Author: Lauren Buckley

Riley Schwengel

Staff Writer

As this year’s House Party Weekend approached, I predicted that we would see another slew of hospitalizations due to excessive drinking. Come Sunday, I was not disappointed.  Once again, House Party saw numerous individuals get sent to the hospital because they had too much to drink. The emergency personnel were so busy on the Friday of House Party that I witnessed a group of police and kids wait almost an hour for an ambulance to come for one of the students. That’s purely insane. Luckily this individual was barely over the limit for hospitalization and was not in any immediate danger, but if it had been an emergency and had that person been in real trouble, there could have been a serious problem.

While the sheer number of hospitalizations was shocking to me, what really irked me were other people’s reactions when they heard about the individuals sent to the emergency room. When the number of hospitalized students was mentioned, I often heard, “Well it sounds like this year’s House Party was a success!” in response. 

What? I’m sorry, but that does not sound like a success to me. I don’t see how a person ending his or her night with doctors and nurses instead of friends can be seen as reasonable. I think our overall mentality about drinking and partying is heading into a very dangerous and reckless direction, and I worry that if we don’t reevaluate our priorities, we will see more hospitalizations in the future–or worse.

Now I want to be clear: I am not against the drinking culture in general. I acknowledge drinking and partying responsibly and think that they are one of many reasons why college is such an extraordinary experience. I don’t think that we need to make any changes in school policy or even in legislation (though a lower drinking age would be nice). I do think that we need to make some serious changes to our mentality about drinking.

Right now, it seems like drinking is perceived as a competition or challenge, one in which whoever gets the highest score wins. But that’s not how it should be. Drinking is a social event, one that’s not meant to be competitive or aggressive. It should be the individual’s choice about how much to drink, whether to play drinking games, have only a couple drinks or not drink at all. I don’t think students today realize this. There is an extreme sense of peer pressure that forces people to drink in extreme amounts and endanger themselves in order to live up to their peers’ expectations.

Students’ attitudes about drinking have become more and more aggressive in the past couple decades. It has turned from a popular social event to a dangerous competition where even the so-called “winners” can end up in the hospital. I think it’s time we reevaluate how we spend our weekends. Drinking is not some evil vice. It has, in fact, been a staple of the American college lifestyle almost as long as America has had colleges. It is the students who have become reckless and must become more conscious of the risks we are taking when we partake in such activities.

Justin Marinelli

Senior Writer

It’s rather trendy nowadays to claim that all differences between males and females are the result of societal pressures, and that biology has no role whatsoever. I have always been suspicious of this view, as I am of any claim that sounds overly simplistic. Data from the biological sciences suggest that the difference between males and females isn’t just limited to genitalia, but also to nervous and endocrine function, as well as the extent of possible expressible phenotypes once grown.

In no way do I seek to alienate those who don’t identify with the male-female dichotomy or feel a mind-body disconnect, nor am I attempting to invalidate their experiences, but the generalizations I wish to discuss have been scientifically validated, and I think they are worth noting.

First off, males and females have, on average, equal intelligence, but the range of possible intelligences for males is far more extreme. What this means is that males are far more likely to be geniuses and have above-average intelligence, but they are also more likely to suffer from cognitive disabilities and have low levels of intelligence. The implications of this fact are enormous, as it explains not only why Nobel Prize winners are usually male, but also why most school dropouts and people of exceptionally low IQ are also male. It also implies that in any society in which intelligence is rewarded, more males than females will rise to the top, as those with the highest level of intellect are more likely to be male, but that moves us into territory too nuanced and controversial to adequately discuss here.

Everyone knows that males tend to have higher levels of testosterone than females. What most people don’t realize is the sheer magnitude of this difference. Males can have up to 30 times the amount of testosterone coursing through their veins (and there is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that this number is too low to describe all cases). Testosterone is highly correlated with status-seeking behavior, of which physical aggression and risk-taking are simply two of many means to that end. The reason males tend to be more physically aggressive and take more risks is not driven by social conditioning, but rather biology playing itself out (you can observe this by noticing how even at ages far too young for social conditioning to have taken hold, males are more likely to engage in these behaviors than females).

