CULTURALLY INEPT
By OSCAR BEISERT
Columnist
ODBIO2@PSU.EDU
So, as established by Carrie
Bradshaw in last season of Sex and
the City, being broken up with on
a post-it is the absolute worst way
to end a relationship; however,
upon returning home from a long
Christmas break in Houston, Texas,
I checked the Myspace page of my
current “steady” to find a rather
surprising announcement. Having
only been gone for three weeks,
it was strange to see my steady’s
headline —“finally found love.”
While it seemed odd that
someone would call what we
had “love” after only a month of
dating and an unavoidable gap of
three weeks was rather odd, but,
in all honesty, it was somewhat
flattering. Because I had lost
my phone during the break, our
communication was limited. As
Place for higher education or place to make a profit
A Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor:
Everywhere where I turn it
seems like this campus benefits
from collecting funds or money
from students where there is no
need. From a student’s stand point
I have attended three different
campuses since I have been a Penn
State student, and Capital Cbllege
Harrisburg Campus is the only
campus, over the 20+ campuses
spread out over Pennsylvania, that
charges registered students to park
on-campus. Even visitors on the
weekends have to pay a $1 fee
eveiyday that they have a car parked
in any parking lots of this campus.
I’m actually the President of the
Black Student Union and it irritates
me that when having a weekend
event, on-campus, more funds or
Choose a major for your life
By HEATHER COLEMAN
Staff Reporter
HMCSOI2@PSU.EDU
Nationally, three out of four
entering college students are unsure
about their choice in a major and
a little over half of those students
change their majors more than once.
Undergraduates typically change
their majors four to five times before
arriving at a decision that make them
feel good. So, if you have not chosen
a major or are uncomfortable with
the major you have chosen, you are
in good company.
The first thing a person needs to do
when choosing a major is to think
about the things they enjoy doing,
the things they value, their hobbies
and other interests. It is usually these
things that will help lead you to a
major that makes you happy.
The worst thing a college student
can do is just settle for a major. If
you do not like your major, you will
end up in classes that you do not
enjoy, and in return, make college
miserable. If you pick a major that
you comfortable in and enjoy, you
are much more likely to
be committed.
Once you understand the things you
enjoy, try to match them to a possible
major or career field. Then the fun
part starts —finding introductory
classes to those possible fields. It is
here that you will find out if this is
really something you want to commit
to before you waste time and money
on classes that you never needed.
There are several introductory
classes at Penn State and the best
place to find them, and explore
A 81-MONTHLY PONTIFICATION
my computer finally registered
with the online world and the
pictures on the website were
available to view, I realized that a
new photo had been posted. The
photo was of a couple and the
couple portrayed did not
include me.
Apparently, my “steady”
wasn’t as sturdy as I thought
and, evidently, my flattery was
presumptuous! Because in three
short weeks, this person had
lost interest in me, met someone
else, and had fallen in love. I
was instantly mortified, which
provoked me to call my
“ex-steady.”
My phone call was received with
the utmost excitement and the new
dating status of this person was
evidently unable to be relayed.
Thus, I had no choice but to bring
it up myself.
Expecting an apology, my former
money have, to be allocated to throw
an event. Once for a monitor and a
second time for police services to be
there when the actual event is going
on between the
hours of 10:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m, is
required by any club
or organization.
Between the hours of 10:00 p.m.
and 12:00 a.m. a monitor gets paid
$l2 per hour, and from 12:00 a.m.
and 2:00 a.m. a monitor is gets
$l5 per hour. For campus police to
ensure the safety of an enjoyable
event it costs a club or organization
$250 a night. I have a problem
with that.
Each student when attending an
event planned between the hours
or 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. should
not be scanned for weapons. I don’t
even get searched for weapons
when I attend a bar or club, but for
my campus it is necessary. I believe
them, is in your picks for general
education courses. A few examples
of some introductory classes include
introduction to drawing or painting.
Those courses are great for students
who might want to be an artist.
Introduction to theatre, which is
good for those who might want to act
some day, or even be an
acting teacher.
Introduction to principles of
nutrition could be a possible choice to
those who could possibly want to be
a nutritionist. If you think you might
want to be a chemist or biologist, take
the introductory courses for those
fields. If you would like to program
computers, check out the introduction
to programming techniques. If
the fields of crime and justice
interest you, check out the course
introduction to criminal justice.
There are tons of introductory
classes to choose from and they are
great for exploring your options while
you try to figure out a major. To find
out additional information about these
classes and more, check out a course
catalogue, visit www.hbg.psu.edu or
get in touch with your advisor.
