Recently in Blogging the Freshman Year Category

There was one word that came to mind when I glanced around the crowded tent at the start of Thursday's Marathon Read event: legacy. Professors, students, alumni, coaches, and literary fanatics alike came together on the library lawn to celebrate Catch-22, a great novel, which, incidentally, was written by Joseph Heller, a former Penn State instructor.
    
Sue Paterno herself came to participate in the event, kicking off the marathon as the first reader. She walked within one foot of me as she approached the podium. Thankfully, I restrained the urge to squeal like a 12-year old at a Justin Bieber concert at this unexpected celebrity encounter.  
    
Initially, I had shown up at the reading marathon on a whim; the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies office told me that it was happening, so I felt somewhat obligated to attend. I was genuinely surprised when I discovered what a unique event it actually was. A diverse group of readers sharing their love for great literature and academia; it was a cool thing to witness.
    
I spent a good ten minutes shuffling my feet by the sign-up table before I wrote my name down to read at 12:15 a.m. I was hesitant because, sadly, I have never actually read Catch-22. However, I did have the decency to return to my dorm and look up the synopsis on SparkNotes before I returned to read. Somehow, I knew that I would forever regret it if I missed the chance to take part in this special occasion.
    
In the several hours I spent in "Sparksville," as Sue Paterno had referred to the location, I heard from volleyball and basketball coaches, graduate students, and random individuals who were not even related to the College of the Liberal Arts. This eclectic mix of people brought me to realize that the actions and accomplishments of the College of the Liberal Arts are widely acknowledged, and it excites me to know that I am becoming a part of that diverse, well-known network.
    
At 12:15 the following morning, the tent was far less crowded, but that feeling I had earlier sensed, that concept of legacy, remained. In the soft glow of the lights, my feet rooted to the same spot that Sue Paterno had stood just hours before, I felt connected to the Penn State community in a new way.
    
The things that I could potentially aspire to were laid out before me; I could go on to be a successful Penn State graduate, a well-respected professor, or perhaps the writer of a great novel that will be read at a 24-hour marathon years from now.
    
After experiencing the Catch-22 Reading Marathon, I can safely say that I have a greater understanding and appreciation for the many opportunities Penn State has to offer, helping me to become a part of the legacy so that I truly understand what it means to say WE ARE...PENN STATE.

Whenever I tell people I am learning about chickens this semester, they stare at me with disbelieving eyes, then laugh hysterically. It is true that a First Year English Seminar about "Chicken Culture" is not necessarily common . However, the class is more than just about chickens. The course reaches far beyond this little avian creature, to broader social, biological, and even cultural issues.   

During the fall semester, our class had a chance to attend a screening of "Forks over Knives," a documentary that demonstrates the shocking truth behind the American diet and suggests an alternative. One might ask what our Chicken Culture class has to do with a movie like "Forks over Knives." After the screening, it became obvious that the two are related in their focus on contemporary 'dietary issues.' They both concentrate on what we eat and the facts about food which we rarely seem to care about. This food documentary shed light on a variety of themes related to the consumption of animal products in the United States (and yes, that includes chickens). After the screening I had mixed feelings. I understood the great benefits of plant based diets, but on the other hand, it seemed like some other important factors were ignored.  

The obesity problem in the United States is becoming a big social issue. Adults and children are becoming more obese. This has resulted in a significant increase in illnesses and health problems, such as diabetes. The number of prescriptions that people rely on has skyrocketed as well. "Forks over Knives" says that this humungous health problem is directly related to both the food we eat and our misconstrued preconceptions about food. For instance, many people are losing the balance between meat and vegetables in their diets. We are consuming too much meat, which we all know is not a good thing. Perhaps most astonishing, however, are our misconceptions about food. Back in the day, we were all introduced to the 'food pyramid,' which told us that our meals need to be full of every food group. Many of us still believe this and tend to follow its advice. The film, however, indicates that the food pyramid is wrong. 'We need to eat meat for protein' and 'Milk is good because of calcium' are just a few misconceptions we have about food. In other words, many of us have been eating the wrong way for years.

Probably the biggest evidence that the documentary gives is the "China Study." An enormous undertaking, both in scale and time, the China Study was performed over a period of 20 years and covered the entire population of China. The study showed that animal-based diets caused more health problems than plant-based diets. This is due to the fact that animal-based food was high in casein, a type of protein that is mostly found in mammalian milk. Our solution is this: a plant-based diet. By eating this way, people can lose weight and live much healthier lives without having to worry about getting ill. The film indicates that by maintaining a vegan lifestyle, some people are able to avoid severe illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes.  

