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      My First Trip to San Jose State University

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      My First Trip to San Jose State University

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The first, and only time I have been on the San Jose State University campus was during the first week of my first semester, which was back in August of 2020.

This was at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the shelter in place taking effect a few months earlier, it was difficult to find the textbooks I needed online, so I took a chance and ventured onto campus hoping to find the bookstore.

Along the way, I took this picture to commemorate my first time being on campus, and the fact that I had finally succeeded in doing something that I never thought would be possible for me to do. Although it is a pretty simple picture of what I believe is called the Boccardo Gate entrance, the picture is symbolic because, for me, it represents resilience and determination.

Walking through that entrance for the first time felt very surreal, and looking back at this picture brings back those very same feelings.

SJSU Info: https://www.sjsu.edu/visit/index.php

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San Jose State University - King Library

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San Jose State University - King Library

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Although I have only been to campus once so far, it took me well over an hour to find the bookstore. There were not many people on campus due to the shelter in place, and I had been sure to order my textbooks in advance so that all I needed to do was pick them up with minimal interaction.

However, my sense of direction is definitely not my biggest strength, so I admittedly spent a great deal of time walking in what felt like giant circles. Eventually, I worked up the courage to ask someone walking by if they knew were the library was, which they did. Using their detailed instructions, I set forth to find the bookstore, only to find myself at the SJSU King library...

This led me to realize that I had not made the correct distinction when asking my question, as the SJSU bookstore is not located within the SJSU King library.  However, I really enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the building.

Library History:https://libguides.sjsu.edu/library-history

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Statue of two SJSU Student Athletes: Tommie Smith & John Carlos

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Student Activism: Influencing Social Change 

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Student Activism: Influencing Social Change 

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Although I have only been on campus once so far, there are a couple places that I would love to visit someday. The University contains a lot of rich, historical context, and their exquisite art and statues displayed throughout the campus are symbolic to the positive core values of SJSU's students and faculty. One of these core values is influencing social change, as there are vast opportunities to become involved with the many detrimental social issues still faced today.

A monument that I would love to see in-person is the statue of two SJSU student athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who both won medals during the 1968 Olympics. The Statue depicts the moment they lowered their heads and raised their fists as a symbol of Black power. Since then, SJSU has continued to work towards influencing social change by placing immense significance on human rights. These shared values are a big reason why I choose to attend SJSU.

Statue History: https://www.sjsu.edu/wordstoaction/legacies/index.php

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I only have a few more classes I need to take at SJSU before I am able to graduate, but before I do so I have always wanted to explore the different student organizations/clubs that are available to students.

I have always really liked acting and drama, so that is one that I would join if I were able to. It can be a little intimidating meeting new people sometimes, but I think clubs are a great way to make new friends with students that have similar interests as you.

While exploring the different clubs offered I came across one that made me think of you because of our conversations regarding K-pop, K-drama, and your goal to learn Korean. The club is called the Korean Entertainment Student Association, and was formed by students who also really enjoy Korean entertainment, such as K-Pop and K-Drama!

SJSU Student Organizations: https://sjsu.my.campusapp.com/#/stores

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Parting Words from your SJSU Writing Partner

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Parting Words from your SJSU Writing Partner