In college and in life, defy convention and do what makes you happy

Coming to college, some people want to change their identity. Some want to fit in and party and forget about high school. I was definitely one of those people! High school was great, I had a lot of friends and I was invited to all the parties. But, I too wanted to forget about all the drama from the constant gossip at my all girls high school. The writer of this article wanted to change her image from a band geek to a sorority chick. By her senior year she realized that You don’t come to college to reinvent yourself; you come to college to gain confidence in who you already are,"(Elser).

I completely agree with the writer. I thought that coming to college would change me and I could forget about my past. She said: "I was determined to take advantage of my new blank slate and I didn’t want any stereotypes to hold me back. I was going to be the normal college student who went to the football games to watch, not perform during the half-time show," (Elser). She may have had a blank slate like the entire 2014 freshman class but the sad thing is that you cant run from the past. I still think about the dramatic fights with my best friends and the stupid mistakes. It follows you all the way to college. At some point your true self will come out! Change can be good because you can become a better person but its okay to embrace where you came from. Your past makes you who you have become.

The fact that she didnt drink in high school helped her stay away from alcohol at the "number one party school". She said: "And while I am making myself seem like the biggest loser ever I will tell you that I have, however, ordered late-night Pokey Stix; slept through a night game; danced on top of a frat table; won at beer pong; lost at beer pong; pulled all-nighters; done a keg stand; and become addicted to coffee," (Elser).  She was still "sooo state" regardless of the fact that she remained a geek through college! She said that she watches Harry Potter and still loves being a nerd regardless of the Penn State or college atmosphere. I think its important to remember where you came from and embrace it. You can still be who you are and have a great college experience.





http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/04/19/in_college_and_in_life_defy_convention_and_do_what_makes_you_happy.aspx

Tour group educates on college suicides

Last Friday my friends and I walked through the commons, like we do everyday, to grab dinner and chat with classmates. We walked right by the glass study room of East and saw hundreds of backpacks on the floor. I thought that color backpacks belonged to students who were being given a tour to Penn State like we see daily all over campus.I was wrong. These backpacks did not belong to interested High Schoolers or perspective students. In fact, they stood for something completely different. Theses 1,100 represented "the 1,100 college student lives lost to suicide each year," (Glossner).


On April 4, the Daily Collegian posted an article pertaining to this event that raised awareness about the number of suicides that occur each year throughout colleges. "In the second of 14 campus stops across the country, Send Silence Packing, a campaign by Active Minds Inc., collects and displays backpacks in memory of the college students who have committed suicide," (Glossner). Among the backpacks were personal stories about individual suicides. Some of these back packs were the actual student's that they carried their college books in for class just like we do each day.

Students passing through East Halls on Friday were invited to walk through the aisles of backpacks and read the stories each one had to tell. I wish that I would have stopped to learn more about how prevalent suicide is among college students today. It alarming to me to think about how many students take their lives. A statistic that they had taped to one of the glass windows read, "67% of students who have suicidal thoughts tell a friend first. LISTEN." I hope that if any of my friends have ever debated about suicide or if the thought ever came to mind, that they would share their thoughts with me. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I had a chance to help someone going through this and failed.


http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/04/04/Send_Silence_packing.aspx

Penn State club hosts Triwizard Tournament

I may not play Quidditch in my spare time like the devout fans on Penn State’s Three Broomsticks club but I am secretly obsessed with JK Rowling's "fictional" world of wizards. Everyone knows of the fictional game, quidditch, from the famous Harry Potter and the series of books from the Sorcerers Stone to the Half Blood Prince.

At Penn State, the club has their own personal Triwizard Tournament. The article, Penn State club hosts Triwizard Tournament (by Pruitt and Sarangoulis), discusses how the "small army of Hogwarts hopefuls" invited Youngstown State University, New York University, and Michigan State to participate in the tournament. Personally I think that this is the most creative idea ever. First of all I wish i could go to Hogwartz but I havent received my acceptance letter yet (maybe its in the mail) and these people made the sport a real thing.

