Tag: Downtown Raleigh

As the semester comes to a close I couldn’t be more excited about this summer. There have been many ups and downs this semester, but I’ve always overcome them and learned from the experiences. This summer I’m most excited about a volunteer opportunity I will be able to take part in and my first summer internship.

For a week in July I will be volunteering with the General Hugh Shelton Leadership Challenge here at NC State. The Shelton Challenge is a six-day residential experience to help high school students expand their knowledge and skills of what it takes to be a leader. The students will participate in activities that will help them have a greater understanding for: Personal leadership assessment and interpersonal dynamics, role of values and ethics in leadership, civic and social responsibility, and goal setting among many other things. They will also have the chance to do some team building activities like the low and high ropes courses. My position will be that of a CMT, or Coach, Mentor, Trainer. I will serve as a role model for the students as they go throughout the week. I think this will be a great experience because of the people affiliated with the organization, and the values they are trying to instill in young people.

For the rest of the summer I plan to be working at an internship around Raleigh. I have always heard the more experience the better, so I feel like now would be the best time to start. That way I will get an upper hand on competition, and find out what things I like about my field and what things I don’t. With that being said, make sure you do something every summer to better yourself and to give you some type of learning experience. Have a great summer and see you in the fall!

As high school seniors begin the grueling process of deciding which university to place their future and money in, I thought it might be nice to answer the question I get weekly: Why did I, coming from Utah, decide on NC State? I suppose my story is compelling, particularly for out-of-staters who just can’t be sure what sets NC State apart from any other out-of-state school. Allow me to dispel the mists of uncertainty.

When my acceptances (and, yes, rejections) came rolling in, I had a lot to consider. My parents were surprisingly unhelpful. They have always encouraged me to make my own decisions carefully, and then they offer guidance where necessary. It was impossible to read them. I knew they were probably nervous about out-of-state tuition, but I also knew that my mom wanted me to have the opportunities to grow and learn that she thought I couldn’t have where I lived. I was offered a partial scholarship to one school and a full-ride to another, but I didn’t feel that either offered exactly what I wanted. Actually, if I’m honest, I didn’t know enough to know what I wanted from a university!

It came down to two schools. One was a couple hours from my home. The other was NC State. The day before the commitment deadline, I still hadn’t decided. I had visited and enjoyed Raleigh, but it was an awfully big commitment to move so far!

I finally sat my parents down and told them my decision. I was going to go to NC State. When I told them, I felt this intense confidence in my decision. My parents asked me what had made me decide. I told them all the reasons that I had weighed in my head.

1. Raleigh is a fabulous city. It’s not so big that you can get lost, but it’s big enough that there’s always something to do. Downtown is fabulous. Unlike so many downtown’s, there is always somewhere to park! There are restaurants, clubs, and museums aplenty. And right up the road, there’s a huge farmer’s market!
2. The Raleigh-Cary-Durham area is one of the most educated regions in the country. If I truly hoped to become an intelligent human being, it was a good idea to surround myself with intelligent people!
3. After speaking with people in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, where I would be as an English major, I was confident that there was a huge range of opportunities available to me – minors and internships and various programs.
4. I love the brick-y, collegiate feeling of NC State’s campus! I love the buildings, and Hillsborough Street, and the Belltower.

Now, in my third year here, I can comfortably say that choosing NC State was the best decision I’ve made because it has opened so many doors for me and given me so many good friends. When making your decision, remember that high risk = high reward!

When you’re ready to take a break from the textbooks and are looking to get off campus for a bit, you are in luck. Downtown Raleigh is home to several different museums and galleries. Between museums, parks, and historical landmarks Raleigh is a cultural hot spot.

One of my visits to the North Carolina Museum of History

Since Raleigh is the state capital, the city is home to three State museums—The North Carolina Museum of Art, the North Carolina Museum of History, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The North Carolina Museum of History has a rotating exhibit that changes every few months. In January I headed downtown with a friend of mine to check out the Real to Reel: The Making of Gone with the Wind exhibit, and it was amazing! The museums bring in fantastic exhibits and gives you the chance to check out things you didn’t even know you were missing!

