College students and caffeine go hand-in-hand, which is exactly what Keene’s Aroma Joe’s celebrated during its grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015.

Though the coffee shop opened on 141 Winchester Street in mid-July this past year, the grand opening was held off until just this past week.

Emma Simpson, KSC sophomore and coffee enthusiast, said that she visits Aroma Joe’s about three days a week on average.

Of the grand opening, Simpson said, “I was a little bit confused that it happened [last week] because they’ve been open for months now, but I did enjoy getting a cheap caffeinated drink.”

Maryna Shuliakouskaya, owner of the Keene’s Aroma Joe’s, explained that the point of the grand opening was to make a good impression, not necessarily a first impression.

“You don’t do a grand opening until the store is staffed and all the baristas are really ready for it. That’s how you really make an impression,” Shuliakouskaya said.

Shuliakouskaya continued, “Say you get a cup of coffee and it’s not made good because the baristas are not well trained – your first impression will be pretty bad. We really wanted to make sure that everything was perfect, and that our staff was ready, before we had our grand opening.”

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Haley Cabana, who has been working at the Aroma Joe’s franchising office in Portland, me for ten years, said, “I think having the grand opening now is perfect timing.

When the Keene Aroma Joe’s opened, it was the middle of the summer, a lot of the students weren’t here. Now everyone’s here, knows the brand a little better, and is more familiar with our products. We sold a ton of Rush [during the grand opening], so it really worked out well.”

According to Cabana, the first Aroma Joe’s opened up in the year 2000 in Rochester, New Hampshire, and they’ve been expanding ever since.

They hope to have 50 stores open by the end of the year.

The coffee shop sells energy drinks, sugar-free energy drinks, frozen energy drinks, coffees, teas and smoothies, among other beverages.

They also offer bagels, sandwiches and pastries.

Shuliakouskaya said that the interesting thing about Keene’s Aroma Joe’s is that it’s essentially run by KSC students.

“Most of our baristas go to the college here,” Shuliakouskaya said. “We’re happy to provide additional jobs for the students. Most of them live close by, so for them it’s a no-brainer. They study across the street, they come to work, they go home, all in less than a mile radius,” she said.

One such barista, Avery Black, lives on campus right across the street from Aroma Joe’s.

Black, who has been working at the coffee shop for just about two months now, said that she agrees with Shuliakouskaya that the location is extremely convenient for KSC students.

“I tend to get coffee [at Aroma Joe’s] every time I work, and then on a lot of my off days, too, when I go in with friends,” Black said.

Shuliakouskaya said that she’s glad the grand opening of the Keene store went off without a hitch.

“I’m very thankful to my team that I have here – I live two hours away from here, but everyone here is local and lives close by so they’re the ones running the show and helping me to succeed,” Shuliakouskaya said, “And I’m thankful for people from the community who come here every morning to support us and buy our coffee.”

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@kscequinox.com

Keene State College’s own fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon, also called TKE, did their part in giving back to the community with a project they called “TKE in a Box.”

The four night, four day event began late Sunday, October 18 and continued on through Thursday, October 22. On the lawn of the L.P. Young Student Center on campus, TKE brothers hosted a 24 hour food and money donation drive for students, faculty and community members that walked by.

The cause they were raising awareness for: homelessness.

Daniel Keady, KSC student and Histor for the TKE fraternity on campus, said that he really wanted to get people thinking about the homeless epidemic that is so prominent in the town of Keene.

Keady said, “Many people associate Keene as a well-off, wealthy college town. However, there still is a fairly saddening number of homeless individuals in this area.”

TKE in a Box partnered up with the Community Kitchen, a soup kitchen in Keene, as well as Hundred Nights Shelter in Keene and Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital to put the event together.

Tim Smith/ Photo Editor

“We created a structure out of two-by-four framing, six feet tall, eight feet long and eight feet wide,” Keady said, “Everything we needed was donated from Home Depot – the wood, the nails, the cardboard.”

When asked what was inside the box, Keady explained simply, “Brothers are inside the box.”

Keady said that for the four days the box was up, there was always at least one brother inside the box and one at the table in front to collect donations in the forms of canned food and money.

