal occurrence for me.

Then there is the other case: I am alone. This scenario is also very rewarding. Usually, this happens in the morning, when I leave my residence around 7:30 a.m. At this time, it is still dark.

However, by the time I have stepped on to line two, the sun is beaming through every tran window, and it is beautiful. This mixed with the most beautiful language in the world swirling in my ears from those around me is a perfect way to start my day. And for that reason, it will be what I miss most about Nantes – taking the tran.

By April Gammal

Question: Between stress and having so many finals, I feel like I’m bound to mess up during finals week. I’ve worked so hard this semester and I don’t want one final to mess up my grades. Do you have any advice for exam week?

Stress is definitely a major problem when it comes to exam week. Unfortunately, it gets in the way of all the work you have put into studying. As a result, you will end up making silly mistakes and forgetting information that you know.

In terms of handling stress I would suggest taking time out of your study schedule periodically to go work out at the gym or go for a walk. Both of these activities will clear your mind and prepare you to continue studying.
While some people are really good at taking multiple choice exams, others find them very difficult. Here are some tips on going through multiple choice questions.

(1) Read the question before looking at any of the answers.
(2) Try to answer the question before looking at any of the answers.
(3) Eliminate any answer you know is not right.
(4) Read all of the choices before answering.
(5) Do not keep changing your answer. Your first choice will probably be right. When you begin to change your answers you start to over think the question and second guess yourself (This piece of advice comes from many cases of painful experience).
(6) Usually the correct answer is the choice with the most information.

Don’t you just love those professors who make you write many essays throughout the exam, so by the time you’re done you’ve lost all feeling in your hand and fingers? Here are some tips on essay writing.

(1) Read the question carefully and make sure you understand it.
(2) Keep track of the time. Divide your time equally among all of your essay questions so that you do not spend all of your time on one essay.
(3) Make an outline. This will organize your ideas and thoughts so your essay is logical.
(4) Write only two to three sentences for the introduction and conclusion. The bulk of your essay should be in the body paragraphs.
(5) Focus on one idea in each paragraph.
(6) Make sure each point you make answers the question you were initially asked.
(7) Proofread your work at the end to catch silly grammar errors.
(8) Use a pen if you are left handed so you don’t end up smudging your sentences.

Fifty-percent chance of getting the answer right; doesn’t seem too difficult, right? True/False questions can be quite tricky. Here are some tips.

(1) Every part of the statement needs to be true for the answer to be true.
(2) Statements which contain words such as “often” or “usually” are probably true.
(3) Statements which contain words such as “always” or “never” are probably false.

In general, as you are taking your exams, make sure you budget enough time for each section. If you finish early, do not leave. Go back over your answers and make sure you have not made any silly mistakes. Good luck completing your exams and have a great winter break!

By Zack Hoffmann

With technology affecting our everyday lives, it is only natural for it to become integrated with our everyday activities. Whether it is a computer that models various economic situations or a credit card reader to pay for Einstein’s coffee, it is fair to say that technology makes many things in our lives easier and more accessible.

As students we have an enormous exposure to technology. When writing a research paper, majority of the information you will need can be found online, and with the invention of “Find” (control + F) no longer are countless hours spent pouring over dated encyclopedias to no avail. Excel cranks out extensive formulas and converts them into spectacular graphs without breaking a sweat. The power of email enables groups to individually share contributions and does away with the need to actual meet.

With such wealth at our fingertips, it seems at times as though we don’t even have to attend class. Lectures are available via BlackBoard PowerPoints, quizzes taken over MyLabs and after last summer’s introduction, it seems that future classes could be taped and available for review.

That being said, Bentley embraces technology. Seen through the cutting edge Trading Room or the HP notebooks in the hands of every student, the University seizes every opportunity to make the latest and greatest available to us. This preparation and early introduction will pay dividends when we enter our professional careers, putting us ahead of our competition.

