Page 6 Edit The Lion’s Eye April 13, 2011 orials The Disgruntled Fat Girl Do You Have Control Of Your Life? By Karrie Bowen- Lion's Eye Advisor- kab44@psu.edu Let's face it. You're in college. Know what that means? That you're broke. And even if you don't think you are broke, you actually are. And everyone, broke or not, would love to save money. But do we? Heck no! Ka-ching! That was the sound of you handing over a chunk of change for lunch...or a snack....or breakfast...or dinner...or all of it. The life of a college student is one that dictates having to try and shove 30 hours of work into a 24 hour day. You hem and haw over what needs to give as far as your time goes, and let's be real. School can't give. Work probably can't give. Friday and Saturday with your friends is something that you don't want to give. So what gives? Well, if you are like me, it is usually the stuff that seems to take up more time than it is worth. Sleep and food...which, ironically, should be the last things that gives since they control your health. However, that is a whole other column. Truthfully, like most Americans, the time you spend cooking yourself something healthy to eat is probably at the bottom of the priority list. And the time you spend sit- ting down at an actual table in your house and eating something slowly more than likely doesn't exist, and really, how many of you take ten or fifteen minutes in the morning and pack yourself a lunch? Well, my friends, the time has come to change that. The economy being what it is, I sat down and took stock in what I would spend in a typical year if I bought a standard fast food meal every day. The average fast food combo meal, from pretty much any of the quick and dirty establishments on our planet, runs right around $6.00. Know what that makes for just one school year, from the first day of classes in August to the last day of classes in May? NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS. And that doesn't count when I am teaching summer classes, or swinging into a drive-thru on my way home to feed my starving 10 year old, my husband, and me because I have 45 papers to grade that night and no seeming time to cook. It's not counting Winter Break or Spring Break or finals week! Those 900 smackeroos is just one lunch a day, five days a week, for fifteen weeks of classes. If I add those other days, when I am usually working too, into the mix, and I also consider that not every meal is only an average of $6.00...some might be more like $16.00....well, I shudder to think of how much I am spending. And more over, these aren't memorable dining experiences with loved ones; this is a meal I would scarf down over my computer keyboard while I helped students with schedules, answered email, or aided in the production of this newspaper. Along with the fact that I actually can't really eat fast food much anymore, I also don't think that I, or any of us, can afford to. Not only is it unhealthy to constantly eat food from any restaurant, regardless of the type, but along with the hole it is eating into our arteries, we are also having a huge hole eaten into our wallets. So I have made a concerted effort over the past year to really start brown bagging it and I challenge you to do the same. Like most people, bringing my lunch gave me the initial sigh of boredom, be- cause frankly, don't we all just think of the typical sandwich and bag o' chips? Not only was I worried that making my own lunches would give me limited options, I also was really concerned with where I would find the time to put the lunch together. However, I could think of about 900 reasons to make a go for it, so after reading a few blogs on the subject, I adopted two really nifty rules: I'd spend only 10 minutes fixing the meal, and it had to be something I'd look forward to eating. The first thing I did was make a plan. Every Sunday night, I planned out din- ners for the week that could be efficiently used as lunch the next day. Last night's grilled chicken and tossed salad became a buffalo chicken salad the next day by adding some wing sauce; extra pasta from spaghetti was married with veggies for a pasta salad. I also adopted the life of eating tapas...I went to the store and bought some small reusable con- tainers and I pack myself five or six small snacks instead of making myself the standard American meal. I find by doing this I also can control portions, I can control fats, carbs, and proteins, and I have a great variety. But the best part of this whole experience, besides saving money, is that I know who prepared my food and exactly what's in it. I not only have con- trol of my wallet, I also have control of my health. I know everything plunked in my lunch and never have to worry about too much sodium, or weird preservatives that I can't pro- nounce, or being faced with eating meat filler. Do you have the same control of your life? Brown bag it for a week, and see what happens. You just might be surprised. Brown bagging it is an option that most people rarely explore, but it could be the key to a healthier life..and more money in your pocket. (photo courtesy google. com) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR YAY SGA! This year’s Student Government Asso- Pride party hosted a dance and a pep rally on campus. The pep rally was probably by far the most attended student event held by students. The dance was also a success. The. Pride party also re-wrote Brandywine’s SGA Constitution. The new Constitution allows the