My Zumba Story Thus Far...

"Eh, maybe I could...I don't know. I'm not that great."
These are the exact words I said when someone suggested I should be a Zumba instructor. Little did I know, two years later I would be standing in my first class of the New Year, completely filled up.
This journey has barely begun, but I want to go back to the beginning for a moment.

Zumba...what's that?

It all started the night of a health and fitness fair in my high school cafeteria. I was there voluntarily, exploring the various fitness opportunities to get involved with locally. Just then, a hush came over the crowd and five ridiculously fit people lined up in an open area of the room. Momentarily, a merengue song started to play, and they started to move. We all watched as these people started moving very fast to the tempo of the music. I had no clue what was going on, but by the time the song was over, I immediately grabbed a schedule and told my friend that we will go to a class the next day. They called the dance "Zumba". Why? Beats me. 

My first class was nothing short of crazy. We arrived late to a packed class, and we were confined the the back of the studio. At first, I thought it was a party: the room was dark, there were flashing lights and even a disco ball. I couldn't resist whipping out my camera to document this experience (thank goodness I did!) and snapping some photos of the club scene that was happening in there. Next thing I knew, I was breaking a sweat trying to follow the instructor on the elevated stage. She was very precise in her movements and cues, and I attempted to follow each one with the same elegance. Only instead of elegance, it was a workout. Before I knew it, my friend had to leave the studio to take a break because it was so much to handle. I didn't need any break, however. I was loving every second of it.

Once the class ended, the two of us went to Chevy's Mexican Cuisine for some virgin margaritas. I could not stop thinking about the epic hour that had just breezed by. I wanted more. 

Transitioning

In my freshman year of college, I was a Division III cross country runner in the top 7 of the team. I enjoyed the times I had running, but after a while something had changed. Somehow I lost the interest of competing at other colleges and I ultimately wanted to run for leisure, not for an intercollegiate team. So in February of 2012, I quit the team and decided to try something else. But what?

That semester I had to find new ways to stay in shape. I ran a lot, went to the gym and kept a healthy lifestyle. In time I heard about the Zumba classes at SU, and many of my friends suggested I take a class taught by a girl named Mandi. I thought, why not? I've done Zumba before so this can't be too bad.

After attending her class, I decided to keep coming back. Every Tuesday and Friday afternoon was booked for my therapeutic Zumba session. It made me release so much energy and burn many calories that I couldn't get enough. At some point, Mandi had me leading some of the songs all by myself! My confidence rose quicker than I had ever imagined.

Soon, many people including Mandi suggested I try to become a Zumba instructor myself. I did not ever think I could teach a class by myself, so I shrugged at the idea. But I was always curious if there was a possibility of even becoming an instructor, so I went to the main Zumba website and I found a training over the summer in Hagerstown. Without thinking it through, I signed up and I was ready to take on a new challenge.

Zumba Training

In May of 2012, I drove to Hagerstown to complete an eight-hour long training for a Basic Zumba certification. We learned everything from Maria Browning, who taught us everything from Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton and Cumbia. After the day is over, I received my lovely certificate making me a licensed Zumba Instructor.

A Milestone Reached

Armed with my Zumba license, I was ready to start teaching. I applied to the local gym for SU students, University Fitness Club. It was nerve-wracking to think about teaching at the gym I used to take regular classes at, but nonetheless I made sure I was prepared.

A New Identity

Once I began teaching, I did not know what the turnout was going to be. My first class was nothing short of average, but I  quickly got used to teaching various students of SU. It took me a little bit to get a big group of participants but by the time winter hit, my numbers increased profoundly.

Zumbathons on Zumbathons

Over the course of the year, we as Zumba Instructors put on Zumbathons in which we each teach a portion of a one and a half hour to a two hour class. This is a great opportunity to see all the instructors at their finest, teaching a few of their songs to a huge group of people. Teaching at big events like this also help with promoting your individual classes as well as coming to all the Zumba classes as a whole.

Relay for Life One of my goals since freshman year, Relay for Life is a huge event made to raise money for the American Cancer Society. At some point in the long 12-hour evening, there is a giant Zumba session for all of the student organizations to participate in. I taught twice at this past Relay, and boy was that an experience. So many people came out to do Zumba on the lawn and I felt like the other instructors and I were the center of attention. Early into the set, someone took a whipped cream pie and hit me in the face with it in front of everyone. Despite this, I kept going, never missing a step. Seeing my students and others following me made me feel so incredible. I loved every minute of it and it instantly became the staple of my Zumba career.

