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Beyond the Bison Sports

Beyond the Bison: Sports News Across the Nation

 

Courtesy of Wikimedia CommonsDwight Howard of the Lakers. His acquisition was expected to provide a boost, but things haven't gone as planned.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Dwight Howard of the Lakers. His acquisition was expected to provide a boost, but things haven’t gone as planned.

Julian Dorey

Writer

“You play in dirt, you get dirty.”

Last year, there was Albert Pujols. Pujols was considered the best baseball player in the world when his services were up for bidding at the 2011 Winter Meetings (and while he had a quiet year this past season, he most definitely is still one of the best). There were plenty of other big name prizes up for grabs as well: Prince Fielder, C.J. Wilson and Hanley Ramirez to name a few.

This year? Not so much. The 2012 MLB free-agent class is much weaker. There are smaller names, and thus there will be smaller numbers next to the dollar totals on the contracts they will all eventually sign. However, there is one very interesting and big name out there: Josh Hamilton.

Yes, Hamilton, perhaps the biggest lightning rod in all of baseball. Just about every fan knows his story at this point. He was the number one overall pick in the 1999 MLB draft and shortly after spiraled out of control with drug and alcohol addictions. The addictions landed him on the unemployment line from 2004-2006, and only then did he get his life in order. After doing so, he worked his way into a major league lineup the hard way, and eventually landed with the Texas Rangers in 2008, where he finally showed his true ability and became a perennial all-star.

With his contract up and his power bat set to hit the market, Hamilton should be getting a seven-year deal worth $200 million plus, right? Wrong. While Hamilton has been a great story and an inspiration to many, his battle with alcohol and drugs is very real and will be an ongoing struggle until he takes his last breath. During his “story-book” tenure with the Rangers (that included two trips to the World Series), Hamilton had several relapses that brought negative attention to the team.

Last year specifically, after the team hired a traveling mentor/counselor to work with him and be his “sponsor” of sorts, Hamilton still relapsed, and after a monster start to his season, cooled off and hurt his team down the stretch.

Hamilton’s body has taken a beating (through no one’s fault but his own). Though he is only 31, you have to wonder if his body will hit a wall soon because of his past. Throughout much of the season, he sulked about not having a new contract from the Rangers, something that many members within the organization believe contributed to his decline in play during the season.

He is a great player, but he is also a burden. One mistake could literally kill him. It’s sad, but that is the harsh reality of being an addict.

Hamilton wants the big contract over many years, but I’m not sure he’s going to get it. The Rangers have already said they will not commit beyond three years.

To me, Hamilton is not worth the aggravation. He is a great player with a rare five-tool skill set, but his baggage may outweigh what his body will be willing to produce on the field in the next several years. Should the Rangers not retain him, one would have to assume it would be because another team is willing to commit big money beyond three years. To whatever teams are considering the idea, thinking they can swoop in and steal an MVP player, I’ll say this: be careful what you wish for.

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Basketball Men Sports

Men’s basketball off to 6-1 start

Andrew Arnao
Senior Writer

After falling by a final of 60-57 in a close game at Penn State, the men’s basketball team returned to their winning ways on Nov. 27 with a 62-49 home victory against Dartmouth. The victory marked the 100th win in Sojka Pavilion for the Bison, and gives them a 6-1 record for the year.

The Bison held a 0-9 record at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center going into the game, and at first it looked like the Bison would break their winless streak. The Bison charged out to a 10-2 lead, led by six points from guard Bryson Johnson ’13. Though the Orange and the Blue continued to hold the lead for the remainder of the first half, going into halftime with a 22-16 advantage, the Bison offense only managed to make 35.7 percent of their field goal attempts.

“We didn’t play well,” forward Brian Fitzpatrick ’13 said. “We were out of sync offensively and had too many turnovers in the first half. We should have been up by a lot more than six at halftime. In the second half, we still struggled to score, but Penn State started hitting shots. ”

Almost non-existent in the first half, the Penn State offense exploded in the second half to the tune of a 65.4 percent shooting percentage on field goals. Though the Bison were able to keep up at first, Penn State tied the game for the first time at 34-34 and eventually went ahead for good after breaking a 39-39 tie with a jumper. The Bison kept it close, thanks in part to a strong 14-point effort from guard Cameron Ayers ’14, who hit a three-pointer with eight seconds left to make the score 59-57. Penn State then only managed one of two free throws, but the three-point attempt from Ayers did not find the net as time expired.