I mean granted they cant actually fly with their brooms and the balls aren't magical but regardless its amazing. Now I am not a Harry Potter freak who believes that Harry Potter is a real human and there is an actual physical scar from Lord Voldemort on an orphan's head, but I love the idea of bringing a book to life.

I think its important for people to enjoy the company of others who have their similar interests. It's great that Penn State isnt the only school with a club based on the "sport" (who decides whether an activity is or is not a sport) and they can meet other students who are quidditch fans from other schools. "Shantelle Williams said she enjoyed the “group feel” the intimate crowd provided and enjoyed meeting people from the other schools that participated in the tournament. 'Everyone understands it — everyone gets it, the jokes,' said Williams (freshman-Japanese)." Now my friends have absolutely no idea what I am talking about when I make an inside joke about Harry Potter. Actually, I get strange looks and they pretend like I didn't just reference a fictional story. So I'm glad that Harry Potter is celebrated among people my age. I will never deny my infatuation with Hogwarts and the Wizard world but I can't say I'd sign up for the team unless I can fly on a broom and hold the magical golden snitch. Until then, I hope the Three Broomsticks keeps this new tradition alive.

'Friday' song is simply fun, fun, fun, fun

It's Friday

IF you haven't heard this song by now then you must live under a rock. I had no idea what the song was until my friends told me there was a video that I "just HAD to watch!" Personally I said "this is awful why do you watch this?" Which is true.. why are people making fun of a video that she had the right to make and we have the right to watch it or not to watch it.

Currently the official music video, with the "artist" Rebecca Black, has 40 million views and a lot more to come.  The lyrics have been bashed by almost every person who has listened to it. And the 339, 494 comments have ranged from "this is a hunk of crap i want to buy this so i can burn it" to "she sounds more manly then justin bieber." 

The Daily Collegian columnist Erin Rowley refers to the comment "“Go cut yourself” when she says, "Hurling insults like that at a middle-schooler is cruel and doesn’t do anyone any good. It’s one thing to criticize; it’s quite another to suggest Rebecca should slit her wrists as vengeance for your offended ears." I have to agree that this is not the best song that I've heard in my lifetime but what do you expect?

 13 year old Rebecca

The article 'Friday' song is simply fun, fun, fun, fun about the reviews of the song and the music industry in general. She made a lot of points that I have to agree with. "I don’t take baseball bats to the cars of cheating boyfriends. I don’t brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack. I don’t kiss girls and like it," (Rowley). We are criticizing this teenager when we listen to songs that have idiotic lyrics and ridiculous music videos. I'd rather watch Rebecca drive around with her less than legal friends than a video with girls shaking their asses on the hood of 50 cent's car. Hopefully you agree.

Enjoy revelry while it lasts, then grow up

The one word that I associate with college most often is "freedom." Each and every one of us has the  freedom to make our own decisions and deal with the consequences. This opinion article, "Enjoy revelry while it lasts, then grow up", discusses not only the famous State Patty's Day but also the temptations of college.

At Penn State we are not sheltered from situations where underage drinking occurs. State Patty's isn't the only weekend of the year where students take part in activities like beer pong or day drinking. It is one of many Saturdays in the Spring that drinking lasts all day. Rowley said, "There’s a lot of talk about how to get rid of State Patty’s Day, but even if that could be accomplished (and I don’t think it can) it won’t get rid of the attitude that spawned it. People don’t drink at 8 a.m. because it’s State Patty’s Day; they celebrate State Patty’s Day because they want to drink at 8 a.m," (Rowley). I completely agree with this statement because college students will participate in these activities if they want to partake in them. We need to learn from the outcome of our mistakes.


