This article is part of a running series with Rowan University’s Wellness Center. This collaboration aims to educate students about personal well-being options. For further updates, follow @RowanUWellness on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Meet Mariana Cardenas, senior Psychology major, who wrote this article because of what she’s observed around her. She explains, “I have seen my friends go from saying that they vape because it is just water vapor (it’s not) to then being worried from seeing others in hospitals over vaping and wanting to quit so badly. But many struggle with quitting because they don’t know how to start or they have attempted many times but it being too difficult to deal with the nicotine withdrawals.”
Know it is time to quit vaping, but don’t know where to start?
At this point, we have all seen the social media posts of friends in hospitals vowing to quit vaping. It may have been unclear in the past of the effects that these devices could have on our bodies. Older people talking about the effects just seemed ridiculous. But the research is out now, and it has become apparent that the stuff coming out of vapes should not be going anywhere in our bodies.
Along with all too well known physical effects the chemicals in vapes have on our bodies, there are also several behavioral effects. This includes anxiety and permanently lowered impulse control (thetruth.com).
You may be in a mindset where you know you should ditch the vape, but not know how to start. For some, quitting can feel overwhelming. It may be difficult to imagine yourself without your vape (teen.smokefree.gov).
First, set up a plan and take on your quit journey one step at a time. Most importantly, establish a support system, which can be as simple as letting your friends know about your plans to quit.
Do not be discouraged by slip-ups; instead, celebrate the progress you have made.
Identify triggers and try to avoid them if possible — feelings, things, people or places that give you the urge to vape.
Get ready for withdrawals. Mood changes due to nicotine withdrawal are typically temporary while your body adjusts to being nicotine-free. Keep in mind that the longer you go without nicotine, the better you will feel. When you are having an especially tough day, think back to why you chose to quit in the first place.
Create a simple phrase of your reason for quitting. Write it down somewhere you will constantly see, like your phone’s lock screen, to remind you of your goals.
These are all suggestions. Some of these steps may work well for you and others may not. Do not compare your quit journey to others because all our bodies work differently.
Best of wishes to you in your future healthier life.
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Story by:
Mariana Cardenas, senior psychology major, Wellness Center intern
Photography by:
Alyssa Bauer, senior public relations major
of classes, and a complaint from your stomach reminds you that you haven’t eaten a meal since last night. Sometimes class schedules cut straight through normal meal times. Sometimes homework that’s due in a few hours takes priority over finding time to eat. Sometimes the 10-a-week meal plan just doesn’t cut it. But one way or another, sometimes we fill up on our morning coffee and don’t eat a meal for 18 hours or more. Perhaps the meals were replaced with snacks: a granola bar, goldfish, maybe a banana. Oh, well. It can’t be 
Could you share a moment you’ve experienced in which you have felt that Rowan is a welcoming environment for you? 
What’s your favorite thing about your typical Monday at Rowan? 
The advisors and faculty within the department were eager to help an interested — and experienced, as a bonus — student transition into this exciting new major. 
themselves displaying patterns of behaviors that may or may not reflect their values. 
Often, it is easier for young people to recognize abuse in intimate partnerships than in their immediate social circles. Commonly referenced in literature surrounding domestic abuse is the power and control wheel developed by the Domestic Abuse and Intervention Project in Duluth Minnesota (“Power and Control Wheels,” 2017). It details eight methods of power and control: coercion/threats, intimidation, emotional abuse, isolation, obfuscation, economic abuse, using children and using male privilege. While some elements of the Power and Control wheel may only apply to heteronormative intimate partnerships, others can be applied to all relationships. 
Pack some trail mix and water and slip on your sturdiest shoes, because it’s National Take A Hike Day and we’ve got three awesome trails near campus for you to explore!
1. Ceres Park – Mantua, 7-minute drive
3. Blueberry Hill Trail – Gibbsboro, 30-minute drive
gmatization of eating disorders, but still little discussion about disordered eating behaviors that may not seem so obvious or extreme.” 
Coming into Rowan University, her intro business courses were super general and informative, which allowed her to explore marketing and supply chain logistics in a more in-depth manner. This helped her decide where she wanted to be within those fields. Currently, she works at Rowan University’s Business Hall. This past summer, she worked in a recruiting agency in Parsippany, NJ, which she found through 
Erin is a part of University Innovation Fellows, a Stanford University run program where students are recommended by their university business or engineering professors to get involved in. She was one of the four students chosen from Rowan to join the program. The four students are tasked to find a problem with the university and attempt to fix it by getting funding. Erin chose to focus on solving the hunger problem at Rowan. She devised a plan in which students can donate their meal swipes to other students in need. This is in its beginning stages, and if it passes, the group will be sent out to Stanford in the spring and go to Google’s Headquarters to present.