Finally, a good neuroscientist can actually differentiate the brain based on sex. Female brains have a much higher ratio of white matter to grey matter, indicating a greater degree of connectedness between different parts of the brain. Males have 10 times more grey matter, indicating much higher levels of localized cognition. The degree to which these differences affect how males and females think and experience the world is still being investigated, but it would fly in the face of logic to suggest that such vast difference in structure would have no effect on cognitive output.

There are many out there who react to discussion of the differences between males and females with hostility, claiming that such thoughts will inevitably lead to sexism and belief in biological essentialism. I shouldn’t even have to point out that this is ridiculous. If there are differences, we should understand and respect them, not ignore them.

Maybe there are certain things that one sex will be better at than another. This doesn’t have to mean that one sex is any better than the other. It doesn’t grant one sex any greater moral worth. It simply means that human beings are equal, but not necessarily equivalent. It emphasizes that we are not all interchangeable–to some degree we are all unique and individual. In a society that places great value on the idea of individuality, why would you ever want to suppress that truth?

Dylan Yuska

Contributing Writer

Lupe Fiasco lived up to his name, proving to truly be a fiasco last Friday night. Unfortunately, the Spring Concert wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, but only those who left early would call it a failure. Sure, Lupe Fiasco was a huge disappointment, with his reputation now only hovering slightly above that of Avicii, but Third Eye Blind gave an exceptional performance.

Unlike the other diva that failed to perform this year, Lupe Fiasco is actually taking responsibility for his sudden departure. His tweets seemed genuine enough. He is also apparently giving the money back. Who really expected that much from him anyway? The entire buzz prior to the concert was about Third Eye Blind and Frankie Muniz apparently being the drummer for Kingsfoil. When Lupe Fiasco left the building, not many people truly cared. People actually had more fun booing him than listening to him anyway. There was a reason the crowd didn’t shrink much after he deserted the stage.

That’s when the fun started though. After a wait that seemed longer than a line for a register, the lights dimmed again. This time the excitement was palpable. As a hooded figure approached the microphone, the crowd simmered. A jolt was felt throughout Sojka Pavilion. An enormous Third Eye Blind banner slid down in the background, white lights blasted the crowd and an eager voice roared on the microphone. People were excited for the band, and the band reciprocated the energy.

Lupe Fiasco blamed the sound system for his departure; Third Eye Blind couldn’t care less. Lupe Fiasco lamented about the color of the lights; Third Eye Blind joyfully pronounced their indifference toward the set. After a few jabs to Lupe Fiasco followed by loud cheers from the enthusiastic crowd, the concert truly began. Third Eye Blind rocked it. Everything from the crowd screaming “Jumper,” Public Safety shining lights on the crowd surfers, the new songs they previewed for us and even the encore I heard from outside the building made the night a memorable one. Lupe Fiasco may have disappointed us all, but it was nothing a little 90s rock couldn’t fix.

Don’t shoot the messenger on this one, but the Concert Committee has just had a rough year. Even in hindsight, the they have been bringing in some quality big-time performers, given the budge they have. No one warned the committee that Avicii would drown his pancreas in booze or that a hurricane would land in central Pennsylvania. Even Lupe Fiasco seemed like a reliable performer at the time. The committee has been doing a great job, but luck hasn’t been on its side this year. The committee has brought in a variety of genres that everyone can enjoy; they arguably covered three of the biggest genres University students listen to with house music, 90s rock and hip-hop/rap.

Avicii and Lupe Fiasco can now consider themselves “blacklisted” from the University, but not many people can honestly say they weren’t pumped up for both of these concerts. Sometimes the sails are set, but you don’t get any wind. The Concert Committee lacked the wind this year.

Sarah Morris

Staff Writer

There’s a strange phenomenon that occurs here on campus: kids go out on the weekends, make new friends, have sex with each other and then somehow completely forget that any of the people they have met actually exist. No, I’m not referring to blacked-out forgetting, I’m talking about that “I’m too cool for you” attitude that all of us decide is important the second the weekend is over.

What makes all of us so special? There’s an unspoken rule here that if you decide to go out and hook up with someone, whether you remember it or not, it is your duty to make that person feel like they are a speck of dust on an otherwise clean windshield that is your view of the world. Of course we don’t remember each other, we were probably too busy looking at ourselves in the mirror during the hook up, because obviously, we are more important than anyone else.

