Billyp

Having Janine Standish conference us was very interesting especially during this time. A lot of us are facing difficult situations and are all taking it in different ways. I think she helped us understand some things about how to stay positive during these times and understand that it's out of our control. She went through some slides to help us understand what she does and how she helps people. She also expressed the importance of Yoga, as she is certified in it. Yoga helps the mind and aids stress levels. Overall, it was a very interesting conference that I believe helped some of us during these times. 

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to speak with Mike Guerriero and talk about his business "Gelati by Mike." He has a very interesting story, being a PV alum. He dropped out of college to really dive into the business world and pursue career in the Gelati world. Breaking off of the main Gelati branch in Paterson, NJ, Mike Guerriero started up his branch in Montclair and Caldwell. It was a very interesting conference and talked about his nontraditional route to success. He went through some rough experiences which ultimately led to his success. 

On Monday, we spoke with Julie Goldberg. The PV alum spoke about her experiences as a nurse and working with patients at St. Joseph's Hospital. It was really generous of her to speak with us considering the amount of work that she has had in recent months, as she was able to give us some very good insight on what has occurred during this pandemic.  She mentioned that space isn't an issue at the hospitals. It has mainly been a lack of ventilators available. This is very important for COVID-19 patients. This has been a nationwide issue, and the President is trying to make sure the hospitals receive what they need to help the patients recover.  Julie also explained the masks that the nurses need to wear and how they are very uncomfortable. In a photo that she showed us, she has several different layers on and needs to make sure she is very careful with how she puts it on and takes it off. 

Last week we spoke with Professor Mark Wolters. He's a professor at the University of Illinois and also has his own website called Wolters World. I really enjoyed this conference since he was pretty outgoing and had a lot to say about his site as well as being a professor. He travels a lot and it was interesting to hear what he had to say about different places that he's visited and his thoughts on different cities.  His website and YouTube channel, Wolters World, helps travelers get a better idea on where they should visit and the great parts about the city. He's also not afraid to say negative things about a location and gives accurate feedback. 

The Coronavirus has had a major impact on my senior year. Being a spring sport athlete, it's tough to be put in this situation where you can't play your senior year. I've been able to keep busy by working on my website and launching my own podcast. Being home has allowed me to get a ton of stuff done that I've been working on for a while and hadn't had a chance to take care of. I believe my situation has been better than expected since there are people who are suffering from this virus both financially and in terms of health as well. Everyday I've had a pretty strict routine. After the first week of quarantine, I decided to get up at 8am everyday and have the same schedule each day. Get done with schoolwork by 12pm, and the rest of the day I have to myself to do my personal work. It has allowed me to be productive and also stay in good shape in case we do resume our baseball season. Hopefully the curve flattens and we could eventually come back to...

One of our most recent conferences included Matthew Colacino, a PV graduate and martial artist. It was interesting conferencing him since I do karate myself and have some knowledge on what he was talking about. When he mentioned the differences between the different types of martial arts that he practices, I understood what he was talking about and was able to relate. I thought it was impressive that he is able to practice several different types of martial arts. MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is pretty much what he could probably do since he has a background in several different types of martial arts. Martial Arts teaches you not just how to fight and defend yourself, but also discipline and respect.