What else caught your attention about Rowan? The school was pretty diverse. I’m from Africa and in Africa we always treat each other like family, and we are all about feeling welcomed. So, I wanted to be in a place where people were welcoming and where I wouldn’t feel left out.
don’t know anyone at the event you come back knowing about 10 people. There was one time I went to this event, I think the African Student Association hosted it, I didn’t know anyone — at the end of the day I knew like 10 different people. I didn’t feel like an international student anymore. Everyone is included here; all the opportunities are for everyone. 
What inspired you to choose your major and the 4+1 program?
I took. But the major proponent that always puts me right back on track is my family, and how I would choose bioinformatics over nursing in a heartbeat.
been consistent over the decades, whether it comes to talking about healthcare he’s been pushing for Medicare for all these years. He was on the right side of civil rights, which is something we can not say for other candidates. He has been pushing for $15 an hour wage, that’s something he has been pushing for years … He is not only pushing for these things in Congress but he is actually doing them right now.
wide variety of ceramics, color glazes and ideas to spark your creativity. 
Most ceramic pieces range from $3-$20, plus a studio fee of $8. Luckily, Fahrenheit offers discount specials throughout the week, so make sure to bring your student ID. 
What would you share with a future student interested in your major? I would tell them that Molecular and Cellular Biology is definitely a little harder than regular biology, because the engineering base classes, or statistics-based classes, are harder than the classes that biology students take. I would say that you get a better variety of subjects, you get to learn so many other things than what a regular bio major does. If you are looking to branch out in college in your education, but not to an extreme degree and if you don’t have enough time to take on a minor then taking a major where you have some flexibility in your classes is really good. If you want to experience something else besides regular science classes, then you should try Molecular and Cellular Biology.
How does your field impact the world? It’s very research based A lot of my professors that teach my classes actually do research, like cancer research, different blood pathogens research, different diseases research. There’s a lot of research that goes into it.
I volunteered a lot in high school, too. I was in Key Club, so I did a lot of volunteering then and I wanted to continue here. I was a leader this year because I loved it so much my freshman year. I wanted to do it again and have a positive impact on the incoming first-year students, because that was really important to me.”
What was your favorite activity?
The name might give it away, but this place is centered around throwing axes. Each participant gets an axe when it is his/her turn, and a throwing coach to lead you through the adventure. Every coach is helpful and experienced, and there to make sure everything runs smoothly and everyone is having fun! You’ll be taught how to hold the axe, how to throw it at the target and get tips and tricks from your coach. It looks much easier than it actually is, but it only takes 10 minutes to get the hang of it and start getting bull’s eyes!
Marko decided to look into the 
The “everything else in life” just happens to consist of more great opportunities for Marko, such as an internship this semester with the 
(Mercer County), is charging through college in the 
Last semester, Shreya visited the 
What got you interested in your intended field? I began taking
Every year entering students (freshmen and transfers) who have registered for the program arrive early on-campus for the Fall semester and participate in group activities run by Rowan’s staff members and upper-class student leaders.
This year there were four student leaders and they all had to work together in planning different types of activities for the participants to do during their free time. “We put together a scavenger hunt and some games,” she said.
Being a student leader has taught Rose to work along with other fellow leaders, bounce off ideas from one another and how to make plans in a group where everyone agrees.
Gaspare is a transfer student from 
Gaspare is doing his work under a hood at regular temperature and regular pressure, because it’s much safer and financially achievable for most labs.
Meet Billie! 
What did you like the most about Rowan?
Meet Egg, Frankie and Gandalf!
Alyssa will become the first doctor in her family; both her parents chose different careers outside of the medical field. “I really want to become a doctor, so I liked how it [the TBS major] kind of had a built-in premed track. I want to be a pediatrician,” she said.
Kasey took classes in children’s and adolescent literature that helped her to prepare for her summer role. “I reached out to my professors and told them, ‘The books I read in your classes are in my curriculum — thank you! Your choices applied to my life in a way I was not expecting.’”
