Friday, November 21, 2008

TWILIGHTer at Heart!

Over the past couple of months on my rare but free time, my older sister was able to convince me to read Twilight. I am going to admit I took the book just so that she would stop shoving it in my face every time I saw her and finally decided to start reading it because she would ask me about it every day. I figured I would read the book every now and then, whenever I could sneak in some extra time. That was obviously not the way it played out. Once I began reading the book, it was hardly impossible for me to put it down. Instead of spending my weekends with friends or family or just having any interaction with other humans, I stayed cooped up in my room finishing one book and continuing on to the other. It all started with "Twilight" then "New Moon" next "Eclipse" and finally "Breaking Dawn". I have to admit I was hooked. This four book series by author Stephenie Meyer is seen as the modern day version of Romeo and Juliet, however this is Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. And in case you do not know, Phoenix, Arizona is part of the story because that is where Bella’s from! Yay for Stephenie give our city a shout-out!


With that all said and done, Twilight the movie is out in theaters TODAY the 21st! Of course being the TWILIGHTers that we are... my sister, my friend (who is hooked thanks to me) and myself bought tickets to the advanced midnight showing of Twilight last night at 12:01am. The books are always more detailed and vivid than the movies so of course it was not exactly the same. However I personally would give it two thumps up. I believe every person sighed, screamed, gasped, or a combination of all three, when Edward first appeared. Yes, this is a biased post, but what can I say... only that I can not wait to see the future movies of the Twilight Saga!! So if this sounds like your type of thing and your class work allows the time, pick up a book and read… or just go watch the movie. :-)


(Bellow are just two of the many wonderful quotes from Twilight.)


"When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it’s not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end".
— Bella Swan, Twilight | Preface


"I wondered to myself why no one else had seen him standing so far away, before he was suddenly, impossibly saving my life. With chagrin, I realized the probable cause — no one else was as aware of Edward as I always was. No one else watched him the way I did. How pitiful".
— Bella Swan, Twilight | Chapter 4


- Elenia : )

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Don't Vote

I hope this will reach more than 5 friends... you will understand once you watch the video! Enjoy!




-Elenia : )

Friday, September 19, 2008

The Life of a College Student

Here are ASU, everyone is just about wrapping up their first month of Fall 08. It feels great to be back on a schedule and enjoying the amenities of the downtown campus. But the reality is that sooner of later our ability to retain information is put to the test by that exactly... tests! This week alone I had two exams and a paper draft due. First, I had a paper draft for my Urban Studies class that was due Wednesday, Thursday was the first exam in BIO 100, and today was an exam in my Human Sexuality class. Very stressful but obviously part of the job description of being a college student right? So that has basically been my week. I am ready for a relaxing and joyous weekend... which includes some homework.

So I was watching Late Night with Conan O'Brien several weeks back and they showed a video focused around the presidential race and the candidates. It was from a website called jibjab.com. I thought it was pretty funny and I am putting it up here because sometimes we just need to sit back and smile at things a bit. It is meant to give laughs and not to be taken too serious so in the words of Candi, my fellow StAR -- Enjoy! Let me know if your witty eyes spy a famous person in the video! :-)

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!



- Elenia : )

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Local Vendors Anyone?

Last weekend I attended the Phoenix Public Market right up the street from Taylor Place. A few friends got together and decided to go see what it was about. Now, I have lived in Downtown Phoenix going on my third year and I can not believe I had not gone at all. The Market was populated with many other Phoenicians both as vendors and buyers. We walked around for a good hour visiting the various locations. There were things for everyone, ranging from the obvious fresh products such as fruits, vegetables, and breads. There also were candles, organic cleaning products, hand-made jewelry and decorations. I myself bought a religious item that was hand painted by a local artist for a very reasonable price. I also tried cheese made from fresh goat milk, which was a very interesting experience. There were local musicians playing violins in the center of this all. Overall it was a very fresh and new thing for me. I do wish that there were more vendors within the market. I could really see this growing twice its size. I am sure that sooner of later, it will grow even bigger if we support what is currently there. This is for sure a place to check out in Downtown!


(This is what I bought!)



-Elenia :)

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Taylor Place

Check out this video produced by Know99. Taylor Place is the new and exciting residential hall at the Downtown Phoenix Campus. Know99 gets an inside look at what Taylor Place has to offer. Enjoy!




-Elenia :)

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Earth to Elenia

Don't look no further because I am back! Summer is starting to wind down and this means school is just around the corner. I had a very relaxing summer with little communication with technology... which was great! A break is always needed and I sure took advantage of that. Yet I am ready to get this school year started! I did however get around to doing a few things that were totally awesome. I'll start with the award that I received from the Chicano/Latino Faculty & Staff Association (CLFSA). I was nominated for the award and was selected for the Roberto L. Pastor Student Achievement Award. It was a very humbling experience and in addition I was able to network with many amazing individuals. ASU has truly presented me with countless life-changing opportunities. Check out the story.