Making Connections
There are many ways I like to make my Zumba classes interesting. I incorporate seasonal songs, dress-up for classes and utilize holidays so that people are always enlightened every time they come. Sometimes I perform for on and off campus events for student organizations. As an instructor, I always have to be flexible and willing to try new things.
In general, I love every second I get to teach. This has been by far my favorite job, I mean, when else do you get to shake it on a stage and get paid? (well  I can think of others...)
More importantly, Zumba has become the main reason how most of the people on-campus know or recognize me. "Oh, it's the Zumba instructor" or "Jade, I came to your class last week" or even "JADE OMG I LOVE YOU BE MY BFFAEAEAE <3" 
Okay maybe not the last one, but anywho...
Zumba has given me the power to come out of my shell and show the world my true self. No, I am not the skinniest or biggest woman out there. I haven't lost much weight with this program. I don't even get paid that much to teach. But one thing I do know, is that I don't hold back a thing. Even on my worst days, Zumba has become my way of coping with the stress and pressure of being involved with academics, Greek life, my honors society and many more things. I can put all my worries about life in the past and focus on myself in this moment.
When I teach, I like to yell to my audience. This is not because I am angry, but because I'm fueled. Every time I teach I give my all, and I want to see the same in return. I want to motivate and challenge my students to come to my classes and leave with something new and demanding. The best part about it has to be seeing my regulars memorize routines off the top of their head, and having them come up on the stage to teach a song with me. I could not be more proud of the people who go above and beyond to put everything out there in front of people they don't even know. I'm glad to give opportunities for more people to branch out and try something new, the way I did when I became a Zumba instructor.
Going back to my first quote in the beginning, I never would have guessed I would be sitting here today, typing about how teach Zumba changed my life. My main goal in life is the inspire people to make a change in their lives, and Zumba is a really great way to do just that. It does not matter if you're uncoordinated, as long as you try you will succeed. 
So why did I decided to write about this now? Well, my first class of the spring semester was already a full class. This is a first for me since it takes a few weeks to actually work up to having a packed studio filled with people. This never would have been possible without the support of my students, friends and family. My Zumba journey has only begun and I cannot wait to see more Zumba opportunities arrive in my future. 

I hope Zumba can impact your life the way it has for me.

Happy Zumba'ing!

Salisbury University Winter Orientation 2013-2014

Whew...that was a long week.
For those of you who did not know, I was busy with Winter Orientation, and I am super sleep-deprived as a result. However, it was also nice to be able to see my other fellow orientation leaders as well as new faces for the spring semester.

Gull Squad 2013-2014
Although it was not as many new students or orientation leaders, I still enjoyed the experience I had this winter. Between skits, dances, informational sessions, bowling, ice breakers, basketball games and hypnotists, we all had a blast with the amount of activities going on back-to-back. It was a much smaller number of people. but that did not take away from the enjoyment of what this program had to offer.

Accomplishing Personal Goals
So during the welcome dance, I decided I would like to be the energy behind our mascot, Sammy the Seagull. I got to walk around as a bird, dance, be in photos and high-five people all while sweating buckets inside a heavy costume. I felt so privileged to be representing the symbol of my school and hyping everyone up at the same time. Also, I apologize to the cheerleader I accidentally high-fived in the chest...it's not easy to see in that thing.
One more thing off my bucket list, or my 101 in 1001!

My Thoughts
Overall, I had a great time. Not only did I get to meet new people, but I got to spend time with people I have not seen in a while. Having said that, it wasn't always easy. While most OLs got decent-sized groups, I was somehow accidentally left without a group at the start. I joined another person's group, then got switched to the transfer student group and then finally I was called on to cover for another coworker's group. Ultimately, out of the eight students in the group, only between two and three were consistently present. 
Initially, I felt envious of all of the other OLs with their own students because I did not have a solid group of my own. To be completely honest, I even felt a little jealous when my group eventually combined with my boyfriend's group. Normally this wouldn't have bothered me at all, but under the circumstances of being in a working environment and having the desire to have my own group, I worked up into an emotional roller coaster that sat like a bowling ball in my stomach. Watching everyone having fun with their group made me feel incompetent, uninvited and lost.
Despite all of this going on, I took the time to appreciate what was around me. I was attentive in nearly every informational session. Each one had their own distinct meaning that I could apply to my own life. Seeing one of my favorite motivational speakers Justin Jones-Fosu talk again was an excellent way to put me back on track as well. I  also had time to socialize with OL's during meals. People were willing to hear me out and let me speak of my frustrations and doubts. Watching the seniors lead in their last orientation helped me too. And finally, my students listened when I asked them to do something for me. That is the most rewarding part about this job: knowing that you make an impact on their lives. I thank them for letting me do my job and show my optimistic attitude I strive to maintain each and every day.
Ultimately, I realized that it was not about me. This was about making connections and investing in other people so they can succeed in their future endeavors. That's when I stopped worrying about adversity and started appreciating the best in people. Now I see more of a purpose in my career plan of producing media: I want others to enjoy what I have put together so that they can find a way to see the good in life.

The Future
Would I do it all again? You bet I would! Maybe I just got unlucky this time around, but I will never stop trying to make a difference. To this day, I run into a lot of my new students and watch as they become bigger and better leaders of this community. And having the opportunity to do this with between 28-60 other leaders is what makes this program phenomenal. We all have different backgrounds, are a part of various student organizations and have different majors. But we all come together as the most quirky people on campus and unite to help lead a new generation into Salisbury University.
Now I'm going to hit the gym for the first time in a week. See ya later!
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Weekend Update 1/16/14-1/20/14

I apologize for not posting in a while, but I've been so busy in these past couple of days and my excitement is at an all time high!

New Car!!!
After long weeks of car searching, last Thursday I can finally say that I am a car owner! It's a 1999 Toyota Corolla LE, a nice sedan. My family and I traveled long and far to find the perfect car for  me and we definitely got it. I drove myself to school all by myself, and it feels wonderful to have more freedom to go places. Super thankful to my parents who made this happen for me. Love you!
With that said, I am back at school now, and classes do not start until the 27th. The weekend has been relaxing and I have already had some time to catch up with friends and sisters. Additionally, watching movies with the boyfriend all day long is just what I need right now. 
This is the calm before the storm that is Winter Orientation...