Johnson led the team with 18 points in the loss, while forward Mike Muscala ’13 recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

“The Penn State game was tough because we started the game with too many turnovers and didn’t really get in a good flow offensively,” Johnson said. “We allowed them to stay in the game early and that allowed them to eventually take the lead on us and end up winning the game. It was a tough loss, but we will move forward and are already focused on Dartmouth.”

The Bison jumped out to another early lead against Dartmouth, delighting the home crowd with a 12-2 run to start the game. A rash of turnovers allowed Dartmouth to come back, and the Big Green managed to tie the score with six minutes remaining in the half. The two teams then exchanged leads over the next few minutes, with three free throws from Johnson giving the Bison a 25-24 advantage one second before halftime.

Though Dartmouth kept the score close, the Bison would not fall behind for the entire second half, and slowly began to break away. After Dartmouth managed to tie the score for the last time at 35-35, Muscala countered with a dunk, a three-pointer and four free throws to give the Bison a 44-35 lead. Dartmouth managed to crawl back to a 45-40 deficit, but a great steal by Ayers and back-to-back blocks from Muscala and forward Joe Willman ’13 kept the Big Green from getting any closer. Outstanding work on the foul line (8-8 in the last 1:20 and 29-34 overall) allowed the Bison to pull away for a double-digit victory.

Muscala and Ayers both had double-doubles, and Muscala also lead the team with 17 points. Willman and Johnson also had 13 and 10 points, respectively.

The Bison look to continue their seven-game winning streak against Ivy League teams as they travel to face Columbia tomorrow.

Categories
Basketball Sports Women

Women’s basketball continues win streak

Ajan Caneda
Copy Editor

After stumbling to a 0-2 start, the women’s basketball team bounced back to win its first game of the season against Canisius 59-50, giving head coach Aaron Roussell his first win as Bison head coach. On Nov. 21, the Orange and Blue carried that momentum back home, where they defeated Niagara 77-69, behind Alyssa Dunn’s ’13 career-high 23 points.

The Bison outscored Niagara 36-20 in the first half. Lindsay Horbatuck ’13 showed her balanced attack once again, scoring 10 points and pulling down eight rebounds in the half. The Orange and Blue got contributions from many members of the team during a 15-4 run that pushed the lead to 12 with 6:38 left in the half. Shelby Romine ’14 dished one of her four assists to Dunn who scored a lay-up to build the lead to 20. The Bison shot 41.2 percent (14-34) from the field to carry a double-digit lead into halftime.

“Something that has been very evident in our last three games is our team’s work ethic. Every night that we go out on the court, we vow to outwork and outhustle our opponents,” Horbatuck said.

In the second half, Niagara fought back to eventually cut the lead down to four with 3:13 left in the game. This arose from a 25-9 run that saw the Purple Eagles nail five three-pointers. It would not be enough to hold down the Bison, as Romine and Dunn combined for 14 of the last 15 points for the Orange and Blue to seal the win.

Despite the late Niagara run, the Bison never trailed in the game. Their 77 points is the most they have scored since Feb. 2011. Dunn also had a career-high six assists to go along with her 23 points and went a perfect 3-3 from three-point range and 8-8 from the free throw line, while Horbatuck had a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

“During the last three games, I think we really came out strongly as a team. Even when we went through rough spots, we persevered and turned things around quickly. Above all else, we never doubted that we could win,” Dunn said.

Following the win, the Bison bested Morgan State 72-64 in Baltimore, putting them over .500 for the first time since the 2008-2009 season.

The game got off to an early start when a Morgan State technical foul led to a free throw by Romine right before the opening seconds of the game. A pair of free throws by Horbatuck capped a 9-0 start for the Bison. The Orange and Blue led for most of the first half, but the Bears eventually regained a one-point lead at the break.

Even with a 4:03 field goal drought in the second half, Sheaira Jones ’16 scored a lay-up to take the lead that the Bison never relinquished to pick up a win against the Bears. Dunn, Romine and Felicia Mgbada ’13 each scored in double figures, while Audrey Dotson ’15 and Horbatuck each had nine points to go along with a combined 20 rebounds. The Bison out-rebounded the Bears 53-33.

