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News

BSG forms Committee for Student Engagement

By Eliza Macdonald

Writer

Bucknell Student Government’s Committee for Student Engagement (CSE) released an online survey Monday, April 18 at midnight in the hopes of revealing students’ opinions and thoughts on various aspects of the University in order to serve students better.

The short survey of 14 questions is open-ended with dialogue boxes for students to fill in their own answers to the questions.

“[We] want to hear exactly what students have to say—we don’t want to cookie-cutter their answers,” Mike McGowan ’12 said.

The committee itself is ad hoc at the moment but is hoping to become a permanent part of BSG. It is currently made up of BSG members and other students, but these include student athletes, club presidents, Residential College members and students representing each class year.

“[This is the] first time BSG has ever asked these types of questions in a campus-wide survey. We’re making a huge push for students to respond because that’s what dictates where our committee goes and what issues we need to deal with first,” said Phil Kim ’12, President of BSG and chair of the CSE committee.

The survey asks for opinions on all aspects of student life: residential, academic and social. It also asks questions about how available students find resources on campus and allows space for writing about specific personal experiences.

The CSE reached out to many different administrators and faculty about the survey to get feedback on the questions and structure. The CSE also used the National Survey on Student Engagement (NSSE) as a platform for what they should explore and which ideas they wanted to look into.

“I hope that a lot students will respond and care about BSG wanting to make a difference, and we’re really just trying to reach out more as a student government,” BSG representative Caroline Coady ’12 said.

The committee’s biggest intention with the survey is to get the point across that the BSG needs thorough student feedback to most effectively serve the students.

Advertisements went up Tuesday morning and can be seen along with sidewalk chalk all over campus. BSG also hopes to spread the word through RAs, class presidents, table tents and the Message Center.

“[I’m on CSE] in hopes that I would better server the student body in a way that would unify student concern and bring about effect changes,” Rob McFeeters ’11 said.

The survey, available on myBucknell, will stay up until the last day of classes, May 3.

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Featured News

Panel discusses effects of natural disasters in Japan

By Christina Oddo

Writer

The Office of Civic Engagement, the department of East Asian Studies, the Japan Society and the Susquehanna Valley Japanese Community co-sponsored a panel discussion on Japan on April 19. Dr. Elizabeth Armstrong, associate professor of East Asian Studies, moderated the event.

Jim Orr, associate professor of East Asian studies, opened the panel with a discussion on the history of earthquakes in Japan, specifically the 9.0-magnitude earthquake that occurred off the coast of Japan, and the tsunami that followed, on March 11.

He spoke of the 1933 earthquake and tsunami, as well as the 1995 earthquake that resulted in 6,500 deaths. Orr described the role nuclear energy played after World War II and how this energy was seen as either a great good or a great evil.

As of April 14, 33,206 people have been reported dead, missing or injured as a result of the March 11 devastation, Orr said. In addition, 599,950 homes have been lost. He also stated that the Fukushima Plant released a Level Seven alert as a result of the natural disaster.

James Shields, associate professor of comparative humanities, discussed the religious and cultural responses to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which were positive, he said. He spoke of the history of spirituality in Japan in terms of nature, spirit and power.

Kami, meaning nature, has deeps roots in Japanese history. It can either be benevolent or malign, and is something that can be feared but greatly respected. Shields described the Buddhist outlook as “things change, deal with it.” Buddhists recognize that you cannot change change. Shields described Confucianism as well, saying that individuals only exist as part of relationships, and strength and determination are important to regard in the face of adversity.

Shields reminded listeners that, although this time the response to such devastation was positive (no single case of looting has occurred as far as Shields knows) there have been negative responses in the past. He used the Great Kanto Earthquake that occurred on September 1,1923 as an example.

Mizuki Takahashi, post-doctoral fellow in biology, covered most recent statistics; 14,867 people have been reported missing, and 13,439 have been reported dead, creating a horrible total of 28,306. Takahashi compared these statistics to those from 9/11 and from Hurricane Katrina in 2005; a total of 2,752 were reported dead after 9/11 while 1,836 were reported dead as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Takahashi also stated that the estimated cost of direct property damage was $160-250 billion.