The canned food went to the Community Kitchen and the money went towards both Hundred Nights Homeless Shelter and Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

“We’re sleeping here the entire week. Homeless people don’t get the option to control what weather or environment they’re sleeping in, so, we’re having multiple brothers every single night. The homeless don’t get a say in where they sleep, we can rough it out for one week,” Keady said.

The tagline of TKE in a Box, written on the box and posted at the collection table, read “I eat well, I sleep well, I’m raising money for someone who doesn’t.”

TKE brother Joshua Poloski added, “It may not be the same, living on the Student Center lawn with our blankets and our pillows, but we’re putting ourselves out in the elements. We want to prove a point that these people need help and we’re here to help them. We’re starting a conversation on campus.”

Poloski continued, “The homeless population is more or less shunned. When you’re walking down Main Street and someone asks you for money, it’s become so routine over the years to just ignore these individuals.”

Poloski explained that the whole point of TKE in a Box was to make a visual display. “Someone on this campus wants to help. We want to do something,” Poloski said.

When Delta Phi Epsilon’s KSC president Kaitlin Richotte first heard about TKE in a Box, she said she thought it was a wild concept.

“When I was told that brothers would be staying in [the box], I thought no way, that’s crazy! What if it rains or it’s freezing out?” Richotte said, “But I also knew that when TKE has an idea, they go for it, and no matter what obstacles come in their way, they always end up achieving what they want.”

Richotte said that the brothers showed great determination with how they toughed out the days they spent in the box.

“When the nights were tough because it was pouring rain, or freezing I would always wonder, is this going to be the last night, are they going to be done with this now? But no matter what the conditions were they always stayed in the box,” Richotte said.

Richotte continued, “I absolutely loved this idea. TKE has so many brothers who are really creative and I think it showed in this. What I loved the most was that not only were they trying to raise awareness about homelessness, which is a serious problem, but they were also raising money for their philanthropy, St. Jude’s Children Hospital, as well as asking people to donate cans for the Hundreds Night Shelter and Keene’s Community Kitchen. It’s such an innovative way, something that really hasn’t been done before, and I’m proud to be able to be a part of a community that these brothers are in.”

Of the stigma involved with wearing Greek letters, Richotte said, “Whatever the stereotype about us is, I think we prove it wrong every single day.”

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@kscequinox.com

Writers across the Keene State College campus are celebrating – there is finally a club for lovers of slam poetry! The club, affectionately called the Alive Poets Society, became officially recognized on campus last week, and focuses on other forms of poetry and writing as well.

Founder and President of the Alive Poets Society Nicole Danish said that she knew there had to be other poets on campus who needed an outlet like this.

Danish, who is a junior at KSC, said, “I think the Alive Poets Society is vital to Keene State because there are so many talented writers here and very few assets to encourage, inspire and showcase their work.”

Danish added, “KSC is truly a gold mine of various different talents and this club is a way for poets here to get their work heard.”

KSC junior Sarah Lennon is one such student who joined for that reason.

Tim Smith / Photo Editor

“I joined because I really like poetry, and I sometimes feel sort of pretentious talking about poetry with my friends that aren’t really into that kind of thing, so I wanted to be involved in a community of people outside of academic curriculum that are genuinely interested in sharing their poetry with others and offering constructive feedback,” Lennon said.

KSC junior Sophia Olsen said that most clubs on campus are created out of passion. The Alive Poets Society is no exception.

“The members are given an outlet,” Olsen explained, “And since writing, specifically poetic pieces, are what we tend to feel a pull towards, having this space full of supportive members and peers with similar goals and emotional stamina, sometimes lackthereof, is extremely helpful and healing.”

Olsen continued, “I think that bringing any arts to any academic setting is very important.”

“We encourage one another to grow, evolve and improve as writers and performers,” Lennon added, “That’s something that’s important to me. I think this is important to have at KSC because there’s really no other club like it. It’s a very non-judgemental and relaxed atmosphere, whereas in my experience, the poetry classes offered are usually a little more pressured because you’re being graded on what you write.”

