...The gray sky cuddles the tops of trees; the raindrops
lightly dance on the sidewalk. Buildings and diversity are
merely a myth in this spacious scenery. And if you listen
close!), you might even hear the wind blowing. Welcome
to Erie, Pennsvlynnia!
For those conning from foreign countries and urban
areas in the U.S.. Erie has triggered a series of reactions.
These people have had to experience a barely noticeable
adjustment. Students all over campus have expressed their
'culture shock' to Lrie in different ways.
The changes that many International students have had
to cope with ranged from food to the weather to the sense
of morality. Ahdullah ,Nl-Mutairi, from Kuwait and ma
joring in Petroleum Engineering (01), says that people
"are more dualistic here in the U.S." There is more
emphasis on personality and on being distinctly unique in
America. Something that was different for Nkiru
Chukwumah, Chemical Engineering (01) was the sense
of right or wrong here. Being a Nigerian, she was brought
up in a more COII,CI \ ittk C culture, with a clearly defined
set of rules. America strikes 'flatly International students
as a liberal count! \ I lere in the U.S.,as a result of much
freedom. more anions and beliefs are tolerated. For ex
ample, teenage (kiting is extremely unacceptable in coun
tries in most pints of Africit and the Middle East, but it is
more pre ‘, illent iii \ merica.
reaut ion to "Me as generally that it was
a ltanquil 1111 \ I UR' Of panic, disappointment and
i Mennen', k thc,e IlCl\ comers. Cathy Tao, Com
puter Science major (HI I front China says that Erie "is a
nice place but not a niee place Cur fun." When
asked ho the!, e, of IMC had changed, their reactions
;tried slightl\..Andreas Lesrak. a Computer Science ma
jor WI t irent ierman , no \% thinks that Erie is smaller
than he initially "hon,._"ht.
Take the Complications Out of Communicating with E-mail and Phone
I he hegimain: of college means leaving home e\ en
though It does not le.n e 1.1:, The most popular de ices to
stay connected the technologically idvanced e-mail
s\ stems and the traditional telephone.
easier or cheaper to keep in touch with
friends. Idniik..ind school since the in\ ention of . e-mail.
l3ehrend tries to Lecp in touch \\ ith students is the Internet
communicatini2 about no% clubs and upcoming
\ ruts. `,L, \\ ho nutv send test scores to their
studenis \ is the Internet. I low e er, most
students seem to use thc,r primarik to keep in touch
p c , T h.. O R: \ left in [ionic, or other friends who
ent o il . to colli:i2e
I here ;tie \ emi area, around campus to check your
account. mcludne . ,2 terminal, in the Librar), Academic,
I lammermill. :Ind Reed. Alter \ isitMg the terminals in the
Reed t:nion \\ e talked to several freshmen to
see vv It the, \\ ere tr, utc to keep in C omae) N A id,. W e a s k e d
Matt I fill ig. Biochemistry) how often he checks his
e-mail account. and he replied. "Which one?'' It seems
like nio , “ students here are operating two or more differ
ent C - 111:iil account,. one I or school stuff and the other, an
AOl or address .
;:,kOl 1 . he used e-mail to keep in
touch \\ ith lu, !views. he said. "No, 'cause I took the
runt~~~.ilci
\\ hen aNked. I lope Wok:lel (UI, Marketing) said she
Celt more connected to Penn State-I3ehrend with the mes-
sages on her e-mailaccount concerning activities on cam
pus. W, ()ere' she checks her e-mail "once a day to
keep in touch v. ith friends and family back home.'' Joe
De fibaugh Ittl. Plastics I cchnology) says he also uses e
mail to keep in touch with friends and family and checks
his account about twice a day.
E-mail helps e\eryone to stay in touch with his or her
log ed ones, but ror some. it isn't as Convenient. For in-
Every year, a new crop of freshmen is brought
into college, and every year they are faced with the
same question. What is your major? This one query
can be the bane of students' lives; after all, they al
ready ha \ e to go to class, fill out gen
eral education requirements and just
face the pressures of daily college life.
Picking a subject to study for the rest
of college life can be stressful. Some
students, however, just prefer to be an
undecided.