Takahashi explored the precautionary measures taken in Japanese schools in the form of drills through real footage. The negative and positive results of the earthquake were discussed; the earthquake negatively impacted the already present economic downturn (which had already resulted in a number of suicides), while the economic downturn negatively impacted recovery. The earthquake also negatively impacted the concept of nuclear explosion (although the company is currently at fault), and this negatively impacted agricultural/fisher exports, which then added to the negative impacts on the economic downturn. Takahashi presented this cause-and-effect system through a visual web. Most importantly, Takahashi stated that so far, Japan has shown an overall sense of orderliness and mutual help which overrides much of the present negativity.

Kyoko Breczinski, a member of the Susquehanna Valley Japanese Community, spoke of how it feels to have her family living among the ruin in Japan. She discussed how difficult communication is and how she can only communicate with her family through the Internet, as the phone lines are useless. “It’s the radiation,” she said, “that upsets me the most.”

Anna Uehara ’12, president of the University’s Japan Society, described the account of Kota Suenaga, a University student currently on leave in Japan. They experienced the earthquake that occurred at 2:46 in the afternoon and lasted more then five minutes. The first tidal wave occurred 30 minutes later. Uehara showed striking images of the destruction, images of cars that had been carried onto the tops of buildings by massive waves.

The subsequent question-and-answer session involved a talk on discrimination in regards to those exposed to radiation. There was also discussion on how the electric company had made mistakes, regarding the positioning of the water tank and reactor, for example.

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Headline News

Controversy surrounds ‘Three Cups of Tea’

By Olesya Minina

Writer

Greg Mortenson, author of the best-selling book and the University’s first-year reading experience selection “Three Cups of Tea,” has been accused of partly fabricating his inspiring memoir as well as mismanaging his non-profit organization, the Central Asia Institute (CAI). This institute builds schools and promotes education for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The controversy has made University administrators, faculty, and students question whether the book should remain in place as the first-year reading experience as well as whether Mortenson should still be brought to campus.

On Sunday evening, “60 Minutes” aired a story making allegations about the credibility of Mortenson and “Three Cups of Tea.” The book recounts his descent from K2, the second largest mountain in the world, after a failed climb. Mortenson, weak and exhausted, came to Korphe, a small northeast Pakistan village, where he was nursed back to health. After witnessing the kindness of the villagers and the barley existent schooling systems, Mortenson promised to return and build schools in some of the most isolated areas in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Recent reports from The New York Times, The Bozeman Chronicle and a CBS report suggest that Mortenson’s book and charity could be misleading. Some of the moving stories in “Three Cups of Tea” are argued to be partly false. The CBS report, citing sources, stated that porters that accompanied Mortenson in 1993 said he did not actually visit Korphe until a year after the descent, falsifying a central story in the book.

Reports have also surfaced that Mortenson has been using the charity for personal interests, stating the CAI is spending millions to advertise Mortenson’s books. CAI’s public 990 tax form shows that in 2009 the charity had $14 million in income. It spent $3.9 million on schools overseas and $4.6 million on travel and guest lectures promoting the book. “60 Minutes” also reported that it checked on schools CAI claims to have built and found “some of them were empty, built by somebody else or simply didn’t exist at all. Many of schools said they had not received any money from CAI in years.”

Mortenson has issued a statement saying he stands by all the information his book as well as the value of the CAI and the work and help they provide. His publisher, Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group USA, is staying silent and standing by their client.

“Recent allegations against Mr. Mortenson have sparked a controversy on whether or not the book should still be the first-year reading experience,” Provost Mick Smyer said. “An advisory committee is taking the matter very seriously, considering the pros and the cons, and is going to decide in the next week or two.”

“Three Cups of Tea” was chosen as the first-year reading experience for this fall and copies have been offered to all new students as well as faculty. Mortenson is also scheduled to speak on campus this October.

“Like many on campus and beyond, I am deeply concerned about the questions recent media reports raise about the credibility of ”Three Cups of Tea’ and the range of activities funded by this charity through Mr. Mortenson’s work,” University President John Bravman said. “While all reports continue to underscore the meaningful difference he has made in Afghanistan and Pakistan, we all know these reports raise troubling ethical questions, especially for universities, where academic integrity is a fundamental value. The book selection committee and the Bucknell Forum Task Force have met already to examine these issues carefully, and I trust them to determine whether we should continue with this book as our first-year reading experience focus and whether Mr. Mortenson should come to campus as a forum guest.”

Bravman and the Operations and Management Group will also be debating the impact of the claims against Mortenson.