“One of the little things includes rebounding, which I think my team has excelled at recently. Getting offensive boards turns into second chance opportunities and getting defensive boards turns into transition which is a huge part of our offensive game,” Horbatuck said.

The Bison continued their early season dominance with a fourth straight win over Mount St. Mary’s. Dunn and Romine each finished with 11 points, while Jones had a near double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. The Bison led by 10 at halftime, a lead that would be cut down to two in the second half, but Dunn and Katherine Harris ’15 made two key three-pointers down the stretch that lifted the Bison to the 55-43 win.

The Bison look to extend their win streak, as they face Buffalo tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Davis Gym, followed by a match-up at Penn on Dec. 3.

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Arts & Life Columns Movies Review

Skyfall deemed one of the best Bond installments, a possible Oscar contender

Carolyn Williams

Writer

As the Bond franchise celebrates its 50th anniversary, director Sam Mendes delivers a terrific reboot to the series with “Skyfall.” Engaging, modern and lovingly self-referential, “Skyfall” is a definite contender as one of the best 007 movies of all time.

“Skyfall” opens, in traditional Bond fashion, in an exotic locale (Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar) as our hero (Daniel Craig), in all his perfectly tailored glory, knocks over some fruit carts in his attempt to catch the “bad guy”–in this case, he’s stolen a flash drive loaded with valuable information. Rooftop chases and a fight on a train ensue (Bond stopping to adjust a cuff link before reentering the fray); it’s all in a day’s work for 007–until it’s not. When the villain in question uses Bond as a human shield and his fellow agent cannot get a clean shot, M (Judi Dench), via earpiece, commands she take the shot, and Bond apparently dies.

Shockingly, 007 does not die 20 minutes into this film. While he’s presumed dead, some serious dilemmas arise at MI6. M is subjected to her new, deeply bureaucratic boss (Ralph Fiennes), who thinks it is about time she stepped down, and is seriously questioning the role of secret agents in an increasingly digital world. Shortly after this dressing down, M is made the target of a terrorist attack on MI6 itself, and is told to “think on her sins.” All this, and she has to write Bond’s obituary, too?

Happily, Bond returns to London soon enough, but this is a tired and aging Bond. Forced to retake his physical and mental exams, he scrapes by and returns to active duty, gunning for the cyber terrorist targeting M. With the help of the latest Bond girl, he finds the perversely amiable Silva (a blonde Javier Bardem) living on a creepily abandoned island. It turns out that Silva’s an ex-MI6 agent who has major Oedipal beef with M. In an exciting and somewhat expected plot twist, Silva is not so well-caught as MI6 had hoped, and both Bond and M must run for cover until they are able to face Silva on Bond’s home turf.

“Skyfall” is hands down the best action movie of the year, which is already saying something unusual about a Bond movie of late. This film is the rightful sequel to 2006’s “Casino Royale,” and firmly sets up Bond movies for years to come. (Let’s just pass over the blip that was “Quantum of Solace,” shall we?) A super-creepy Bardem is a terrific baddie–always a good sign in the world of 007 successes. With the help of fresh, new cast members (Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw), this Bond screams 21st century, a place some weren’t sure he belonged. Specifically great is a sardonically nerdy Whishaw as the latest Q, who jokes, “What, were you expecting an exploding pen? We don’t really do that anymore.”

Although gone is Connery’s sarcastic, all-knowing Bond, Craig’s more realistically brutal performance is an easy second for best ever 007.

“A dynamic and vulnerable Daniel Craig comes of age in this action packed movie, making this Bond one of the best,” Ava Giuliano ’14 said.

The exuberant references to past adventures, witty script and the unexpected return of a certain Aston Martin DB5 make “Skyfall” one of the best Bond installments, and perhaps even a contender this Oscar season.

Categories
Opinion

Daylight Savings interrupts evening routines

Lauren Buckley

Opinions Editor

While it was nice to get that cherished extra hour of sleep–especially in a college student’s sleep schedule–Daylight Savings really snuck up on me this fall. I never took much notice to the hour shift before this year when it really seemed to disorient my schedule in unexpected ways.

