Friday, December 14, 2007
Students learn to
cope with the
stress of finals
By Krista Jones
trifl rile!
kei5039(,, gnu
E\ ervone knows that final exams can he a
little stressful. Some people get more ;tressed
out than others. hut there are lots of different
\va . \ s for in en, one to cope Vk ith stress. Some
first year students get stressed and others
don't. Eric De\ lin has mans finals this
semester, hut he's not too \\ orried. '1 have
four finals this \ ear. Whene \ er someone asks
me what to expect I say. 'I never actually
learned this stuff.' I'm not sure what to
expect."
While Devlin doesn't put too much of his
time into cramming. he does have a prepara
tion technique for finals. "I take notes and
write down a condensed version of them
later. Recop y ing them helps me study the
material. hut it lakes a w hile. It works well
'hough
Most people aren't quite so lucky to just he
able to recopy notes. hokkev er. and Matt
Sceß cne from the Personal Counseling
office recommends to start studying up to two
weeks ahead of time. "Study what's hest for
\ ou. and do it in a way that You are motivat
ed to get done. but you shouldn't try to cram.
You won't learn anything if on try to teach
yourself something new at the last minute. -
While students like D entin
',.IN that they
don't get stressed out m er final exams. there
arc others out there who do. For those stu
dents who do get stressed. Sce/ycne recom
mends taking breaks while you study and
practicing stress relief techniques. "Yes. tak
ing a break while I study gives rriy mind a
small reprieve and helps with my focus.' .
Devlin agreed.
Some of the v;•a ) s to prepare for final
exams include eliminating stress. not cram
ming, and getting a good night's sleep and a
good health\ meal before and during study
ing. "You should eat things that are high in
protein. and less carhs. Carhs need sugar to
process. and will make you tired more quick
ly.- says SCCR Clle.
There are different wa\ s to cope ith the
stress of final exams. The easiest of them all
is to just remember to breathe. When you get
too worked up. just take deep. calming
breaths. This kill help your system to relax.
Another way to deal with stress is to exercise.
Not the most desirable option for a lot Of peo
ple, and max be not the easiest to fit into a
schedule, but definitely doable.
"Another method is progressive muscle
relaxation. You go through and tense and
release each of the major muscles in the body.
and when you're done it will leave you
relaxed. Meditation is a good one, but takes
time and practice to be effective," says
Scezycne.
And lastly, there is visualization. The effect
is to visualize a peaceful scene, incorporating
as many of the five senses—hear, sight,
smell, taste, and touch—as you can. The
more senses you incorporate, the more realis
tic the vision is, and the more relaxation
you'll get from it.
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DEtIIII,IID D COll
...7-8
Students fuming over traffic conditions on College glitMet
A line of cars waiting to leave campus after classes. Traffic is known to hack up for over 15 minutes
By Evan Koser
stall writer
MUM=
With the winter season growing more harsh and the snow
beginning to pile up. Behrend drivers are finding it more of
a hassle to start their engines each day.
As snow builds up and the nights grow colder, and with
the rain the campus has seen in the past week. ice is also
becoming another nuisance that walkers and drivers are
having a hard time coping with. One may notice students
slipping on unseen patches of ice and even cars are losing
their traction on the roads. The bend that connects Jordan
road to the banana lot. as most know it, was dangerous
enough with the way drivers turn into it. Now with the
added slush and ice on the road, it's going to become para
mount for drivers to remember to slow down when taking
that turn.
Trying to leave the campus between the hours of two
and three o'clock in the afternoon can he frustrating. In
fact, it can seem more like a chore than a pathway to free
dom from the stress that the approaching finals are bring
ing.
"It sucks! Everyday I get out of class, go to my car. and
N, ai t . Wait. wait. wait. I continue to wait in my car while
the slow moving traffic ticks away at my time. I have a job
and other things to do. - says Jared Holmes, a student
affected by the increasing traffic problem. "I have an aver
age 15-minute wait" hey says. Also becoming a problem
are the tightly packed parking lots.
Sample Center hosts "Keep a Civil Tongue Speaking Competition"
By Matthew Schwabenhauer
assistant news editor
mj , .5387 (a psu.edu
The Janet Neff Sample Center for Manners and Civility
hosted a speaking competition last Thursday, Dec. 6 called
"Keep a Civil Tongue Speaking Competition." The event
went on from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and was held in the Smith
Chapel. Each of the seven participants of the event came
from a different section of the CAS 100 Effective Speech
course. Participants were nominated by their fellow class
mates and were approved by their course instructor.
The contestants had to give a five minute presentation on
the subject of "civility and society." Participants were
allowed to consult with their professors before they gave
their address, but the speeches had to be delivered extem
peraneously.
The speeches were reviewed by a panel of three judges
who then picked first, second and third place speakers. The
panel of judges included Kim Young and Marilyn Gilreath,
both of which are CAS 100 instructors. The third judge was
Sabina Medilovic, the winner of the contest this past spring.
The first place winner of the event, Elisa Pierce, received
a $75 gift card to the Bookstore. In second place came
Contest winners Elisa Pierce, Meagan Bush, Jacob Bohrer, and Sample Center Director Rod Troester.
A Penn State Behrend Student Publication x:l4
Courtney Minesweaser, another student affected by the
escalating problem lives at University Gates.
"The one day I was out of class by 1:50 but could not get
to my apartment until around 2: IS because of the traffic. I
wish someone would fix the problem!" Minesweaser, who
normally walks to her classes. has been hitching rides from
friends because of the snow and harsh cold weather.