From Hackettstown, NJ (Warren County), Kasey stayed in South Jersey this summer solely to complete this internship. With she and her parents’ lacking familiarity with Camden — only knowing what they’ve seen on the news — at first Kasey’s parents had some trepidation about their daughter teaching in the city. “My dad is nervous about everything,” Kasey says. “But, the school was nice. The location was fine. I wasn’t nervous and the drive wasn’t bad at all.
Another wonderful experience provided by the Rowan Journalism department was the opportunity to take a class and cover the Democratic National Convention in 2016. This experience made him feel like a true reporter. He even referred to this as “the Super Bowl for journalists.” He covered protests, made livestreams and networked all from a South Jersey perspective. He said this experience helped in the transition from college journalist to professional.
After his internship at the Ellen Show, Purvis moved onto another big-name internship, “Good Morning America,” where he learned how to create a morning TV show at the network level. Along with getting the network TV experience under his belt, he also made some recognizable friends along the way! Once again Purvis followed one amazing internship with another. In fall 2017, he began his work for “The Today Show.”
Through RIPPAC, Jason applied for the Rick Rosenberg Junior Memorial Scholarship, which allows students to take unpaid political internships. Most political internships are unpaid, meaning that most students can’t afford to take these important experiences. Through the generosity of the Rosenberg family, students who are awarded the scholarship are provided with the financial cushion that will allow them to further their careers.
summer presenting the event, hosted by a local organization, Nexus Properties.
Inn – ending with multiple people being ‘roughed up’ and arrested. 
Landing Great Plaza, you are able to enter for a nominal fee of $15, giving you access to food and drink vendors, musical entertainment, and plenty of room to celebrate.
time to transfer to a four-year institution was approaching. I needed to decide quickly and be absolutely certain I made the right choice. Eventually I came to the aviation industry – settling on the idea that I wanted to become a pilot. This decision lead me to a university out in northern Arizona. 
I just didn’t know of any other options that would fit me.
Rowan I received a student worker position as a digital content contributor for Rowan’s Division of Student Affairs. A position I received from interacting with one of my professors (who I now work with). She inspired me to pursue various aspects of public relations – eventually leading me to my passions in 
affordability. Although, once here Joseph quickly realized that the professors were another strength Rowan held. “The professors are all extremely accessible,” Joseph continues, “and they make themselves available beyond what I would consider their duty.”
cases involving children at risk of abuse or being cared for by unfit parents. “Through working here I have the opportunity to see the behind the scenes action; being a part of the process that most people aren’t witnesses to.” Joseph explains, “Gaining this experience further prepared me for more intense and involved work.” Through Joseph’s hard work and assistance from his professors at Rowan he gets to be a real help to children who aren’t in the best situations.
associated with cancer treatments and compare them to the cost of transitioning to more environmental-friendly methods. Overall, Joseph clearly has a mindset a strong ambition to make the world a better place for everyone to live in.
Around the time she discovered the article, Jo was part of a class called New Ventures Development, where students expand on an idea for a potential startup business or product, and experience the process of bringing it to life. “In that class, I came up with the concept of a personal filtration system within a water bottle, called RefresH2O,” Jo says. “Wherever you are – hiking, spending time outdoors – you can scoop up water from a nearby body of water, and it will be filtered fresh. This will alleviate our plastic usage, and make us wiser about how we source our water.” Another class, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, helped Jo finalize the marketing plan and details for her product, including the target market and purpose. “I wanted to make a product that even a three year old could use. Everyone needs clean water — it’s a human right, but not everyone is lucky enough to have that,” she explains.
Her future plans include owning her own environmentally sustainable holdings or manufacturing company, and possibly even attending graduate school for a degree in engineering management, to continue to grow. She advises freshmen coming into the field to not let the idea of ‘perfection’ interfere with your goals. “‘Good’ is good enough; just get your name and idea out in the world and continue to work on your idea as you progress,” she says. “And keep track of your commitments! Juggling school work, being on the track team and my internship, senior year has been the most challenging year yet, but planning it all out and prioritizing made it a lot better.”
programs, courtesy of the Exploratory Studies program, I decided to pursue a 
During her first computer science course on campus, Monica learned the ins and outs of the industry, as well as coding and communication skills that she would use later on. Her first professor in the field, Professor Chia Chien, “has been a huge help throughout my college experience. She really encouraged me and opened my eyes to great opportunities.” Professor Chien even introduced her to her current resume-builder, as a co-op worker for the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC). Through the AFMS (ASRC Federal Mission Solutions) program with the Rowan computer science department, students can partake in a real-life work environment and contribute to meaningful projects that improve their skills. “The program allows students to immerse themselves in a real job, full time, with the option to take classes part time, at night or online,” Monica explains. “You partner with industry companies and really learn how they function and how your knowledge can contribute.” 