The sunset in Lewisburg this week was around 4:40 p.m., and when it starts to become pitch black outside before 5 p.m., I find it extremely difficult to maintain a normal evening routine. My body responds to the darkness, and the drowsiness sets in before I’ve even eaten dinner! How am I supposed to be able to accomplish the studying that needs to get done in the evening when I feel like I should be slipping under the covers at 5 p.m. because it’s so dark out?

The early sunset also sucks away any motivation I have to do anything active (this may even include walking all the way to the library). When it is dark and really chilly outside, the only thing I feel like doing is hibernating in my room. I also hope I am not the only person who noticed an increased desire to snack, especially on junk food and sweets. I am convinced this has to do with the new shift to such an early darkness. We are all much more active and less self-pitying when it is light and warm outside, like during the summer.

Even as someone who dreads waking up in the morning no matter how late it is, I have to admit that Daylight Savings makes the mornings much more bearable. It’s hard not to wake up and smile when it is a beautiful, bright fall day and the sun is shining so early. I’m sure it makes all the unlucky students with 8 a.m. classes a lot less miserable.

Because of the changes I’ve observed due to this unfortunate time shift, I’ve adjusted my schedule to compensate for the hasty loss of light. I try my best to get as much work done as possible early or between classes, the time of day when I have the most energy and motivation. I also make sure I don’t keep too many tempting treats next to my bed, no matter how intense those cravings are. If you are anything like me and feel like your circadian rhythms are just totally off, recognizing this about yourself is the first step towards recovery.

I can’t help the discouraging feeling that next semester will be challenging during the dead of winter. Simply enough, most people do not flourish in cold, dark weather (hence the reason half a million Americans are diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder every year). Based on my small successes in changing my routine, I know that a few adaptations can easily be made to cope with the seasonal and time changes that winter brings.

Categories
Opinion

Spreading holiday cheer brightens finals week

El McCabe

Staff Writer

With Christmas and Winter Break just around the corner, it is time to get in the proper holiday spirit! For many students, it can be sad not to be home for the decorating and preparing aspect of the season; however, there are many things that can be done on campus to make up for this.

One way of bringing the holiday spirit and cheer to life on campus is the old standby of decorating your dorm room. In college, your dorm room is essentially your home, and bringing cheer to such a small area can actually make a world of difference. Imagine walking into your room every day during finals week to a beautifully decorated mini-Christmas tree or a menorah. There is no chance that seeing that small Christmas tree, menorah, snowman, holiday lights, etc. will not bring a smile to your face. You will also be the envy of all your friends in the dorm for having the most festive living space of all.

Another fun activity you can do to get into the holiday spirit is bake. During the holiday season at my house, there are dozens upon dozens of baked goodies everywhere. Fortunately, baking is possible on campus and these same delicious treats can be made just about anywhere there is an oven. It is proven that baking and cooking are good stress relievers that can serve as fun (and delicious) study breaks during finals. There is truly no better way to make new friends and bring in the holiday spirit than to bake a tray full of cookies and share them with everyone.

Finally, starting a Secret Santa gift exchange or making holiday cards is another way to spread holiday cheer on campus. Rather than buying a bunch of small and meaningless gifts for all your friends, Secret Santa is a great way to put a lot of thought into one gift without breaking the bank. Secret Santa is always fun because it is exciting trying to guess the person who has you and thinking of creative gifts for your person. It also avoids the awkward moment when someone buys you a gift unexpectedly and you have nothing to give him or her, and vice versa. Similarly, handing out holiday cards or making them from scratch is a personal and thoughtful way of wishing your friends a wonderful holiday break. Such a small gesture of giving someone a card can bring a smile to his or her face and truly bring in the spirit of the season of giving.

It is more than possible to spread holiday cheer during these few remaining weeks on campus. Bringing the aspects of home to campus during the holiday season can help you get through the stress of finals and motivate you more than ever. Sometimes it only takes a small gesture to get you and everyone around you in the spirit of the season.

Categories
Opinion

New Greek member experience is meaningful

Justin Marinelli

Senior Writer

I went through rush this year thinking I had everything planned out. I knew exactly where I wanted to rush, how I was going to go about it and what I would get out of it. Well, sort of. Fastidious plans aren’t my strong suit. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I had a framework laid out.

Something happened though, that I didn’t have a framework for dealing with. One of the fraternities I ended up visiting (that wasn’t on my intended list) just clicked with me. I felt comfortable there. It felt right. In the span of roughly an hour, I became a lot more interested than I had before. So much for having everything figured out.

