food – CURRIER TIMES

Latino Student Union Hosts ‘Carnival del Barrio’ for Curry Community

BY LUCAS FERREIRA // Oct. 15, 2017 //

The Latino Student Union showed its flair for events on campus this semester with the recent Carnival del Barrio in the Katz Gymnasium.

The event, which translates from Spanish to ‘Neighborhood Carnival,’ was organized by LSU to bring a greater degree of diversity forward on Curry College’s campus. Columbia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic were all represented with games, music, and lights to entertain and inform students about each culture.

The President of LSU, Jasmine Rodulfo, a native of the Bronx and descendent of Puerto Rican and Saint Lucian parents, gave The Currier Times the scoop on what role she’d like LSU to play on campus and the importance of diversity at Curry.

“My first year was a cultural shock for me,” Rodulfo stated when looking back at the immense diversity she had grown up with compared to arriving at Curry College.

She emphasized the trend that Latino students tend to drop out or transfer from Curry early on in their first semester and that while diversity at Curry was already minimal compared to other schools, she wanted to create a space specifically for diversity on campus.

“I wanted to make this club a safe-haven for not only Latino students but anyone that wanted to learn about Latin culture,” Rodulfo explained, welcoming all those that would like to join to become involved with LSU.

Hispanic Heritage Month, the month of October, celebrates the culturalism and independence of Latin cultures and the importance of their impact on society. ‘Carnival del Barrio’ was LSU’s first event to showcase their pride in Latin culture and informing students through cuisine offered in the student center, candy, posters, and a piñata to celebrate.

Brianna Dawkins, the Vice-President of LSU and a senior criminal justice major, also expressed her views regarding the event.

As an avid fan of culture and expressing it, Dawkins sees LSU as a great platform for diversity on campus. Because LSU is multicultural and does not need you to qualify as Latino to join, the group is open-minded to discussion and those curious to participate in fostering diversity and appreciation on campus.

“I think in the future, we want cultural understanding,” Dawkins noted. “Again it doesn’t matter where a person comes from or how they identify, I think we just need people to understand that culture is important and even if you don’t identify with a certain culture why not indulge for the night?”

Both the President and Vice President agree that being away from home can be a disorienting experience and both have encouraged anyone seeking a place of understanding, to learn and practice the culture that can be found at the Latino Student Union.

: LSU meets Tuesday nights from 7-8 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room // Image by Lucas Ferreira

LSU promises future events similar to Carnival del Barrio but will pay attention to what students would like to see through feedback.

The event, which occurred in the Katz Gymnasium, saw a positive turnout from both students and faculty looking to see what was being offered, with most coming away with positive comments regarding what they thought.

Among them was Gregory Estes, a member of the junior class and Student Government, who came out to show his support for the event having previously taken courses related to Latin culture.

“I am absolutely ecstatic to be here,” Estes said with a trademark smile. “I love Latin culture, I myself am not Latino, but I thoroughly enjoy learning about Latin countries.”

Dr. Grant Burrier, a Politics and History professor, has previously taught classes related to Latin America and international relations and thought the event was very positive for the campus.

“I’m loving the event, this is absolutely awesome,” Burrier added. “We’re raising awareness and we’re raising Latino pride in the gym and it’s a great time.”

With the success of Carnival del Barrio and the overall positive feedback from those in attendance, hopefully, LSU will continue to make improvements towards celebrating diversity and uniqueness on campus along with other clubs.

Be Healthy, Be Fit, Be Happy

BY KILEY FARRELL // MARCH 3, 2015 //

Spring Break is right around the corner, which means more motivation for eating right and exercising to get the body of your dreams. But then you find yourself eating Domino’s in bed at 2 a.m.

We’ve all done it.

Between attending classes, doing homework, working, and—of course—napping, it really does seem like there’s no “time” to exercise and eat well. However, time is what we make of it. So are our choices. Instead of eating that greasy cheeseburger, choose to go to the salad bar. Instead of sitting around playing video games, choose to go to the Fitness Center.

Being healthy is a choice, which includes eating more fruits and vegetables. // PHOTO BY DEAN HOCHMAN, hy-vee // creative commons

Here are some tips and advice to consider when thinking about a healthier you.

Take a Class
If you feel as if all of your classes are lectures, and sometimes boring, remember that Curry also offers credited classes that help with your fitness, such as cardio fitness, pilates, yoga and strength training for health.

I know it’s too late to sign up for a class now, but think about it for next semester or in the near future. Go to Course Selection Guide/Wish List on the myCurry portal, and search “physical education.”

Optional Activities
If the classes don’t fit into your schedule, or they just don’t interest you, the Fitness Center at the Student Center holds drop-in classes every week. These include Zumba, pilates, yoga and more.