Sure having out computers enables us to type class notes or browse the presentation alongside the lecture. But at what point does the benefits begin to impede on the classroom experience? In reality, most kids just spend their time surfing Facebook and stumbling along the interwebs. They are completely detached from the professor and the material at hand.

While the information may not be the most interesting (although menial status updates aren’t breaking news either), it still doesn’t change the fact that you are just trying to make a boring class pass faster. Often times we hear about the student who skips class and crams for the exam. In effect, if you aren’t paying attention, and haven’t perfected learning through osmosis, why even bother attending the class?

Participation credit. Simply put, half the reason we show up is to help cushion our grade to help position it for a 4.0. But with half the class mentally elsewhere, discussions are limited to the few that decide to put away their gadgets for the one hour of class.

Some teachers see this as a blatant act of disrespect and loathe the sight of computers or cellphones. And to a certain extent it is. “Back in the good ‘ol days” that sort of behavior would land a kid dusting erasers for a week.

Today, the professor may just ask everyone to put his or her computers away. Then there are those teachers who ignore the absent minded audiences lost in their computers.

I can see both sides of the argument. On one hand it is class material that needs to be taught. On the other the class material being taught is plebian, boring and non-stimulating. So what to do?

I feel that teachers should look at it as an opportunity to revisit their lectures. And this doesn’t mean adding a graphic and animation to a Power Point- that won’t suffice. I call for a complete overhaul. A new generation of students has entered the classrooms, ones with the attention span of 140 characters and teachers use this to their advantage.

To begin, more interactive learning environments would keep students engaged. While not ideal for larger classes, Bentley is fortunate enough to have a smaller number of students per class, allowing for a more intimate setting, which should be maximized. Shorter discussions that encourage summarization of key points create a constant flow of information. The minute a class drags on kids tune out, but by keeping topics continuously changing and always moving, it forces them to pay attention.

Rather than prohibiting the use of technology, teachers should encourage a more active role. Interactive models and rule-based competitions can help reinforce class materials as well as engage the students. Obviously there is a time and a place for everything, and in some situations, the classroom is best reserved for the pen and pad. But when it can be used, technology should be injected.

By Moussa Hassoun

Tom Brokaw glorified the generation who grew up in the deprivation of the Great Depression and contributed to the fight in World War II as the “Greatest Generation.” Also called the “GI Generation”, this historic age group follows the “Lost Generation” of World War I and precedes the “Silent Generation” of the post WWII world.
In comparison, all other age groups shrink to the grand challenges of that generation and the Herculean efforts made to address them, yet I can’t help but consider: What of our more recent Generations? How do we stack up? Let’s take a look.

In what I consider World War IV, the United States, China, Russia, NATO, Brazil and countless other countries are all engaged in a global war against rogue non-state terrorist groups.

The U.S. in particular, although initially unrelated to Al Qaeda, has spent the good part of the past 10 years fighting in Iraq, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed and wounded. In addition, thousands of NATO forces have been killed in Afghanistan.

In the meanwhile, since 2007, the world has been swirling in the largest economic crisis since the Great Depression. Markets have been depressed, unemployment still extremely high, and equality and social mobility are becoming a part of the past.

Lending is far from open and the European Union is dealing with its largest crisis since its formation; so far, member states are unwilling to make the sacrifices of either ending the Union or bringing it closer together as a government.

Great inequality has most notably ended the patience of the Arab youth who are now rising against their dictators.

The Arab Uprisings have already replaced leaders in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and (perhaps) Yemen; their struggle now centers around moving on and ensuring transfer to democratic states. Others continue their struggle in Syria and Bahrain to remove their governments.

Mimicking the discontent of the Arab youth, millions around the world are out protesting with the Occupy Movement as people are frustrated by the current economic conditions and the entanglement of government and corporate influence.

As the internet has expanded and become more accessible to more people, we can see it being utilized in a way like no other. Facebook, Twitter, Wikileaks and YouTube are just some sources that people have used to organize a movement or express themselves.