Olsen explained that while the club encourages slam poetry, that is not the only focus.

“It’s [a] two-parter, basically – we also work on just writing things, which I think is really cool. During meetings we also get to work on our writing skills and then we get to work on our slam styles,” Olsen said.

Referring to poetry, Danish added, “It’s such a raw, pure way of expressing oneself and having others connect.”

Tim Smith / Photo Editor

Danish explained that a typical meeting consists of a visceral warm up, then opens to slam poetry readings performed by whoever would like to volunteer. The meeting closes with a fifteen minute free write and reading.

The prompts for the free write come from the Nosebleed Club, Lennon said, which is an online community of writers based out of Tumblr.

Lennon also explained that the club discusses upcoming poetry slams and open mics in the Keene area, which allows members to be able to get their writing out into the community, if they choose to.

Danish said she would like to thank those who helped her follow through with creating the Alive Poets Society on campus.

“Professor Doreski was the first person who told me I had talent and really helped and encouraged me,” Danish said, “I’d also like to thank Jen Ditkoff who helped me find our advisor, Irene McGarritty, and I’d like to extend thanks to Irene for helping me see my dream come through,” Danish said.

The club meets at 7 p.m. on Thursdays in the Appian Room in the Mason Library on campus, and welcomes new members.

Jill can be contacted at jgiambruno@kscequinox.com

Going to college in a place like New Hampshire almost guarantees that students will spend some time enjoying nature. The leaves changing and cooling temperatures in September and October provide the perfect conditions for hiking, biking and rock climbing at and around Keene State College.

KSC Senior, Daniel McAuliffe, has always valued hiking as a group activity.

“It’s a great way to hang out with some friends and escape the world for a while,” McAuliffe said, “I always have to mentally prepare myself for hikes, but it’s always a good time.”

Co-President of the Environmental Outing Club, Alex Tragakes makes an effort to spend time outside, whether it be hiking or just enjoying nature, three to five times a week.

Tragakes said, “The EOC is just trying to get people outside, go hiking, camping, mountain biking, rock climbing, surfing, white water rafting… Pretty much anything that anyone wants to do outside, we try and make it happen. It’s a lot of fun.”

The EOC, which frequents hiking trails on Bear’s Den in Gilsum, NH, Gap Mountain in Jaffery, NH and Madame Sherri’s in Chesterfield, NH, meets Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in Morrison Room 110. As far as swimming holes in the area go, Tragakes suggests a spot in Gilsum, NH off of Route 10.

“It’s on the Ashuelot River,” Tragakes said, “There’s a couple cliff jumping spots there. It’s really beautiful.”

McAuliffe, who enjoys ultimate Frisbee and slacklining, takes occasional trips to Goose Pond to go swimming.

“It’s up near Court Street in Keene, and is about a ten minute drive from campus,” McAuliffe explained.

McAuliffe continued, “There’s also a pretty short trail that leads up to Sunset Rock. It’s also about ten minutes from campus.” According to McAuliffe, Sunset Rock is the perfect place, as the name suggests, to go and watch the sun set over Keene.

Sophomore at KSC, Nate Wolf, said that he has not yet hiked Mount Monadnock, but would like to before he graduates from KSC.

“When I’m home, my father and I love to go hiking together,” Wolf, who would also consider himself an avid road biker, said.

“Biking is so nice because you get to take such a relaxed ride with beautiful views, and it’s excellent quality time,” Wolf explained. Wolf continued, “It’s much different enjoying a road on a bike than in a car because you really get to know the road during a smooth, fresh ride. Nothing’s better.” Tragakes, having just purchased  a new mountain bike, said he is especially enthusiastic about biking this season.

“Drummer Hill off Elm Street in Keene is good for mountain biking,”

Tragakes explained, “That has some really serious trails. There’s also a cross country course at Stonewall Farm that’s really sweet to ride at.”

For those students who are looking to spend more time in nature, deciding to attend a school in New Hampshire was definitely a good choice.

“I think being outdoors is the best thing you can do with your time,” Tragakes said, “It’s a great way to meet new people and to get out and see the world.”

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@kscequinox.com

Long distance relationships and college students go hand-in-hand.