"Just like children who are kept inside are more likely to develop allergies than children who play in the dirt, people who are sheltered develop into weak people. People can’t be sheltered forever; eventually they have to deal with their own problems," (Rowley). I can relate this to some of my high school friends whose parents never trusted them stay out late or be unsupervised. Now, they've gone wild in college most of them with under ages or citations. I think that if their parents would have loosened the reins then they would have been able to control themselves in college and make better decisions. We can bring this to State Patty's Day and how if the school or police would just keep everyone safe then the students would learn from their actions. It's college, everyone needs their freedom before we are out in the real world dealing with consequences.



http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/03/04/enjoy_revelry_while_it_lasts_then_grow_up.aspx

Spring Break Tips/The REAL tips

"A week long recess from the cofines of rigid college life. Many students participate in such acts as: heavy drinking, pot smoking, having sex, tanning on various beaches, and generally passing out. These is often done with a large groups of friends who all want to party hard and have a good time, while simultaneously erasing all memories of academia (and all-night study attempts) from their lives. Many blackmail pictures ensue from this week-long trip, relationships dissolve, and grades slip another notch.," (urbandictionary.com).

If you can't guess already, that was the definition of "Spring break" according to the useless but humorous Urban Dictionary. And I don't know about you guys but I cannot wait for this week to be over. My head is about to explode from the exams, papers, and projects due before traveling away from Happy Valley.

This is why the article "Spring Break Tips" caught my attention this week. The article is extremely simple, the author just gives obvious tips about your upcoming vacation. For instance, "If you are going anywhere out of the U.S...I would make sure you stock up early on bottled water," (Elser). She continues to talk about wearing sunscreen and chapstick, bringing Advil, a little black bikini, and some shades. We have all heard these tips about going on vacation before. So, I'm going to give you some of my advice.


Last year my brother went to Cancun with a few of his notorious frat bros. They were buffing up at the gym for months before the big vacation expecting to have some fun in the sun with zero. What they did not expect was their friend to come back to the hotel without his wallet, a bloody face, and tears in his clothes. Of course, they were all under the influence and didn't understand what happened until the next day. His friend went to the convenient store in the middle of the night (no idea what he needed) he ended up getting mugged. He was outnumbered and lost all of his cash including his ID's and credit cards. Not so much fun. Moral of the story? If youre going on Spring Break, to the ladies especially, don't go anywhere alone especially while under the influence of alcohol. It will end badly, were not in Happy Valley anymore. So, thank you, Daily Collegian, for giving the real tips for a Spring Break. They were extremely helpful.

Former wrestlers sentenced to jail

As most of you may know, the Daily Collegian has been writing articles since early December about the two former who were convicted of severl burglaries. Eric Bradley, 29 years old, and Patrick D. Cummins, 30 years old, were sentenced to jail for seven counts of burglary and 17 additional counts related to those burglaries from December 2007 to May 2008.

They destructed fraternities properties and stole from the fraternities Phi Kappa Theta, Phi Sigma Kappa, Alpha Chi Sigma, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Acacia, Kappa Delta Rho, Sigma Pi and Lambda Chi Alpha. The items varied from digital cameras, game systems, guitars, a safe, laptops, video games, televisions, $1,000 cash plus items of clothing! The police found these items in the defendants apartments and most of the items have been returned.

After the pair had numerous failed motions they pleaded guilty to the offense and were sentenced to "one to two years in county jail, a $2,000 fine and payment of their court costs associated with their confinement and prosecution...The defendants were also asked to pay $22,000 back in “restitution to all victims” who had their property stolen," (Greene). They waived their Miranda Rights and confessed to their crimes once they were arrested.

Ever since I have been at Penn State I have lost multiple ID cards and VISAS and each one of them have been returned to me. Plus, State College is considered to be one of the safest towns in the United States. I was surprised to read the articles about these two Penn State wrestlers who would steal from their fellow class mates.

I believe that in Happy Valley we are supposed to be a united community. Penn State has many things to be proud of and we should be connected by the accomplishments of the University. I have always been trusting of the Penn State community but these two men have made me rethink who I trust and who I don't. I do not agree with stealing anything under any circumstances.

Its cruel to take people's objects who may have less than you, I personally would not be able to live with myself if I took thousands of dollars worth of objects from my fellow students. I believe that the punishment is fair and these two Penn Staters should feel bad about themselves for the crimes that they have committed. Theft is under no circumstances acceptable and I hope that I can still trust my fellow peers not to take what is not rightfully theirs.