Some students lime suggested that another road he
paved: however. and idea like this needs to he approved by
university offends. Even some professors have been com
plaining about the traffic situation.
One professor. who wished to stay anonymous says. "the
situation is terrible. I've missed my own class because I
was late due to these traffic problems. I showed up and my
entire class was zone
Unfortunately, there is only one road that connects all of
the parking lots. Even if a new road were to he construct
ed, the question of v here it would he placed is raised.
Behrend's main area of traffic is already condensed
enough, and a new road already has no p
Perhaps the only suggestion for those . , .ed by the
worsening situations is for an \ one having trouhle driving
to and from campus is to just hare the cold weather and
walk to class when the chance arises.
For the time being. the drivers of Behrend are going to
have to he patient with the weather and wait out the snow
until conditions get hetter As a word of caution for those
of you that walk to your classes. he careful and watch out
for any hidden patches of ice on your way to classes or to
eat.
Meagan Bush and third place was taken by Jacob Bohrer.
Bush received a 550 gill card to the Bookstore, and Bohrer
went home with a 525 gift card. Each of the other partici
pants received a S I 0 gift card to the Bookstore.
The competition was one of multiple events that the
Sample Center will he hosting to encourage civility and
respect among members of the Behrend campus. The CAS
100 class is a required course for all Penn State students and
by allowing each section of the class to nominate a speaker
from their group opened up the event to a wide range of
people.
The Sample Center was founded to promote a civility
enriched academic environment on the Behrend campus.
The Center was established by Corry Journal publisher
George Sample in honor of his wife, Janet Neff. According
to Rod Troester. speaking on behalf of the Sample Center,
"Not only do we wish to develop effective public speaking
and small group communication skills, but directly or indi
rectly we also encourage communication attitudes and
behaviors of civility and respect for others and their ideas.
Universities cannot exist without the free and open
exchange of ideas."
II 'I
...:;
~,
Student grows during classroom assignment
By Michelle Quail
staff writer
mlqsool@psu edu
"I put on the sticker, looked in the mirror. and was petrified." That's
what Psychology student Andrew Moczulski said about a recent
assignment he was given in his Human Sexuality class. Dr. Eric Cony
assigned his Psychology 422 class an experiment last October that
required students to face their feelings about homosexuality. Many
students found it both difficult and eye opening.
Corty's intention was to teach his students a lesson about discrim
ination by asking them to wear a rainbow triangle on their clothes in
public. Corty handed identical symbols to all of his students that
were to be pinned to their clothing. He then gave students two
options. They could choose to wear the triangle in public, or not. hut
they had to explain themselves. His instructions read. "Write down
your reactions to this experience. Were you able to do it? If not, why
not? (It is OK not to wear the triangle in public as long as you explain
your reasons for your actions.)" By doing this assignment. students
had to confront their own views on homosexuality. "I wanted them to
see what it felt like and assess their own beliefs, and maybe they
aren't as liberal as they think." says Cony. "The results were as I
expected. Many students were treated differently."
A small number of students weren't sure if it was their own
Vol. LIV No. XV
New alcohol
program required
for all incoming
freshmen
By Lenny Smith
news editor
1r.504hw psu.edu
A new, mandator program ahout alcohol
awareness will now he required of all incom
ing freshmen, ~ tarting ith thoe tticlenk
arriving, for the fall 2Oft clue ter.
AlcoholEdu is run by Outsidethe
Classroom.com and according to their s eh
site, the program is designed to do many
things including motivating heha\ ioral
changes. linking choices about drinking to
academic and personal success, and helping
students practice safer decision-making.
Christy Ferri. a Center High School senior
who plans to attend Penn State University
Park thinks drinking on college campuses is
a problem. hut believes the program is
unnecessary.
"I don't like that. - Ferri said. "I think a
program like that should just he for the peo
ple that get in trouble. It's not lair for people
that don't need it.-
The progam tests over 400.000 students
every year and has compiled data based on
the student's answers. According to the pro
gram's website. the program has an effect on
how often a student drinks heavily, which the
researchers consider five or more drinks, stu
dent blackout rates, and the number of stu
dents that think about the Blood Alcohol
Content while drinking.
Data compiled by the group shows that
students who ha\ e not completed the
AlcoholEdu program drank heavil\ much
more often than those students who had not
completed the program.
The lour-part program will require stu
dents to take surveys and knowledge-based
tests as well as write personalised journal
entries about one's own history pith alcohol.
The program has different science-based
tracks of questions and information. The
track that a student completing the program
takes is based on the inforniation that the stu
dent provides. such as their past experience
and gender.
Erika Tower. a spokesperson for
AlcoholEdu. said that all responses during
the program are anonymous
However. students like Ferri think that the
personal information that the program \\ ill
require is going a little too far.
"Even if the program is anonymous. it's
over the Internet." Ferri said. "Nothing is
anonymous on Internet.-
The program, which is being implimeted
university-wide, has shown signs of success.
Towers said that schools that require students
to complete the program have 50 percent less
negative consequences. like blacking out and
class absences when compared to students at
schools where the program is not mandatory.
About 500 universities currently use the
program with 200 of those requiring the pro
gram for first year students. There are 24
schools in Pennsylvania currently using the
program.
"It's not about telling students what to do,"
Tower said. "It's about giving them the infor
mation to make their own decisions."