Next, my little brother Carlos graduated from Genesis Academy (my former high school). I was such a proud moment for my entire family. It was the guest speaker at the graduation and became teary as I reached the point in my speech where I expressed my excitement for him accomplishment. Awesome day!






I also went to the South Mountain Park, which sits around 7 miles from downtown Phoenix. The Park has amazing lookouts and it happens to be the largest public park in the nation. Check the pictures from my visit to the Dobbins Lookout.








-Elenia : )

Monday, May 5, 2008

Move Out Time

It is the end of the school year and classes are coming to an end. This year has been super crazy with classes, meetings, work, and life. What's next? Summer time!! I am very excited to get my summer started. I am mostly going to be working and enjoying my time with family and friends. There are also possibilities of going out of town to escape the Arizona heat for a bit, which would be nice. But while I day-dream about what to do this summer, I have to bring myself back to reality and continue to pack my many things that my dorm room contains. Residential Commons (RSCOM) has been my home for the past two years however now it is time to say our final good bye's. This was the final academic year that the residential hall - RSCOM was to be open as the housing facility for the Downtown students. I am pretty excited because we will have a brand new building named Taylor Place. It is going to be awesome being the first person to occupy my soon to be room at Taylor Place. But for now, I am stuck going through my countless stacks of school information, getting paper cuts and packing everything I own that is currently in my dear dorm room into boxes. After all that... then maybe I can start thinking about summer!

-Elenia : )

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

El Día de Los Niños


El Día de los Niños (Children’s Day), originated in 1925 after the first World Conference for the Well-being of Children and is observed throughout Latin America. It is now adopted by schools and libraries throughout the United States, as April 30 marks a special day to remember and honor the joys and wonders of childhood and acknowledge the importance of books. I remember celebrating April 30 when I was a child, and I think everyone should acknowledge the importance of children in this world. The Latino Institute at the City of Phoenix held their annul Día de los Niños celebration at the Margret T. Hance Park in Central Phoenix today. During my high school years, I would volunteer my entire day to this great event. I think cultural diversity is of great importance in todays society and I love to share and gain knowledge of other cultures. So, in case you were or were not aware of El Día de los Niños ... lets all celebrate our greatest asset tomorrow, the children.

If you would like to learn more about El Dia de los Niños, please visit the National Latino Children's Institute website.


-Elenia : )

Friday, April 18, 2008

Heart of the City Tour


On Tuesday night I went to an awesome concert: The Heart of the City tour!! Jay-Z and Mary J Blige co-hosted this amazing concert!! I had class until 7:30pm and that was the exact time that the concert was set to begin. I ran back to my room, ate as quickly as possible and left with my friend Aaron as we basically sprinted to the concert. The opening act was The Dream. We arrived just as he began his last song, which was followed by an intermission. Mary J Blige and Jay-Z then came on stage together. The crowd went crazy for these two music legends! Mary J then sang many of here song, which I think I knew pretty much all of them. Jay-Z came on for another hour or so and rocked the crowd. He is astounding performer and had everyone at the US Airways Center on their feet. This is one of the most hype concerts I have ever been to (with Mariah Carey’s concert being my favorite, of course). The most wonderful thing about all of this was that we walked over to the US Airways Center not having to worry about parking! It honestly took us a few minutes and we were there. I love living Downtown where all of these wonderful amenities are within walking distance!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Downtown Tunnel of Oppression

Yesterday March 31, the organization that I am vice-president for named Downtown Tunnel of Oppression had its grand event. This event had a year in the making. Check out our story that was featured on the front page of the State Press yesterday - Through a Dark Tunnel, Enlightenment. The organization helps to promote awareness of oppressions that still exist in this world today. The actual event was a sensatory experience that informed you about social justice issues and put you in the shoes of the oppressed. This year we focused on racial, socio-economic and gender injustices. The Tunnel event was set up between four rooms, which were divided off into sections. Our first room was an auditory room where very oppressing and derogatory words where said, which followed by a privilege walk. Then you would enter and navigate through sections in the following three rooms which included skits, media clips, a vigil, monologues and the opportunity to express your emotions and reactions both by writing on our wall and a dialogue with Intergroup Relations Center facilitators. I really think that it is a great event that forces you to spark questions about what is happening around the word and in our own back yard. Which will then hopefully lead to participants finding their inner social advocate. This will be an annual event so please look for it next spring! If you have either a myspace or facebook page and would like to stay up to date with the organization, please look us up!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Orientation Time!