In a time when we are labeled as game/TB-prone slacktivists, we can see a generation working to improve the world by revealing truth through Wikileaks, organize rallies via Facebook, and report news via YouTube and Twitter especially when the media won’t or can’t do so.

I have no doubt that Tom Brokaw named it “The Greatest Generation” because we had already seen the results: Nazi Germany removed, the Empire of Japan surrendered and a U.S. economy that surged on and funded the rebuilding of a Europe that took steps to guarantee lasting peace.

We have yet to discover if things will end well today. Will the Syrians win in their struggle? Will the Bahrainis get anyone’s attention? Will we dip once again into a global recession as Europe struggles to solve its core economic problem? Will Egyptians be able to construct a democratic government?

All is unclear, and although unemployment wasn’t as severe as in the Great Depression and the wars are not being fought by traditional forces, we can see struggles by state and non-state actors on a global scale of equal magnitude to those of “The Greatest Generation”.

The changing dynamics of communication have complicated and intensified the issues, but if we come out successful in our struggles, humanity will be better off, and this generation will be responsible for the changes.
Go on and go out, don’t shy away from the fight and do what you can to make the world you leave, better than the one you came into. Our struggles will define us, and only we can work to win in this fight; to be labeled decades later, as TIME Magazine already has, “The New Greatest Generation.”

Dear Editor,

As business students, I am sure we each recognize that December is one of the busiest times of the year. The season of gift-giving is about to begin, companies are looking to get out of the red and into the black, and students are ready for winter festivities. As the year approaches a close, I would like to make a request of the Bentley Community.

Let’s individually consider learning about a new cause and donating to it. I realize it’s a lot easier to just give a dollar to St. Jude’s hospital when they ask you at the Ann Taylor register or to throw your change in the red metal collector as people ring jingle bells for the Salvation Army. At the same time, there are many charitable organizations that equally merit recognition and could also put your hard-earned money to good use. More importantly, in learning about a non-profit organization you may find a cause that better reflects your interests.

For me personally the Central Asia Institute is one of the causes I support. It works to empower communities of Central Asia by sponsoring infrastructure projects and building schools. I specifically like how the organization invests to achieve higher literacy and education, especially for girls, in these remote communities. This “teach a man to fish” concept allows the communities to develop a sustainable process to improve their standard of living.

I am not expecting everyone to identify with this specific cause, but I am sure that there is an organization that reflects the varying ideals on this campus. For those who sympathize with the food security plight in the world, they may consider giving to Heifer International. For someone whose cause is closer to home, maybe a local shelter could use a couple of your cans. I have a couple of suggestions for those who are looking into a new cause. Understand who the beneficiaries of the donations are. Are they entire families? Individuals? What does the money actually do? Then find out how much money you donate actually benefits the people. Some organizations have a heavy administrative cost which means that not all of your donation will make it to the people in need.

So as we all hit the registers and buy gifts for the holidays, we will undoubtedly hear, “Would you like to donate x dollars to x charity? It’s for a great cause!” However, if that cause does not reflect your own values and does not serve the cause you want, do not feel obligated to donate to it. There are plenty of institutions around the world that address your philanthropic belief and with a little research your thoughtful gift can go a long way.

Sincerely,
Edith Joachimpillai

By  Angela Hart

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about the pressure of studying for finals – new students are more apprehensive about it, while the older ones know exactly what to expect. Rooms at the library are being booked at a rapid pace and there’s a tendency for people to frown instead of smile about simple every day matters. Yes, time is precious and there is still so much more to accomplish before Christmas break. So, I’d like to make a suggestion and share something that my mom used to say to me while growing up, whenever I’d get a bit too intense about things, “Try to laugh at least once a day because it will make you feel better.”

There’s something about watching a new TV show, movie or play, and that unexpected moment happens when the dialogue or physical behavior becomes comical and you just have to go along with it. Or, there’s laughing with family or a group of friends which makes it seem like you’ve just created a memory or experienced a special moment. The familiar reference, “It’s an inside joke,” usually occurs when that memory is triggered, once again, long after it actually happened. Moments like that seem to make laughter even more special because you might not remember what was really said at the time, but you will always remember being amused.