New Student Orientation
This program gives a chance for freshmen to ease into college life in an educational, safe and fun way. Fall orientation was a blast, and, with my fifty-nine other tye-dyed t-shirted coworkers, we worked together to make sure the program went smoothly while bonding in the process. For the winter, it's going to be a smaller group of freshmen who may feel awkward coming to SU for the first time during spring semester. With this in mind, this week will be all about maintaining that positive energy and making sure everyone is having the time of their lives. 
It will be the coolest thing they've ever done. Even better than eating leftover cake batter of a Funfetti cake.

Formal Recruitment
Yay formal recruitment, it's so soon! It feels like just yesterday since I went through it, and the memories I've made over the past year have been incredible. Going Greek was one of the best decisions I've made in my entire life. Sign up on ICS Recruiter database on the FMR 2014 event on Facebook and Go Greek!
Semester Goals
Well, that's pretty much what I'm looking forward to in the next couple of weeks. Winter break was a nice vacation of doing nothing, but now it's time to get back to business. I'm going to do the following this upcoming semester:
- Strive to maintain my 3.75 GPA from last semester - Incorporate more workout-oriented routines in my Zumba classes - Continue to flourish and bond in my sisterhood, especially with my big and twin (AND FUTURE LITTLE!) - Become more crafty for said little - Save (and make) more moola for important things  - Turn 21 -Build upon my resume reel - Secure an internship for the summer - Drive around in John Legend (my car...I wish it was the singer though...) and be happy and stuff
So that's about all I got for right now. Now I'm going to keep watching 30 Minutes or Less.

Something I Need to Get Off My Chest

Okay.
So I need to just rant for a second.
Please raise your hand if you are a child of divorce. 
(patiently waits for people to raise hands)
Okay, so about half of you is that right? Half of you can empathize with me for a moment.
Tonight my mom at dinner told me that there was a Facebook post she saw a few years ago which caught her eye. It was a  post depicting a courtroom setting, with a judge dealing with two people who were either getting a divorce or already divorced. She spoke out loud with this loose statement that a divorce has nothing to do with the kids. What she said next can be argued:
"Don't be upset with the children; they are half of you and half of the other parent."
What.
Okay, biologically that is true. Genetically speaking, 50% of each parent's sex cells mesh together and create a zygote. So yes, half of each parent is in the child. I get that.
What my mother explained to me tonight opened my eyes. She disagrees with the statement the judge said. Why? 
Because there are children that psychologically exhibit more of one parent than the other.
This is not the case with every child however; I can say that most (if not all) of my properties are attributed to my mother. Especially my good looks ;)
Ha. Haha.
But all kidding aside, I totally agree with her. Growing up I could clearly see that she was more like my grandmother than my grandfather. 
I used to believe that quote in the picture when I was younger. Somehow I thought that I would exhibit half of the traits of my mom and dad equally by the time I was an adult. But this is not the case. Besides blood, I'm not entirely sure my traits come from both parents in a reciprocated manner. 
Don't get me wrong, I love my father. There are just much more similarities with my mother and me than my father and me. Does that mean I have to love my mother over my father? Not necessarily.
The main point I'm trying to get at is that no matter what beliefs of equal parent genetics exist, I firmly believe that this does not apply to everyone. And if it does apply to you, fantastic! You get the best of both worlds. For me? Eh, not so much.
No I am not a professional in psychology; I am merely speaking from the "family of divorce" perspective, so forgive me if I seem a little biased. But I'll be honest, I am glad the way I turned out. I have certain qualities of both parents, but I can say I relate much more to my mother than my father. Maybe it's because she was the main parent who raised me my entire life?
Then again, there are those stories of children who live with Parent A but react to a situation just like Parent B. My sister and I can have two very different viewpoints on a topic or event, but this could also be the fact that we are not the same age, nor have be been brought up with the same social surroundings (or people).
As far as I know, it can go either way. I understand that everyone has a different family story, so I apologize if I'm being more open than I should. 
From my biology, I am a part of  both my mom and dad. But because I am a child of divorced parents, could it be the environment that I was raised in which influenced how I go about life and make important decisions?
As I end my rant, I would like to conclude with my overall thoughts summed up in a sentence:
I'll never forget where I come from, but it is where I'm heading that is up to me.
Peace.

Movie Review Time!

My eyes are sore.
Video games.
Television.
Netflix.
Films.
With all the free time I have, this break has given me plenty of opportunities to catch up on all of the latest movies in theaters. Most are good, but I want to give you the breakdown on my thoughts regarding three movies I saw during the break. Starting chronologically with Anchorman 2. *SPOILER ALERT WARNING*