Mortenson’s goal was to promote peace through education in conflict-prone areas, which prompted him to co-found CAI, whose mission is to promote and provide education, especially for girls. The Institute claims to have established 170 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, partially or fully supported 687 teachers, and educated over 58,000 students.

“[I was] disturbed and disappointed that the author could have possibly abused such an inspiring story for personal gain which also invalidates other non-fiction writers who have used the power of the written word honestly,” Madison Stevens ’14 said.

Smyer stated that he is “torn between the value of the message in the book, and the value of the messenger.”

Categories
News

Students seek to make Univ. Fair Trade

By Katherine Schotz

Writer

A group of 10 seniors is taking the necessary steps to make the University a Fair Trade University, which would make it not only the first Patriot League school, but the first on the east coast and sixth university overall to become certified fair trade. The group hosted alum Scott Leeder ’04, CEO of Ameica’s first fair trade clothing company.

According to Fair Trade USA’s official website, the organization strives “to empower family farmers and workers around the world, while enriching the lives of those struggling in poverty. Rather than creating dependency on aid, we use a market-based approach that empowers farmers to get a fair price for their harvest, helps workers create safe working conditions, provides a decent living wage and guarantees the right to organize.”

“Certified fair trade products ensure that everyone who is involved in making the product gets a living wage,” said Clayton Smith ’11, one of the members of the group. “There are higher social and environmental standards too.”

In order to gain certification, a school must offer two fair trade products at every food outlet. The University currently uses fair trade baking chocolate in the dining products, and there is also a fair trade coffee option.

“We are trying to get people to recognize and raise awareness that there is another option,” Bryan Seward ’11 said.

The students are working hard to get the attention of the student body. About 20 students attended Leeder’s lecture about the importance of fair trade.

“Most of our efforts concern informing students about fair trade, Dan Minnis ’11 said. “The social issues around the products and why they are better are important and not as well known as they should be.”

One of the ways that the group was able to raise awareness on campus was by creating a committee that will continue to raise awareness and increase use of fair trade products. Some of the possible ways they are trying to do this include working with Leeder to have the golf team wear fair trade polo shirts. If this happens, it would be the first official University team to wear fair trade uniforms.

The group’s long-term goal is to have the Dining Services company’s contract include a clause that requires the use of fair trade products, Minnis said. Because the group has formed a student organization, new members will take over where they leave off after May’s graduation.

The group hopes that by May 22, the University will officially be certified as Fair Trade. There are two main aspects left: the group needs to submit paperwork and also needs a faculty adviser.

“We are looking for someone who respects the social responsibility initiative,” Seward said.  “We set up the group so that it is student-run, so the adviser’s role would be a small time commitment.”

The seniors are confident that next year the students who take over will continue to raise awareness and work with the University.

Categories
Featured News

Greene discusses string theory

By Olivia Seecof

Writer

String theory could potentially bridge the gap between features of the micro-world and the macro-world and lead to further development of a unified theory, said a world-renowned theoretical physicist at a talk on Tuesday.

On April 19, Trout Auditorium was filled to capacity as Brian Greene delivered his lecture “Breakthrough Thinking: Challenging What We Know.” The overflow was directed to the Rooke Chemistry auditorium to watch a live streaming of Greene’s lecture. The talk, which was free and open to the public, was the sixth lecture of the ongoing Bucknell Forum series, “Creativity Beyond the Box.”

“Science is a dramatic story of adventure,” Greene said. He integrated the ideas of science and creativity throughout his lecture, saying that “everyone doesn’t need to be excited about science, but everyone can be,” and that “it is a great opportunity for the arts to be inspired by science.”  These statements received a long round of applause from the crowd of students.

Through narrated video clips and explanations in simple terms, Green gave background on why the study of the formation of the universe is so captivating.

“Math is not just symbols on a paper; it actually shows you something on how the world works,” Greene said.

An analogy that Greene included was to show how a 10th dimension is possible. He instructed the audience to imagine different dimensions curling up and being able to trace that curl–like an ant walking around a telephone wire. Another analogy was that of the universe being a big rubber sheet, and the sun is a bowling ball stretching the sheet. The Earth travels around the sun on the path determined by the curvature of the bending of the sheet like a marble travels around the sheet stretched by the bowling ball.

“I thought he made it really easy to follow with the analogies he used and the visuals. He was also really enthusiastic and engaging,” Kelly Burkhart ’14 said.