The North Carolina State Capital Building is only 2 miles from NC State's Memorial Belltower

The state museums aren’t the only museums in town; there is also the Marbles Kid’s Museum, the Contemporary Art Museum, and the Raleigh City Museum. Museums aren’t the only cultural sites in Raleigh. Sites like the North Carolina Executive Mansion, Mordecai Historic Park, and Historic Oakwood give you the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and see what Raleigh has to offer.

Downtown Raleigh is a short walk from campus, and if you’re not up for the 2 mile hike the city buses also run downtown and practically drop you at the front steps of the museums. If you will be in town for a little while, I encourage you to head downtown and check out some of these great resources.

This morning, I missed my first two classes because I was visiting prison.

How is that for an excuse?

I spent the early morning fretting about what one should wear to prison and what I’d do if I got lost trying to find it. I felt fishy looking up driving directions the night before. I figured if I was ever headed to prison, someone else would be driving and I’d be in handcuffs! Even worse than my fear of getting lost trying to find it was my fear about getting lost in the prison, then losing my ID, then I couldn’t convince them that I was not meant to be there… I’ve seen too many Leonardo DiCaprio movies.

You’re probably wondering what I was “in for.” As you might guess from my picture, I’m not exactly a hardened criminal but I am in a class for news and article writing. My professor, Dr. K, wanted to get us in a setting that was completely unfamiliar to us so we could practice our observation skills. None of us had ever been to prison before, and we were all excited. Well, excited and nervous. College field trips are so cool.

I would have taken pictures, but pictures are strictly prohibited, so just imagine with me: Tall, barbed wire fences interspersed with the thick, stone wall that was originally built by prisoners in the 1800s; corrections officers (who are very specifically not to be called “guards”) parole the perimeter; a cloudy, overcast sky showering us with light rain – and this was all before we even went inside!

As it turns out, prison is pretty much like most state-owned and operated facilities, except with thicker doors. I don’t know whether it’s designed to be confusing, but I certainly couldn’t have found my way around without the help of our guide! We saw inmates working out and cleaning floors and watching TV and eating in the “chow hall.” Interesting fact: North Carolina is the only state that still allows death row inmates to eat with the rest of the inmates.

All in all, it was an eye-opening experience. I have my professor to thank for that. Here at NC State, professors are focused on giving you an education that extends beyond the classroom. Those out-of-classroom experiences have been some of the most rewarding of my life. You incoming freshman: you have a lot to look forward to! Play your cards right, and you might even get a trip to the slammer!

Prison: It reminded me a little bit of high school.

Every day I pass by this place at least twice, while driving towards North Carolina State University and back to my house. It is a place within walking distance of North Campus and yes, the food there is amazing. I am talking (and writing) about Cameron Village. A nice, outdoors shopping mall in the heart of downtown Raleigh.

Recently, despite the freezing cold temperatures of late January in Raleigh, I’ve decided to test if the sign near campus that claims that Cameron Village is within 9 minutes walking from NC State was true.

So I prepared my winter gear, headphones and camera and began the journey to Cameron Village. 11 minutes later I arrived, so either the sign lied or I was done by a person walking really fast. But nevertheless, it is really within a 10 minute walk from North Campus.

Regional Library @ Cameron Village

This conveniently located “Village” contains very cool restaurants and shops. This time I focused more on the culinary side of it.

Cameron Village has a great selection of restaurants allowing for varied options regarding your meals. From fast food, to nice pastas to steak houses and last but not least and personally my all-time favorite: an all-day-long breakfast place. Nothing nicer than a good breakfast at 4 PM after taking a two hour final exam (I can tell you from past experience).

This is also the perfect place to go relax on a sunny Sunday afternoon or when you just need to get out of campus for a bit.

While at NC State, take a nice walk to Cameron Village and enjoy it!

Anyone who follows my NC State Twitter account (@NCSU_CSizzle) knows I talk about the weather a lot. I mean, A LOT. I think it started during my childhood… Growing up in Utah, the weather is a serious issue. I heard it best explained the following way… Utah has four seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and allergy season.