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Being a sequel to the original Anchorman movie nearly a decade ago, we can note a lot of changes. In first, everyone has aged, most significantly Veronica Corningstone. The couple of Ronica splits up near the beginning and the crew reunites to join the crew of a 24-hour news station, with a few notable characters as well: the handsome Jack Lime, female manager Linda Jackson and Brick's love interest, Chani. With time, Ron's fame grows exponentially and the fame gets to his head, as usual. I won't spoil the rest, but just know another epic battle ensues that is even better than the one in the previous film.
The Good:
First off, the jokes. So many more jokes (I was so lonely, I paid a hobo to spoon with me!). Not only that, but some scenes had me laugh-crying onto my boyfriend's shoulder. The RV scene where the four goons drive to New York was so much to handle with the whole vehicle turning over and watching everyone's reaction in slow motion. Next, Brick. Not only is he still the most random fellow in the group, but the attraction of him and Chani are simply hilarious. And can I say Steve Carrell and Kristen Wiig are the two perfect people for those roles? Then, you analyze the fact that the movie parodies CNN and Fox news quite well, in regards to reporting on what matters vs. things people actually want to see (or are unnecessary to a point...). I thought that was clever. Additionally, the celeb cameos (Drake, Kanye, Will Smith, John C. Reilly, etc....) add to the humor. Overall, it all fits together weird but in a good way.
The Bad:
Hmm...there were some things that didn't come naturally to me. First, the whole attraction from the GNN manager Linda to Ron. I don't know why that was necessary, especially during their dinner date when Ron could not stop saying "black!" in the restaurant. It was even more awkward with the family dinner scene, where Ron cannot say a single non-racist remark towards black people. It was...slightly off-putting. Also, the fact that Ron becomes blind?! I don't know, they lost me at that point. I hopped back on at the fight scene.
Rating:
For a highly anticipated sequel, I'll give it a 8.5/10. No sequel will ever beat its predecessor however, inevitably it is the ridiculousness that prevails. If you come expecting a serious award-winning plot, you're in the wrong theater.

The Wolf of Wall Street
So...I went into this movie thinking it was going to be some happy-go-lucky comedy. At the end, I was speechless. It was nothing like I expected. The story revolves around the life of Jordan Belfort and his "get rich quick" scheme to start a firm called Stratton Oakmont, making phony stock sales that soon becomes a huge success. The initial office environment turns into a wild daily fiesta filled with sex, drugs and occasionally midgets. Many people start taking note of the firm, including the FBI. 
The Good:
The cinematography was a win in my book. Most shots were nicely framed, despite some continuity errors. In general, the actors performed well, including DiCaprio in this particular role. Finally, I would like to say in these types of Wall Street films, my attention was kept throughout. Not necessarily for all the right reasons, but had the concept been dull, I would have passed out from boredom. Kudos!
The Bad:
Here we go...first off, the women. Eighty percent of the women in this film stripped down to nearly nothing to emphasize the "out of control" aspect of Stratton Oakmont. To make it more understandable for people who may think "so what" , I lost count of the number of breasts I saw on that screen. The movie glorifies sex to a point where the viewer is utterly shocked, and even the main woman in Belfort's life gets completely naked from head to toe. Oh, and another thing, the amount of cheating was horrid. Belfort leaves his smart, decently good-looking wife for a blonde bimbo with a repulsive northeastern accent. Great, another movie where the wise, responsible and loving wife gets screwed over by some tripped out, greedy monster who only wants sex. And he cheats on her too, with more prostitutes! I wanted to vomit. What bothered me the most was that the men AND WOMEN in the movie were accepting the fact that there were tons of sex parties and cheating while doing crazy drugs and being complete idiots. I mean, COME ON. Women need to realize their worth, not spread their legs for 20+ men every night. It seriously made me loathe the male species as a whole for like, an entire minute. Or maybe two. Five? Additionally, they made Jordan Belfort this man who was on top of the world, like another Gatsby craze. It sickened me that not only did he got away with what he did for as long as he did, he was a real asshole. Not to mention, when he spoke in front of his coworkers, he was seen as this godly symbol who saved everyone. And the fact that he didn't get stopped sooner irked me. The portrayal of Belfort as this unstoppable man was emphasized by more partying and cocaine and buying expensive things for bimbo wife. Eventually, as we all know the aspect of buying gifts on gifts on gifts for the lover gets old. The bimbo wife wants a divorce from this insane creature, and he freaking hits her. And takes their daughter with him to try and flee. While he is on house arrest. And in a rage, backs the car into some bushes, with the damn child in the passenger seat. I'm sorry, but this man is a total dick. The film fails to depict his downward spiral, and instead shows off his irresponsible, drug-smitten, psychotic life that takes what seems like eras to put behind bars. And for only a few years? I don't want to live on this planet anymore. 
Rating:
This black comedy ticked me off like no other. I understood that the director intended to show the glorious fame Belfort experienced, but it was just a sloppy mess that only snowballed into chaos that somehow at the end of the movie, got swept under the rug as if no one knew about it. 6.9/10. Seems like a fitting number, don't ya think?