Stop by the Fitness Center for the schedule, or check out their website.

Make Your Own Food
I always hear people complain about the food they’re served in the Student Center, or how it’s “impossible” to eat healthy at Curry. There’s a Stop&Shop just minutes away from Curry, along with a WholeFoods in Dedham. Most students have cars on campus to make the drive to buy some food.

If you cannot or do not have a car, take the shuttle to the Braintree Plaza and pick out some yummy food at Target. It’s easy to make healthy meals yourself, particularly on the cheap.

Blue Hills
Exercising doesn’t always have to be boring. Grab a group of your friends and go on a nice hike up to Blue Hills when the weather starts to get warmer. Bring a healthy lunch and hike up to the top of the mountain. Lunch with a view!

If you cannot wait until the warm weather, get your snowboard or ski’s and hit the slopes with your friends.

Healthy living is a choice. Make good ones.

Dining Services: Choice and Need

BY EDDY SEGAL // DEC. 15, 2014 //

Students often complain. And when it comes to their food, they don’t hold back. However, according to Christian King, executive chef for Curry College’s Dining Services, a lot of factors go into what is and what is not offered on the menu.

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Eating Well, Even at College

BY KATE HALLER // SEPT. 30, 2014 //

We are all guilty of entering the dining hall with good intentions of eating healthy. But then we see the cheesy, greasy, mouthwatering pizza.

At the beginning of my freshman year I literally ate only salad for dinner, fearful of gaining the much discussed “Freshman Fifteen.” That eating like a bird thing lasted only a few weeks, though, when I discovered that Domino’s delivers until 1 a.m., and Mr. Chan’s Chinese restaurant costs very little.

I felt great after eating it most of the time, but I noticed my skin would break out, I slowly started to grow a second chin, and I felt slow. I also learned that eating one slice of Domino’s pizza would take 30 minutes of running to burn it off. I was eating way more than one slice.

PHOTO BY ELANA'S PANTY // CREATIVE COMMONS — PHOTO BY ELANA’S PANTRY // CREATIVE COMMONS

The food in the Student Center dining hall is generally good and all, but it’s still cafeteria food. To get more variety in my diet, I go there far less often than I used to. I changed my meal plan to the least expensive one, and I supplement what I get from the dining hall with healthy groceries from local stories.

Here are some tips for what you can do, even from the comforts of your dorm room, to eat better.

Go Green
Start your day with a green smoothie. I promise it will make you feel better and more awake through long days of classes. You can use some of the veggies from the dining hall and buy frozen fruit at the grocery store. There is no lack of options.

Go Natural
Another great breakfast option is wheat toast from the cafeteria, but buy your own organic peanut butter, such as Adams, which has no chemicals or preservatives in it unlike the one in the dining hall.

Go Spring
If you are in a rush for lunch and need something quick, make vegetable spring rolls, which are clean and cheap, the Sunday before the school week. Grab a few on your way to class and enjoy.

Go Nuts
Want a snack? Keep raw almonds in your room. They are a great source of protein and keep you full and away from chips and cookies. If you do want something sweet, try making this chia seed chocolate pudding. Chia seeds reduce hunger, so they will fill you up more than most dessert alternatives.

Because we are in college, we shouldn’t have to always worry about what we are eating. But a little concern will go a long way.

Budgeting for the Broke Student

BY TAYLOR EVANS // MARCH 19, 2014 //

The majority of college students are broke; it’s just the way it is. I know I am.

After working all summer we often think we’ll have enough money to last us through the next academic year, but it never works out that way. If you are the rare few that isn’t broke, consider yourself lucky.

I love food, probably a little more than a girl my size should. But since I am a food junky and possess little monetary wealth, I have figured out a few things to help me budget when it comes to food.

If you want to save money throughout the entire school year, get one of the lower meal plans. Here at Curry, I get 14 meals a week, which I never take advantage of. Coming into college, I questioned if that would be enough for me. But I’ve come to find out that it’s hard to make time for three regularly scheduled meals a day. Sometimes, I don’t get around to dinner until late, when there are few inexpensive options other than fast food joints.

Skip the McDouble and large fry at midnight, though. Use the money you saved from a less expensive meal plan to grocery shop. There is a Stop & Shop close to campus, and they have great options—especially if you want to eat healthy. You would be shocked at how much money you can save by buying your own food and making it yourself.

Also, when it comes to food shopping, keep your eye out for coupons. Coupons are all around us, and although one coupon might not seem like a lot, things add up. Sites like Groupon also always have great deals. Other great sites include CouponMom.com and GroceryCouponNetwork.com.

Budgeting can be tough, especially when you’re on a tight budget. But money affords you options—and that’s just the way it is.

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