String theory is very complex, so it is quite possible that many non-physics specialists got lost in some of the terminology and concepts. Greene spent much of his lecture explaining how the strings that make up the quarks of protons, neutrons and electrons vibrate in different patterns. These different patterns create different kinds of particles. String theory sets up the framework to provide a unifying theory. Greene said that the string theory “suggests that maybe we are one of a multitude of universes.”

“[The lecture] was baffling and enlightening at the same time,” Nicole Diamantides ’14 said.

According to Greene, a scientific genius is able to look at what everyone else is seeing and see something else. Greene definitely satisfies his own qualifications and delivered an enjoyable and informative lecture to the greater University community.

Greene is a leading physicist in his field, and the Washington Post calls him the “single best explainer of abstruse concepts in the world today.” Green has published many books including national best-seller “The Elegant Universe.” In this book Greene explored how quantum mechanics and general theories of relativity transformed the understanding of the universe and introduced the world to the string theory. Green is the co-director of Columbia University’s Institute for Strings, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.

“It was really cool to have such a highly respected individual in his field give a lecture on his specialty,” Jeremy Shui ’14 said. “As a current student of physics it was interesting to follow along and test my own understanding.”

Categories
News

Person of the Year: Missy Gutkowski

Missy Gutkowskiw as selected as one of the Bucknellian's People of the Year.

By Tracy Lum

Senior Editor

The words “dream” and “imagine” decorate the walls of Missy Gutkowski’s office, a room that beams and radiates with as much positive energy as Gutkowski herself. A career consultant, the manager of the externship program and the assistant director of Alumni Relations and Career Services, she helps students pursue their dreams–whatever they are.

For Gutkowski, who began working at the University in September 2006, a career in career services was a natural fit. Having graduated from Susquehanna University with a degree in sociology, she then pursued a master’s degree in social work at Marywood University. Throughout her time at Susquehanna, she worked in the career office and even spent a summer interning at our University’s Career Development Center (CDC).

“I loved the aspect that everyone has a career, and everyone has a job,” Gutkowski said. “It was this topic I could talk about with anyone, and I knew that [Bucknell] was where I wanted to be eventually.” She got there sooner than expected.

Gutkowski was initially hired as the program director of externships, a position she still holds. The externship program allows sophomore students to job shadow a sponsoring employer for two days over winter break. As the program coordinator, she expanded the burgeoning idea into the thriving program it is today.

“She’s really been the person to tweak the program and see what’s working,” said Pamela Keiser, Executive Director of Career Services.

At first, the pilot program was only offered for the College of Engineering and a few arts and science majors. Each year, Gutkowski incorporates new concepts into the program. For example, she requires students to get their résumé critiqued before they can apply to the program. She also provides tips on how to behave and dress professionally during the externship experience. “This has really paid off over the past few years in a very positive way,” Keiser said.

Gutkowski also serves as a career counselor and oversees the student workers at the CDC. In both roles, she goes above and beyond, developing genuine connections with students as she helps them achieve their goals.

“One of the things I admire most is her total commitment to educating students and the excitement and motivation she gets out of working with students,” said Sarah Bell, Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services.

Many students who have worked with Gutkowski over her tenure agree. Rob Shanahan ’10 worked with Gutkowski for two and a half years, and he  believes that she truly defined his experience at alumni relations and career services.

“She was and continues to be the best supervisor that I’ve ever had,” Shanahan said. “Her management style is such that I loved my job, even the more mundane parts of it because I could see how it all fit into the big picture.”

Overseeing the student worker program gives Gutkowski insight into how to reach out to students. She not only hires and trains students, but also develops a personal connection with them.

“That’s a blast. I love it because I get to keep the pulse of students,” she said. “I want to know what students are thinking.”

Career counseling is another way that Gutkowski reaches out to students. Up to 12-14 students work with her per week, a vigorous schedule that could drain even the most resilient of workers. Gutkowski, however, keeps her energy level up–-even without coffee.

“Throughout the week, the students energize me, and just loving what I do,” Gutkowski said. “It’s awesome to know that you can be a piece in teaching someone about what’s going to make them so great or what they’re choosing to do with their life.”

The students who consult with her also notice her dedication, energy and vivacity.