Couples kiss to raise awareness

Usually on Valentines Day, you receive chocolates or cards from a special someone or go to dinner with friends to celebrate the holiday. But, some students at Penn State honor the holiday in a different way. 

This week I chose the article "Couples kiss to raise awareness," it talks about an event that takes place in the middle of the HUB-Robeson Center. The event is sponsored by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Student Alliance. Gay and lesbian couples "kiss out" to raise awareness about homosexual couples. The event has been going on for seven years thus far and this year, fifteen couples joined together to publicly display their affection for one another.


I believe that every couple should be treated equally and fairly regardless of their sexual preference. People should not have to hide who they care about especially on any day especially on Valentines Day! One student expressed that the Penn State Community has been accepting of his boyfriend.“In high school, people used to yell ‘dyke’ at me or throw things at me...But when I came to Penn State, I found a community. It was so much more accepting,” (Hartman). I went to a Catholic grade school and an all girls Catholic high school, needless to say, the administration was not accepting of any relationship between two girls. It was frowned upon and inexcusable to show affection for someone of the same gender. I am happy that at Penn State the student population is so large that each student can find someone or some group that they fit in with. These couples have the right to be with one another. They also have the right to publicly display affection without about being harassed. I hope that this event continues in years to come.

"HUB could expand"

Every University Park Penn State student has ventured over to the HUB-Robeson Center to study for an exam, eat sushi or pizza, meet some friends, grab a cup of coffee, raise money for an organization, or lounge around until your next class. The article discusses the $29 million project to renovate the HUB which will add about 35,000 square feet to the HUB and a potential addition to the White Building. Unfortunately, the HUB is constantly crowded, unless its early in the morning or late at night, I usually have a hard time finding a place for my group of friends to sit together. I try to avoid the HUB at certain times during the day when I know it will be jam-packed. For example, going to the HUB at noon is an awful decision, the lines for food are extremely long and almost all the tables are full. In addition, it is hard to even walk through the bottom floor of the HUB, people are rushing to class or darting to an open seat not to mention that it’s loud and busy, so trying to get some homework accomplished is often difficult unless your music is blaring through your headphones.

The problem is with the HUB is simple; it is not big enough to accommodate the many students who attend University Park. “As it stands now, Powers said the HUB –– 246,592 square feet –– doesn’t match up to student union buildings at other comparably sized universities.” We need a bigger place to gather with our peers to study, eat, or socialize. The HUB is meant to be a place where students can convene and it should not be a place that any student should avoid. The new HUB will have more student spaces, a renovated Barnes & Noble bookstore and a creative winter garden.




http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/01/31/HUB_expansion.aspx

"Disabled athlete speaks of obstacles"

Whenever the word athlete comes to mind, I think of a tall, strong, intimidating, and self-disciplined person. For example, Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning, and David Beckham all fit the criteria for an athlete. But, the image of a man sitting in a wheel chair never crosses my mind.

I have been playing sports for my entire life. I have learned that the amount of effort you put into a sport will determine your success. When you're an athlete you have been taught by coaches and team mates that you must always give 110% during any practice, match, or game. Through hard work and training, you will see results. Rohan Murphy fits the description of an amazing athlete. But, there is one thing that makes Rohan different than many other athletes because he was born with his kneecaps on the opposite legs.

This article gives inspiration for athletes everywhere. His disability is rare, but the fact that he overcame this obstacle is even rarer. I honestly cannot imagine being handicapped, let alone coping with your disability and then making an all-county team for wrestling. He started out as the team manager for soccer and wrestling in high school, he took a chance and became a wrestler instead of a manager.  Throughout his life, he struggled with his disability but he never gave up. That is the true definition of an athlete, failing over and over again until you succeed.

This article has changed my perception of an athlete. Some people are born with coordination which makes them proficient in sports. Others, like Murphy, are born without things that we take for granted each day, in his case, legs. He is a true example of an athlete and his story is uplifting. Murphy says that Mother Nature just dealt him a bad hand. Well, Murphy took his "2-7" hand and turned it into a royal flush. He triumphed.