Most young adults with significant others find themselves battling long car rides or daily phone calls and Face-Time dates for at least part of the year, whether it be while school is in session or over break.

Students at Keene State College spoke out on this issue.

Sophomore at KSC, Avery Black, said that maintaining her long distance relationship over the summer wasn’t as difficult as some say it is.

Black said, “I don’t believe a relationship needs to [have] constant contact, so it’s alright to not always

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be talking and in each other’s face.”

The hardest part about the distance, Black said, is obvious.

“It was hard sometimes to hear his voice or see him on FaceTime, but not have him physically with me. Over the summer I did find myself missing him an exceptional amount of time.”

Meg Gilbar, also a KSC sophomore, would agree with Black.

“The most difficult part for me was not being able to physically have any contact with him,” Gilbar explained, “It resulted in feelings of loneliness and abandonment. I felt as if being in another state made it seem as though we were miles and miles apart and as if he wasn’t really in my life anymore.”

KSC sophomore Simon Mauchly is seeing someone who will be out of the country for the better part of a year, spending some time in Thailand and South Africa.

“It’s hard because you don’t know when you’ll see them next sometimes, and it can be hard keeping in touch when you’re both in different countries,” Mauchly said.

For Gilbar, having a boyfriend back home while she was away at college was more stressful than anything else.

Gilbar said, “[My first year] I had trouble connecting with others and getting close to them because a part of me was always held back or reserved for my boyfriend.”

“It’s kind of hard for me, because you really don’t know what they’re doing while they’re away, and vice versa,” Mauchly explained, “But it definitely can be a good thing to spend some time apart.”

While Black was able to turn the distance into a positive aspect of the relationship, Gilbar was unfortunately not so lucky.

“My relationship lasted a year and three months,” Gilbar said, “We were able to see each other a lot during the summer, but after I left for school visiting was minimal.”

Black, who thoroughly believes that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder,’ went on to add that the distance has actually been good for her relationship.

“Being away definitely makes me love him more, since I miss everything, even the dumb little things,” Black stated.

“In my case, it was more ‘out of sight out of mind,’ or even ‘out of sight, get off my mind!’” Gilbar explained, “It was stressful balancing a long distance relationship as well as school work and friends.

It left me with good grades and a rocky relationship and just a few friends when I could have made many more.”

The distance between Gilbar and her boyfriend, however, gave her a better view on the relationship.

Gilbar explained, “I began to understand that my boyfriend had issues with trust and was constantly fighting with me and questioning me on who I was talking to and the gender of the people I was hanging out with. I can see how good things could come out of a long distance relationship, though, like learning to communicate better and how to handle issues in a different way.”

Gilbar continued, “I feel I missed out on some parts of college my first year but I also grew so much as a person because of the stress of keeping my relationship going.”

“I felt accomplished and significantly stronger,” Black said. The long distance portion of her relationship ended when the couple, both KSC students, reunited last week.

Black explained, “Just because he was away didn’t mean he was anything less to me and that’s a beautiful thing, just to feel so comfortable with someone and to have him whether he is a five minute walk or a three hour drive away.”

“I don’t think two people should end a relationship just because distance is involved,” Black said, “If your hearts are both really in it, then the distance is nothing compared to the time you get to spend together.”

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@kscequinox.com

Many Keene State College seniors participated in their final campus-sponsored event before graduation on Sunday, May 3, 2015: the biannual Pub Crawl.

Pub Crawl, which typically takes place on one Sunday each semester, invites seniors of drinking age to bar-hop through town, celebrating with friends while wearing complementary “Pub Crawl” tee-shirts.

The Spring 2015 Pub Crawl was a first for KSC senior Shawni Ogle, who missed the Fall Pub Crawl due to student teaching.

“I loved this Pub Crawl,” Ogle noted after the event, “We are so passionate about spending our last moments together before we graduate.”

Ogle continued, “The excitement of all being together really pumps everyone up.”

After attending the Pub Crawl with her best friends, Ogle said that she can’t wait to graduate.

“I’ve had a wonderful four years here but I can’t wait to begin my own life and make money doing what I love,” she said.