So, whether you need a break from studying or a diversion from everything else going on in your life, meet up with friends, exchange stories and tell some jokes. Or, try to find the time to watch a legendary Marx Brothers movie like A Day at the Races or Duck Soup – two hilarious comedies.

Not only is laughing fun, the benefits of laughing also contribute to your overall health and happiness in a number of ways. For example, laughter:

Relaxes us as it lowers our heart rate and blood pressure. After a good laugh, breathing becomes deeper which sends oxygen enriched blood and nutrients throughout the body, resulting in improved blood circulation. Reduces stress levels, averts and alleviates depression, stimulates the immune system and promotes healing, which ultimately makes you a healthier person. Releases endorphins, the brain’s natural painkillers, which clears your head and helps you think more creatively, while also increasing your tolerance for pain. Connects us with others and counteracts feelings of alienation; laughing makes you more attractive because it forces you to smile, and people who smile appear to be more approachable and sociable. Before any competitive sports activity, laughter will increase the relaxation levels and performance of athletes, since breathing capacity is one of the factors which determine stamina in sports.

Back in 1998, there was a true movie about a doctor named Patch Adams, played by Robin Williams, who wanted to treat patients in addition to treating their illnesses. He used humor as well as health care to improve the quality of their lives, which brought joy to them. The real Patch Adams, M.D., is a nationally known speaker, who discusses his approach to treating patients with laughter and humor but is very serious when it comes to talking about health care and health care systems.
Dr. Adams believes that “the most revolutionary act one can commit in our world is to be happy.” Yet, while students are busy and sometimes overwhelmed with homework, group projects, sports, clubs, and part-time jobs, his vision for harmony can be easily overlooked, especially with finals coming up.

Therefore, we need to make a decision to be happy and, perhaps, it all begins with a smile. So, whatever makes you laugh – jokes, stories, movies, TV shows, books or even a comical calendar, try to laugh at least once a day, because the health benefits of being amused or entertained are certainly well worth it!

I don’t feel as though there was one single thing that has made my time abroad more meaningful than another. The whole experience overall has been the best part. Becoming better friends with the 15 other Bentley students here, as well as other American and Irish students we have met over the past three months, has made the trip very enjoyable.

The ease of travel has also been very meaningful. Of course, the country you study in is where you are going to see the most things, but the ability to be in Dublin one day and the next be in Italy or Spain is an awesome feeling.

I was also luckily, or maybe stupidly as my friends had told me, able to get an internship while I was here. It was great being able to experience a European workplace. Although Ireland is pretty similar to America, the workplace is a lot different and I am glad I was able to experience it.

These three areas – social, travel and work – have all culminated into one amazing, meaningful experience.

The Vanguard can often be quite critical of other student and administrative organizations on campus, particularly when we see room for improvement. Similarly, when the campus community feels that we are not living up to our expectations as the student newspaper, we expect students to be critical of us.

While we are often quick to dole out criticism, we can often be much slower to dole out praise, but we feel that a major student organization is worthy of praise: AIA.

AIA has always been a background organization that many students will never deal with directly, unless they are the president or treasurer of an organization. However, AIA holds considerable power over campus organizations and the student body, managing the student activity fee budget and allocating the budget that runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Ultimately, this task doesn’t come without challenges and risks, particularly when students get upset with how their activity fee is allocated.

While it would be quite easy for AIA to maintain an air of secrecy over their decision making, Ryan Dechance, president of AIA, has gone out of his way to improve transparency throughout the organization. Students are regularly encouraged to set up meetings with AIA or their AIA liaison and can sit in on meetings and ask questions about their activity fee allocation.

AIA regularly makes available data which shows students how their activity fee is allocated so that students are able to make sure that their activity fee allocation is benefiting them. Transparency is key with any Student

Life-sponsored organization, and AIA is a superb example of how a Student Life organization should be run.