American Hustle
I saw this film yesterday, and it intrigued me from the first sound of Duke Ellington. Irving Rosenfeld and his partner Sydney Prosser who are con artists forced by FBI agent Richie Di Maso to pose as advisors for a fake Sheikh. Together, they attempt to bribe a Camden politician and make four additional arrests of famous congressmen. Oh, and Jennifer Lawrence makes a small but strong appearance on the big screen as the unloved wife of Irving. Me gusta.
The Good:
So the story was interesting enough to get me from the start. The music, costuming and sets intrigued me quite a bit. Let me talk about the casting though. My goodness I loved the casting. At first I could hardly recognized Christian Bale in his sleeked-down hairdo but then I saw it. I also couldn't tell if it was Isla Fisher or Amy Adams playing the love interest of Irving, but indeed it was Amy. The narration from the two characters in the beginning hooked me in seconds. Their love story was beautifully established in the beginning and revitalized at the end, bravo. Also, the aggressive nature of Bradley Cooper's character was well executed, and I absolutely adored the scene with those mini curlers in his hair. It was nice to see Jeremy Runner playing a nice, likable character for once. And although Jennifer Lawrence's part was not huge, she was a doll. Her mini freak-outs due to fires, sloppy drunk moments and continuous Jersey accent were on point in the film. At her breaking point, the scene where she madly stomps around the house, ferociously cleaning and flicking her hair to Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die" had me in tears laughing! She deserves a lot of credit for the role she played. And planting a smooch on Amy Adams.
The Bad:
There was not too much I had to rant about on this film. The deals did get a little confusing at times, but the arguments between Irving and Richie helped me along the way. Also, the fake Sheikh was totally unrealistic. Maybe that was just my take, but I'm not too sure I'd be convinced. Especially if I were Robert DeNiro, the most skeptical actor of Hollywood. His part was so small I could almost eat it for breakfast. The casting director should have made his part bigger.
Rating:
I think this movie will get great reviews and some awards at the Oscars or Golden Globes. It was a long film, but it was jam packed with awesome moments. Overall, I give it a 9.3/10. Incredibly well done.
I see this year as a good year for film. Some trailers look good, including Monuments of Men, Bad Words and The Other Woman. All I know is that I'm still waiting for word about the 4th movie in the Austin Powers series. They need to jump on that ASAP, I thank you.
Thoughts?
Have any of you seen these films? What do you think about them? Do you agree or disagree with some of the ratings or things I noted, or see something I failed to mention? Post a comment and let me know!
Happy Saturday!

Never Back Down: Remembering Alex Popeck Three Years Later

WARNING: This is a lengthy post, so please feel free to make yourself a cup of coffee and stay a while. 
Three years ago, I was asked to write down my memories of someone who had recently passed away. Today, I find the strength to do just that. Bart, this one is for you.

On this date, January 7th, 2011, I lost a friend who had become dear to me in the time I knew him. 
Alex Popeck, born September 28th 1993, was a man with great character, individuality and strength. A runner at Sherwood High, Alex devoted his time not only for himself to improve, but for others as well. His impact on the entire Olney community was so tremendous, that once word got out of his accident, many local businesses changed their signs in respect for Alex and his recovery. What he will be remembered for most is his motto: "Never Back Down". 
This is how I knew Alex.
Summer, 2010
I met Alex in August of 2010, when we both attended Concord Retreat Running Camp in Yellow Springs, West Virginia. This was my first year at the camp, and on the first day we happened to be in the same group for the week. I will never forget his humor and his spirit, it was evident in every interaction he had with anyone. 
Early in the week, we had a relay race which involved a multitude of activities. My part in the race was the volleyball serve. Once I made the serve in the correct circle, I was to run to Alex and tap his hand so he could start crab-walking to the next station. Despite my skilled abilities in serving, I failed on the first few attempts, but after hearing Alex telling me to hit the ball underhandedly, I succeeded and ran to him to continue in the race. Eventually we got second overall. Not too bad.
As the week of running went by, so did the events. One of my favorite events was the talent show skits, where my group members Will, Josh and I got in a trash can filled with ice and water (ice baths!) and performed the song "Wonderwall" by Oasis. In my experience, I could not sing the song with a serious tone because Alex was assigned our "obsessed fan" of the skit, and he was being super obnoxious (getting into his role of course) and ultimately the star of the show. Our assigned "bodyguard" of the skit escorted him out when he got a little too crazy, adding more to the hilarity of the skit. The rest of it was singing and serenading one of the coaches as Alex observes from the back of the room.
The video below (not sure if you can see it) is the video of our Ice Bath skit, and is currently the only video/picture I have with Alex. He is the guy sitting in the front that throws the shirt and says "I love you!"  Inevitably the shirt hit me in the face, just an FYI:
Ice Bath Skit
Another fun memory was the Concord Idol night, in which our group did an interpretive dance to the Backstreet Boys's "I Want it That Way". Unfortunately there was no video of the performance, but it was a fun dance in which ended in the males throwing baby powder in the air. Our group won the week-long competition combining all events, and Alex was a huge contribution to our successes.

Fall 2010
After camp ended, the next time I would see him would be at the Magruder Invitational cross-country race that fall. Being one of the first races of the season, I was cheering on my teammates finishing the last one-hundred meters in the Varsity race. Then, out of nowhere, Alex comes tagging behind one of my teammates. I had no clue he was that fast! The more results I'd seen on MoCorunning.com, the more Alexs name appeared. Dang, I thought. This was someone who fought.
November was a wonderful month that year. I got to know Alex more; seeing him at the region championship meet and also at a post-season race called Border War, held on my home course. When a friend of mine and I started the post-race dance (would you expect less from me?), a bunch of others joined in, including Alex. Not only did he have his humor, courage and athleticism, but he was confident enough to get out there and bust a move. Even if the dance only lasted fifteen minutes.
November 29th was the day I went with Magruder's cross-country team to Long Island for the Footlocker Northeast Regional Championship race and he went with his team to Cary, North Carolina for the Nike Cross Regional Championship. We had texted all day, including at the end of the race and on the way home. He was upset about his race he had earlier that day, and I told him not to worry because it was the end of the season. I reminded him that he still had more races to come, and that he could still makeup for it the next year if he decided to go. Alex told me he appreciated what I said and thanked me. Looking back on it now, a true friendship is found when the other person respects what you have to say, and I will never take that for granted.

