Author: Lauren Buckley

Gillian Feehan and Mary Morris
Contributing Writers

It was a rare night that we were eating in the Bostwick Marketplace. We were just minding our own business, eating our money’s worth, and then, the unspeakable happened: gross couple at six o’clock. Cue the vomiting. It started out with Eskimo kisses, but quickly progressed into face licking (we cannot make this stuff up). As if it couldn’t get any worse, the show quickly turned into something straight off the Discovery Channel. A couple of baby birds started to enjoy an intimate dinner. Yummy. The male bird, sensing that his lovely female companion was hungry, held a slice of melon in his mouth and offered it to the female, who nibbled the melon thanks to the assistance of her lover. How romantic. Who needs utensils these days?

There is a line, my fellow students, and it has most assuredly been crossed. If you must perform public displays of affection, can we agree on some ground rules? Your PDA should make me jealous by its simplicity and naturalness. It should not make me want to claw my eyes out or hurl in the nearest trash can. Couples should aim for the casual hand holding as opposed to a Gorilla-glue death grip; a cute good-bye peck on the cheek instead of sloppily mapping the anatomy of the throat with your tongue; simply getting your own plate of food instead of feeding each other like you’re baby birds.

I would rather feel bad about my personal life than feel nauseated on a regular basis. Holding hands, gazing into each other’s eyes or a bit of snuggling is totally acceptable. But please, for the love of all things good and happy in this world, stop the excessively, lovey-dovey PDA. Save that for after dinner, back at your own rooms. All of the innocent bystanders will appreciate you for it.

Sarah Morris

Staff Writer

On the days leading up to the Presidential Election, I was becoming extremely jittery at the prospects of voting. What if I chose the wrong candidate? (Wrong being subjective, of course). I was not 18 during the last election, so this was my first voting experience. The feeling of contributing to an important political movement was something I later realized and cherished.

Around 2 p.m. on the day of the election, I realized that the decision might not actually go my way. I could vote and put my heart and soul into the pushing of the screen over my preferred candidate’s name and find that his opposition had won at the end of the night. I kept nervously bringing it up to friends, but their looks of confusion disheartened me. How was nobody else as scared as I was? The future of the free world was being chosen and everybody seemed so blasé!

When I saw that Pennsylvania had turned blue, I screamed at the top of my lungs and jumped off the couch to high five everybody in the room. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt more American than that very moment when I realized that my vote had actually counted. My vote helped President Barack Obama win a second term in office.

After the results were in that Obama would be back in the Oval Office yet again, I, of course, checked my Facebook. The number of people claiming they were going to leave the country was unbelievable. Someone I went to high school with back in Georgia actually claimed something along the lines of: “I will personally lead the South in a secession.”  Needless to say, he was unfriended immediately. The results of the election were so joyous for me! Healthcare, gay marriage and rape is real! How could I be unhappy? The reactions of my peers were highly disappointing.

Yes, of course I would be sad if Romney won, but leaving America isn’t the right idea. It would mean that four years later, there wouldn’t be a voice like mine to share an opinion in the next election. It is so easy to think of the election as some competition that is won and then over with forever. We are so lucky to live in a nation that allows us the opportunity to have a say in the future of the country. It’s worth it to stick around and make your voice heard.

Justin Marinelli
Senior Writer

While many would argue that we look for totally different things depending on whether we want a hook-up or a relationship, I disagree. I find that we usually look for the same things, but it’s the number of traits we look for that differs. We just happen to be looking for more when what we want is a relationship.

If the weekend rolls around and I feel in the mood for a hook-up, the first thing I look for is enthusiasm. After all, who wants to mess around with someone who’ll be a cold fish? This is also something that I seek in a relationship. I want someone who’s as excited about dating me as I am about being me.

Confidence is also supremely important. In fact, no matter what I’m looking for, I find confidence essential in a partner. The way confident people approach the world is just sexy (and after some high school relationships with unconfident, insecure people, I have learned that it’s just not worth dating people who aren’t confident).