North Carolina has far more moderate weather, which makes things like going outside that much more exciting for me! My favorite place near campus, and the subject of this blog post, is Lake Johnson.

Here you see the bridge where people fish and some pedal boats are available to rent.

Lake Johnson is a mere 3 miles from campus. The Lake Johnson Park features a 150+ acre lake and nearly 5.5 miles of trail.  It’s a perfect place to go walking, running, biking, canoeing, fishing, picnicking or goose-chasing. You can rent a Jon boat, pedal boat, canoe, or kayak from the boathouse on the Avent Ferry Road trail at a low hourly rate. You can check out those rates at the Raleigh Parks and Rec website. Some boats are available to rent year around. Others are only available in the warmer months.

This goose chased me after I took its picture. It apparently did not want to be featured on this blog.

Avent Ferry Road divides the lake. On one side, the trail is paved. That’s where you see the most cyclists and runners. I am only sharing this next part because I’m so nice… the other side is way better for adventuring. My fellow intern Sharon and I decided to check it out during a run a couple months ago and found ourselves on unpaved dirt trails that required some hiking skills!

Here you see my friend Assir running on the Lake Johnson trail.

I dislike cold days. But it’s nice to look forward to warm days I can spend jogging or walking around Lake Johnson! Lake Johnson is my favorite place close to campus to clear my head and get moving. Maybe it’ll become your favorite place, too!

Hanging out on the trail!

The semester is officially in full swing, and my weekly commute to and from Raleigh has begun. Lucky for me, I can get to Raleigh in several different ways because Raleigh is an incredibly accessible city through public transportation.

Planes, trains, and automobiles…

RDU is only a short drive from campus.

Raleigh/Durham International Airport(RDU) is located only about 20 minutes away from the heart of NC State’s campus. Flights are constantly going in and out of RDU taking folks to places all over the world. With the airport being so close to campus, it is a great resource for students who live further away from North Carolina.

When I go home I don’t fly; instead I go by car, bus or train. Freshman at NC State are allowed to have a car on campus, but like all other students they have to purchase a parking permit through the NC State Transportation Office. The system for getting a parking permit is based on the number of credits a student has earned, those with more credits get higher priority for parking. I did not have a car on campus my freshman year, and I am really glad that I didn’t; parking on campus can be stressful, and as a freshman walking can be a great way to get to know the city.

Raleigh is very accessible by public transportation

Another way that I have made the trek home is by taking the bus. There is a greyhound station only blocks from the state capital in the heart of downtown. I have also used a fairly new bus system called the Megabus, which has several routes throughout the country, including from Richmond to Durham. With Triangle Transit buses running continuously throughout the triangle it is easy to make the short trip to Durham to catch the bus.

The third and final way to travel in and out of Raleigh is by taking the train. The train station in downtown Raleigh has a great view of the Raleigh skyline and has always provided me a great place to relax while I wait for the train.

NC State’s DH Hill Library is a treasure trove of fabulous study spots and high-tech revelry. My fellow intern Sharon and I took a field trip there to document some of the best spaces to study. Of course, first we had to stop at DH Hill’s coffee shop, Hill of Beans, for a hot cup of coffee.

Hill of Beans, conveniently located on the ground level of the library.

On the first floor of the library, you’ll find a circulation desk that offers laptops, iPads, recording equipment, headphones, and many other items for check-out. This service is free to students, and students use it! On top of the laptops for check-out at the circulation desk, there are hundreds of desktop computers set up on the first few floors of the library for student use. I cannot emphasize enough how helpful the Circulation Desk has been when I’ve forgotten things. Remember your laptop but forgot the charger? They’ve got that. Did your calculator’s batteries die? They’ve got that, too. Need a video camera to record a class project? The Circulation Desk would be happy to help you.

These are two of the many options for studying on the first floor of the library.