December, 2010
The last time I saw Alex was at an indoor track meet on December 4th 2010. He was recording splits for his other teammates at the time. I decided to join him in watching the races. My mind was in a different place due to an argument I was having with another friend, but afterwards I still tried to engage myself in conversation with Alex as he was helping his team.
At the end of the meet, I found myself talking to Alex and Jackson, his best friend who also ran for Sherwood. As I was leaving I hugged Jackson and then hugged Alex. In his ear, I told him that I had surprising news to tell him at a later point. He nodded and I left. It was news that I started a relationship with someone we both knew. Alex was happy to hear the news, as he always was. The fact that I could confide in him was something I treasured as time went on. 
The night of December 11th, 2010, I was at a holiday party with some family friends when Alex and I texted briefly. I was watching the movie UP and I was telling him how the movie always made me cry. That was the last thing we talked about that night. The conversation dwindled so I stopped responding. Little did I know, I would not have a chance to speak to him again after the night ended.
December 12th, 2010
I did not find out about what happened until later that evening. Upon returning home from my at-the-time boyfriend's house, I checked Facebook and saw many friends writing well wishes on Alex's wall. My mind started racing and I didn't know what was going on. 
After a lengthy investigation, I learned that earlier that morning, Alex was driving teammates to a basketball practice. Around 10AM, Alex was following Jackson's car to the practice when suddenly, Alex's car accidentally hit some wet grass. He spun out of control and the car hit a tree on the driver's side. Two of his teammates suffered minor injuries, but sadly the impact took a huge toll on Alex, placing him under a coma.
I was distraught.  This was unlike anything I've ever dealt with before. Of course, there were people I've known that have been in car wrecks before, the only difference was those people usually died on impact. Alex was different. He was rushed to the intensive care unit of a hospital downtown. Comatose.
Denial 
The following three weeks after the accident were rough for me. School, track and social interactions were made difficult for the rest of the month. In choir, we would start looking at new songs, and for some reason they all reminded me of Alex and his struggle. I left the classroom multiple times, trying to wait until I got to a small practice room before breaking down. 
I was losing it. Because all I could think about was Alex and why this was happening to him. This was someone I just started to become close with, why me? Why Alex? 
Soon, Alex's father started making posts from Alex's Facebook account and soon informed the public about a CaringBridge.org page dedicated for donations and well wishes. Additionally, the site would notify followers when updates would be posted on Alex's condition. 
Needless to say, I eyed that page like a hawk. Whenever I'd get an email update, I would leave class to go to the bathroom, but go to the media center instead to look at what was the newest development. I was bending over backwards to calm myself down from everything that was happening. Soon enough, I was even collecting donations from my high school to donate to the parents. I collected a little over $35.00 and I met with the father at a prayer service and gave him the money. This helped me with my sanity but this did not mean my work was done.
I changed my Facebook profile picture to a picture of Alex. Sure enough, people started to do the same thing. Even Kevin Milsted, creator of MoCorunning.com, joined in and asked me if we could create an event on the date of the upcoming track meet (December 22nd) called "Change your Profile Pic to Alex Popeck Day". I quickly agreed and saw the many pictures of Alex displayed on many profiles.
In this time, the runner community got together. I saw writing on people's arms, with the quote that had been under his Facebook profile picture: "When life gives you lemons, make grape juice and watch the world wonder how you did it." Eventually, I found myself doing the same thing. His team was among the strongest out of everyone. Even though they had a teammate going through all of this, they raced like cars to win races. Soon I started to befriend these teammates and reunite with camp friends in response to the incident.  
And then, I heard about an ongoing phrase Alex used to say. "Never back down." I thought, what a perfect phrase to describe Alex's attitude. He really never backed down from anything that I could remember.
Despite everything that was happening, I had renewed hope. Nothing could stop me now.
Hospital Visit
As soon as it was allowed, I requested that I visit Alex in the ICU. After the confirmation from Mr. Popeck, my mom took me to the Washington Hospital Center to check on him. Upon entering the room, I took in everything. There he was, sitting motionless in his bed, with his mother, brother, father and best friend Jackson all around him. There was nowhere to stand; the floors had been piled with cards, gifts, balloons and other items of warmth. I could immediately sense the outpour of love from several people who cared about him.
We stayed a good thirty minutes, discussing everything that had been going on. His injuries were all healed, not a physical wound in sight. The issue was his brain, nothing was clicking. I tried holding his hand, and for a moment, I could have sworn I felt a slight grip back. This could have been a non-responsive cue but it gave me a glimmer of hope. Before I left, I kissed Alex on the forehead. Who knew when or if I would see him again?
January 2nd, 2011
With the New Year under my belt, I yearned for more hope. Something to push through to the finish line. I wanted answers, but just the good answers. There could be no negative curve, right? His wounds were healed, his activity was becoming more regular. It was only uphill from there.
I mean, three weeks passed since the accident. Alex did not just give in immediately, he fought. I was amazed at his recovery going so well. At least that is what I thought.
Alex's father made a post about Alex. It started off strong, but then I found myself broken when I read the words "remains in very deep coma...cannot be repaired...will not come out of his coma..." 
All this progress, and yet he was so far behind? I could not bear it. Accepting that someone will not make it never gets easy. As a friend, I wanted to find any way to wake him up. 
But what?
January 7th, 2011
The day went by very slow. I endured a tough track workout earlier in the day, and I was preparing to go to my father's house. Will, Josh and I, the Ice Bath skit trio, were planning a day over the weekend to visit Alex and perform the songs we sang at camp together. If anything, maybe Alex could hear it.
I checked the CaringBridge website for the latest update. This one was the deal-breaker.
Nothing more could be done. Alex Popeck passed away peacefully with his family by his side. I wept for them, I couldn't imagine losing a son, brother or family member in general.
But I was not imagining, this was real life. I lost a friend.
Coping
The days, weeks and months passed. In this time, I attended the Shiva service, funeral service and more fundraisers to support Alex's family. Additionally, the family founded the Alex Popeck Never Back Down Foundation, a program that gives scholarships to Montgomery County High School seniors who display the drive, generosity and "Never Back Down" motto that Alex adopted in his own life.  At the end of June that year, Alex's Run debuted. A 5k in Olney, MD, the proceeds went to the foundation and brought in many participants in its first year. Alex's family made a speech prior to the start of the race, and at the right moment, each individual on the field who held a blue balloon let it go into the sky. The sight of all of the balloons in the air is something I will never forget.