“Missy is the most helpful person when it comes to advice and help with networking [and] job/internship searching,” Malika Subramanian ’11 said. “She is always detailed in her response and never lets you down.”

John Stevenson ’11 also believes that Gutkowski was immensely helpful in his job search.

“She consistently strove to help me with my search, including working on my resume after she had left the CDC for the day,” he said. “She is dedicated to helping students find solutions to their issues, and the Bucknell community is blessed to have her.”

Across her roles at alumni relations and career services, Gutkowski strives for excellence and demonstrates her genuine passion for counseling.

“It’s just this idea that [University students] can do absolutely anything. This is truly just the beginning,” she said.

“Seriously,” Gutkowski said, “dream, imagine.”

Categories
Arts & Life Study Abroad

My Journey Around the World

By Kaitlin Segal

Contributing Writer

Twenty-two University students (and more than 550 students from other colleges and universities) boarded the MV Explorer in Ensenada, Mexico for the Spring 2010 Semester at Sea voyage around the world. On that first day, I knew three fellow University students, and by the end of our adventure, all 21 (and a whole group of students from literally all over the world) were my family, new life-long friends and fellow voyagers who transformed my life. We all came home knowing that Semester at Sea allowed us to see the world from diverse and new perspectives that differed greatly from our isolated and personal perceptions.

When the news traveled across the world, all the way to us on the high seas, that Semester at Sea was disqualified as a Universty abroad program, my heart broke. The outpouring of support was the catalyst for reinstating the program, and I was thrilled, as this experience changed my life. I saw myself growing as a person and learning so much just after the very first international port in Yokohama, Japan. Now that I have cruised around the world, departing from my last port in Salvador, Brazil and reentering the United States in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., I can truly say I learned more in that semester than I ever have or possibly will in any educational setting.

As I began my studies aboard the MV Explorer, my floating campus for over three months, I continuously learned about issues of poverty, sustainability, disease, race, religion and so much more. True, some of the information I may have already known, but to be immersed in these countries that suffer from such poverty and disease, and to get to know the people, the information and emotions took on new meaning and understanding.

I saw and felt the pain and suffering of human beings that no classroom lecture could possibly replicate. We studied about apartheid in South Africa, and then we saw and felt its after-effects as we walked through Cape Town. I read and heard about the extreme poverty and disease in India, but reading, researching and hearing of these issues cannot compare to my walking through the slums, smelling the urine in the streets and witnessing people walking by me with leprosy. These are just a handful of the daily eye-opening experiences I had.

The professors on board challenged me to open my mind and to absorb and immerse myself in the different cultures of the countries we visited. They encouraged me to go out into the field and use this new knowledge and to be unafraid of the unknown.

I have experienced new cultures and customs as I have navigated the world, and I will never forget the impact that so many wonderful people and opportunities have had on me. I have a new sense of confidence and independence that is the direct result from being a Semester at Sea student. I can and will travel, independently, anywhere in the world, and I know this was not something I could have done if I had chosen to study abroad in just one country. That being said, I am thrilled that this opportunity is possible for future University students because Semester at Sea has changed my life and made me into a better person.

 

Photo captions:

1. Group photo of the students, faculty and staff from the Spring 2010 Voyage

2. Skydiving over the North Shore of Honolulu, Hawaii

3. Hiking the Great Wall of China

4. Jumping in front of the majestic Taj Mahal

5. Habitat for Humanity in Ghana

6. Ruins of Angkor Tom, Cambodia with my dad for Parents’ Weekend

7. Palm Tree Orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

8. Moyo Tree House in Cape Town, South Africa for traditional food and dancing with five fellow University students. (From left to right: Kaitlin Segal ’11, Tom Stoddard ’11, Kelly Smith ’11, Kathleen Janosco ’11, Emily Hislop ’11, Ellie McIntyre ’11)

Categories
Arts & Life News

Lintott encourages awareness, self-reflection

By Ally Kebba

Contributing Writer

Originally from Sea Girt, N.J., just a few hours from campus, Dr. Sheila Lintott has always been familiar with the University. As an undergraduate student she attended Montclair University and went on to earn her Ph.D at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2002. After hearing of an available position in philosophy of art and aesthetics, she applied, was offered a position in the Philosophy Department at the University and took her place among the ranks of prized professors in Coleman Hall. Her teaching and research interests include aesthetics, the philosophy of art, ethics and applied ethics. She is especially interested in matters of environmental and feminist philosophy, particularly as they intersect.