Maturity is also a quality worth seeking. Its usefulness in a relationship is obvious, but I find it key with hook-ups as well. Immaturity is not only a turn-off, but it greatly increases the likelihood of unpleasant or awkward circumstances later.

Looks are also nice, although they matter far less in the context of a relationship. An interesting difference here is that for a hook-up, whether or not one is actually good-looking matters more, whereas in a relationship being able to be comfortably dressed and to be yourself has the edge.

The ultimate quality though, and the one I give the most weight to, is without a doubt intelligence. There’s something about a large, hefty intellect or a fine, well-rounded wit that makes things intensely satisfying. I know many would argue that smarts aren’t too important in the context of a casual encounter, but intelligence is just really attractive, so I keep it on my little list.

If I were looking for a relationship, not only would I keep an eye out for what I’ve listed above, but I’d also look for a few additional traits. To a certain degree, I like it when someone is a bit sassy. It keeps things fun and interesting, and it also shows a fair amount of confidence and intelligence. For the same reasons, I find that a decent sense of humor is also necessary for a great relationship. Finally, while this isn’t necessary in a hook-up, the ability to carry on a deep conversation is absolutely essential in a relationship.

While it is a common sentiment that we look for different traits in a hook-up than a relationship, it seems more reasonable to assume that what we’re looking for is mostly the same mold with minor, not major, differences. The amount of difference varies a bit between each person, but the similarities are almost always far greater. Think back through your own history and compare your hook-ups with your relationships. You’ll probably find some common themes.

Spencer Ivey

Writer

If you love James Bond movies, you must see the newly released “Skyfall.” Fifty years removed from “Dr. No,” the first movie in this second-highest grossing film franchise in history, director Sam Mendes takes us back to the basics of a great Bond film. A charismatic actor playing Bond along with his supporting crew at M16, exotic locations, beautiful women, fast-paced action and a vodka martini (shaken, of course) have been the meat and potatoes for Mr. Bond since the inception of this iconic series. With Daniel Craig’s best effort as 007 yet, I proclaim “Skyfall” as one of the best Bond movies ever.

“Skyfall” had high expectations especially due to the underappreciated “Quantum of Solace,” which hardly passed as a Bond film. Mendes worked hard to feed Bond lovers’ appetites for a hearty serving of classic 007 flair, and he has certainly left them satisfied. After its first weekend, “Skyfall” deservedly raked in $87.8 million, which was good enough to claim the most profitable premier in Bond history.

I guess the third time is the charm for Craig. His piercing blue eyes and rugged exterior is complemented perfectly with the deep emotional development of his character. We see a different side of the sly killer for the first time, but not without a lack of action. Outfitted by the return of a familiar character in the series, who was missing from the previous two movies, Q (played by the young Ben Wishaw), and instructed by the always-stellar Judi Dench as M, Bond takes us on a thrilling, international adventure in pursuit of the bad guy with all the wrong intentions.

In an effort to not spoil the many surprises of this spectacular movie, I will avoid detail. In essence, this is a Bond movie you simply cannot afford to miss. Although I saw “Skyfall” on a normal theater screen the first time around, I will be sure to take advantage of the IMAX offering next time. This is a movie truly deserving of the big screen.

El McCabe
Writer

Registering for classes brings up a mix of emotions for most students. There is of course the overall excitement for a fresh start and a new set of professors. Yet, this excitement is combated with the overall anxiety of starting a new routine. Then there is always the fear that despite hours of painstakingly selecting the perfect classes or schedule for your sleeping preferences, that all the spots will be taken before your time slot. This fear is a valid one for many underclassmen, especially first-years, but everything indeed works out in the end.

As a first-year it is important to expect that you will not get into all, if any, of your first choices. If a class is your first choice, there is a high chance that the class is also the first choice of many other students. Having a lot of backups is essential for this very reason. It can be frustrating, dismaying and upsetting to watch the classes that stood out to you lose spots every registration period. The good news is that in the future those classes will be offered again, and it only gets better in terms of registration.

