Author: Lauren Buckley

Gillian Feehan

Writer

The series of events that unfolded in Boston over the last week and a half is almost unbelievable. What started as a horrific bombing at the Boston Marathon quickly turned into a manhunt for suspected bombers, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, that shut down the city of Boston and caused widespread fear.

Slowly, the city of Boston and its people are beginning to recover. Blocks of Boston that have been closed since last Monday are beginning to reopen, and the residents of Boston are beginning to return to their daily routines. Although things are returning to normal, a quiet sense of fear, disbelief and disappointment is lingering. No doubt, many are wondering what kind of people would attack innocent civilians, and why?

Unfortunately, I don’t think Americans will be satisfied with the answers to any of their questions. Instead of focusing on the unanswered questions and horrors of the past week and a half, I think it’s important that all Americans focus on all the good that has come out of this tragedy.

First, we should concentrate on the response immediately after the bombings. Stories have come out of marathon runners—who must have been terrified of the events that were unfolding—who continued to run past the 26.2 mile mark, straight to nearby hospitals to donate blood. These people no longer cared about the fact that they just finished a marathon and were completely exhausted; their focus went straight to helping out those harmed in the explosions.

There were also the first responders and the Boston Police Department who sacrificed their safety to help the people of Boston. When an explosion happens, a person’s immediate response is to run away from the danger. Instead, first responders and members of the BPD who were at the marathon ran towards the danger. For all they knew, another explosion could have occurred, but they put their safety at risk to help those who were injured. The BPD also faced more explosive devices and shootouts while seeking out the Tsarnaev brothers, but they continued to confront the danger to protect the citizens of Watertown, Mass.

The reaction and support from people hundreds of miles away from Boston was also remarkable. People from all across the country have donated over $20 million to the One Fund Boston, which was set up to help those injured in the bombings and the families of those killed. There is also a fund set up to replace the boat that Dzhokhar was found in, which was ruined while the suspect was being captured. Even the Yankees paid tribute to their rival team, the Red Sox, by adopting a Fenway Park tradition and playing “Sweet Caroline” during the game held the day after the bombings.

The events that occurred in Boston were undoubtedly a huge tragedy for the families of the victims, Boston and the entire United States, but in this time of recovery, it’s important to remember the unity and good that Americans have shown in the aftermath. The number of Americans who risked their lives, donated blood and money and simply sent out their support far outnumbers the two people responsible for this tragedy. Americans have the ability to unite in the face of tragedy, and if we continue to do so, terrorism will never win.

Dylan Yuska

Contributing Writer

Social media has been under fire for years. Kids and adults alike have used it to spread hateful messages, waste valuable time or even stalk “friends.” Fortunately, there is a silver lining and last week we all witnessed it. On April 15, Twitter and Facebook demonstrated their greatest value to society.

When the Boston bombers struck, social media exploded. News of the attacks hit Twitter and Facebook seconds after the event and the news never slowed down. Before news channels could even get a story together, Twitter and Facebook users were already debriefed with live accounts of the bombings. Clearly, this was a positive use of social media, but overall it presents some advantages and disadvantages that were definitely seen in the aftermath of a disaster like the Boston bombings.

Among the various Twitter “trending” topics on April 15, #Muslims trended all day. If anyone explored this hashtag, all they saw were hateful generalizations about the Muslim people, assuming that the bombings were a terrorist attack. Two days before the FBI even had suspects, the Twitterverse had already concluded Muslims were the root of the evil and should thus be electronically assaulted.

Truly hateful and senseless tweets dominated this hashtag for hours after the attack. This is a definite drawback to social media in terms of events like these. Anyone can spread anything in an instant. One twitter user claimed “North Korea is beginning its attack on America!” While another reflected “Why don’t we just bomb the Middle East already?” Raw emotion, uninformed opinion and unlimited space coalesced into a jumble of junk.

The winds died down and balance was restored. By the end of the day, #Muslims was trending again. This time people of all ethnicities fought against the wave of assault on the Muslim people in a truly inspiring manner. This counter wave of support for the Muslim community was only the beginning of the support that followed for the victims of the Boston tragedy and the city itself.