ASU Freshman Orientation will be kicking off soon and we want to make sure you are ready to start your college experience … and it begins right here! After your admittance to ASU, you should have received a “Welcome” packet with a lot of valuable information. So what now? Well, orientation is the answer! If you have yet to sign up, go to the asu.edu/orientation web-site where you can reserve a spot and get further information on orientation. I am a Student Orientation Leader (SOL) at the Downtown Phoenix Campus so if you have any questions, please ask! Do not forget to submit your immunizations and placement exams prior to attending orientation or bring the paperwork the day of, please know that this information is very crucial. We want to make sure that we can help you in the best way possible. At orientation, you will have the chance to meet fellow students, administration, and very importantly, your advisor. Orientation is a great way to familiarize yourself with individuals and the campus. In addition, if you are fascinated with orientation, a great way to be involved is to become a SOL yourself! With that said, get excited, throw your pitchforks high in the air, and welcome home future Sun Devils!


-Elenia : )


... Hey look, that's me at a football game! School spirit!!

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Go Leadership!

During the weekend of February 15-17, all ASU campuses had the opportunity to attend the National Collegiate Leadership Conference 2008 in Tucson. I of course, could not pass up this opportunity so I decided to represent my campus and university at this national event. During this conference I was able to hear from several nationally know speakers and attend workshops among other planned events. I was a great opportunity to network with students and facility from many universities. The lists of workshops that I attended are as follows:

 Diversity, Multiculturalism, Social Justice – What does it mean?
 Get Excited!
 Vision Creation: Harness Your Physical & Emotional Power
 Group + X = Team
 Border Security – Humane Borders
 Conflict Management
 Media That Matters

All of the seminars were inspirational! However the workshops that had the greatest personal impact for me were Vision Creation, Boarder Security - Humane Borders, and Media That Matters. I also attended a dinner with a speech given by Coach Herman Boone who was the inspiration for the movie Remember the Titans (2000). It was great to listen to a speech filled with such motivation and a hint of humor. The 2009 National Collegiate Leadership Conference will be held on February 13-15 at the University of Arizona Campus in Tucson, Arizona. So save the date!


-Elenia : )

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Let’s rock on the RAIL…

Earlier today I attended the “Rock and Rail” party with my fellow StAR’s to celebrate the Light Rail. There were many local food merchants sampling off their goods so you know we were extremely excited! The atmosphere kicked off as soon as we got there and I actually even bumped into several people that I work with at the City.

Just to derail a bit (pun intended) and have the statement above make more sense, I have been working for the City of Phoenix since the age of 15. I was able to land an interview with the City Managers’ Office, Youth and Education Department through a wonderful teacher at my former high school and was hired on the spot. That is still one of my part-time jobs and I love the experience I have gained. So relating it back to my original blog post, several people who are religiously working on the Light Rail work on my floor at City Hall. Well not really my floor, but you get the idea.

Any who, meeting up with people was really neat. Oh and I have to mention Danielle has the most guts I have seen in a while! She was ready to dance off for an iPod and she went in it whole-heartedly. Just for the record, Danielle so should have won that contest. She had some killer moves! All in all, I had a good time hanging out with the StAR’s, my fellow residents of Downtown and everyone else that was there to enjoy the celebration. It is very exciting to know that our Light Rail is well on its way to be running through our Metropolis by late December.

Check out some of the pictures below! I also took video of Danielle however I will let her do the honors and post it on her blog so check it out!


-Elenia : )





Wednesday, February 6, 2008

College Goal Sunday

College Goal Sunday is an event held every year for high school students by the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education. High school seniors are able to receive assistance filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), speak with financial aid professionals, and visit several informational booths.

This year, it will be held Saturday, February 10th. All you need to bring is yourself, your parents (if you are younger than 23 years old) and your 2007 income tax information. To find the nearest location, please click here. This is a great resource so do not pass up this opportunity. I attended my senior year and it was a great experience!


-Elenia : )

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

About Me!

Hello Everyone:

Thanks for visiting my blog! Let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Elenia Sotelo and I am a sophomore at Arizona State University - Downtown Campus. I am majoring in Urban and Metropolitan Studies, which is a program in the College of Public Affairs. It is a great new program and I am very excited to be part of it. I was born in LA, California, but was raised in Phoenix, Arizona so I know my way around. I love the Arizona weather and I honestly can not wait for summer! (Crazy, I know!) I really enjoy diversity and I'm all about helping students achieve their goal of attending college.

This was just a little about me, but there is more to come! Stay tuned... : )

-Elenia