Another KSC senior, Varick Parizo, said he found himself too swamped with school work to attend this semester’s Pub Crawl.

“I did two pub crawls last year,” Parizo said, “It’s really a great experience.” Parizo described the events as

Colton McKraken / Equinox Staff

groups of people coming together and partying at the bars in town.

“Everyone just has a good time,” Parizo added, “I feel like it’s a tradition of good fun and a day of drinking. Plus, everyone [this year] really lucked out with perfect weather!”

Besides Parizo, a number of other seniors were not in attendance.

“I’d assume it’s because they’re feeling the crunch that happens at the end of every semester,” Parizo predicted.

Like every other KSC student about to graduate, Parizo said he is looking forward to his impending freedom.

“It’s kind of bitter sweet. I’ve loved my time here and made this place my home but at the same time I’m ready to move on to bigger and different things,” Parizo said.

He added, “Pub Crawl last year was a blast for me both semesters and it was something that almost everyone looks forward to. As long as people drink responsibly it’s one [of the] most fun days of the year. It’s like the last time you get to really drink out on the town with all your buddies before you all go off [and] start your post-college lives.”

Taylor Warriner, KSC senior who had just attended her second Pub Crawl, said she agreed with Parizo.

“I’ve been having the best time ever at this Pub Crawl,” Warriner said, “I love it because it brings together so many different friend groups and we all get to bond together before we graduate.”

Warriner said she made her way into town with a group of friends, and appreciated the time she got to spend with the people who made her time at KSC so enjoyable.

“It’s the last time I’m going to be able to bond with the people that mean the most to me, and to get together for a whole day and dance, enjoy a few drinks and each other’s company means the world to me because I know I won’t be able to get together with all my different groups of friends after graduation,” Warriner explained.

With less than a week to go before graduation, Warriner said she is looking forward to the big day with only a little bit of apprehension.

Warriner said, “I’m looking forward to it but at the same time I’m not because I actually have to be an adult and I can’t have the Thursday dollar drink nights anymore with my Keene friends or the Saturday night porch nights.”

Warriner continued, “But at the same time I’m excited to start my career and make the money I’ve been spending on tuition worth it.”

In the end, Warriner is embracing what’s coming next, and looking forward to what life has to offer.

Warriner concluded, “I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for all my friends here at [KSC]. I hope they enjoyed their time here as much as I have enjoyed mine.”

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@kscequinox.com

An event for LGBT+ pride awareness was hosted on the Keene State College campus on Friday, April 24.

The parade and corresponding concert were put on by KSC Pride, the college’s on-campus LGBT+ organization.

Devin Goodman, a first-year student part of KSC Pride who helped to organize the event, said that the day entailed gathering groups from both the LGBT+ and ally communities, and a march down Main Street to display support.

The day ended with a concert in the Night Owl Café featuring lesbian singer/songwriter Jesse Thomas.

“It’s so important to spread the message of acceptance around campuses because college students come from all walks of life,” Goodman stated.

He continued, “For those who might not feel comfortable being out, we want to make it clear that the campus they attend is doing everything it can to make them feel as safe and at home as any other college.”

KSC senior Lucy Briggs agreed with Goodman. “We really want people to know that they are accepted here,” Briggs, who is the public relations representative and membership organizer of KSC Pride, stated.

According to Briggs, the event started at 2 p.m. on Friday with live music from KSC students Roger Weeks and Kaylene Lemme. There, students and others in attendance could make posters, sign a banner and don colorful gear in preparation for the march down Main Street. In addition to signing banners, students in attendance were encouraged to sign petitions as well.

Briggs said, “We just want to make sure the administration knows how important [these issues are] to the students and

Tim Smith / Photo Editor

the trans community.”The petitions included a preferred first name policy, as well as the installation of gender neutral bathrooms.

Abby Milonas, a sophomore at KSC and active member of KSC Pride, said that she attended because she knew it was an environment she would be accepted in.

“It’s hard to find Pride events that take place in a non-adult setting,” Milonas stated, “Being in a place like Keene where there really isn’t a whole lot of diversity, I thought it would be a nice opportunity to hang out with people I know are in the same boat as me.”