Over the following days, I ended up spending a lot more time there. The brothers never failed to greet me enthusiastically every time I showed up. I clicked with the guys I met, and I loved just hanging out with them. By the end of rush, I knew where I wanted to be.

Luckily, they wanted me as well. I wasn’t out of the woods yet though. I’d heard tales of hazing, and I was unsure of how that would turn out. Fortunately, I didn’t need to worry. My pledge process turned out to be a smooth, rewarding experience, as I bonded with my pledge brothers, learned the history of my fraternity and learned the rituals and customs I would need to know.

Eventually, I reached the end of my pledge process. As I stood there at initiation, waiting to be officially confirmed as a new member, I couldn’t help but feel an immense surge of pride. I was ready for this, I had worked for this and now I was going to officially be a brother. I loved my pledging process, but I couldn’t wait for the next part of the journey.

The Greek system isn’t for everyone, and it does have its own set of issues. Still, that’s a topic for another time. For me, after a semester of entering the Greek system, getting through the pledge process and ending the year as a full-on fraternity man, I know it was worth it. Not only that, but it was one of the richest experiences I’ve ever had, one that has been equal parts exciting, enlightening and unexpected, and without a doubt, definitely beyond anything I could have planned for.

Categories
Opinion

Holiday hookups with exes are a bad idea

Justin Marinelli

Senior Writer

Over the holidays it can always be tempting to fall back into old habits and hook up with an ex or a former summer fling from home. But take this warning before you return home and make a potentially big mistake.

One of my old girlfriends, Freyja (not her real name), contacted me a while back about getting some help with her college essays. Seeing as how I spend a lot of my time writing, I considered myself sufficiently practiced at this point to be able to give meaningful advice (and honestly, she needed it).

In between sending copies of her essays back and forth, we caught up on what we’d been up to since we last saw each other. She’d been rising through the ranks in the school choirs and was earning high-level places in state choirs. It was hard not to feel proud of her. She also had a new boyfriend who was not exactly the same kind of guy I was. He apparently wasn’t as smart, driven, athletic, knowledgeable, charismatic, witty, mature, confident or good-looking as I was (he is also apparently “way more modest” than I am). It was hard to keep my ego in check, which was where the trouble started.

After talking a while, we planned to meet up over break. This was my chance. All I had to do was show up, be way more awesome than her new boyfriend and odds were she would eventually fall into my arms. I had no intention of any sort of romantic relationship with her again, but a holiday hook-up? I could be thankful for that.

But why was I even thinking about doing that? It wasn’t as if there was any left over attraction (that was gone even before the relationship ended). It was my ego flaring up. It had been agitated by hearing about Freyja’s new man. I wanted to make her yield to me, to know that I still had the same sexual power over her that I used to.

Luckily, I realized that I was feeling these things. I had a good laugh at myself, and made myself some tea. I learned long ago not to entertain thoughts like that. It would most likely be fun to hang out and meet her new guy, and it could occur without making it about my ego.

Still, I ended up canceling on Freyja anyway. I knew my ego wouldn’t be a problem, and I knew it could be great fun, but deep down, I really didn’t want to see her. I suppose at the end of the day I felt that there was too much of a gap in experience, knowledge and maturity to make it worth my time. There’s only a two-year gap between us, but it feels like a lot more than that sometimes.

Maybe I’ll see her over winter break. Maybe not. Either way, she’s not the only old flame I’ve got back in New Jersey. I think I’ll see at least one or two of them this December. I don’t know if anything will happen, if there are even any embers left burning on my side or theirs, but it would make my life a lot easier if everything was extinguished. I know it’s forecasted to be a very cold winter this year and that nothing can keep you warmer than an old flame, but I’d rather the only fire that’s burning be in the hearth.

Hooking up with an old flame is usually about two things: satisfying your ego or trying to keep the past alive (and frequently, both). Neither one results in a happy ending in the long-term. Don’t do it. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, not to make poor decisions.