In September, the Golf outing also debuted as well. I could never participate since I would be at school at that time, but combined with the 5k and the many fundraisers, I think it would be a fun event to attend sometime.
Afterward
If you told me 4 summers ago that I would meet one of my best friends at a running camp in the middle of nowhere, I would have laughed in your face. Now I am so glad I attended that camp. What Alex showed me is the ability to be non-judgemental with anyone you meet. Every single person has a story, and Alex was a genuine human being who not only fought when it came time, but gave all of himself to his family, friends team and the people of Montgomery County.
Something I promised myself I would start doing: taking more pictures. I take pictures like it's nobody's business. This is not because I am fearful they will leave this world soon, but more importantly because I want to capture the memories. When I look back on things I've done in the past and friendships I've made, the pictures tell the story. This is a still from the ice bath video that I edited a while back. It is really grainy, but you can see a vivid silhouette, smiling.

Following the events in early January, I made a slideshow of pictures for anyone to reflect on Alex and the person he was. You can view the video below.


As of now I don't run on a team anymore however, I know that I'm not alone when I run. Alex is always there to guide me every step of the way. I try to live my life how he lived his, leading when things got rough or helping when someone just needed a boost of confidence. Either way, I strive to improve upon myself each and every day. 
It's simple. Never Back Down.

I love you Alex. Rest easy.
Thank you for reading.

Opinion Needed! (SU Students) Which Class Should I Take?

Deep breath...
When I registered for classes for the Spring 2014 semester, I knew I wanted to take two media production courses, a dance class and a Spanish class. As of right now, I am taking the following:
CMAT 354: Advanced Audio Production CMAT 466: Specialized Reporting TV & Web DANC 162: Creative Modern Dance SPAN 310: Oral & Written Composition
So far, I am just okay with this schedule. Mainly the reason being is the fact that the classes I tried to sign up in the CMAT department were already full. I wanted the audio production class (354) so I gladly signed up for it however, the specialized reporting class (466) was the only other option for my track. Seeing as I had no other CMAT choices, I signed up for the 466 class. I have two options as of right now:
Option 1: Suck it up and stick with the schedule I've got. Option 2: Change around my schedule, to drop CMAT 466 and take Portuguese instead.
Now I know what you're thinking...where the heck did Portuguese come from?!
Well I'll have you know that I am half-Brasilian, and I have a basic knowledge of Portuguese from being around my mother's side of the family. With my knowledge of Spanish combined with the basic sounds of Portuguese, taking the Portuguese class could really help me solidify my comprehension and I could be on the road to becoming (wait for it)...trilingual.
Here is my problem: which of the two do I take? CMAT 466 or MDFL 102? I'll lay out the pros and cons for both (+/-)
CMAT 466: Specialized Reporting TV & Web
+ Great for my resume/resume reel/video site + Experience with putting together video reports on a specialized topic (in this case, military) + Professor Dr. Burns is someone you learn a LOT from. Could help with future projects + Meet Monday/Wednesdays, no Fridays - I despise reporting. This is why I'm not a Journalism/PR track - Not interested in specializing in just ONE topic throughout the duration of the semester, especially not military (not hating, just not interested) - I've heard Dr. Burns is a tough grader...which normally wouldn't stop me, but my GPA might cry - Taking two production classes at once (354 and 466) would be time-consuming
MDFL 102: Elementary Study (Portuguese)
+ Excellent to further my understanding of Portuguese language + Met the Professor, seems like a nice lady who has a Portuguese background + Spanish could help me learn Portuguese quicker + Utilize help from family, friends, etc. - Monday/Wednesday/Friday class...ugh - Taking two languages at once may be challenging - Not a requirement, just a personal desire - Use own time to try and comprehend language
Obviously, I am in a bit of a funk at the moment. Both classes would benefit me, the question is do I want something I could add to my video reel or a communication skill I could use to make me look better with more languages under my belt? 
Have you taken these classes before? Is there anything you can tell me having taken the class(es) already?
Feel free to add your input, I could really use some good advice.
Thanks!