AIA has also worked on improving contact with organizations and working on improving their interactions with student organizations. As a result of their improved dialogue with student organizations, they’ve also been receptive to changing AIA policies and implementing those changes to further benefit the student body.

In recent years, AIA has continued to raise the bar for the major student organizations on campus, and under the leadership of Dechance, they have continued to do so.

At Bentley, it’s unlikely you’ll ever find a class on “The Philosophy of The Matrix” or “Harry Potter: Finding Your Patronus.” And while it’s understandable that a small university or college wouldn’t offer such unique electives, it’s still necesary to allow students to have the option of specific upper-level major electives. These electives are helpful in finding a specialized area of interest that could ultimately lead to a potential career path.

After the unfortunate passing of Professor Nelson, the Finance Department found itself short by one professor. While many other professors were gracious enough to pick up his classes, Finance majors and professors found the department short-staffed for next semester. According to a Finance professor, the Finance Department alone is short by about four full-time professors.

This crunch was most notable during registration when a significant majority of the finance electives were closed at the end of the first day of course registration, depriving many of the juniors and underclassmen a way of taking major classes. Yes, there were still options available for students who were willing to be flexible, but let’s be honest, no one wants to take a major class at 8:30 in the morning or with a professor with poor SETs.

Seniors will remember the headaches during registration early in their college careers when MyBentley would become so slow that it was practically unusable. This year, so many students were checking the registration website during the first day of registration that the website went down several times.

One junior in particular will be finishing up the spring semester working on his minors after being locked out of all of his major classes. Despite appeals to the Registrar’s Office and the department chair, he was unable to get into any major electives. Similar situations were also mirrored throughout many of the other departments. The only majors who don’t seem to have any issues with course registration are CIS majors.

This situation isn’t just unfair for Bentley students, but it’s also more importantly unfair for Bentley professors. With professors working double time and a general professor shortage on campus, the entire school suffers.

Whether it is through decreased availability or natural exhaustion, professors need to be left to teach and mentor students and students need to be able to register for the electives they want to take, not the ones they’re forced into.

An even bigger problem brewing across the campus this year are budget cuts. These cuts are are creating a domino effect throughout the entire campus, not just academic departments. As  the school evaluates what costs should be included in tuition and what should be paid for a la carte,  we need to remember that our education should always remain paramount at Bentley.

Question: “What are you involved in at your institution? How has it contributed to your experience?”

By Rachel Wang

As mentioned in my previous Note from Abroad, I signed up for a language exchange with a local Barcelona student which Universitat Pompeu Fabra had put together. I have been consistently meeting up with Julia for a few weeks now and I can honestly say that I am so happy I decided to go through with it.

We have become good friends and she is constantly excited with the fact that she has a friend from the States now, while I know that I have someone I can trust and go to with questions and concerns about living in Barcelona. Other pairs have not been so lucky, so I am expecting our two-person exchange to become a group event in the near future.

Because students in Spain live at home instead of in dormitories or apartments, on-campus sports teams, clubs and organizations are hard to find and are not as popular as they are in the States. UPF’s orientation week gave international students the opportunity to go to the opening meetings of some of the organizations on campus, but in general, they are not advertised as fervently. For this reason, I have been trying to get involved in other ways.

Recently, I have e-mailed the UPF international student office to have my e-mail address forwarded, to future Bentley students whether they have decided to study abroad for one semester or for four years. I love the idea of helping prospective students by answering any questions that they may have about their classes, living situations or the culture at Bentley.

Hopefully, when I return in the spring, we will have become close enough that they feel comfortable approaching me throughout the school year. I also look forward to having the opportunity to get to know more local students to practice Spanish with and who can take me around the city.

I highly encourage students that are thinking about studying abroad to sign up for anything and everything that interests them. Not only should you do so in order to continue pursuing your interests while you are abroad, but also to make local friends, because if you were ever to encounter a problem with the university such as class schedules or transfer credits, they could help by acting as peer advisors, as well as be a friend to go out with on the weekends if you need a change of pace.