SGA to grow and expand, and should provide checks and balances for an effective student government. The Pride party fought long and hard to have the temporary parking lot turned into an outside athletic area, but we were shot down from University Park. The Pride party has been asking about the bus shelter that is being “built”. We also looked into having the ciation (SGA) is like that of no other. Previous SGA’s had prior experience, they had members who already served on Brandywine’s SGA, run for office the following year. The Pride party was the first party in quite some time that was an all “freshman” party, meaning no prior SGA experience. I’m not writing this to debate anyone. I’m also not going to point out individuals, be- cause that is not how a student leader operates. What I am going to do is clarify a few things. The SGA has an office on the second floor of the commons building, located in the MISSION STATEMENT iv | We are the newspaper of the Penn State Brandywine campus, serving the students, “administration, faculty, staff, and visitors of our campus. We vow to inform all of our ‘audiences, and we will strive to make each issue better, so that we remain a vital part of the Penn State Brandywine experience. We also pledge to be professional, and to follows the highest standards of quality journalism. club room. The executive board holds office hours, and during these hours our door is open. Every SGA member has a Penn State email, a cell phone, and many have Facebook. We also have eyes and ears. It was brought to my attention that “...the SGA has been questioned by a variety of students, including the leader- ship in various campus clubs and organiza- tions.” I haven’t heard any such questions, and I wonder if the message just isn’t getting to me? I’m very open to questions, and if students are concerned they can voice such concerns to me, their SGA President. Please don’t be surprised though if it takes me a short while to respond to you. My- self, along with the other SGA members are all incredibly busy. We go to class, we work, and we have families, friends, and hobbies just like all of you. As a matter of fact, we’re human also. It has also been brought to my atten- tion that some of the students feel that the SGA hasn’t been seen on campus. The SGA consists of about 10-12 people, depending on who you define as part of the organization (DSA or any designees). Have these people really not been seen on campus? I know I’m there all day Tuesday and Thursday, and other members are there all week long, day and night. It just amazes me that we go “unseen”. Enough negative though, you want to hear how the SGA is working effectively. The parking lots named, in an effort to raise money. We passed legislation that will pay clubs to do community service. We are having a Holly- wood dance on April 1st. We arranged to have a bus take friends, family, and students to the girl’s basketball championship for the PSUAC. We discussed going green, and still are discuss- ing it. We discussed “domestic study” courses. These courses would involve traveling within the U.S.A. We have over 40 people who are attending Capital Day, compared to the 2 from last year, and the 7 the year before. The list goes on and on and on, and the Lion’s Eye has been so kind to give me some room to write, and I don’t want to take space away from other students. I want to specify that these are only a few of our accomplish- ments here, and we have just as many if not more on the Commonwealth level at Council of Commonwealth Student Government (CCSG). PSU Brandywine, your SGA is here. We are listening. We are observing. We are working. Remember we are gaining experi- ence as we go, and next year, prepare to see an even stronger more effective, and more efficient student government. This is not a promise, it is a fact. I hope to hear from all of you.. Jerry S. Fokas Jr. President of Penn State Brandywine SGA jsf5101@psu.edu Editor-in-Chief- Judith Bowker Campus News Editor - Rob Ewing o 'Local/World News Editor- Dave Ser-8 pentine Op/Ed Editor - Judith Bowker Entertainment Editor(s) - Caitlin Haz- - . insky, Kelly Crawford | Generation Editor - Brittney Walker Sports Editor - Kevin Cress Contributing Staff Writers: Martina Delgado, Sean Morgan, Nicholas Cerrato, Megan Draper, Dave, ie _ Hoffer, Paolo DiPaolo, Nick Corrato, ~ Kenny Lankford, Lee Burpee, Emily} oo Cleveland, Dave Dolan, John Henry, ~ Katie Koelewyn, Kaitlyn McDyre, Ryann Ts O’Donnell Lion’s Eye Adviser- Karrie Bowen "For advertising information, please contact Karrie > oo : The Lion's Eye is published bi-weekly. _ by the students of Penn State Brandy-: wine, Media, PA. Penn State Brandy-_ Opinions section of this publication. : ~The Lion's Eye welcomes both guest edi-i se torials and letters to the editor. Letters. "must be no more than 200 words and ad-= & dress a single topic or theme, and con-i tain contact information of the author, "Guest articles can be up to 500 words. \ edit letters and guest articles for space, 3 purposes and content. Please send all = Contact the Lion’s Eye: Judith Bowker- jIb5706@psu.edu Karrie Bowen - kab44@psu.edu Bowen at 610.892.1336 or kab44@psu.edu. wine does not necessarily represent or: endorse the accuracy or reliability of: any of the information, opinion con-| tent, or views set forth in the Editorial. The editorial board reserves the right tof editorial and guest correspondence to. y kab44(@psu.edu.
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