Lintott had the childhood dream of serving as a Supreme Court Justice. She later came to find interests in nutrition and legal studies, but after just one philosophy course, she knew she was hooked.

“The questions were so fascinating and I loved that there was room for argument and discussion, that there weren’t easy answers or the illusion of easy answers,” Lintott said.

She enjoyed the freedom of being able to question conventional answers and the challenge of thinking in new and unusual ways.

Lintott welcomes the difficulties that come with teaching an introductory philosophy course.

“It is challenging, but really fun, enjoyable and satisfying, probably because its challenging. I think people are naturally philosophical regardless of whether they’ve been encouraged to ask questions. Everyone wonders about morality, the existence of a god, what makes something ‘true’ … philosophy has something for everyone to relate to and find personally interesting,” she said.

Lintott identified Feminist Philosophy as her favorite course to teach because she feels that it allows her to correct many misconceptions and stereotypes that people harbor about feminism and feminists. She appreciates the openness she finds in the students who select the course and their ability to delve deep into real-world issues.

Lintott proudly considers herself to be a feminist and defines that as someone who believes that men and women deserve equal respect, rights and treatment and is willing to stand up and say so. She works to rid common misunderstandings people have about feminists.

“Feminism is in the interest of both men and women,” she said.

Outside of the classroom, Lintott encourages students to be more self-reflective and aware of societal issues. She leads a reading group which discusses the book “Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power & A World Without Rape” and works on the advisory board of the Women’s Resource Center and the Women’s Gender Studies coordinating committee. Recently she has supported the stand against degrading party themes headed by the chapter presidents of the seven sororities on campus.

Her students appreciate Lintott’s involvement in issues beyond the classroom.

“As a first-year female at Bucknell, it has been a huge help to find a professor who is aware of gender issues on campus and is willing to discuss ways to improve campus climate. I feel it is important to unpack rape culture and double standard issues through discussion, and her willingness to facilitate these usually taboo discussions offers great encouragement,” Kate Albertini ’14 said.

Lincott reciprocates by explaining that her favorite part of the University is the people.

“There are so many people here who are just incredibly creative and ambitious in both teaching and research,” she said. “It creates a really inspiring and motivating environment, a good climate, good intellectual air to breathe.”

Categories
Arts & Life Music Review

A journey through the music of the 1990s

By Michelle Joline

Writer

While the Internet is constantly pouring information into our computers, phones and brains from all directions in this new age of technology, the music scene is changing. We rely on devices like iTunes and Pandora to introduce us to our new favorite artists, rather than discovering them on our go-to radio stations. There was something adventurous about tapping into the bands and artists that, we thought, no one else heard of. Now that we have become accustomed to the convenience of immediate gratification on the Internet, we could never go back to our more traditional ways. But, the greatness of the past does not only lay in how music was found but, more importantly, the music itself.

If there is one thing a lot of people can agree on, it is that we still love the 1990s. Hearing the classic songs of that decade brings us straight back to those feelings of excitement when we first heard them and the memories that they ignite. As more influences from the 1990s are popping up in the fashion world, with overalls and knee socks on current runways, it is inevitable that we turn to our favorite 1990s hits for inspiration.

After being bombarded with the new electronic sounds of today, which also can offer some pleasing listening, it is a great relief to hear the grungy, organic sounds of artists like Nirvana and Alanis Morissette. Their lyrics are gritty and perfect for the many teenage listeners who declare their problems to be bigger than anyone else’s. These songs influenced a generation and are still bringing in new fans, along with the many other artists who created the anthems of that decade.

There was the never-ending, wonderful battle between Britney and Christina and the boy-band craze that many of us hoped would never end. Our generation grew up with our baby-sitters blasting *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, making us fans for life. There is something about this music that is not really a part of current genres, something perhaps outwardly ridiculous at times but still fun.

Besides the bubble-gum sounds of Spice Girls and the chart-topping pop groups, there is nothing pretty about many of the artists of the 1990s. Metallica mastered the art of sounding angry, and Weezer influenced the alternative artists of today, still making hits now with current styles. Many of the songs that are so appealing may be guilty pleasures, but we must like them for some reason. The sulky voice of Fiona Apple has every girl identifying with her woes and No Doubt proclaims that we are more than just girls. Obviously, these artists appealed more to the female spectrum than Dr. Dre and Jock Jams did.