Weekend Update 1/4/14-1/6/14

So... I've spent the majority of my break reliving my youth through popular video games of the late '90s and early '00s. It has got to a point where I find myself on Amazon.com, searching for old games I owned in the past but don't anymore, and buying back all my old games I've missed and wanted to cuddle with again. Okay maybe not CUDDLE with but...you get my point.
Despite the snowstorm leaving me with limited options on activities, I managed to get out of the house a little during the weekend for some fun adventures.
New Places, Same Faces
I strive to live up to my "try new things" morale, and yesterday I did just that. For my first workout of the year, I went to a regular Zumba class with instructor Martin that I've always enjoyed in years past. This class however was in a new setting, and I was determined to check it out. After doing an hour and a half of Zumba in this smaller space with fogged up mirrors and a speaker blaring in my right ear, I can dig it. 
Next Level Studio, a facility in Gaithersburg, is a place where many dancers young and old learn, exercise and practice their skills. This studio not only hosts Zumba classes, but they also include Bachata/Salsa lessons for adults, and recreational dance and competitive dance for children. Something tells me I'm coming here for Bachata lessons sometime soon. And once I'm done, maybe I'll incorporate some Bachata in my Zumba classes?

Birthday Girl!
One of my best friends +Amy Frieder  turned twenty-one over the weekend as well. Yay!!! Many of her friends and I got together before leaving for her first bar experience. I, of course, am not of age yet so I was unable to attend, but a little bird told me she had a blast :) 
In case you weren't aware, as of today I have 2 months and 10 days until I hit the big 21. Or 9 weeks and 6 days. Or 69 days (heh). But who is counting?

Other Shenanigans

In the meantime, I am on the car hunt. Well not like the ones you see above, so it's more like a used car hunt. Soon I'll be able to drive back to school without depending on rides as well as go to Walmart to buy myself groceries instead of finding someone to take me. Either way, it'll serve me for a few good years while I figure out my life during and after college. 

I've still got about two weeks until I head back to school, so I'll keep you updated on what's going on en la vida de Jade. 

Until then!

First Post of the New Year!

Hey everybody! Welcome to my first post of my first blog...ever! 
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting this page in the start of the new year, I can't even begin to explain how exciting all of this is. As a New Years resolution, creating a blog was never contemplated in my mind before and all of the sudden it just hit me like a train. With that said, I've decided that among other things, the year 2014 will be a year of recording my thoughts and documenting my experiences so that I can see my life transform over the years. What better way to do that than start a blog?! 
So let's recap 2013 real quick.
Pros:
- Going to the National Association of Campus Activities convention and getting pictures with Frankie Muniz and Nev Schulman, seeing noteworthy performances from Bubba Sparxxx, Turquoise Jeep, Kyla "The Phoenix", NBC Diversity Tour Comedians, Nike Pike, Adam Ace, etc. - Attending many concerts this year: Ellie Goulding, Yellowcard, LMFAO, Calvin Harris + Lupe Fiasco (Gullfest), Mad Decent Block Party, Backstreet Boys, Nine Inch Nails - Joining my beloved sorority Phi Mu and meeting a bunch of incredible women and becoming more philanthropic than ever - Establishing myself more as a Zumba instructor/choreographer, performing at Mock Rock, Sigma Cutie Pi and Relay for Life - Pulling up my grades (From a 2.75 Fall '12, 3.5 Spring '13 to a 3.75 Fall '13) -Spending more time getting to know my family line (twin, big and g-big) -Becoming a pool manager and making more money than I would have being a regular employee while learning the stress of managing a facility -Being able to visit friends over the summer with my stepdad's car - Having the opportunity to be an Orientation Leader for the fall AND winter terms - Somehow managing 19 credits and 3 jobs at once (ended up dropping a class and one job ended in October, but at the time it was ridiculous) - Starting a relationship with my boyfriend Evan and getting to know each other more and more - Going to two amazing formals with said boyfriend - Developing on my skills as a Media Production major and realizing what my strengths and weaknesses are in the field - Spending a lovely holiday break at home with family and relaxing
Cons:
- Being away from my family a lot in the beginning of last year - Spending money on useless things and not saving - Going through a hard breakup with an ex-boyfriend - Getting mononucleosis over the summer which forced me to avoid physical activity for  a month - Being underpaid as a manager - Dealing with a crisis in my sorority early in the school year - Not having a car to assist me in daily activities - Getting my bicycle stolen (no more green bike :/) - Discovering beg bugs in my room  -Receiving my first civil citation
Bottom Line: As much as the Pros and Cons were almost the same, the good thankfully outweighed the bad and I ended 2013 on a positive note.

New Years Festivities
It's safe to say that I had a good New Years compared to other years. I went to Evans friends house in the area and I got to meet some of his friends to ring in 2014 with. It was a nice small group of people and nothing got too ridiculous. 
But what's a New Years party without a decent photo bomb?

...Sure enough, I succeeded.

Moving Forward
2014 is all about a fresh start, or maybe even a new chapter in everyones life. I know I've made some mistakes in my life, but I wish to turn over a new leaf and improve on myself and those around me. What did you do to ring in the new year? What kind of resolutions did you make for yourself (and if so, do you plan to keep them?)
This is my New Year's resolution, and whether I post daily, weekly, or whenever I feel like it, my goal is to inform the world of my happenings, feelings and experiences. 
And so far, I'm planning on sticking to it.