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/01/13/Rohan_Murphy.aspx

"Freshman, beware of Creamery"

While scanning through the Daily Collegian the word "Freshman" caught my attention. This article discusses how creamery ice cream can help the naive freshman gain the horrid "Freshman 15." Rather than focusing on the creamery's delicious sweets, I'm going to focus on the "Freshman 15" itself which is mentioned throughout the article.

Before I went to Penn States Summer Session I made a vow that I would not gain the "Freshman 15." Luckily, I met girls who were also worried about the weight gain that came with the freedom of college. We got into the routine of exercising daily in the sweltering heat, whether it was basketball or volleyball or swimming which carried onto my Fall and Spring semesters. But, I can say first hand that many of my fellow classmates in the graduating class of 2014 have started to put on the pounds from eating fatty foods or taking in the calories from those glorious cans of Natty Light we put into our stomachs and livers each weekend.

I know of a few friends of mine that have gained up to 25 pounds from June until now. Are they lazy? Honestly, yes! I can count the number of times that I have seen them take the initiative to actually venture out to the IM building, Fitness Loft, White Building, or Rec Hall. But, I cannot keep track of the amount of times that they have ordered food to their dorms from Lion Menu's at 3 am, not to mention the trips they have taken to Are You Hungry or McDonalds each weekend. The Creamery is not to blame for the underclassman's weight gain, we are!

If you don't exercise weekly or you take the bus every chance you get, 8 times out of 10 you will pack on the fat. Fitness and diet are a big part of my life, its not for everyone. But, staying healthy should be! I hope you take this message in a positive manner, get to the gym or walk to class! Put down the pizza from the Big O, turn around and grab a salad! Yumm. Trust me, it will help you in the long RUN.


Some advice:
http://www.freshman15.com/
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-10-22-freshman-weight_x.htm

 

"Shirt Sends the Wrong Message"

Today I scanned through the Daily Collegian to find an interesting article. The title, "Shirt Sends the Wrong Message", immediately caught my attention. The article discusses a Facebook group that is selling t-shirts for the annual State’s Patty’s Day and the non-students who visit Penn State to binge drink each weekend, specifically, on State Patty’s Day. This t-shirt disturbs the public because many believe that the slogan “KISS ME, I’M WASTED” sends the message that it is okay to be sexual with someone who is under the influence of alcohol. But, why do I feel the need to blog about this specific article? Because I am one of the many college students who will be attending this event which starts at 12:00 AM on February 26, 2011.

As a born and raised Pennsylvanian, I can safely say that the word “partying”has been synonymous with “Penn State” ever since I was old enough to understand the significance of what it meant to “party.” As we all know, my university has a party-school reputation and the 241 citations issued by police last year at the 2010 State Patty’s Day proves it. But, out of the 241 citations, 150 of those citations were given to non-students of Penn State. This fact brings me to the dilemma that concerns the administration of PSU, that non-students come to Penn State “to take advantage of our hospitality, our sense of community and our party-school reputation,” (The Daily Collegian Online). I personally know that people come to the student created State Patty’s Day to binge drink because I have received many phone calls, texts and Facebook messages asking if a friend or a friend of a friend could stay with me (a.k.a. drink with me and my friends) on State Patty’s Day. I agree with the article when they say that the outsiders are “contributing to our party-school standing.”  As a matter of fact this year one of my friends came to visit me and left the next morning crying with a nice souvenir for her parents. Can you guess what this souvenir was? A citation for underage drinking. People come to Penn State expecting to have a good time and naturally we give it to them. Is this a problem? Yes, but that does not mean I won’t support the event on February 26 in order to prevent the visitors from wreaking havoc. State Patty’s Day can be a safe and fun holiday for everyone if visitors learn to safely celebrate OUR holiday.

"Shirt Sends the Wrong Message." The Daily Collegian Online. 19 Jan. 2011. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. <http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/01/19/shirt_sends_the_wrong_message.aspx>.