Just remember to relax and to have
fun while you try to figure out your
major. The major you pick does not
always necessarily tie
you down to a specific career and the
reality is that most bachelor degrees
prepare you for many different career
paths anyways. In fact, research
indicates that only about half of
college graduates end up in a career
that is tightly related to their degree
major. So, good luck and here is to all
of your undecided majors becoming
decided majors very soon.
dating companion avoided the
conversation, and complained that
1 had simply been gone for too
long. This person then alluded to
the possibility of hanging out and
us being the best of friends. I was
not impressed, nor was I planning
to reciprocate an interest in being
friends when I had just been
indirectly broken up with
over Myspace.
I then explained the situation to
my friend Laßue. He immediately
recollected a relationship wherein
he was broken up with on
Facebook. After inquiring as to
how the break-up occurred, he
told me that when he checked his
Facebook, he was suddenly “in a
relationship” with no one. I was
again mortified, but this time for
him!
Is it possible that we live in a
world where we share our feelings,
our free time, and even our beds
that is just ridiculous.
An example is the “Red Carpet
Affair”, which was held in the CUB
by the Black Student Union on
January 19 between the
hours of 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
There were three officers on duty,
two in the CUB and one patrolling
the campus.
The following week Kappa Sigma,
on January 26, had a Semi Formal
called the Sno>y Ball,
held in the same exact location
between the hours of 9:00 p.m. -
1:00 a.m., had no police officers on
duty and no searching in place. Is
it that police services are required
for after hour events or needed for
particular after hour events?
When attending a school of higher
learning I expect to have the right
book when purchasing it from the
bookstore for my particular class.
That wasn’t the case for John
By HILLARY ISLEIB
Columnist
HDLIII@PSU.EDU
In just a few months I will be
celebrating my 21 st birthday, that
much anticipated day of liberation
when age is no longer a legal basis
for restricting choices —a day of
freedom! Like most people, I’ve
anticipated my 21 s 1 birthday with
gusto planning ways to celebrate
this occasion in style. I have to
admit, though, that drinking or
gambling is not really what I’m
looking forward to as I turn 21.
I’m just backwards that way. The
privilege to indulge is sweet enough
for me. Instead, I want this birthday
to be extraordinary!
For the last few years, I’ve been
like most students, engrossed in
an unpredictable roller coaster of
classes, work, heartaches, triumphs,
responsibilities and watching as the
things I enjoy in life are replaced by
deadlines and stress.
I’ve always had an idea of the
person that I want to be, healthy,
relaxed, strong, and giving. Being a
runner brings all of these elements
together for me when they are often
in conflict with one another. I’ve
discovered over the course of my
college years that being too giving
(whether at work, at school, or with
friends or family) often means not
with people who don’t even have
the decency to break-up with us in
person? And if
dating doesn’t require an actual
break up, then wouldn’t disinterest
or meeting someone else at
least require clear and honest
communication?
After a chance meeting in a
certain Manhattan hotspot, I found
myself driving to New York to
spend the weekend with a new
fling.
Unfortunately, our second
meeting was in no way comparable
to our first, because in only one
night of a prospective two-night
weekend we had both decided
things weren’t going to work.
However, unlike my previous
dating scenario, we both discussed
our lack of compatibility.
As I packed my car, and drove the
one hundred and twenty blocks
down to my friend Dan’s
Howie. Howie purchased a book
for one of the classes he is currently
taking this semester. When he took
his book to class he realized that he
actually got the wrong book because
it was misplaced in the wrong
section. So after class he decided to
exchange the book for the right one
after class.
In doing so he was told that
he could not return the book or
exchange it because the clear plastic
seal was taken off. Howie spent
$ 150 for this book and now he was
told that since he broke this plastic
seal, which the bookstore has the
machine to rewrap a book, he was
told he had to spend an additional
$ 150 for the right book, so the
bookstore made out with $3OO of
Howie’s hard earned money.
Since Howie, being the Vice
President of Black Student Union
and President of the Multicultural
being relaxed, or being relaxed may
mean not being as strong as I could
be. Yet, I have never allowed myself
to make running a priority. The
truth is, however, that deadlines and
responsibilities are the byproducts
of life not the essence of life itself,
and this birthday is the time to
revisit these priorities.
How could I possibly wrap all of
that into one birthday celebration?
Easy. On April 28, 2007, two days
shy of my 21 st birthday, I will be
running in the Country Music
Marathon in Nashville, Tennessee to
raise money and awareness for the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!
Well, I’ll be the first to admit that
this feat is easier said than run, and
I’m sure the fact that
I’m not exactly an athlete has not
escaped many people in my life. I
have always lived my life “in the
fast lane,” but in a figurative—not a
literal—sense!