"I v‘ ant to try all different types
of classes and all types of fields," ex
plained Ryan Mema, a first year stu-
Many students might agree, and
that is precisely the reason that the
Di \ isiori 3 O Undergraduate Studies (DUS) was
founded. The DUS realizes that while some students
already knawexactly what they want to do with their
lives, sop*ttudents have not made their life deci
sions, andlome do not even have a clue what they
\\ ant to do. The DUS is available for counseling, ad
\ ising undecided students and helping them pick a
field of study. In a world where academic options
What's Your Major?
by Matt Eaton and Jermaine Hardy
Culture Shock
"It's not as impressive," he says. Nkiru says that the change has been just as significant for them. Making and
Blue Bus changed her view. She soon realized that there adjusting from traffic and loud noise to quiet eN enings in
is a K-mail and a zoo here. Although Erie appears to be the dorm has been difficult for many first year students.
deserted and lifeless at first glance, time proves to us that "Erie is too, too quiet. Being that I'm from Brooklyn, Inn
there are many things to do in Erie. Chukwumah states used to hearing things outside 24,7. Traffic here is dead
, __.,
4
,
that "it's how
you spend your time that
determines the amusement or
excitement you acquire from a particu
lar place. - Suggestions for things that are
needed in Erie included a population, nightlife, a re
ally nice mall, things for young people to do (more clubs),
historical sites, cultural activities, and more places to go.
Students from urban areas, on the other hand, had to
make the adjustment from the city to the suburbs. The
stance, take Jason Smith (01, Computer Engineering) who
broke his thumb playing in the three-on-three tournament
here at Behrend. lie says, "The broken thumb makes it
harder to e-mail, - but says he still checks his e-mail once
a day to keep in touch with friends and also his parents
who e-mail him weekly.
For those that find conventional methods easier, the
telephone is the main method of communication. The is
sue of money comes into play because the phone bill fi
nally has our name on it.
Sometimes it's just nice to hear the voice of that spe
cial someone. Other times students want to surprise a
seem almost limitless, this program is designed to
make students aware of the choices they have and
guide them to a decision where they can be happy
and productive.
Another option students have is to
go to the Career Development Center and
take a test to find out what career might
be right for them. "I took a career inter
est test. That helped me," said Cliff
White, a sophomore. Tests like these can
help direct students to a certain career
and help them in making academic
choices. The Career Development Cen
ter in conjunction with DUS can be just
what students need in order to figure out
What they want out of a college educa
tion.
The basic idea behind both of these programs is
to make sure that students do not feel overwhelmed
by academic pressures and that it is okay to be unde
cided. Students do not even have to apply for a ma
jor until the spring of their sophomore year. That
leaves two years and four semesters of sampling be
fore a decision has to be made. Put that way, being
undecided should not sound like such a problem.
by Rehab Elzeney and Nicole Greene
by Erin Henninger and Douglas Smit
(()I ). When
asked how Erie differs from home, Melissa Permaul (01)
undecided from Patterson. New Jersey responded. "Erie
has a lot of open fields and plains. In Patterson. it's the
opposite. You're in the middle of e \ erything. There's a
lot more to do there."
friend from back home. Also, we try to keep up with those
that went to other schools all across the country. Once
again, one of the older inventions, the telephone, becomes
a vital part in the effort to stay connected.
Students have many alternatives in surviving the
trauma of a large phone bill. Some students send the bill
home to be paid, others buy calling cards through their
local long distance company, and any other possibility to
save money is sought.
"1 have been through this once already, but having
moved eight hours away from home the phone bill was a
bit surprising. paying around sixty dollars and that
Getting Involved at Behrend
Becoming involved in campus activities is a vital as
pect of college life that many freshmen overlook their first
few months at school. The best way to enrich your life
while you are attending school at Behrend is to become
an active participant in any of the numerous clubs and
organizations.
There are over 70 student activities offered at Behrend,
one of which is sure to appeal to you, whether you want
to pursue a particular interest or seek new experiences.
There are many academic organizations that can be
used to supplement your experiences in the classroom.
Students who are enrolled in specific majors have come
together to form clubs and societies, such as for account
ing or chemistry.
There are also several honor societies on campus, For
example, Psi Chi is a national honor society for students
at Behrend who are majoring in psychology.