#BostonStrong is now a loaded statement. For nearly a week, it seemed like anyone who has a social media account had sent their thoughts and prayers to Boston. Remembrance posts of the victims, relief funds and general support dominated people’s news feeds. Boston was suffering and America held her arms wide open. America proved why she is such a great country even through the use of social media. People reposted pictures and videos of the suspects in a communal effort to aid law enforcement. The Boston Police Department was retweeted nearly 61,000 times in a post about remembering the victims. Even as a Jets fan, I am rooting for Patriots wide receiver, Danny Amendola, to catch as many passes as possible since hearing of his pledge to donate $100 for every catch this upcoming season to “whatever ‘Boston Marathon Relief Fund’ there is” according to his Twitter.

We saw two faces of America through social media immediately following this disaster. Thankfully, one was short lived while the other was genuinely inspirational. Maybe it’s just the nationalist in me speaking, but few other countries come together like America. We are a divided people at times, but when one of us is threatened, we all fight back together. Social media over the past couple weeks has demonstrated America’s vulnerability and injustice at times, but ultimately its compassion, resilience and solidarity. Reading some of the posts on Facebook and Twitter made me truly proud to live in a country where we can unify in the face of calamity. As a friend put it (on Facebook), “I love my country. I love my city. Stay strong, Boston.”

Justin Marinelli
Senior Writer

You would have to be a monster to support the Tsarnaev brothers, and you would have to be evil yourself to defend their actions. Yet, to a certain degree, I can sympathize with them through the loyalty they displayed to one another. All brothers and siblings should try and live out these values, and I can at least sympathize with this part of their story.

When I had pieced together that the bombers were two brothers and that one was dead after leaving behind his brother to suicide-charge the police, I knew what had really happened there. Tamerlan sacrificed himself for his younger brother. He told Dzhokhar what was going to happen and told him to get away, no matter the costs, no matter what.

Why? Because that is what we as older brothers do. We may make fun of our younger brothers, beat them up, disparage and degrade them, but at the end of the day, we love them and will do anything to protect them. When push comes to shove, those of us who are older brothers will do anything for our younger brothers.

We protect, take care of and mentor our younger brothers, and in return they look up to us, take advice from us, and emulate us. Whether said brother is younger by four years or four minutes is irrelevant. It is our responsibility as older brothers to guide them toward making the right choices and in this regard, Tamerlan strayed from his responsibilities as the older brother. Because of this violation of brotherly duty, Dzhokhar had the right to void his obligation in this dynamic, but out of loyalty for his older brother, he chose not to and hence he devotedly followed his brother on their mad crusade.

I want Dzhokhar to talk. I want him to spill his guts. I want him to tell us everything. I want that for the sake of the dead, the wounded and the families affected. I want him to lay out the whole story so that we can have justice for Krystle Campbell, for Lü Lingzi, for Martin Richard and for Sean Collier. The American people are owed an explanation.

Yet at the same time, for that to happen requires the destruction of the loyalty and bond between two brothers. Dzhokhar would have to betray Tamerlan. I’m not sure I can support that. I am fully in favor of killing him, throwing him in prison to rot and even torturing him until he can’t even remember his own name. He’s earned all that. But to force him to betray his own flesh and blood? He may be a monster, a villain and the scum of the earth, but I cannot wish that upon him.

Loyalty is one of the most noble virtues mankind can aspire to, and one of the values I personally believe is supreme above all. Like all virtues, it cannot exist through words alone, it must be proven through deeds. The brothers Tsarnaev are evil human beings. Yet despite everything else, they believed in each other and were loyal to the end. They refused to break their ties of brotherhood, their unbreakable bond birthed in blood. Although it pains me to say this, I must admit that they are a fine example of brotherhood and loyalty, and I can begrudgingly respect them for that.

Mary Morris

Writer

The second the weather reaches 70 degrees (even if only for an hour), summer seems to be on the horizon. And with the season of beach bods upon us, some people choose to get a head start on their bronze glow with fake tanning.

This is a trend that I cannot understand. In essence, everyone should be a little discolored from the winter season–it’s natural. Orangutan orange is not; fake tanners end up looking like overgrown oompa loompas or Snookis. No one is expecting you to be the perfect shade of tan yet, so why all the hassle for a fake tan?

