QUOTE OF THE WEEK

In Measure for Measure, Shakespeare wrote, “Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”

Happy Monday, Wildcats! As we approach the end of the semester and papers, exams, assignments, and other responsibilities pile up, remember to not let your doubts cloud your mind and make you miss out on opportunities and achievable goals. Everyone doubts themselves at some point, that’s totally normal, but letting your doubts rule you and stop you from trying will almost never end in success. So, believe in yourself and don’t let your doubts stop you from seizing your moment.

THIS WEEK AT FALVEY

Monday, April 22

Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Falvey Hall as the Home of Villanova University’s Library | 1-3 p.m. | Falvey Hall Patio | Free & Open to the Villanova Community

Mindfulness Monday | 1-1:30 p.m. | Multifaith Prayer Room, St. Rita’s Hall | Virtual Option | ACS-Approved | Free & Open to Villanova Students, Faculty, & Staff

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Tuesday, April 23

Broadening Diversity in the Environmental Sciences through a High School Environmental Justice Focused Research Experience | 4-5 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | ACS-Approved | Free & Open to the Public

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Wednesday, April 24

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Thursday, April 25

Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape with Amy Cohen | 12-1:15 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | ACS-Approved | Free & Open to the Public | Livestream Here

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 12-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Friday, April 26

2024 Falvey Scholars Research Presentation and Awards Ceremony | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public | Livestream Here 

Sunday, April 28

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 3-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

HOLIDAYS THIS WEEK

As you might already know, today, April 22 is Earth Day—which you can read about in GA Rebecca’s latest Cat in the Stax blog—but here are some other holidays coming up this week:

If you’re chronically blaring music in your headphones or in noisy environments, International Noise Awareness Day is this Thursday, April 25. It’s not typically something we think about when we’re young, but exposure to loud noise can catch up with us in the future (and a lot sooner than you might think). Check out this CDC infographic for more information on why protecting your ears is important.

Photo by Martii Tolentino on Pixels

I know it’s that point in the semester where almost everyone is in the trenches, but this Friday, Apr. 26 is Get Organized Day. If you’re feeling motivated to get organized, today is the day, whether you’re looking to de-clutter your room, reorganize your closet, or get all your notes and end-of-the semester assignments organized.

If you’re a salty-over-sweet kind of person, Friday is also National Pretzel Day. As former GA Ethan talked about in his “Pretzelvania” blog post, Pennsylvania takes pretzels very seriously, being the nation’s leading producer. Whether you prefer hard pretzels or soft pretzels, it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy some pretzels.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

By Ethan Shea

Sourced from: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-a-pretzel-13389688/

With the recent success of the Phillies and their underdog journey to the World Series, I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by an overwhelming rush of Pennsylvania pride.

As a native New Englander, moving to Pennsylvania surprised me in a few unexpected ways. Whether it’s gas station sandwiches at Wawa or an abundance of water ice, I had a lot to learn. Thankfully, my coworkers, colleagues, and roommates were there to teach me the ways of Pennsylvania.

One particular aspect of life as a visiting Pennsylvanian (particularly one who resides near Philadelphia) that I’ve enjoyed is the plethora of pretzels available. That’s why for this week’s Cat in the Stax, I decided to do some research on Pennsylvania’s affinity for pretzels. Hopefully this blog will be a salty companion to all the recently consumed Halloween sweets!

First off, 80% of the pretzels consumed in the United States are made in Pennsylvania. But that’s not all, Philadelphians in particular are said to consume significantly more pretzels than residents of any other city. Average pretzel-consumption per person in the United States sits at around two pounds per year, but Philadelphian’s consume almost 12 pounds of pretzels annually on average.

Because of the great number of German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania, the pretzel (a treat popular in Germany) made an early home in the state. In fact, one of the first commercial pretzel bakeries in the country was founded in Lancaster County.

Check out a couple online resources here and here to see where I found some of this information.

If you’re interested in the business side of one of the largest pretzel vendors in the nation, Wentzel’s Pretzels, check out this video on Falvey’s website where the CEO of the company Bill Phelps discusses franchising.

Make sure you treat yourself to a nice and salty soft pretzel before you sit down to watch the Phillies game tonight!

Ethan Shea is a graduate student in the English Department at Villanova University and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library. As you can see, Ethan is repping some Phillies gear today!