Also, UPF offers excursions and group activities for all international students if you sign up for their emailing lists. This way you can meet students from other countries that are not necessarily in your classes but are also abroad for the semester.

The “No Love for Bachelor of Arts Majors” editorial in the November 10, 2011 issue of The Vanguard is a timely commentary on an important topic for Undergraduate Career Services. In fact, at the November 1, 2011 SGA meeting, I spoke specifically about the progress we have made in building programs for Bachelor of Arts and LSM majors and outlined our commitment to expanding these offerings in the coming semester. I’d like to highlight a few examples of our Bachelor of Arts resources and clarify many of your article’s misperceptions.

For example, our Media majors and LSMs are invited by their dedicated advisor, Alyssa Hammond, to participate in Success in the City, a one-day program in New York City providing students with structured visits to key employers hosted by Bentley alumni and parents.  Most recently, participating students have networked with professionals at major media companies including Horizon Media, NBC Universal, and Disney. Last week, at our Marketing, Management and Communications Networking Night, we hosted numerous media companies, including Clear Channel and Scratch Marketing + Media, to name a few.  The opportunities are there for students who are proactive and engaged in the process. And, as Alyssa is making every effort to partner with Media faculty, we anticipate strengthened outcomes from this active collaboration.

In other areas, we are excited about recent developments for LSMs in Earth, Environment and Global Sustainability. Led by Colleen Murphy, our First Year advisor and dedicated advisor to EEGS as well as Health and Industry, in collaboration with Amanda King, we have offered two exciting Sustainability career programs this fall and have plans for a number of new initiatives this spring. Last year, we collaborated with recent graduate, Tom D’Eri, to publish a Sustainability Career guide now featured on our new website.

In addition, a number of Nonprofit and Social Entrepreneurship programs are underway, including last week’s exciting visit by Joseph Sinatra, Investor Relations Officer at Root Capital. Previously, Mr. Sinatra worked at Ashoka, where he successfully developed proposals and managed relationships with leading philanthropic organizations and investors, raising more than $20 million to finance social entrepreneurs worldwide.

As one student commented after the session, “I know I was not the only one who truly benefited from this experience, so I hope that you can keep more of these programs coming! We as Bentley students have so much power and knowledge to change and help others.”

This week we will be hosting alumni from five area Nonprofits in a dynamic panel focused on leveraging business careers in Nonprofits. At that program we will have a Resource Expo connecting students to campus resources including the new Nonprofit Society and Minor, and plan to showcase our new Nonprofit Career Guide developed in collaboration with current senior, Gregg Grenier.

We are pleased with our progress to date, but are never complacent. We have many initiatives in the works to strengthen our collaboration with faculty to leverage our collective resources and expertise. As Melissa Sawyer highlighted to the SGA on November 1, we are preparing a survey for BA majors to assess career interest areas to ensure programming meets student needs. With four full-time and one part-time advisor for nearly 4,000 students, we need to be thoughtful and strategic about resource allocation. On this note, as Bentley considers additional BA majors, we do have a seat at the table with faculty and administration to ensure career implications are considered.

We care about each student at Bentley, whether they are a first-year student or a senior, a BA, BS or LSM. We thank you for raising this issue and allowing us to respond, and we look forward to continued productive dialogue.

Sincerely,
Susan Brennan

Managing Director, University Career Services

Question: While I am excited about Thanksgiving, I’m also dreading it. I always leave dinner feeling really full and like I’ve eaten enough food to last me three days.
All of my relatives come over and bring something different. I don’t want to insult anyone by not trying the food they brought. Is it possible to leave Thanksgiving dinner without feeling so full, but also not insulting my relatives?

By April Gammal

Ok, so this may not help you feel any better but…the average American consumes more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day. You can either choose wisely and take control, or fail to keep the diet you promise yourself every year when the ball drops in Times Square.

If you choose to take control, I have some tips that should keep your calorie intake from exceeding over two days worth of food during Thanksgiving dinner.