Okay, you can’t stand your pasty glow, but are you really willing to increase your chances of getting skin cancer instead? It’s no secret that increased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is linked to increased risks of cancer. Lying in a sweaty booth made for the purpose of directing UV radiation at your body for a sustained amount of time is the kind of activity that can leave you riddled with melanoma and even a nice lobster burn.

If being pale really bothers you that much, then I would at least recommend opting for the spray tan or picking up a bottle of Jergen’s. While you may turn out orange or battle streaks, with some practice, the appropriate color can be attained and the application technique perfected.

Mary Morris

Writer

The topic of creationism versus evolution has been in debate for decades. Religion and science just don’t seem to be able to get along. As the Huffington Post reports debates over repealing Louisiana’s Science Education Act, I have found myself vying for the incorporation of creationism in education.

While I am not the best at attending church or abiding by religious ritual, I don’t see the problem with teaching creationism alongside evolution in schools. In my opinion, education should provide students with information from all perspectives so that individuals can be well-rounded and develop their own beliefs.

We can argue that creationism is not science or that science is ignorant of religion, but I don’t think that is the point of teaching one or the other. Some people believe that God created all things in seven days and we all stem from Adam and Eve. Some people believe that creatures developed through survival of the fittest and Darwinian theory. Others believe in a hybrid of the two theories, that God created evolution. The point is not who is right and who is wrong; the point is to be open to different perspectives and to respect each other for those perspectives.

The education system is responsible for developing the knowledge and decision-making skills of young students. If we choose to censor certain perspectives, then we are limiting students’ abilities to be open-minded and to think for themselves. Just as both Democratic and Republican philosophies on government are taught in the classroom, creationism and evolution should also be given the same treatment.

El McCabe

Senior Writer

No University student would deny that the tension between students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Management and the College of Engineering is palpable to say the least. Whether it comes up on Facebook or in a normal conversation, students of these respective schools often voice their negative opinions towards the other disciplines. The dichotomy is especially seen between the students of the arts and sciences and the engineers. Engineering students argue that the arts and science majors “have it easy” and have no right to complain about their course loads, while arts and sciences majors argue that engineering lacks creativity and engineers lose out on social opportunities because they are “socially inept.” Both of these generalizations and assumptions are completely based on stereotypes, and I believe that the value of education in all three disciplines is equally as prestigious.

That is a heavy statement to put out there considering the strong feelings students have on the issue. Just because the homework load is more or less in some disciplines compared to others does not mean that both disciplines aren’t receiving two great distinct educational experiences. Students need to stop comparing themselves to each other, because once they do, they will realize just how lucky we are to go to a school as great as this one. I would safely argue that the University is in the top 10 percent of colleges and universities in the world, and any education from such a coveted and prestigious institution absolutely must count for something.

I offer a few words of advice for students still caught up in feeling superior about the value of their education: First, for those who complain about “not having it easy,” it is important to remember no one forced you to choose that major. I would assume that you are pursuing a career path that you will be happy with, and sometimes part of life is working hard for the things that are worth it to you. Plus, comparing yourself to other students who are learning completely different subjects is essentially like comparing apples to oranges. Other students’ experiences and workloads certainly do not and should not change your academic experience in the slightest, so there is no purpose in resenting them or comparing in general. On the other side of the spectrum, it is important to note that just because you are interested in pursuing one of the engineering paths does not mean you lack the ability to succeed in anything besides those subjects. No arts and science student would deny that engineers are extremely intelligent individuals, but far too often these students feel superior in other aspects of life not pertaining to math and the hard sciences.

The judgment from both members of the arts and sciences and engineering programs needs to stop indefinitely. The value of a education from the University extends so much beyond GPAs or the course load one is taking. Part of being here is growing as a person and being involved outside the classroom, and certainly members of all disciplines are talented in many of these realms. I am confident that once both sides come to value each other, the campus community will grow even stronger. After all, whether you become a famous opera singer or build the world’s largest bridge, the only thing that should matter in the end is that you are a Bucknellian. 

Julian Dorey

Staff Writer

More and more, I see the “little things” losing their meaning and place in our society. If I had a nickel for every time I saw two people walk by each other and look down—as if they were afraid of what the other person might think of a smile or a “hello”—I would be a millionaire. I see it all the time here at the University. Students seem to be overly self-conscious of what others might think of them, no matter who they are.