Milonas continued, “KSC Pride actually recognizes other sexual identities, like pansexual, non-binary and asexual, as well as others that often get swept under the rug by mainstream LGBT+ activism. For me, it was fun to be in a place where I knew my sexuality wouldn’t be questioned or challenged.”

Milonas added, “The people in KSC Pride just accept me.” Milonas stressed the importance of hosting pride events on college campuses, as they give all students a comfortable environment to live in.

“Not only is it important for LGBT+ groups to be more active in colleges, it is vital to give LGBT+ students a safe space where they can take a break from the toxic environment that some of them have to live with on a day to day basis,” Milonas explained.

Joseph Stallcop, a KSC first-year, is not currently a KSC Pride member but said he plans to join the group next year. Stallcop described the Pride Parade as a major stepping stone in his life.

“By going to the parade, I found support and understanding through people who are extremely similar to myself, yet unique and independent in their own ways.”

He said, “It is one of the first big steps in knowing and understanding myself,” Stallcop explained.

Stallcop said he believes that while the fight towards a more LGBT+ friendly world is gaining speed, it is a fight that’s far from over.

“The road ahead of us is long and tough, but with the support that we have and progress we’ve made, I can see the day in which the biggest judge of every person is the content of their character,” Stallcop explained.

In the end, Stallcop concluded, it all comes down to support.

“For those who remain on the sidelines, we need your support,” Stallcop said, “For those who remain in the closet, we give our support.”

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@kscequinox.com

On Tuesday, March 31, Keene State College’s Active Minds organization teamed up with the Counseling Center and the Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency to host an open discussion panel about the stigma surrounding mental illness.

With six panelists and a full house of about 40 KSC students in the audience, members of Active Minds said the night was a success.

“Mental illness is definitely a topic that is often censored and hushed but is also incredibly important,” Allison Sonia, who is president of the Active Minds organization at KSC, said.

According to the Active Minds Facebook page, they work to increase awareness of mental health issues and provide information and resources regarding mental health and mental illness.

Sonia continued, “Putting this panel together we hoped to provide a safe and welcoming environment to talk about mental illness.”

For the event, six panelists were asked to tell their own personal stories about their experiences with mental illness.

Phoebe Buckman, secretary for Active Minds, explained, “Our panelists spoke from a variety of viewpoints; as those who have a mental illness, those with family members suffering from an illness and those who work with people with these struggles.  Each panelist told their story for the first hour of the event.”

Afterwards, audience members were encouraged to ask questions, which allowed time for one-on-one discussions and made the whole experience much more comfortable for the students who were in attendance, according to the panelists.

“Active Minds sought out the panelists by attending meetings with the counseling center and partnering with Monadnock Peer Support to be able to put this event on,” Taylor Chadwick, treasurer for the group, explained. Chadwick continued, “We put on events like these not only to educate [people], but to support students who may be struggling and don’t know about the resources that are out there for them.”

Aidan Bolduc, a KSC sophomore, said, “The goal of this panel was to humanize those who suffer from mental illness.”

Bolduc, who said he is an enthusiastic member of the Active Minds organization, continued, “All too often average people do not understand the difficulty or the intricacies of the issues that the mentally ill suffer from, and this makes them more likely to unjustly belittle, neglect or fear people with mental illnesses.”

Bolduc continued, “By hearing real stories from a number of people who have all dealt with a variety of illnesses, struggles and traumas, the audience was able to better understand that these are not the stories of the ‘other,’ but of real people who have suffered and fought back and who deserve our support and respect.”

Chadwick added that the event was not only to educate students on what it’s like to have a mental illness, but also to offer help to these students.

Chadwick said, “I hope that our audience was able to see how mental illness can not only affect the person diagnosed, but their family and friends as well.  I also hope that we were able to offer resources and a sense of support to students who may need it.”

Sonia also stressed the importance of mental illness, and why Active Minds thought an open discussion on the topic was so important for KSC students to be a part of.

“One in four adults have a diagnosed mental illness and many are not receiving the help they need,” Sonia said.