Categories
Opinion Uncategorized

Date parties are fun alternatives to registers

Riley Schwengel

Writer

As of now, it can probably be safely assumed that most of the University’s students have attended one or more of its famous “registers,” during which students cram into one of the many frat houses and dance, shoulder to shoulder, to extremely loud music. If you are looking to get down to the latest hits and sweat it out with a bunch of people in a rave-like environment, then the register is the perfect place to do so. Want to dance dirty with a stranger and maybe have one of those random hookups you’ve been hearing about? Great! Head over to the nearest frat hosting a party and get your groove on! But if you’re looking to meet new people, have a conversation with someone or just hangout casually, then the register probably is not the party you are looking for. While these types of parties can be fun and entertaining, after a while they leave one desiring more on Friday or Saturday night.

Throughout my first year, I attended most of the registers that occurred over the year and had a great time dancing and letting loose. However, towards the end of the year the parties got stale for me, and I began to desire real human interaction and to actually talk to my fellow party-goers instead of just dancing next to them. I tried to go to downtown parties, but they were even harder to get into and often just turned into an unofficial register with people packed to the walls. Then, I got to attend a date party and was relieved to find it was a much more social environment. Date parties have a more relaxed feel to them, with the music being played at a more reasonable volume and attendees talking and enjoying each others’ company. I found it was much easier to go up to a stranger and strike up a conversation at the date party than it was at a register, where such an act is an accomplishment to say the least. The only hitch is that you have to bring a date, which can be a hassle to find, but is not impossible once you get the courage. I suppose it is not required to have a date if you are a member of the organization hosting the party, but it is encouraged.

Once you have a date, it’s a great boost to your experience. A date is an ensured companion for the entire party; someone you will have to talk to and get to know throughout the evening. If you have a crush but you’re not sure how to make the first move, a date party is a wonderful way to break the ice and get closer to that special someone. Even if you don’t bring a love interest, you can still bring a friend and have just as good of a time.

Registers are a fantastic way to live the college dream and go crazy every once in a while, but if they are the only parties that you attend, they’ll eventually get dull and repetitive. If you get the chance to go to a date party or other formal event, take it. It’s a great change of pace and can result in a thoroughly satisfying evening for someone looking for a more social and relaxing atmosphere.

Categories
Opinion

Going abroad adds end of semester stress

Ben Kaufman

Presentation Director

We have reached that dreaded point in the semester where everything is winding down and finals are coming soon, meaning that everyone is officially freaking out about the large amount of finals, projects and papers that we all have. While most people are only focused on all of that, I, along with some other students, have to also take into account everything that I need to do before going abroad next semester.

On top of all the normal issues we have when finishing up the semester, we have to complete all of the work that is required before going abroad. We have to get forms signed, classes approved, figure out everything we are doing with the university we will be staying at (housing, tuition, etc.) and many other tasks. On top of all this, we have to pack up our rooms as if it is summer and then pack up everything we need for our foreign destination. This all leads to the questions of whether to buy bedding here or once we land, how to bring toiletries on a plane and all those headaches that traveling brings. This includes making sure your passport isn’t expired and packing up everything as if headed back to campus, but instead, flying to a different country. As a native New Yorker, I’ve never had to fly to school, so this will be a new experience for me.

That being said, I am incredibly excited to go abroad. This will be my first time going to Europe, so I’m excited to start living a life like the ones I’ve heard about in stories. I am going to be studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and, according to Arcadia University (the school that is running my program), I am the only student at this university going to Scotland. Just like it was starting college three years ago, it’ll be a cool experience to have to meet new people while exploring not only Scotland, but hopefully most of Europe as well. The Office of International Education made the process really easy for me. Once I figured out which program I wanted, my advisor made it very clear what I needed to do in order to go abroad. This included the people I needed to talk to, when I needed my application in and everything in between.

Although I am very excited, it will be sad to miss out on a semester in Lewisburg. As much as I often criticize Lewisburg for being isolated in the middle of nowhere, there is a strong sense of community here that I am going to miss, especially since I have become so used to everything the University has to offer, including the interesting courses and easy accessibility to professors if I need help. However, I have only really left the country once, so I am way overdue for an experience in a foreign country. Even though I haven’t actually gone abroad yet, I would say to take advantage of the opportunity to do so if you get the chance. My brother went abroad for a year in Hawaii and then in Rome, and he said it changed his life and made him more culturally aware. On top of that, I have not heard one person say that he/she regrets going abroad. As much as we love the comfort we have in the ’burg, sometimes it’s necessary to get away for a semester and try a new experience.