Category: Opinion

By Jasmine King

Contributing Writer

My biggest concern when coming to the University for the first time was not being able to bring my car. I was the baby of my high school class, so the first and only year that I could drive my car to school was my senior year. It was heartbreaking to have all of that freedom my senior year, then have it be taken right back from me when I started college. I have my theories on why colleges, not just our University, have the rule that first years are not allowed to have cars. Some of these include trying to force students to stay on campus and force them to find other things to do instead of going home. The latter one makes the most sense to me because if students did have their cars on campus for their first semester, I am sure that some students would want to go home every weekend and not enjoy the activities the University sponsors.

Regardless of the reason behind it, to force students to stay on campus is not the right thing to do about this. Students will call their parents and go home if they want to anyway; it is not as if the University can keep students inside of the “Bucknell bubble” forever. I do not understand why in the second semester of the first year, students cannot bring their cars back to campus. After winter break, students have already made up their minds about whether they like the University and want to stay. At this point they have already grown accustomed to college life. But instead, the administration chooses to divide students by not letting first-years have a car. By doing this, first-years have to use the shuttle, walk or awkwardly ask an upperclassman to drive them to Wal-Mart. Not being able to have a car on campus creates a divide between upperclassmen and first-years. 

The other theory that I have on why first-years are not allowed to have cars on campus is due to the lack of parking space. I realized that this was a problem the first weekend that the University had a home football game. When walking out of McDonnell Hall, I noticed there were no empty spaces for students or visitors, a horrible combination. The issue of parking should hopefully be resolved once all of the construction of Academic West is complete since then the University will have plenty of parking for faculty, students and visitors to park comfortably. Will the end of construction and increased space allow first-years to bring their cars to campus? I sure hope so.

By Sarah Morris

Writer

It is always nice to see the flowers come out in the spring. The University comes alive with all of the cherry trees and flowers blossoming out of the cold death we were all seemingly hibernating in to shield our young bodies from the winter months. I wake up in the morning, open my window and see the sun, which I thought had abandoned the Earth for the past 12 weeks.

The best part of spring here at the University might be the glorious moment when I am walking through the quad, loving the breeze, watching classes take place outside as students and teachers attempt to pay attention while they simply enjoy themselves. Then all of the sudden I hear somebody hacking up a lung directly behind me, spewing their germs on their neighbors. This past week, I have been struck with some sort of serious lung issue involving breathing problems and horrible congestion. I thought chest colds and bronchitis kept to themselves once February had past. People need to keep their germs to themselves, especially when it comes to contained classrooms.

The worst part of this not-so-spring-fever is that everyone has it due to the pressure to attend classes as finals are looming in the not-too-distant future. The common sickness really goes to show how much we care about our education; students will attend class despite their high fevers, incessant sneezing and debilitating chills. As much as we care for our education, the spreading of such germs needs to stop. Students must understand that containing one’s sickness is more important than scribbling notes that a classmate can easily provide. I have to admit that I have been one of the disgusting students, attending classes dangerously and coughing through lectures. Unfair to my healthy peers, my attendance—in consideration of my state—is wrong of me.

The truth is, we should be a bit more careful about how we attend classes while feeling sick here at school. Sit far away from your classmates and try, if you can, to bring your own “supplies.” This means bringing your own tissues to blow your nose so you do not have to block people’s views when you have to get up and possibly even drag a trashcan over to your desk if you’re feeling that stuffy. For God’s sake, sanitize your hands before you leave the room so you do not infect the entire world by touching something as simple as the doorknob. I know the pressure to be present at all classes is heavy right now because of finals, but we need to be smarter so that we can help out our fellow classmates from getting sick as well.

By Stefan Ivanovski

Contributing Writer

As a senior about to graduate, I am very proud to have studied at our University. The professors here are truly inspiring. I have learned a tremendous amount from my experiences and I feel that I have made many life-long connections with both faculty and students. I could go on and on about my experiences at the University, but this is not what I would like to talk about.

Rather, I would like to focus on three things I think every University student should take with him or herself once they embark on their post-college journey: vision, solidarity and responsibility.

Some of us may already have plans after graduation, some may not. It is normal that we feel lost in a world that is constantly changing. I believe one important aspect to keep in mind after graduation is to have a vision. Everyone should have some general idea of what they want to do in life, what kind of a mark they will leave in the world. Think about what you want to do and how it is going to impact other people? How do you want to be remembered in life?