was a high school senior I felt the pressure of this in the back of my mind. I picked the school farthest away in an environment nothing like my current one because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do. If I could go back and give myself any advice it would be to not pick a school for anyone but myself. I was too busy focusing on fitting the image, that I didn’t realize I wasn’t ready to go 8 hours from home. For some people going away is the fresh start that they need, but it wasn’t for me and that’s okay. Transferring to Rowan allowed me to grow and succeed in ways I never imagined. I’ve studied abroad in Europe, held local, state, and federal internships, and met some of my best friends. The biggest lesson to be learned is that there is no one size fits all college experience and to choose a college that best helps you grow.
America’s independence, Japan donated over a thousand cherry blossom trees to Philly in the early 1900s. Philly continues to celebrate this gift and connection to Japan for a full week every spring season. 
This past week, I strolled through fresh and full-bloomed cherry blossom trees at Fairmount Park’s Horticultural Center (definitely a must-see). Throughout the week, Fairmount Park invites visitors to see the trees, participate in Japanese-themed activities and check out the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden.
share my journey. To see the first generation alums and get their support made me feel welcomed and a sense of belonging.
The students — Kailey Bertelson (advertising), Brittany Eng (public relations, advertising), Megan Jean (studio art), Timothy Stanford (advertising), and Hannah Vendetta (public relations, advertising) — spent many long nights and weekends in the Public Relations & Advertising High Street building on campus, developing their campaign for BOXED, an e-commerce store and app that provides customers the convenience of purchasing household items in bulk online, and shipping to their door for an affordable price. The group’s winning campaign ran with the slogan “Two Day Shipping, More Two Day Weekends,” and included the optional addition of a video advertisement, featuring Hannah as a busy mom trying to balance maintaining a household and spending quality time with her kids. The judges loved the creativity and detail of the campaign, awarding the group, nicknamed “The Incredible Bulk,” first place and a cash prize of $2,000 to split!
“My Intro to PR and Advertising Research class prepared me the most for this challenge. A massive portion of the proposal was gathering the information that we needed, both secondary and primary,” Tim says. Brittany agrees that learning the techniques for research ahead of time in class definitely helped advance their campaign. “Our skills in media, design, research and writing are a result of our professors’ dedication towards bringing out the best qualities in their students,” she says. When the results were gathered and interpreted, Megan took the next step of designing their display: “I took everything that I learned from my graphic design professors to help put together the design. Once we had gathered all of our information it came down to getting it laid out to make it visually pleasing to the viewer,” she says.
And while knowledge and experience from classes definitely helped fuel the winning project, working together also helped each member of the group strengthen skills that they had not practiced before. Brittany admits that she came into the competition with little experience in research, but was confident that the competition would enhance her abilities in a real-world scenario — and it did! “Now I have experience creating and analyzing the results of a national scale survey,” she says, which is a major accomplishment for a college student. 
What wakes you up in the morning? The thrill of getting to do and/or learn something new. Also, I love to have my morning coffee while reading!
dreamed of doing or thought you’d never get to do? Through its interdisciplinary program, mechanical engineering sparked my interest in biomedical engineering. Although I once said I would never take another biology class again, I am now set to be a PhD Biomedical Engineering student come Fall 2019. 
Why Rowan?
Luis Acevedo, sophomore dual biology and chemistry major from Camden, NJ, originally entered Rowan as an education major. Luis wanted to teach the people in his community about mobilization – something that is a challenge for many from the city. After a semester into his education career, Luis kept his promise to educate his community, but felt he would be able to make a bigger impact educating them on physical health. He rediscovered his passion for the field of medicine, and is eager to apply his passion at home. 
education career and the mentors who’ve built a family full of support at school. After an interview with Dr. Mateo for Rowan’s 
holds a negative stereotype for fostering an adverse community. “A lot of people think we’re not prepared for college. The fact that people ask questions about the type of education I had is unreal. It’s important to inform people that we’re all the same and we were all accepted to the same university.” Luis takes advantage of his resources at Rowan, knowing these connections will prepare him to be a successful doctor. 