She continued, “We think that it’s important for people to understand the stigmas surrounding mental illness.”

“Several of the panelists talked about the fear that is associated with mental illness and perpetuated by the media. It’s important for people to understand more about it so that they are prepared when they come across mental illness,” she said.

Buckman added, “One of the phrases we often use is ‘stomp out stigma.’  This panel was designed to meet this goal.”

The Active Minds group was pleased with how the night turned out, and the members expressed thoughts of hosting another similar event in the future.

“I have confidence that everyone in that room left with fewer stigmas against the mentally ill and with more sympathy and understanding for them,” Bolduc said.

Chadwick added, “All of the panelists shared compelling and inspiring stories that impacted the audience in many ways. I think that our campus should have more events like this one, that have a powerful impact and bring us together as a community.”

Sonia agreed she is optimistic about a change in the mindset on campus. Sonia explained, “I hope that if anyone took anything away from this event it was that people are not their labels. Everyone has their own story and if you take the time to listen you can learn a lot.”

The Active Minds organization meets on Tuesday nights in Morrison 101 and new members are welcome. Those who think they  or someone they know may be suffering from a mental illness should visit the Counseling Center on the third floor of Elliot Center.

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@kscequinox.com

It was in Nov. 2012 that I wrote my first novel. 

By the time I finished it was 52,421 words long, complete with discontinuity errors in every chapter, enough syntax mistakes to kill an English professor and plot holes deeper than the Grand Canyon.

But it was my book, nonetheless.

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Honestly, I don’t remember much from Nov. that year. I was a junior in high school at the time.

What I do remember is writing bits and pieces of the novel in the margin of my history notebook every time the teacher turned his back.

I remember arguing with my mother over the importance of my novel versus the importance of my grades.

And I remember the tears of joy that actually leaked from my eyes when I typed the words “The end” on the 94th page of that word document.

The book was called “Life In Between” and it was written in 29 days.

Nov. has been dubbed “National Novel Writing Month,” or NaNoWriMo for short and is recognized worldwide as a 30 day challenge to write an entire novel before the start of December.

Chris Baty, founder of NaNoWriMo, describes the month as a “seat-of-your-pants literary adventure” on the nanowrimo.org website.

The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November, which roughly translates to a 175-page paperback. That’s 1,667 words a day. That’s a lot of late nights, a lot of hand cramps and a lot of comfort food.

The nanowrimo.org site was launched in 1999 with only 21 participants, but has been growing in popularity over the last 15 years. Last Nov., over 400,000 people signed up on the website www.nanowrimo.org to write novels. Participation is free and a person is considered a winner if the 50,000 word quota is met by Nov. 30.

It was a friend of a friend who initially got me involved in this literary Odyssey in 2011 and of the three years I’ve already participated I’ve only finished one novel.

Novel writing is not my forte.

I’m more of a short story writer – getting to know my characters just long enough to get them down on the page before I consider the piece done.

Sticking with the same characters and plot for an entire month was definitely a challenge, but it’s a challenge that hundreds of thousands of others have chosen to embark on with me.

For winners, the site offers no prizes other than bragging rights. A lucky few will go on to edit and publish what was once a 50,000 word trainwreck, while others will never speak of those abominations again.

As for me, my novel is printed out and tucked away, deep in a desk drawer back home. I haven’t decided yet whether or not it will ever see the light of day.

Why participate in NaNoWriMo, then, if in the end you are not a published writer? To quote Chris Baty: “There’s a book in you that only you can write.”

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another novel to write. Happy NaNoWriMo.

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@keene-equinox.com

Whether it’s in class during regular school hours or late on a Monday night, students at Keene State College are meeting up and acting out — with improvisation.

Dan Patterson, theatre and dance professor at KSC of 36 years, said that most of what he teaches is fun. The brand-new improvisation class is no exception.

The current fall semester is the first time that the Improvisation class was offered in the curriculum.

Patterson described it as an “experimental course,” picked up because of the increasing popularity of improvisation.

“Improv has become pretty popular among, well, everybody,” Patterson said, “After all, who doesn’t like ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’”

Patterson said the class of 36 is made up of a diverse group of people.