To accomplish
this goal, I will be a member of
Team in Training organized in
1988 by Bruce Cleland in honor of
his daughter, Georgia, a leukemia
survivor. Cleland organized a group
of individuals who raised awareness
and money for researching leukemia
and other blood cancers by racing
in the New York City Marathon.
Sadly, the Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society estimates that 747,465
THE CAPITAL TIMES
Hell’s Kitchen apartment —where
he kindly put me up for the night—
I couldn’t help but think
about my last three months
of dating.
How could two people who had
truly only spent two nights together
be so honest and open with one
another when someone I had dated
for over a month didn’t even have
the decency to send me an email.
I suppose I know nothing more
about the game we call dating than
I did before.
Fortunately, I now understand
the importance of clear and honest
communication in relationships
of all kinds. So I leave you with
a few things to ponder. In our
modem
era of communication, are we even
further away from being open with
those who deserve to know the
truth? And most importantly, is the
truth even what we really want?
Recruitment Team, spoke to the
right people he ended up getting his
money back for the original
unused book.
The moral of this story is that John
Howie could have been any student
on this campus, and when you have
a problem with this campus or
anything in general my advice is to
voice your concern .or nothing will
ever be done about it. Coming to
you as a friend, a student, and your
president, because all you need is a
spark to become a blaze.
Neil Wray-Marsh
If you have something to
say, e-mail the editor at
mxr3oo@psu.edu
Americans are currently living with
blood cancers. Last year, blood
cancers claimed the lives of 54,480
people in America. In fact, by the
time you finish this column, another
American will have died from such
cancers,
Many of these victims are children
but leukemia and lymphoma
can attack any race or any sex at
any age. Blood cancers do not
discriminate and anybody can be
affected.
I’m really excited not only to
become a runner but also to become
a runner for such a great cause. I
plan to raise $3500 by race day —
just three months away! You can
help by making a
donation on my secure Team in
Training website at www.active.
com/donate/hillaryisleib.
For me, this birthday is not just
a milestone but a celebration of
life —my own life and the lives of
thousands of others who have been
affected by
blood cancers.
This is the time to reclaim the
things that matter and shed a little
perspective on life. So, when I’m
blowing out the 21 candles on my
birthday cake on April 30,
1 cannot imagine a better birthday
gift than a victorious run through
Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate
what matters in life!
February 5, 2007
President's
Corner
By ARIEL O'MALLEY
SGA President
AEOSOO2@PSU.EDU
Hello everyone and welcome
back!! I hope you had an enjoyable
break filled with lots of memories
and good times. Now that we are
all back, it is time to push through
another semester. I hope you will
all take advantage of the wonderful
programs being offered this spring!
There is one special event that
I would be truly happy to see
you all take part in. That event is
THON. THON is a 46-hour dance
marathon to support pediatric
cancer. Throughout this 46 hours,
dancers cannot sit or sleep.
They give everything they have to
stay awake and show support and
love for the children, in hopes that
we will find a cure for cancer.
THON is by far the most
humbling experience you could
ever have as a Penn State student.
It is impossible to make it through
family hour without crying (yes,
even all the men tear up). During
this time, the families get on stage
and talk about their experiences
with cancer and how the money
the students raise has helped
them through their hard times. It
is amazing to see how much of
a difference we all make in their
The funds raised by the students
goes to pay for the children’s
treatments, medications, hotel
rooms, food, gas, and nearly
anything else the family may need.
It also goes towards paying for
some of the research that is done
at the Hershey Medical Center.
Last year more than $4.2 million
was raised by Penn State students,
making THON the largest student
run philanthropic project in the
entire world.
The way I see it, most people
would like to make a difference in
the world. What better way to make
a difference than to work towards
finding a cure for pediatric cancer?
Not to mention that helping out
with THON is easy and appreciated
by so many people! You could do
something as simple as canning
outside of a store for a few hours
and raise a couple hundred dollars
for THON.
You could buy a raffle ticket to
win a new Pontiac or maybe even
an autographed football (including
the signatures of Joe Pa, Jordan
Norwood, Tony Hunt, Anthony
Morelli, and many more). There are
numerous ways that you can help
out and every little bit helps.
THON begins on February 16th at
6 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center
at University Park and will go
until February 18th at 4 p.m. This
year Matt Sarver and 1 will both
be dancing and nothing would be
better than to see some of your
wonderful familiar faces during
those long hours. So if you are free,
please come out to support THON!
One other event I would love to
see some Penn State support at is
the Rally in the Rotunda. This will
be taking place on March 14th at 2
p.m. This is a time when you will
have the opportunity to meet with
legislators and voice your opinions
on tuition increases as well as
appropriations. This is a great
opportunity that I hope you all will
take advantage of.
1 hope you all have a wonderful
semester!! And PLEASE remember
that the door to the SGA office is
always open if you need me!!