Don’t go to Thanksgiving dinner hungry. When you are hungry you tend to eat more and faster. So, make sure you eat breakfast and lunch before going to dinner. Keep in mind that foods that are high in fiber make you feel full very quickly.

Fill your plate once. Take what you want to eat at the beginning of the meal and do not put anything else on your plate. This will prevent you from taking just a little more of this and a little more of that, and then before you know it you’ve taken another plate full of food.

Choose the light meat. When it comes to the turkey, choose the light pieces over the dark and avoid eating the skin. Dark meat has about 75 percent more fat and 30 percent more calories than light meat. Also, forget the gravy.
Drink water. Drinking plenty of water will help fill you up and will keep your body hydrated, unlike alcohol and coffee which can dehydrate your body. Also, alcohol slows the breakdown of fat. Your body will break down alcohol first instead of fat.

Chew your food slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you are full. So, if you are eating quickly, it will be too late before you realize that you are full.

Thanksgiving dinner is a time to enjoy the company of your family and friends. Focus your attention on the conversation and not just the food on your plate.

If you eat slowly, you will know sooner when you are full and not later on when you start to feel a little sick and your buttons begin popping off your pants.

Put your fork down every time you take a bite. Finish what is in your mouth before you put anything else in it, and enjoy what you are eating.

Choose your dessert wisely. There always seem to be so many good items on the table for dessert. If there is any dessert with fruit, then go for it. It will most likely have fewer calories. While a slice of apple pie contains about 300 calories, a slice of pecan pie has over 500 calories

Many people think, “Hey, it is only one day so it should be ok.” If you make exceptions for every holiday, celebration or special occasion that pops up, you will be making excuses way too often.
I hope these tips will help you make good choices this Thanksgiving while still keeping your relatives happy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Question: “What are you involved in at your institution? How has it contributed to your experience?”

By Domenique Hogan

The Rome campus of Lorenzo d’Medici is significantly smaller than most universities. Although there are no sports teams to join or service learning opportunities, there are a number of trips that are planned by the LdM staff which promote the student’s education about Italy and Italian culture in various parts of the country.

I joined the Italian club at LdM and for a fee of only 3 Euros, I can take part in activities from cultural exchanges with Italian college students to aperitivos. This past Thursday, I participated in a tiramisu tasting at a well-known dessert café called Pompii. It was a great way to socialize while tasting one of the most well-known desserts in Italy (aside from cannolis, of course).

On Friday, I went on a trip to the Abbruzi National Park where we were able to go on a nature hike and learn how to make ravioli and cheese from scratch. We worked with local Italian women who were more than happy to teach us and answer our questions. The food was delicious and the experience was extraordinary.

On Saturday and Sunday, I attended the Tuscany trip with LdM and was able to see a completely different side of Italy as compared to the busy, chaotic city of Rome. When we arrived in Tuscany, we were greeted by locals who welcomed us into their wine cellars. We learned about the wine production process and were able to taste the wines made at that winery, along with homemade pasta, meat and cheese! We viewed the beautiful scenery of Tuscany, visited many small towns in the area, and enjoyed each other’s company.

Participating in these activities has definitely enhanced my study abroad experience. By taking part in the Italian club, I’ve gotten to spend time with my peers and make a lot of good friends. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be able to view places outside of Rome, to appreciate the natural beauty of Italy and to understand how this beauty influences the art and architecture of the country.

An overwhelming majority of Bentley students are business students who go through the whole GB curriculum, from the 100 level to the 400 level. After all, Bentley was originally the Harry Bentley School of Accountancy and Finance, which is likely why Accountancy and Finance are among the strongest and most popular majors at Bentley.

Bentley also has one of the top career service programs in the country. So, why are the Bachelor of Arts majors at Bentley so often overlooked and underserved by Career Services?

While the BA majors may be an afterthought for Career Services, they are certainly making their presence and talent known on their own, and Admissions is certainly taking note and using them to help sell Bentley.