For example, I would like to make a positive difference in the world. I know this is broad, but I like to leave it more open-ended and flexible. At this point, I think helping people get quality education lies at the roots of contributing to a lasting positive change in peoples’ lives. At the University, as we all already know, time really flies. Before we know it, we will find jobs and settle down, and it is important not to get consumed by our daily lifestyles. Having a vision gives us some sense of purpose in this world. Each day, we are learning something about ourselves and about others around us. We start to understand what we like to do and what we don’t like to do, which can help us shape our respective visions. Whatever our vision is, it is important that it is inclusive of the broader humanity. We as individuals are shaped by the relationships we form with other people. For this reason, one important thing to keep in mind is that every vision is not viable. This is where the principles of solidarity and responsibility come in.

I feel indebted to my family, friends, professors, staff and University alumni for all the successes here. I know I cannot repay financially the gift of education that the University community has extended to me. But, I know there are other ways I can make a difference. I can volunteer, teach and work to help people have better lives, especially through acquiring quality education. Sharing my time, knowledge and experiences with those less fortunate is what I can do at the current moment. I am really motivated and inspired when I can put a smile on someone’s face or when someone has learned something from me. It is truly inspiring when people see you as a role model in their life. At this point in my life, I may not have a lot of money, but I can definitely use my knowledge, skills and connections I made while at the University. This summer, my friend José Saavedra ’13 and I will be teaching creativity and 2D animations to high school students in Puerto Rico through the Davis Projects for Peace.

I believe that we are all connected in this world. For instance, we would not be as successful at the University had it not been for all the work people do behind the scenes. Without the work that the facilities personnel do maintaining the vast infrastructure here, the cafeteria personnel who feed us and the professors who teach us, we would not have accomplished what we have accomplished.

From these relationships and the support of our family, friends and the University community, I think we have the responsibility to pass the favor forward. In the future, we will be in places of responsibility in schools, hospitals, labs, offices, consulting firms, etc. We need to make sure that what we do is not only good for ourselves, but for the people around us as well. The fact that other people made it possible for us to study here bestows upon us a sense of responsibility that we have to make the University and the world a better place than we found it. We’ve gained valuable knowledge, skills, connections and resources. It is our task to put them to work.

Like Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”  But, I would add something to Gandhi’s statement. Be mindful of the people around you and how what you do may affect their lives.

By Stefan Ivanovski

Contributing Writer

In today’s world of interconnectedness, interdependence and globalization it is important to think of sustainable economic development. The recent crisis that started on Wall Street has shown that the globalized economy is vulnerable to shocks. These shocks can produce ripple effects across the whole world that affects millions globally. We see and feel these impacts in the U.S. through the difficult job market and the stubbornly high unemployment rate.

I believe that the way to avoid future massive layoffs in times of economic and financial crisis it is important to start democratizing workplaces. Generally, cooperatives as democratic workplaces provide members with life-long employment that furthers the intellectual, spiritual and social development of each individual. In order to ensure that viability of cooperatives, it is important that each member of the cooperative internalizes principles of democracy, equality and solidarity.

For those of you who are not familiar with cooperatives, they are basically democratic workplaces where each worker of the cooperative has the right to a voice and a vote, regardless of the number of shares that a member possesses. In a cooperative, all workers are the “owners” of the means of production, which means that each individual member has an equal say in the company decision-making.

The fact that each individual is dignified with a voice and a vote in a cooperative promotes a sense of equality among the members. In traditional enterprises, the individual or a group of individuals that controls more than 51 percent of the stocks controls the company. It does not matter whether the owner(s) is/are competent, or whether they hire several employees or several thousand; effectively all decision-making rests with an exclusive board of directors.

Sometimes it is not economically efficient that cooperative members who don’t have experience in management, sales and marketing actually make decisions related to these areas. This is something that can be resolved with investing in education or hiring new members who are competent in these areas. The fact that members ultimately make all decisions allows cooperatives to meet the needs of the members instead of solely pursue profits for a few shareholders.

In a cooperative, each member is the “owner” of the enterprise, which gives the members a sense of empowerment and dedication to work hard and ensure the success of the cooperative. Members share all the income and losses that are generated by the cooperative, so each member has a vested interest in the financial success and solvency of the enterprise. Even though the members have to make money in order to meet their basic needs, the fact that all the workers in the enterprise have an equal say and a vote in the decision-making process leaves the members with more control over how the income is going to be distributed. The principle of democracy ensures that there is a more egalitarian distribution of income, which allows for more resources to be distributed for the further development of each individual rather than the pursuit of profit and accumulation of wealth.