Personally, I did not get into any of the classes I first selected two weeks before my registration period. The key to being satisfied with my classes was finding backups that were not simply fillers to match with my wait-listed choices, but finding classes that truly piqued my interest or explored subjects I had never considered. Part of the college experience is exploring classes/subject areas that you would not have had access to in high school and are outside of your defined interests. You never know when a class is going to speak to you or when you will find a professor with whom you really connect.

If you are still really concerned about your current schedule and dissatisfied with the backups you have chosen, putting yourself on the wait-list for one or more classes is an option. The wait-list is on a first-come, first-serve basis and if you are in the position of numbers one through four, there is a good chance that you will get into the class or classes that you want. The benefits of putting yourself on the wait-list might not come immediately; a lot of people change their minds about classes within the first week of the new semester. By that point you may even be satisfied with your new class and not even desire the old class anymore.

The registration process always finds a way of working itself out. For some students, this means memorizing course codes and practicing typing them really fast into the browser while others carefully select classes and backups that they will be satisfied with despite the outcome. No matter how you cope with registration woes, it is assuring to know that it will only get easier as time goes on.

Caroline Shaeffer
Writer

Students at the University can be as healthy or unhealthy as they want, and depending on their choice, the school can either make their decision very easy or very difficult. Being somewhat of an exercise enthusiast myself, I can’t imagine not living a “healthy” lifestyle, and the University provides me with many ways to achieve this. The facilities at the gym make it easy for anyone at any level of physical fitness to work out, and daily workout classes like Zumba or Tabata provide students with a fun and different way of gettingtheir workout in. If you want to work out at the University, you’d be hard-pressed to find an excuse as to why you could not. Still, some students have trouble getting themselves to those classes, or passing up that second slice of Nestle Toll House pie in Bostwick Marketplace, and understandably struggle with maintaining a healthy lifestyle. From personal experience, I can confidently say that it is possible for anyone, but you do need to have one thing: determination.

The act of lacing up your sneakers and walking down to the gym is always more mentally punishing than the actual workout itself. From what I’ve learned, sometimes the hardest part of any workout is simply getting started. In the end, if you were going to quit at any point, it would have been before you even started, not during the middle of your workout. The same goes for eating unhealthy foods. Sure, Bostwick Marketplace the Bison have lots of tempting offers as far as sweets and fried foods go, and sure, it’s okay to indulge in these treats every once in a while, but don’t make a habit of lapping the dessert table after every meal. Instead, get fruit if you’re still hungry and add peanut butter if you’re craving something sweet. I guarantee it will satisfy your lingering hunger and sweet tooth in a much healthier way than four cookies would. 

Of course, sometimes I’m guilty of snacking on sweets a little too often, or skipping a workout for no valid reason, but to occasionally lapse isn’t necessarily a negative thing as long as the lapse doesn’t become a habit. No one can live a completely exercise-oriented, sugar-free lifestyle–it would just be depressing. The key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to balance the exercise and healthy eating with the occasional reward, whether it be a day off or a slice of cake. That way, your life has an equal balance of what is good for you and what is just plain good.

Justin Marinelli
Senior Writer

I am rather skeptical about the ability of politics to actually solve the problems facing us today. Sure, we’ve spent the last two years convincing ourselves that our candidate was the solution to our problems, and that the other guy would bring fire and brimstone down upon us. But you know what really fixes the problems of society? People who are fed up and tired of the way things are going who actually get up off the couch and do something, not our elected leaders.

Let’s start off by slaughtering a sacred cow. Your vote is not important. It really isn’t. Your one-in-200-million say in how this country is run counts for essentially nothing. If you’re going to enact change in our society, voting isn’t the way to go about it. You need to actually take it upon yourself to get out there and take action to make the world a better place.

Suppose you are of a more liberal persuasion, and you feel that our society should strive to do more to take care of the poor. Is it going to make more of a difference to vote for a candidate who will increase funding to welfare programs or to volunteer at soup kitchens yourself and give to charity regularly? Which will really have the most impact?