Look at Jim Ferguson, a senior Media and Culture major who spent this summer interning with the Cannes International Film Festival. His film Twelve Acres was also selected to be shown at the Cannes Festival and was subsequently picked up by DirecTV for their Shorts network.

He was at Open House helping to sway prospective students interested in the arts toward Bentley as the bridge between the arts and the business world.

Ferguson is following in the footsteps of Alex Hagen, a Bentley Alum who graduated in 2010. After producing several short films with other Bentley students, he graduated and started Hollow Skull Films, a nonprofit production company and grant program for aspiring directors and producers.

Do you want to look outside the Media and Culture major, a major which has only gained significant traction in the last few years? Look to the Global Studies major, and you’ll find Dan Merica. After being a Vanguard News correspondent during his time at Bentley, Merica headed over to NPR to serve as the Executive Producer of their Intern Edition. He is now a writer for CNN.com and is working his way through the journalism field.

Many BA majors say they have felt neglected or underserved by Career Services, who they say are often too busy focusing on the business majors on campus. While this may not accurately be the case, several BA majors have felt that they are an “odd ball” at Bentley and can’t get help from Career Services.

However, that being said, those who have been there for help have found the experience helpful and the staff willing to dedicate time to assist them. One alum said that although they didn’t receive help from Career Services for jobs or internships, they did find them helpful for the career process overall.

The progress that BA students are making is often due to their own persistence and networking, as well as the assistance of their professors.

We may not be an arts school at Bentley, but we all pay the same tuition and we should all receive the same treatment from a key support resource such as Career Services.

Presented by The Senior Year Experience Committee

Interview for Senior Spotlight
Name: Liz Sisson
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Plainville, CT

What are you involved in at Bentley?
Currently, I am the president of the Senior Class Cabinet, a Freshman Year Facilitator, a Women’s Leadership Floor mentor and a loyal member of PRIDE.

What are you looking forward to this year?
I’m really excited for the entire senior year, and the experiences that come along with it. Of course there are the pub nights, harbor cruise, Bahamas trip, etc., but I’m also excited for the little things. Ideally, I’d like to get to know and work with more seniors.

What are your plans for the future?
Great question. I’m graduating in May and I am still in the “search” process. I just want to make sure that whatever I do, I’m being challenged, making a difference and that I’m happy. Mike Montalbano, our Faculty Advisor for Class Cabinet asked me today: “What would you be doing if you didn’t have to work?” and I’m trying to answer that question and go from there…

What is your favorite event on campus?
Any of the APO plays – wouldn’t miss ‘em for the world!

What are your goals for this year?
I want to meet new people, have fun, relax, take a nap at least once a day, get my dream job and achieve everything on my bucket list.

How are you feeling about graduation?
I think change is so exciting. It is of course sad to think that I will be leaving the place I’ve called home for four years, but I’m so eager to see what lies ahead of me.

What is your advice to seniors/words of wisdom?
Do what you love, not what you’re good at, even if that means not following the clear and comfortable path.

What can Bentley do to help you with this year?
Encourage students, both with internships and jobs, to explore outside of what’s so readily available or expected. See previous question…

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned at Bentley?
Be yourself.

By Justin Lawlor

I find it amusing that nearly every sink in Dublin has two faucets – one for hot water and another for cold. This may appear to be a minor domestic detail, but trust that it does pose a challenge.

The hot faucet always pumps out piping hot water, while the cold one dispenses a frigid, icy stream. Every time I rinse my hands in the kitchen or in the restroom, I am faced with a choice: Shall I opt for a third degree burn or can I afford to forego the feelings of my fingers for a time?

Thankfully, I have devised a crafty strategy to avoid this faucet dilemma. After approaching the sink, I turn on both faucets and run my hands under the hot faucet for a few seconds before the water becomes too hot. I then switch to the cold faucet for a second or two. I then swap back to the hot faucet for as long as I can stand it, and again counter the burning sensation with the cold stream.

I never thought an act as minute as washing one’s hands could be a dance or an art form.