I think that cooperatives can help bring about democracy in the workplaces, which in turn can contribute to moderating the negative effects of financial and economic crises. Since cooperative members see themselves as more than just “co-workers,” the subjectivity among the members in democratic workplaces changes to account for broader collective needs and interests as opposed to individual ones. In cooperatives, the members do not see each other as “commodities” that are “hired” and “fired”; rather, cooperatives contribute dignifying work and sustainable life-long employment. The different sets of values that govern cooperatives such as democracy, equality and solidarity prevent massive layoffs from being the norm in coping with financial insolvency. So, if we would like to avoid chronic high unemployment rates that burden individuals and families, I believe that we have to promote democracy in the workplaces as well, not just the “right to vote” during elections. 

By Jasmine King

Contributing Writer

Admitted Students Day: informative, fun and entirely misleading. I remember walking onto the University’s beautiful campus after I found out that I had been accepted. I looked around thinking, “This is so great! I can’t wait to make this my home for the next four years!” As I strolled with my grandparents from building to building, presentation to presentation, I felt really at home. This definitely seemed to be the place I wanted to be. There were lots of activities going on that day, so I assumed that I would never be bored. Looking back on my first year here at the University, though, I realize how wrong I was.

I recall going on a tour that day, and my tour guide saying, “This campus has Greek Life but I know tons of people that aren’t in it and they are fine.” What my tour guide did not mention was how much Greek life on campus runs the social climate. Within the first month of being at school, President Bravman sent out an email to all students saying that there would be a series of meetings about the “campus climate” in which students could come and honestly speak about what they felt the University’s campus was like. This was an awesome first step to take in trying to fix the problems that come with Greek life, but it would have been nice to have heard this sort of honest discussion when I was still making my college decision. 

Over 50 percent of sophomores, juniors and seniors are involved in a Greek organization, but it felt like everyone was in some way involved with Greek life this past year. Admitted students as they come to the University see the fraternity houses, see people wearing the letters, but does that really say enough to let them know how much Greek life dominates campus? For this writer, the answer was no. Yes, I read the statistics, I saw the letters, I even saw the houses, but it never really sank in.

To help solve this problem, I think that we need to have a seminar on Admitted Students Day for prospective students and their parents where people who both are and are not involved in Greek organizations should talk about their college experience. I think this will give a more accurate representation of what the University truly is: a great academic experience with one heavy Greek system. Because the way that it is now, prospective students see Residential Colleges, ACE-sponsored events, dance showcases, but nothing about Greek life and what it does throughout the year. It is only fair to offer prospective students and families the true vision of the University’s social system.

By Josh Haywood
Writer

Rub-a-dub-dub, this stuff doesn’t go in the tub. For those that are unaware, bath salts are not something you put in your tub for relaxation. Rather, they are substances that when ingested, mimic cocaine and methamphetamine. The active chemical in white powder is Methylenedioxypyrovalerone, an extremely powerful stimulant with a primary high that lasts three to four hours and keeps the user in a state of alert for six to eight hours.  These salts are extremely addictive and can result in paranoia-induced hallucinations. Currently the main chemical in the substance has been placed under a one-year emergency ban by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The major issue with this designer drug is that chemists have the ability to change the chemical structure by one or two molecules to the point that they create a new chemical that is not banned. There needs to be a set of national laws that would regulate the precursor chemicals that go into the production of this substance and criminalize every step it takes to get it in the hands of the user from production to distribution. It needs to be made as hard as humanly possible to obtain the ingredients to make the drug, and authorities must actively go after people who decide to create the drug. This type of substance needs to be cracked down on because I have seen the toxic effects it can have on a community.

My home town of Barberton, Ohio was the first city in Ohio to ban the substance after some of the drug’s negative effects reared their ugly heads. The problem went unnoticed last summer until people started showing up to the ER, acting crazy and freaking out that they were being followed or stalked by serial killers. The hospital ended up hiring an extra security guard just for the ER. One drive-through  in particular was the source where a lot of the drug where users could buy a gram of “White Horse,” one of several names the drug is sold under, for $20. Addiction got so horrible that the place started to accept trades for the drug: people would trade TVs and other electronics just for a pack of the stuff. The drive-through was the target of several armed robberies until the workers started arming themselves. I remember going through the place to get a drink and seeing the attendant rocking a .45 pistol on his waist. Eventually the police and hospital got tired of dealing with these users and decided to work with city council to ban the drug. The wording of the city ban was eventually used when the state placed a ban on the products in October 2011. The problem is that right after one of the chemicals is banned, there is another chemical to take its place. This is what happened at the same drive-through as mentioned earlier: they got a new product that they thought wasn’t banned. The problem at the store continued until the police caught on and raided the institution, recovering some $10,000 in cash, three handguns and over 100 packets of “White Horse” (the specialty bath salt sold at the store). The store owner and two workers were arrested and were and charged for their crimes.

Sadly though, my town never changed and the store to this day continues to sell legal versions of the drug along with fake ecstasy, fake weed and fake Xanax bars. The only thing you can do now is warn people about the dangers of this extremely addictive drug. The DEA’s one-year emergency ban will be coming to an end in October, and if the drug is not made permanently illegal I fear that there could be a major re-emergence of issues related to the drug.

By Molly Brown

Writer

Finals are approaching again, and I feel we need the “Jaws” theme playing ominously in the background. With the onslaught of finals brings the final whirlwind of the three P’s: papers, projects and presentations, all due conveniently right before we get to take more tests that count for even more of our grade. But seriously, unpopular opinion time, although the weeks leading up may be killer, I don’t think finals are that bad.

Finals time is great because there are no classes. With the exception of three-hour blocks for testing, and perhaps less if you’re in one of those classes that has arranged a drop-off situation of a final paper or project a la a film noir movie, you have so much free time. There are hours and hours free, and sure you can study, but are you really spending upwards of eight hours a day studying? It’s likely the answer is no. And with all the sunny weather that’s been given to us lately, opportunities are abound for outdoor activities and some final fun time with friends.

There’s also the lovely, hopelessly optimistic outlook and excitement for summer. Even if you have an awful summer job, a backbreaking internship, etc., there’s something to be said for not having to go to school. There’s a freedom from grades, from late nights doing anything other than hanging out with friends, going to bonfires, baseball games or parties. There’s a freedom to the summer, and the eight days of finals before May 10 give us a taste of this freedom.

This is not to undermine finals. They are important. Students have spent so much time and effort all semester to learn as much as they possibly can, and finals give them a chance to illustrate the progress they’ve made. And the professors also put forth countless hours into advising, grading and helping students be all that they can be. So take your finals seriously, but have some fun while doing so. It’ll minimize the stress levels and provide a sneak peek into the summer that is to come.

By Jessica Isgro

Contributing Writer

It is my belief that no college first-year understands what he or she is getting into until the school year officially begins. The painstaking hours spent touring campuses, attending information sessions, reading blogs and meeting current students is good preparation for choosing a school, but not for understanding what it will be like to be a part of the campus. After my first year at the University, I realize that no program could have prepared me for the academic rigor, extracurricular commitment and independent behavior that college would entail.

There is something about the phenomenon of higher education that has to be experienced to be understood. Until you are confined to bed with a mid-winter cold, you will not understand what it means to take care of yourself. Until you spend the small hours of the night completely caffeinated, slaving over a paper, you will not fully comprehend the college all-nighter. And until you have to live with a complete stranger, you will not understand what it means to have a roommate.

This is not to say that first-year experiences are unpleasant. But they are just that: first-year experiences. In order to understand what it means to be a first-year, you must be a first-year. In order to comprehend the culture, you must immerse yourself within it. But why is it that we cannot come to college with a full understanding of what we’ll experience?

Part of it is the fact that we never receive an accurate portrayal of college life. Looking through every catalog and magazine that advertises dorm accessories gives us a false pretense of the space we will be living in. Why PBteen thinks we’ll need to buy our own desks, chairs, dressers and bed frames is beyond me. As an incoming first-year, I nearly salivated over the cavernous dwellings that these magazines claimed would one day be mine. In reality, living on campus is less about accessorizing and more about figuring out where on earth you’re going to keep all of your stuff. Lesson one of my college experience was that investing in plastic storage boxes was money well spent.

Another significant part of our lack of collegiate understanding is the way we see it in the media. Movies like “The Roommate” inflict us with nothing but fear, movies like “Accepted” lead us to believe that getting rejected from college just means opening your own and movies like “The House Bunny” present college life as nothing but mindless fun. While these movies can be entertaining, they give us a false sense of collegiate life. Even though we know these movies only present extremes, we lose sight of what an actual college experience will entail.

What I learned as soon as I became a part of campus is that college is not about biting off more than you can chew, it’s about learning to chew more. It’s about realizing that you can do everything you love, but the hours in the day will always be the same and it’s up to you to figure out how everything will fit. The movies can’t prepare you for that.

So if I could have somehow prepared myself for life as a college first-year, would I? I don’t know. Sure, it would have been wonderful to completely understand the academic, extracurricular and social scenes I was walking into. However, surprise is half of the experience. I don’t think prepping myself on first-year protocol would have made my year any better because I enjoyed finding my own way.