Or perhaps you possess a more conservative leaning and you feel that we should have a large military so you can feel secure. Is it more effective to use your minuscule say in how this country is run or will you feel safer if you learn martial arts and/or how to use firearms? Once again, greater results come from taking personal responsibility, not assuming that politicians will solve your problems for you.

It’s rather unimpressive how so many people sit around waiting for change, then get annoyed when the gridlock of our political system fails to provide it. We have the power within us to enact change in the world around us, but we never exercise it. Sure, it takes more effort to start a charity, join the Peace Corps or be a part of the neighborhood watch than to submit a ballot, but it yields more potent results.

When I look at the world, the people and organizations I see making a difference aren’t elected. Instead, I see the American Red Cross, Alcoholics Anonymous, researchers searching for new technologies that will benefit humanity and countless other volunteer organizations, NGOs and compassionate, driven people. These are the people who really make a difference.

Yes, it’s true that there are some things that can only be decided by the government (legality of gay marriage, tax policy, etc.). For issues like these, voting makes sense, but only if you can rally large numbers of people to support your cause. The onus is still on you to go out and win hearts and minds and try to change the popular attitude to suit your views (or even to run for office yourself, if you feel this is the best way to change things).

So call me a heretic and burn me at the stake, but if you didn’t vote, I don’t have a problem with that. If you did vote, awesome. Thanks for taking a little initiative to make the world a better place. But whether you did or you didn’t, the question to ask yourself now is: what can I do that will actually change not only my life, but the lives of the people around me for the better?

El McCabe

Writer

Hurricane Sandy was more than just a storm: it was a life-altering and destructive force that forever changed the lives of millions up and down the East Coast. Being a native New Yorker, this last week has been painful hearing off-hand the effects Sandy had on my hometown and people in my community. Personally, my family went without power for a week, but was safe from most of the wrath of the hurricane. Not everyone proved to be as lucky. New York and other states on the eastern seaboard have been referred to as a “war zone” in the aftermath of the hurricane. Over 10 days later, bodies are still being found–a fact that the media is doing a terrible job of reporting. Thousands of families are homeless and lost everything they had. After hearing all these horrifying stories, the obvious question appeared in my mind: how did the country let conditions get this bad?

To answer this, it is important to note the public attitude toward the storm prior to the disaster. The hurricane started off as an exciting prospect that almost guaranteed no school in most states including Pennsylvania. A few days before the storm hit, Hurricane Sandy was the subject of hundreds of exuberant Facebook statuses, memes and countless “SpongeBob”/“Grease” references. However, once the severity of the storm was realized, all the jokes and school closings were no longer funny. The mild effects of Hurricane Irene last year left the public feeling arrogant that this storm was “over-hyped” yet again, and many Americans failed to heed warnings to evacuate their homes. These individuals are paying for their choices now and truly have nothing but the clothes on their backs. Relief efforts are finally starting to be taken in damaged communities, but there is a long way to go before balance can be restored.

As college students, we are inherently isolated from the rest of the world without our parents informing us or overhearing the news, so it is likely most of you are unaware of the state of parts of the country outside of the “Bucknell Bubble.” The east coast needs help, and it needs it fast. Donations are strongly encouraged, as is spreading the word about the nightmare some Americans continue to face. Thousands of people lost everything they owned, so even donating basic supplies such as toiletries, old clothes and even small cans of food can seriously make a huge difference. I know that as soon as Thanksgiving Break hits, I will be doing my part in helping the recovery process. If you are looking for ways to get involved, just try reaching out to relief organizations. Small efforts are all it takes to make a world of difference, and educating yourself on happenings outside of campus is the first step in helping our nation restore the damage done by Hurricane Sandy.

Justin Marinelli

Senior Writer

An important part of college is not just learning to adjust and make friends, but also learning to make the right friends. One of the keys to not only success but to having an awesome life in general is having a varied friend set. In my experience, here are some of the friends that are either essential or incredibly important.