I’ve seen doors closed in students’ faces. I’ve seen groups of guys slide in front of girls trying to get into a building. I’ve seen students cut each other off at a stairway and not even acknowledge it. I’ve seen people bump into each other by accident, look at each other with no emotion and then move on. I think I’ve seen enough.

I’m not here to be a social cop or anything like that, and I’m certainly not saying that the University is the breeding ground for our society’s waning manners and basic interactive behaviors, but I believe that our social discourse has reached a point where our motives are completely wrong.

For example, when a guy likes a girl, he calculates his every move and tries to be as polite, friendly and mannerly as possible (the inherently good guys are like this, at least, and I believe most of the guys on this campus fall into this category). He’ll often ask how the girl is doing today, tell her he likes what she’s wearing and hold open almost any door that the girl walks through if possible.

If it’s just another girl that he doesn’t know that well or isn’t romantically interested in, this whole act seems to go out the window. Oftentimes, he won’t even smile or he’ll try to avoid eye contact altogether. Instead, he’s only worried about sending the wrong signals if he does something as outrageous as flashing a smile.

Saying thanks takes less than a second, and it doesn’t cost more than a breath. I guess people are worried that someone might think they’re “weird” or “not cool” if they actually thank someone. For a while, I think I may have fallen into this trap, but now I make sure I at least give some recognition. After all, saying “thanks” is one of the most basic manners there is.

If everyone would just be themselves and let their friendliness come out in whatever ways are most comfortable to them, we would live in a happier environment and social fears would go out the window.

I’ve started to focus on it more. I shoot smiles in passing whenever I can, I say hello to those I know and I try very hard to always recognize people who do something for me, with a smile and a genuine “thanks.” My hope is that all University students can take this article and focus on doing these things as well.

Even the smallest acts of social kindness can go a long way. It might seem crazy that asking someone how he or she is today can save a life, but it really can. 

Gillian Feehan

Writer

It’s no secret that University students love to party, but are University women partying a little too hard? A 2011 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 24.2 percent of women between ages 18 and 24 participate in binge drinking, which is defined as consuming four or more drinks in one sitting. From what I’ve witnessed here at the University, I would imagine that this percentage would be much higher for this campus and for most college campuses in the US. Why are so many women drinking excessively, and what can we do to stop this?

The pressure to drink surrounds college women who are constantly going to pregames, mixers and Super Saturdays. The drinking culture on campus is difficult to avoid. While Uptown often offers alternative events, for most University women, it seems as if parties are more appealing. Friends often look forward to going out together on the weekends and letting go of the stress from a long week. College women are constantly placed in situations where they feel the need to drink.

Women often feel pressure from their friends to drink more than they can tolerate. It’s always fun for women to drink with their friends, but women may feel pressured to drink more than they usually would to keep up with the guys. I’ve seen women try to go shot for shot with their male friends, and let me tell you, this is a horrible idea. Women also like to try and keep up with their female friends, but just because your friend may be able to do six shots doesn’t mean that you should! I’ve seen already drunk women convince each other that it is a good idea to just do one more shot or have one more beer, which tends to turn into another and another. No matter where the pressure or need to get drunk is coming from, women continue to participate in binge drinking.

Ladies, the key to getting a handle on excessive drinking is to know your limits and stick to them. I know everyone has heard this advice before, but try listening to it. If you know that five drinks will leave you a sloppy mess, then simply do not drink that much, no matter who tries to tell you that another shot isn’t a big deal. You are the only person that can prevent yourself from being a hot mess tonight and a hungover disaster tomorrow. Also, watch out for your friends and they will watch out for you. Every once in a while, a friend tends to drink too much and get a little out of hand. Please cut them off, bring them home and take care of them. If you stay in control of yourself and keep an eye on your friends, many dangerous and potentially deadly situations can be avoided.

College is filled with temptations and pressure for women to drink. It’s unrealistic to try and stop college students from drinking, but it’s important to know key ways to drink as safely as possible: don’t put yourself in situations where you know you will be pressured to drink a lot, keep track of what you are drinking, know your limits and take care of your friends. You’ll have a lot more fun if you keep yourself safe and in control, and everyone will thank you for it.