“I’ve got some theater people, some people from the improv club on campus, some who did Improv in high school,” Patterson said, “It’s a real mix of people. All kinds of majors.”

Patterson firmly believes that students will take away skills and principles from the class that will help them throughout their lives.

One exercise Patterson likes to use in class to teach these skills and principles is called “Yes, And.”

“I think the ‘Yes, And’ principle is sort of a life principle,” Patterson explained, “It essentially means that whatever comes at you, you can’t refuse it or deny it. You have to say yes and accept it, then add to it.”

Patterson continued, explaining other skills from the class that would be helpful.

“In terms of business,” Patterson added, “They always say that they’re looking for people who can think outside of the box. Believe me — this class is learning how to think outside the box.”

Patterson mentioned the plethora of other skills students are likely to pick up from taking the class, such as problem solving, collaboration, working in groups and overcoming stage fright.

“We think of stage fright as being afraid to go on stage. But stage fright is also just being fearful of being in public, having to speak in public, having to make presentations, things like that,” Patterson explained, “This class really helps people to overcome those kinds of things.”

Talking about the class thus far, Patterson said, “We’ve been having a lot of fun.”

Students in the Improv class, as well as the club, are definitely agreeing with Patterson.

“I’ve always liked comedy,” KSC student Sean Malone explained as his reasoning for joining 3 Ways ‘Til Sunday, the school’s improv club, sophomore year.

Now, as a junior, Malone acts as the vice president of the club.

The club gathers at 10 p.m. on Monday nights on the second floor lobby of the Redfern Arts Center and is open for anyone to come and join.

Emily Orell / Equinox Staff

Malone, who is in the improvisation class as well as being a member of the club, explained the difference between the two, “In the class we’re going through different styles of improv, while in the club we’re just focusing on one specific style.”

“The people who come aren’t exclusively theater majors,” Molly Millard, co-president of 3 Ways ‘Til Sunday said of Monday nights, “It’s a wide variety of all sorts of people who all have different interests.”

Millard, a junior at KSC, said that she decided to come to Keene partly because of the improv program.

“My senior year in high school, I was at the New England Drama Festival in New Hampshire and Keene happened to be there,” Millard explained.

“I ended up taking an improv class with 3 Ways ‘Til Sunday, the improv club at Keene, and they’re kind of the reason I chose to come to this school,” Millard said.

During his time on campus, KSC alumnus Jon Adams, who graduated last spring, was an active member of 3 Ways ‘Til Sunday.

“I initially heard about it at the Activity Fair on Appian Way,” Adams recalled, “Improv is one of those skills you need to have as an actor, so I figured I would join the club to get better at it for my classes.”

What Adams has learned in 3 Ways ‘Til Sunday has helped him on-stage and off.

“When you’re in the middle of a production and someone forgets their lines you’re able to pick up their slack by knowing the gist of what’s going on next,” Adams explained from a theatrical standpoint, before adding, “Improv really just helps you think on your feet. It’s how you deal with people and keep a conversation going.”

When it comes to the skills that students are picking up from Improvisation, Millard and Malone agreed with Adams.

“It really works your social skills,” Millard said, “It’s all about not being afraid to say anything and just go for it, because we’re a very judgment-free club.”

“The class doesn’t exactly fit with my major,” Malone said after mentioning that he is a math and secondary education major, “It’s just an elective I decided to take.”

Malone added that he wants to be a teacher and believes skills he is picking up from the improvisation class and club will help him in the future.

“Improvisation is a big part of teaching,” Malone explained, “It teaches you how to think on your feet.”

Millard enjoys watching this part of the transformation that occurs within students who come to the club weekly.

“There’s a lot of people who will come in the beginning and just watch, but by the end of the semester they’ll be up playing games,” Millard said, “You can really see how comfortable they get in front of the group.”

Improvisation is an interest Millard hopes others will try out.

“There are no mistakes in Improv,” Millard said, noting one of her favorite aspects of the club, “You can always make something out of it.”

Jill Giambruno can be contacted at jgiambruno@keene-equinox.com