I notice that you also go to the Bison for lunch, but don’t you dare look at me lest I tell the entire school that you’re creepy and over attached. Trust me, I care so little about what we did over the weekend that I am pretending I do not know who you are. You would be wise to do the same.

What is wrong with this culture? Why can we not seem to accept that seeing somebody naked over the weekend and pretending he or she doesn’t exist isn’t “cool” or even normal? We both know it, too. There’s nothing worse than having an awkward encounter with someone you’ve hooked up with before and being forced to stand around acting like you’ve never even met.

We shouldn’t be pretending the people we’ve seen naked don’t exist, we should be high-fiving each other and celebrating the experience! But in all seriousness, something has got to change. Nobody wants to walk around campus worrying that he or she is going to run into that special somebody from the weekend because obviously, you will run into that person. On campus, you always run into the people you want to see least. So change it up! Say hello to the person you’ve seen naked, give him or her a wink–he or she will understand.

Colette Brottman

Contributing Writer

Last week I went on Facebook and the first thing I noticed was everyone changing their Facebook profile pictures to red equal signs. I initially ignored it, assuming it was yet another random holiday or something, but later that day, my entire page filled up with profile pictures of equal signs. So I did what most people do and Googled it.

I have been closely following Proposition 8 since we discussed it in my Civil Liberties class during junior year of high school, so to see the surge of activism against it was exciting. It seemed like such a simple act, a quick profile picture change, but perhaps it has more influence than we can imagine.

The Port Huron statement said, “we are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed now in universities, looking uncomfortably to the world we inherit.” Changing something so simple as our Facebook profile picture allows us to acknowledge our discomfort with the state of affairs of our nation. I hope that this trend causes uninformed people to research the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and regardless of their opinion, at least consider the discussion on gay rights.

It is hard to ignore such a trend and hopefully the Justices notice that there is a loud cry from Americans to turn down DOMA.

Gillian Feehan

Contributing Writer

I am affectionately known to my roommates as “the mod grandma.” Why is this, you ask? Well, this 22-year-old grandma loves to knit.

As we all know by now, the University often causes massive amounts of stress in our lives, especially during the dreaded midterms and finals weeks. From Monday to Friday, it seems like there is just not enough time in each day to cross off everything on our never-ending to-do lists. Everyone needs a way to unwind during their down-time, and I am not ashamed to admit that my favorite way to relax is by knitting.

Studies have shown that knitting is a great way to combat stress and can even lower your heart rate. I can justify my sometimes-excessive knitting by pointing out the health benefits, but I also simply enjoy the act of knitting itself. I can spend cold, winter days watching movies and knitting scarves, hats and ear warmers to prepare me for the freezing Lewisburg weather. Call me lame, but I love being able to match my scarves with my outfits. Knitting isn’t just limited to the winter season, either; my friends and I have also made knitted tote bags for the beach in the warmer months. Knitting is relaxing and creates practical items that anyone can use.

Hand-knit items also make excellent gifts for family and friends, largely during Christmastime. As an unemployed college student on a budget, it’s hard to afford the nice Christmas gifts that I would love to give all my family and friends. This Christmas, I learned I could be crafty and make plenty of gifts while staying within a budget. Hand-knit items may not be expensive, fancy gifts, but the time and effort put into them more than makes up for the inexpensiveness—and they’re fun gifts to make!

I may be known as a grandma to my friends (and now many readers of The Bucknellian), but knitting is an amazing way to relax and let out your inner-crafty side. Knitting allows me to unwind while still being productive. I know knitting is often associated with 80-year-old women in rocking chairs, but it is an activity that women and men (yes, men!) of all ages can enjoy. Seriously, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

El McCabe

Senior Writer

Everyone knows that the University’s culture places a high value on Greek life and rush at the beginning of sophomore year. First-years are aware of the importance of sororities and fraternities very early in their college careers and are rapidly exposed to the pros and cons of Greek life essentially every weekend.

Even though this exposure happens so quickly, there is still a lot that first-years do not know about the rush process and what it’s truly like to “go Greek.” Mandatory information sessions, appropriately dubbed Sorority 101 and Fraternity 101, seek to fill in these gaps for first-years and attempt to provide a holistic view of Greek culture before first-years decide to rush.

On paper, these information sessions certainly sound beneficial and necessary. Yet, after attending the first Sorority 101 session, I found myself as indecisive as ever. All the sororities were given approximately five minutes to speak and tell us their key values and initiatives of their respective chapters, and they all quickly began to blend together. All of the girls speaking clearly loved their sororities and philanthropies, but this universal excitement made it difficult for any one in particular to stand out against the rest. This inability to discern between the Greek organizations and their personalities appears to be a much larger source of stress for women as opposed to men, and I sincerely hope the coming information sessions will help first-year women choose the right sorority for them. After asking multiple upperclassmen who have been through rush, the universal answer is that “the system works itself out.” After going through an intense and thorough week of rush, everyone supposedly winds up where they would be happiest, even if they are initially disappointed with their bids.

My best advice for those who will be attending the upcoming information sessions and participating in rush week in the fall is to keep an open mind and not to stress out too much about the future. The decision about whether or not to rush is a big decision and cannot be made overnight. I firmly believe that it can’t hurt to go to a few information sessions regardless of how helpful or unhelpful they are in discerning the sororities and fraternities. Remember, it is perfectly okay not to rush or to end up somewhere you were not initially hoping for. After all, a lot can happen in the four months from now until fall rush, and your opinions on it will likely swing back and forth. Hopefully future Sorority 101 and Fraternity 101 sessions will help clear up the uncertainty of this process.

Justin Marinelli

Senior Writer

We have been raised from birth not to judge people by their external appearances and to judge them only by the content of their character. I do agree with this point, but I find it to be simplistic and ignorant of certain nuances. To a fair degree, it is not only acceptable to judge a person by his or her appearance, but wise to do so.

Surely it seems wrong to judge a book by its cover, but actually, the quality of the cover is oftentimes influenced by the quality of the text inside. The trick is simply identifying when this happens to be the case.

To understand my point, you have to define attractiveness by two categories: genetic and cultivated. Things like height, facial structure and relative proportions all fall under genetic attractiveness. There is nothing a person can do about factors like these and so it is useless to judge someone’s character based on these characteristics.

Cultivated attractiveness is a different story. This is a much broader category, but essentially any physical trait that you control falls under this category. Someone’s hairstyle, choice of clothing and degree of facial hair are all examples of factors that contribute to cultivated attractiveness. 

This is why it is perfectly acceptable to judge someone based on cultivated attractiveness.  It is completely under that person’s control, and thus the way that person chooses to present himself or herself is an expression of his or her personality. There is no end to the subtleties that present themselves in this dynamic, but for now I shall only examine what it means to have a high degree of cultivated attractiveness.

For most of us, it takes a bit of work to make ourselves look attractive. It’s easy to let yourself go and give up on how you look. Eating healthy, going to the gym and keeping your hair clean and presentable requires a certain amount of discipline and self-control. People with a high degree of cultivated attractiveness thus also have a high degree of discipline and self-control.

So what of someone who is very disciplined but cares not for his or her appearance? For one, I doubt that person exists outside of exceedingly rare circumstances, but I digress. In this case, what that person lacks is pride for how he or she looks, which, by extension, almost always means that said person lacks pride in himself or herself. Cultivated attractiveness is thus an effective barometer for how much pride someone takes in his or her being.

Finally, in order to successfully cultivate attractiveness within yourself, you must have a reasonably good idea of what will make you more attractive and what will not. To be able to accurately choose hairstyles, perfumes or clothing that will suit you, you need to possess a good sense of self-awareness. You can’t have cultivated attractiveness without self-awareness unless you have someone telling you what to do, which is another exceedingly rare circumstance.

Because we so often tend to conflate genetic attractiveness with cultivated attractiveness, we find ourselves trapped in a paradigm in which we cannot discern anything meaningful.  Once we realize the difference between the two, we find ourselves better equipped to understand the intricacies of the world we live in. Deny this reality and all you do is make life harder for yourself.