A major part of campus life is determined by the vari
ous governing organizations. The Student Government As
sociation has a tremendous effect on what goes on at Be
hrend, both academically and socially. The Commuter
Council is a great source for commuting students who
You Are
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pater Engi
neering major
by Kellie C'hase and Julie Harper
Adjusting to Erie for urban students has been a slow,
gradual change, yet for the most part. it has been a change
they don't mind getting accustomed to. For many of the
students at Behrend coming from urban backgrounds, there
are things missing from the city, as well as from the school.
When asked what she thought was missing from Behrend,
l'wynell Kimble (01) Psychology, from Upper Marlboro,
Mary land mentioned black fraternities and sororities. as
well as black television and radio stations. Dale Lamb
(01), a Computer Engineering major from Mt. Vernon,
NY, mentioned that, ''People don't integrate a lot. There
is too much segregation."
Along with culture shock, many students feel a small
dose of nostalgia and homesickness. The absence of things
from home has made several urban students homesick.
Many have traveled long distances and are not able to go
home frequently. When asked if she was homesick, Staten
stated, "Very, very, very, extremely; a lot. I'm homesick.
I just miss Brooklyn." Although urban students are home
sick and miss the environment that they grew up in, 'natty
agree that there are advantages to the quiet and smallness
that Behrend offers. It promotes better study habits, as
kv e I as a focus on education.
tilllct
nut um_
all th
Adapting to Erie is something that doesn't happen
overnight, especially when you come from the hustle and
bustle of city streets, or the completely different ens iron
ment of a foreign country. Many has e traveled large dis
tances in order to attend Behrend, and have found it to be
not exactly what they expected. Some have come to find
others like themselves, only to find others of a difterent
culture. Becoming adjusted to the Erie lifestyle takes get
ting used to, yet it is pros ing to he a very worths hi le
experience. Before we realize it, Erie will seem like our
own hack yard.
sa i d
Akaiilah
Staten, Com-
isn't counting the phone cards. I could have sent it home,
but I was the one who called, so I'll pay it, - states Jun
Fallon, 03, Pre-Law.
liow ever for those that must pay their phone bill there
is a website that allows the student to track their bill keep
ing them up-to-date on the current balance, who was
called, and when the call was placed. This site,
kIWW.aCIIS.OOIII, requires your PIN number and account
number that has been provided in order to access your
information.
You can also get information on the AI&T Student
Advantage Card, which works like a phone card. l . nder
the "using your service - link many helpful hints can be
found. This link pros ides a calling guide including dial
ing instructions, terms and conditions. and customer care.
It also provides a student account manager accessible
through a toll-free 800 number that gives you the com
plete menu of the types of account information that can
be sought through the voice mail system.
A \ cry important part of the afOrementioned link is
rate information. Clickiniz on rate information will lead
you to a screen \\ ith two text boxes. By simply entering
the area code and number from \\ hich you are calling and
to which you are calling the rates will be displayed on
your monitor. Rates for international calls can also be ac
cessed.
'',~
Your account balance. billing address, credit limit,
current and past calls, billing information, and calling plan
can also be found on the site. This is extremely helpful
for those lip ing further zw, ay because the \‘ebsite makes
it easier to keep track of calls made and current balances.
The phone cannot he eliminated as a \‘ ay of column
nicating by any means. Howe‘er, e-mail will suffice in
those times when communication has to he constant. If
boredom strikes and you are stuck in your room, pick up
the phone or write an e-mail and stay connected',‘ ith the
people you knew before Behrend.
often feel left out of the college community. Also playing
a large role in the Behrend community is the Lion Enter
tainment Board, which is in charge of running a majority
of the cultural events on campus, including the ki eek y
movies and the entertainment at Bruno's.
If you're looking to meet people who share the same
interests as you, there are also an abundance of special
interest organizations that may be appealing. Alpha Phi
Omega is a co-ed fraternity whose objective is to pro \ ide
service to people who need it while instilling leadership
qualities among its members. Or maybe you're interested
in showing your Behrend pride. If that's the case, then
joining the Lion Ambassadors may be the organization
for you, or perhaps being a cheerleader would be a good
way for you to express your pride.
There are many organizations to become in ol‘ ed ith
while you're at Behrend. If any of the organizations men
tioned in this article appeal to you and you would like to
learn more about joining them (or get a full listing of the
activities on campus), contact the Office of Student Ac
tivities, located on the first floor of the Reed Union Build
ing, at 898-6220.