First off, you need a friend that is really comfortable talking with people, especially to members of whatever sex you may be attracted to. Having one of those fearless friends who can just walk up and strike up a conversation with almost anyone is an utter boon to your social circle, provided that you either actively join them or passively let yourself get dragged along for the ride. You never know who you might just meet.

Second, it’s also incredibly helpful to have a friend who is always able to dish out incredibly wise advice. Even the brightest and most self-sufficient person will eventually run into situations that are difficult to handle alone. It’s those times that you need a friend who can always figure out the best course of action. Life always has a few bumps in the road and having someone who knows how to ride it makes it a lot easier.

In a similar vein, another essential friend to have is the one that you can tell anything to.  Keeping things in and shouldering your burdens yourself isn’t impossible and there are some things that need to be kept secret, but being able to get things off your chest every once in a while is immensely cathartic. Additionally, knowing that you’ve got someone who will be a source of support no matter what is a fantastic confidence booster when facing just about anything.

A lot of the time we end up spewing a river of statements that can be … inaccurate.  Whether it’s an off-color joke, an argument not rooted in fact or just acting like an idiot in general, oftentimes we tend not to realize when we’re not living up to our intelligence.  Having a friend around who will call us out on these things is way more important than we tend to realize. I would argue that it’s a necessity.

Finally, I would say it’s incredibly important to have a friend with a nose to the ground when it comes to things going on around campus. Oftentimes, you hear about really cool events that don’t get enough publicity or unique opportunities that not too many people know about. You can also stay abreast of who’s hooking up with who, and other things like that. A friend with a finger on the pulse is a worthwhile friend to have.

Life is a lot more fun when you know a bunch of great people, and I’ve found that these are the people who are great to know. This is nowhere near an exhaustive list of people worth knowing (because frankly, almost everyone is worth getting to know on some level). If you ever find yourself in need of a new friend or two, try to find someone with one of these strengths. It’ll pay off handsomely for you in no time.

Ben Kaufman

Presentation Director

The first word that comes to my mind when I think of hallcest is “ew.” But first, hallcest should probably be defined. In my opinion, hallcest is the act of either hooking up or dating somebody on your residence hall. Although there are rare times that it works out to date someone on your hall, from what I have seen, it usually only ends badly. Here is an example as to why I think that.

I have a friend–we’ll call him Joe–at Binghamton University in Upstate New York. He and his girlfriend met because they lived on the same hall their first year. The story sounds really cute up until the point when they decided to live on the same hall sophomore year as well and broke up at one point. Joe began planning his normal routine around the fact that his girlfriend lived on his hall. For example, he would always get coffee from his girlfriend’s room and then go to class, as well as form other plans with her when he would return from class. However, when they were broken up, that obviously wouldn’t happen, and he therefore had to find a new routine.

I actually told my girlfriend that if we went to the same school, I would not want to live on the same hall as her. It always seems to turn out that if you are in a relationship with someone on your hall, you literally have no time to yourself. It is almost like living with your girlfriend or boyfriend, because whenever you go back to your hall your girlfriend or boyfriend will be there too.

However, I will not completely bash hallcest because sometimes it does work. For example, there is a guy in my fraternity who started dating a girl from his first-year hall, and they are still together despite having always lived in very close proximity. I will acknowledge that hallcest is something that can be successful, but I just don’t think it is something I could do.

On this campus, I feel like hallcest mostly ends in awkward situations. It most likely starts as a hookup at a party, which then progresses to an awkward morning realization that you hooked up with somebody on your hall and then you go from there. And if it’s your first-year hall, you don’t even know the person that well and then you start hooking up or dating him or her.

Hallcest is a tricky situation. I think if it is managed well, then it could probably work. Although it can work, it is not an endeavor I would personally want to go through. Knowing the nature of hallcest, I feel like it would only end in awkwardness and not actually be something practical. If you are currently dating someone on your hall and it is going well, then good for you. I just personally don’t think that I–and I probably speak for many others–would be able to do it and have it end well.