- LIONS EYE - August 24, 1998 Opinion V/ Review A Summer of Nostalgia: Sand, Surf and Seagulls By Tracy Dinh The past fifteen years of my life have been regulated by the school calender, that nine - month expanse of time, void of quite possi- bly the most deliriously tasty three months of all: June, July, and August. If you are like me, everything in this tangent, chaotic reality can be separated into two major categories: summer and not summer. Summer, by my own per- sonal definition, is the gift of time. Three months of every year I pay homage to summertime. I trade in my datebook for the Sunday morn- ing paper, my calculator for a remote control, and my academic - caused stress for a little peace of mind. But for every action there is a reaction, and the penalty for all of this is the suppression of almost all knowledge acquired the previous year. Slowly but surely, I bury it all underneath piles of beach sand, boardwalk pizza, live music, and those sweet, sticky lemonade days of summer. And then, what is that feel- ing that comes upon me like the shadows of a immense, pregnant cloud? What is the tugging feeling at the back of my mind, like an itch with the persistance to drive me to insanity? I'll tell you now and ad- mit it freely - it is the longing to be back in school. As I am drowning in the sounds of sand, surf, and seagulls, after having spent the previous night entertaining friends and various other mind - stimulating companions, I am also catching myself slipping into a pool of nostalgia. Where else but in class can you suddenly openly ex- press your views on polities, religion, current issues, and philosophy with- out some strange, blank stare from your friends as they slowly reach for the “wierdo” button. I’m tired of talking about El Nino with tourists; I’m tired of talk- ing about tourists with the locals; and I am tired of talking in general. I want to listen. I want to hear the rhythm, the beat of a pro- gressive people dedicated to strength- ening themselves with knowledge and the acquisition of powerful, use- ful skills. But most of all, I want to be a part of that. ; Don’t get me wrong. I love summer with an unsurpassed pas- sion. But I love it for what it is: 3 months of every year. The tempta- tion is there to stretch summer into 365 1/4 pieces of heaven, but I know it’ll snap back at me like some big, fat rubberband. It is time to come back to re- ality, to replenish all those brain cells burnt out by the schorching rays of the sun. So I invite all of you, fellow classmates of the past and class- mates-to-be: join me in saying good- bye. Let us all leave Summer with dignity. Let us not break into tears and infantile tantrums. Let us not grab onto her ankles, begging and pleading as she goes through the door. Let us gracefully shake her hand, promise to see her in nine months and finally say goodbye. Only then can we collect our books, our pencils, parking permits, our school ID’s, and lift our heads to the next venture beneath the skies. THE LION’S EYE Vol. XXX, No. 1 The Pennsylvania State University Commonwealth College Delaware County Campus EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rob Coyle rhcl114@psu.edu SUMMER STAFF Aaron Mixon Tracey Dinh ADVISORS Barbara Daniel The LION’s EYE is published monthly during the academic year by the students of the Delaware County Campus. Submissions are welcome from all students, faculty and staff. Material must be typed, double spaced, and submitted in the LION'S EYE mailbox located in the Lion’s Den. Letters, articles and cartoons represent only the views of their authors. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect editorial opinion. THE LION’S EYE regrets it cannot guarantee the return of any material submitted. All submissions are subject to editing. August 24, 1998 John Terrell Write for the Lion’s Eye! Earn Three Credits! No Experience Needed! English 297A — MWF, 3:50-4- 20 Rreshine!) playing “human binge” uring of one of five orientation | days held during the summer. Editorial: Freshman Education 101 By Rob Coyle Summer is over. That's a very depressing thought for some, but others may have been looking forward to this day for weeks, even months now. But where ever in the vacation spectrum you fall, you are here now, so stop complaining and get ready to work your collective butts off for the next 15 weeks or so before El Nina comes through and dumps forty feet of snow over our vast campus. Being this my third semester, coming back does not seem as big as a deal as it did my freshman year. But for some, this is there first taste of college life, and that can be a scary thing. This year we have freshman coming from as close as Oxford, PA, one from a very auspicious area code of 90210, and as far away as the United Arab Emirates, which I believe is like a 45 hour plane trip (and you thought your commute was bad). The key to a successful first year is to get involved in clubs and activities around campus. Not only do they get you involved in your college experience, but it is also a great way to meet other students and professors, and no one can have too many allies. Another good way to meet people here at Delco is rather simple but often overlooked: stay on campus. Don't go home or to the mall between classes. Instead of eating that Double Whopper with cheese at Burger King, go eat in our cafeteria and actually sit with people you might not know from high school and talk. It works, really. Another problem freshman may encounter is school work. The level of expectations are higher now, and so is the work involved. Everybody will need help at one point in your college career, and the sooner you learn to use all of the resources offered at PSU, the better off you will be. Join a study group in a class you are having trouble with, or meet your professor during their sometimes meager office hours and go over what you do not understand. Most professors really do care and want to know that somebody out there is actually listening to what they are saying in class. College is only as hard as you make it. There is no reason why someone can't work hard and still have fun here at Delco. You just have to work at making that happen for yourself, no one is going to do it for you anymore. Good luck Freshmen discussing “The Real Meaning of Education” during summer orientation.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers