Category: Opinion

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!

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.