El McCabe
Senior Writer

Whenever I get the monthly edition of Seventeen magazine in my mailbox, I immediately flip to the horoscope section in the back and see what the “stars have in store for me” for the upcoming month. Often times I find these horoscopes to be comical and find some distant connection to the predictions given with the current situation I am in, but I find it hard to believe that these horoscopes are actual predictors of what lies ahead.

For me, astrological signs and horoscopes are fun additions to life that serve an entertaining purpose. No one denies that it is fun to read all about the traits associated with your Zodiac sign and see how compatible you are with other signs. There are a number of people who take the zodiac and corresponding horoscopes far too seriously. These individuals actually make tangible changes in their lives, whether consciously or subconsciously, to follow the advice and warnings their horoscopes bring. Changing your lifestyle due to a paragraph in a magazine written by some random person is exactly the same as buying one hundred lottery tickets because your fortune cookie said, “You are lucky today.” Anyone who went out and spent that much money on lottery tickets would be considered foolish at best, simply because they put so much faith into a pseudo-magical piece of paper.

I acknowledge that it is easier to fall into this trap of believing horoscopes than one would think. Horoscopes are written very generally on purpose so that they can “apply” to the masses of people who believe them. There have been a number of times when I read my horoscope and one sentence resonated with me enough to cause me to ignore the three other sentences that did not apply to me. That small glimmer of connection between your life and the horoscope’s prediction is enough for most people to believe the entire paragraph. Also, horoscopes are almost always positive in nature. For people who are worried about the future and do not have the most positive outlook on life, reading a positive horoscope can help change their attitude towards the future. As ridiculous as that sounds, pessimistic individuals and even optimistic ones take comfort in looking to the stars to map out their potentially bright futures.

Horoscopes are a fun and creative means of adding a little spice to your life and possibly helping people become more optimistic about the future. Placing too much stock in horoscopes can be dangerous and foolish, so they are definitely to be taken with a grain of salt. As long as you do not let the horoscopes define you and your actions, I suggest looking up your horoscope and Zodiac stats just for kicks. If nothing else, it is a great way to procrastinate!

Gillian Feehan

Contributing Writer

Spring has finally arrived here in Lewisburg! Unfortunately, along with this nice weather comes the dreaded end of the semester. Professors are cramming in last-minute papers and exams, and it’s nearly impossible to motivate yourself to stay inside and do any of this work. Even though April is a busy month for everyone, make sure you take some time to enjoy the rest of the school year with your friends. Believe it or not, Lewisburg offers a lot of fantastic things to help you enjoy the spring.

The simplest way to enjoy spring here is to go outside and enjoy the weather. The academic quad is the perfect place to lie out, get a little color and maybe even do some work. If you live downhill, the Smith quad is also a great place to relax outside. Many students enjoy playing soccer or ultimate Frisbee, but if you’re not into playing sports, you can always grab a drink from Seventh Street Café and watch your friends. Playing or relaxing outside is a wonderful way to enjoy the spring and improve your mood.

Make sure to treat yourself every once in a while this spring! As you all should know by now, The Freez has reopened for the summer. Enjoy the spring weather by taking a walk down to The Freez with your friends. Forget about your summer diet for a day and enjoy yourself! Seriously, nothing in this town is better than The Freez. For caffeine addicts like me, make sure you go to Dunkin’ Donuts. I was so excited to find out that medium iced coffees are only $0.99. How great is that?!

The University also offers some fun spring events. Most of you probably know about a huge University tradition, Chrysalis. This year, Chrysalis will be starring Pat Benatar (she sings “Love Is A Battlefield,” for those who have no idea who she is). Don’t make the mistake of skipping Chrysalis because you think it will be lame, because you will regret it. Take advantage of the “college prom” that the University has put together, enjoy some live music and feast yourself because the food is spectacular. I also recommend reliving high school a little and taking fake prom photos with your friends; you’ll have hilarious pictures to laugh at for years to come!

While the end of the semester often comes with more studying and work than any of us would like, we all need to make sure to make time to enjoy spring and the end of another year with our friends. Take a little time each day to sit outside and relax and maybe treat yourself to The Freez or Dunkin. Be sure to enjoy your weekends (safely, please!), and take advantage of the fun events like Chrysalis. April doesn’t just have to be a stressful month, so go out and have some fun!