The music of the 1990s is the perfect example of us not appreciating what we have until it is gone. As the millennium approached, no one really made an effort to hold onto the great aspects of the passing decade. Even though the 1990s are long gone, we can still appreciate the music that were the soundtracks to our lives growing up, and perhaps helped to make us who we are today.

If you are interested in reconnecting with some of the 1990s hits, here’s a playlist of some top songs from the decade:

 

Alanis Morissette, “You Oughta Know“

Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Spice Girls, “Wannabe”

The Smashing Pumpkins, “1979”

No Doubt, “Just a Girl”

*NSYNC, “I Want You Back”

Weezer, “Buddy Holly”

Backstreet Boys, “Larger than Life”

Sixpence None the Richer, “Kiss Me”

Britney Spears, ” … Baby One More Time”

Christina Aguilera, “What a Girl Wants”

Sinéad O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U”

Counting Crows, “Mr. Jones”

Fiona Apple, “Criminal”

Ben Folds Five, “Brick”

The Cranberries, “Dreams”

The Notorious B.I.G., “Big Poppa”

The Pretenders, “I’ll Stand by You”

Blink-182, “Anthem”

Coolio, “Gangsta’s Paradise”

TLC, “Creep”

Destiny’s Child, “Bills, Bills, Bills”

Fugees, “Killing Me Softly”

Categories
Arts & Life

Top 10 places to study

By Katie Monigan

Staff Writer

Top 10 places on campus to study, other than the library

  1. The academic quad. If you’re outside on a sunny (rainless) spring day, you’ll no doubt see people studying on the quad. Amongst the Frisbee tosses and the sunbathing, the sun-loving and studious among us sprawl themselves out on blankets with friends and simultaneously soak up some rays while soaking up knowledge.
  2. Seventh Street. For the less-than-sunny days this spring, a great choice is Seventh Street Café where students can listen to background music, chat with friends, enjoy a specially-prepared beverage and get some work done in the process. Added bonus: it’s open 24 hours, so your 4 a.m. cram-sessions can be properly caffeinated.
  3. Your room. For those of us who are tidy enough to have the desk space, studying in your room can be a convenient option for when you don’t want to brave stormy weather. It also works if you haven’t showered in a few days, or if you happen to have a really comfortable chair.
  4. Your bed. For those of us who are too lazy even to make it to our desk chairs, studying in bed is another option. It is, however, very difficult to stay awake when studying in this manner, so those who choose this location are likely to not actually get anything done, or are just freakishly perky.
  5. Breakiron lounges. Every floor of Breakiron Engineering has a lounge with couches, some with vending machines and computers as well, and it’s not just for engineers. They’re usually quiet, the building is open 24/7 if you walk there through Dana Engineering, and it’s much newer and brighter than Dana which is students’ usual destination after 2 a.m.
  6. Willard Smith Library. Okay, technically it is a library, but it’s not THE library, so it gets to be on the list. Willard Smith is located on the uphill side of Vaughan Lit, across from DU, and is great for reading. The large room is warmly lit, and filled with old wooden furniture. It’s sometimes reserved, but when it’s not it’s quiet and all the old books are academically inspiring.
  7. The caf. For hungry students who also need to study, this is a great option. Every time you need a break, a variety of foods is at your fingertips. Plus, since some groups of friends make it a habit to “caf sit,” or stay for an absurdly long time after they finish eating, students studying for hours fit right in.
  8. A friend’s room. Boring things are always better with a buddy, so if you have a class with a friend, you might like to do your studying together. Although there is a possibility that immense amounts of actual work get done, there is also a possibility that your study session will become an all night chit-chat. Choose your buddy wisely.
  9. The new student space. For those students who enjoy people-watching, studying in the new student space is entertaining, since in a few hours about half the student body will pass by. It is also conveniently located next to the mail room and across from the Bison, which allows for convenient snacking when necessary but doesn’t have the added temptations of unlimited food like the caf.
  10. Dana Lobby. It’s a big engineering secret, but everyone deserves to know: Dana lobby houses the most comfortable couches on campus. The lobby’s not very well-lit, it’s not terribly inviting and it smells a little funny, but the couches make it well worth its drawbacks. If your studying is going to run a little late and you only have time for an hour or so to sleep, there’s no better location for your studying and naptime than Dana Lobby.