WORDS BY AMARA

CENTER FOR MEMORIES

Hey Guys! It's been a while but I'm back and better than ever. I am really excited about this post because it's something really close to my heart and I felt it was big enough to be a welcome back post after my three- four month absence.
On the 28th of December, I was privileged to attend the opening and first exhibition of The Center for Memories in Enugu, Nigeria. The museum or centre was set up to exhibit and inform the public about the history of Igbos in Nigeria. From pictures and backgrounds of notable Igbos in different fields both in Nigeria and in the diaspora. It also explores various events in history that have shaped the lives of Igbos and many more. All of the artifacts exhibited were donated by the families of the people and they include original clothings, journals in their original condition, sculptures and drawing of the people. Below are just a few images of the items exhibited.

I didn't take a lot of photos of the compound where the exhibition was held but there were a lot of beautiful paintings and sculptures that weren't even part of the exhibition. The image above is of one I just thought was wonderful.

It was great to find out that Booker T Washington and Paul Robeson were descended from Igbo slaves.

Below are some more photos of the walls outside where the exhibition took place. PS. the walls were all hand painted the day before which I found amazing.

Well that is it for now guys, I hope you have enjoyed the photos as much I loved the exhibition. If you're interested inn visiting the space or reading more about the centre, below is more info about it.

Address- 2 Awgu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, Nigeria.

Website- http://www.centreformemories.org

Twitter- https://twitter.com/cfmemories?lang=en

It was great to find out that Booker T Washington and Paul Robeson were descended from Igbo slaves.

Below are some more photos of the walls outside where the exhibition took place. PS. the walls were all hand painted the day before which I found amazing.

Address- 2 Awgu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, Nigeria.

Website- http://www.centreformemories.org

Twitter- https://twitter.com/cfmemories?lang=en

(Here's a collage of summer 2017 for me through the eyes of my polaroid camera).

Hey guys! Welcome to the second Last Day of Summer Post. I am currently writing this at 11pm trying to get it posted before midnight. I can't believe it guys tomorrow is the official first day of my Sophomore year, freshman year really flew by. I know this is a really weird time to be posting advice from freshman year (I should have done it earlier in the summer), but it really didn't hit me till this week as I saw various clueless freshman move in. So this isn't general advice because there are a million already out there but more specific to Rutgers and sometimes campus or Major.

1.) Download the Rutgers App, it will definitely save your life. From bus schedules to information about sports, dining hall menus and various places in the school. The app literally serves as a guide to Rutgers. It is a necessity.

*There are many places that you just can't get on a bus because it will be packed - Student Activities Center on College Ave during week days, Busch Student Center, Busch Suites and the Livingston Quads during Friday and Saturday nights and I'm sure there are some locations on Cook/Douglass but I'm never there so I have no idea.

2.) The app will not work sometimes for buses- don't panic. There's always nextbus.com which has the routes and bus locations in real time and for the unfortunate occasion that the website doesn't work also, just google the bus schedule. It will show you a pdf schedule with approximate times that the buses normally arrive at each stop on each day of the week. I would say give it five minutes before or after because it doesn't always come on time. ( Especially weekend buses).

3.) Know the Dining Halls- Some dining halls are simply better than others, its just the truth. You need to know which ding hall is best for what. Browers on College Ave sucks in general but they have the best and more variety of Pizza and Ice Cream than any other campus plus their breakfast options are pretty good (Breakfast takeout is ass though). Livingston Dining Hall's food is good in general, they have a great pasta and Mongolian grill lines, a burger and hotdog bar plus their breakfast and Thursday afternoon (Chinese food) takeout is bomb. Busch is average and good on occasion and Neilson on Douglass is still up for discussion.

3.) Attend the involvement fair- This is a little too late because it's already passed but attending the fair is a great way to find out the numerous departments, organizations and sports we have on campus. There's something everyone. But if you missed the fair no worries, just google the organization or field your interested in and the Rutgers getinvolved website will show you various orgs that fit the terms and you can find either their meeting times online or a way of contacting them to find out more info. Here's the website link- Get Involved

4.) KNOW YOURSELF-This is in capital letters because it's straight facts. It doesn't only apply to freshman but also to all college students. Know what works for you, your reading habits, how many hours you need to sleep, are you more into reading lengthy texts or enjoy calculations. These questions ad many more will be essential to ensuring you do what works best for you, which is vital for not only college success but also life.

5.) Lastly (it's cliche) have fun and try new things- For most people it's their first time away from home ( for me, I was legitimately an ocean away from my parents). Enjoy yourselves, try new things, make new best friends. Life is too short to keep second guessing. But in all of this BE SAFE.

Well that's it guys. I hope you all have a great school year and for the Freshman Class of 2021- Welcome To Rutgers!!

LAST DAY OF SUMMER PART 2- HOW TO SURVIVE FRESHMAN YEAR AT RUTGERS

by Amarachi Chukwuma on 20:43

(Here's a collage of summer 2017 for me through the eyes of my polaroid camera). Hey guys! Welcome to the second Last D...

Hey guys, welcome back to my blog! So as today is the official last day of summer ( Yes, Labor Day is the official last day of summer); there are so many things I want to get off my chest before classes begin tomorrow so I decided to do a couple of posts labeled The Last Day of Summer. I am gonna begin with my complete summer reading list- these are all books I read on my own volition and not required school reading.

The first book I'm going include is David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell (It is actually the only hard copy book on this list, every other one is an ebook). He might be a new author to some but if you've ever taken Rutgers' expository writing class then you are well acquainted with his writing. This book was actually recommended by my dad who just happens to be a huge Gladwell fan. So I picked this book up at a WH Smith in Heathrow and devoured it.

Next up is a two book series by author Carmen Jenner. They are actually a series but they aren't named. First is Towards the Sound of Chaos and the second is The Way Back Home. The two male protagonists are war veterans with PTSD who struggle to fit back into society after the horrors they have seen, combine that fact with two strong willed heroines and a pair of amazing loyal service dogs makes for an amazing story especially for those who are romantics. You can also check out The Sugartown series by the author (it's also pretty great). Here's a link- sugartown

The last books on this list are the seven books of the Dartmoor series by author Lauren Gilley.

The Dartmoor series revolves round the lives of the members of the Knoxville chapter of the Lean Dogs MC, their families and how they find love against all odds.It was a generally good series, the men where charming and the heroines were strong. But one thing I will mention because it might offend people is that some of the relationships between the couples began when the females were underage. Not pedophilic range but a littl bit of statutory depending on what country you live in.

Well that's it guys for this post. Don't forget to check out Last Day of Summer Part 2 and my other book reviews. Hope your summer was amazing.

LAST DAY OF SUMMER PART 1- SUMMER READING LIST REVIEW

by Amarachi Chukwuma on 19:51

Hey guys, welcome back to my blog! So as today is the official last day of summer ( Yes, Labor Day is the official last day of summer); ...

Hey! guys welcome back to my blog. Sorry for the delay in posts. I've actually had a bunch of them written already, just waiting to post but I've been busy. Anyway a few weeks back before my trip to NYC, I had the pleasure of visiting the Nike Art Gallery in Lagos. It was an amazing experience, to say the least.

At the entrance, there's a gift shop/cafe where you can buy souvenirs or beautiful Ankara bags. Here's a picture of a few.

The collection of art was simply breathtaking. It is three to four floors of pure beauty. Here are a few pictures so you can see what I'm talking about.