Once you have all the learning tools you need, you can make your way up with either the stairs or elevator to the eight floors of bookshelves where you can find the most delightful study nooks you can imagine. Or, if you’re working with a group, you can use the library’s website to reserve a study room! Each floor has two study rooms. Each study room has a table, set of chairs, two television screens to hook up to your computer, and a wall meant for dry erase markers. I use the dry erase wall to diagram sentences or outline papers for English classes. Some people use it to work out complicated mathematics problems. Whatever you use it for, it’s a wonderful learning tool.

DH Hill has eight floors of distraction-free study space.

Each floor has study stations lining the walls. If you’re the kind of person who gets easily distracted, there are some with walls around them. But if you’re like me and you need a view to get your creative juices flowing, you can find a desk in front of a window and get a beautiful view of campus or Downtown.

The DH Hill library is sure to accommodate whatever your needs may be.

Two beautiful window views from the seventh floor!

This park is right in the heart of downtown Raleigh

I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but Raleigh, North Carolina was recently rated the Best American City by Businessweek.com. According to Businessweek.com this rating was based on sixteen different factors including, “the number of restaurants, bars, and museums per capita; the number of colleges, libraries, and professional sports teams; the income, poverty, unemployment, crime, and foreclosure rates; percentage of population with bachelor’s degrees or higher; public school performance; park acres per 1,000 residents; and air quality. Greater weighting was placed on recreational amenities such as parks, bars, restaurants, and museums per capita, educational attainment, school performance, poverty, and air quality.”

The Wake County Public Libraries are a great resource for students

Looking at this list there is no doubt why Raleigh was voted America’s Best City. As a student at a large university like NC State, it is easy to think you won’t interact much with the city around you, but it has been my experience that the exact opposite happens. NC State has an excellent reputation within the community and our students take advantage of the opportunities that come as a result. As a social work major, we are actually required as part of our course-work to participate in our community through a volunteer placement for at least 40 hours a semester. During my experiences working in the community I have really come to appreciate how wonderful of a city Raleigh really is.

Glenwood South has a lot of great restaurants to visit!

Not only is NC State’s campus very diverse, but the city of Raleigh is full culture from various nationalities around the world. Downtown Raleigh, which is only about a five minute drive from States campus, is constantly putting on events to showcase the diversity that lives within the city.

The Official CaribMask Flier

A couple of weeks ago, I attended CaribMask, Raleigh’s first ever Caribbean Carnival. The event was hosted by The Raleigh Durham Afro-Caribbean Association, an organization whose mission is to promote diversity, equality and create a deeper appreciation for Caribbean culture among the citizens of the Raleigh/Durham area. Click here to check out their Homepage.

In the Caribbean, Carnival is not associated with the traveling amusement show with rides and clowns, but the term is used to describe a number of events that take place annually in many of the Caribbean Islands, the most famous Carnival being in Trinidad in Tobago.

CaribMask was full of many activities to keep you entertained the entire time.  The first thing on my agenda was to indulge in some authentic Caribbean food. I had a fish sandwich that just melted in my mouth and makes me crave it even more as I tell you about it.  After my belly was satisfied, I was off to the stalls to buy some goodies. I ended up buying this beautiful wrap that had many vibrant colors on it. Some of my friends bought hand-crafted earrings and CDs that were also being sold.

Jewelry that was on sale - Photo courtesy of Meri Hyöky Photography

The rest of my time was spent being entertained. The troops paraded down the strip in their costumes and there were many dancing competitions on stage, one of which was the famous “Dolla Wine” competition. Various Artists from the different islands performed throughout the day and Island Roll Calls were taken.  The atmosphere was full of so much energy and downtown Raleigh was transformed into an island full of music, culture and the simple joy of celebrating life to its fullest potential.

Some Performers on Stage - Photo courtesy of Meri Hyöky Photography

Sparkles and Tre-V Performing (US Virgin Islands)

Being away from home can make you a bit homesick at times and the CaribMask festival downtown surely helped cure those feelings. It was a great event not only because it made me feel at home but my American friends were able to get a taste of Caribbean Culture without stepping foot on the islands.  The event was definitely one for the books and I’m already counting down for next year’s Carnival.

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to follow me @ncsu_michelle

Me and a couple of my firends that attended CaribMask

Me representing my country - The Bahamas