'Forks over Knives' is very convincing in many ways. It provides a variety of analyses and research that suggests a plant-based diet is the best solution to these health problems. However, after leaving the theatre, some questions started to pop in to my mind. First of all, the film relied on a simple, yet controversial proposition: meat is bad for you. However, considering what I have learned in our 'Chicken Culture' class, there is more to the production of meat than we think. Many farms are more like factories now. Cows and chickens live in barred areas, are fed the best feed to get fat and ready to be eaten in the shortest amount of time and at the lowest possible cost. It makes me wonder if this mass production of meat might be the real problem here. Secondly, in my opinion, the film does not adequately consider reducing meat consumption as another possible solution. Too much meat consumption is not good, and that we all know, but I am not sure if the complete removal of meat from our diet is realistic. The film's proposed solution is perhaps too ideal. I doubt many people will be able or willing to so drastically change their eating habits.  

Need for a health solution is evident. But before we consider how to solve this problem, it might be best to first acknowledge the importance of and issues surrounding the food we currently eat. This documentary attempts to do both and ultimately suggests that the answer lies in a healthier, plant-based diet. As for me, I have started to consider what I have on my plate and reduced the amount of meat I eat every day, filling the empty spot with more greens. Maybe removing meat completely from my diet is impossible, but trying to eat better, nutritious meals is what I will strive for now. Probably in the future, my plate will be full of greens.  

Hello Blog Readers,

It's me again. It has been quite a while since I have posted here. Seems like being a college student has finally hit me. I've been swamped in not only school work but also with extracurricular activities such as ASA, NAACP, FastStart, and Black Caucus. Time management is one issue I surely have to perfect. And now finals are coming up...YIKES!

However I'm looking forward to the break, and even more so to next semester where I will really get my hands into the two majors I plan to pursue, Labor Studies and Employment Relations (LER) & Information Sciences and Technology (IST). I am focusing on these majors because I plan to pursue a career in intellectual property law. This type of law requires not only knowledge of technology but also being able to understand and interact with potential clients. Next semester will be even more challenging than this one. I am taking a whopping 19 credits with classes ranging from computer science to honors security risk and analysis. But I look forward to it.

As one one my idols Kwame Nkrumah would say, "Forward ever, Backwards never." With that in mind, I will happily keep moving forward in my sure to be great Penn State career. I enjoyed writing this blog, but it looks like it's time to get back to the books...

For the Glory,

Denise

Our first round of Eco-Rep programs was a success! For the month of September, our theme was reducing energy use for entertainment. All twenty of us Eco-Reps were divided into groups according to our residence halls and split up to do activities involving our halls. The Eco-Rep program is designed for Freshman students so it applies to East Halls only. My group included Pinchot and Sproul halls and we held 'Eco-Rep Hangman'. This involved drawing polar bears on a noose, winning prizes, and best of all, Free Pizza! Our next program for the month of October focuses on this month's theme of reducing lighting by 25%. The program is...(drumroll please)...Pumpkin Decorating Contest! A prize will be awarded for the pumpkin with the best message about reducing electricity consumption. The decorating will take place in the Johnston and Findlay commons on Saturday, October 23 from 3PM-5PM. All of the different Eco-Rep groups are going to come together to help make it a success and we will be equipped with costumes! 

HAPPY 1-MONTH ANNIVERSARY!

You may be asking, "whose anniversary is it?"

Mine and Penn State's.

I have officially been a freshman for a month.  And wow, has it gone by fast!

Before I go any further, let me introduce myself. My name is Denise Dagadu, I am a  proud resident of New Jersey. I have come to happy valley to pursue my dreams of getting a bachelors degree and I plan on eventually going to law school. I haven't set my mind on one major thus far, but I am testing the waters to see what fits best. Thus far I am one month closer to fulfilling my goals.

I am in the College of the Liberal Arts and am a Paterno Fellow Aspirant (which is a great program, I might add). In this short month I have learned so much and I have come up with 5 sure ways to survive in Penn State University as a freshman:

1. Don't be afraid to meet new people (we're all in the same boat, new to the environment)
2. Make weekly goals and stick to them (Procrastination = your worst enemy)
3. Get involved! (It's another sure fire way to meet new people and explore your interests)
4. TRY SOMETHING NEW (I've learned so much about myself this way)
5. Remember what you came here for (passing up a party to study won't kill you)
   

College is not like high school. You have to put in way more hours of studying but also, you need to be able to have fun. Time management is absolutely the key to success as I see it.

To sum up my first post, I'm having a blast finding myself while learning and being challenged by new things. And I can't wait to see where else I land myself in the next few months.

But last and most important, as a true Penn Stater, I'll proudly end this with a:

WE ARE!

Hello all, my name is AnneLiese Nachman and I wanted to take the time to introduce myself to this blogging community before I started contributing to it.

First thing's first; I have never blogged before, so I am very new to this. However, I am a Freshman, and trying new things is all part of the experience right? After I learned of this opportunity, I thought it would be a good way to contribute to this growing technological way of communicating.

So if you follow my blogs, you will be peering through a window into the life of a Freshman here at PSU. I will discuss some of the activities here on campus that I take part in such as the Eco-Rep program,the Blue and White Society, and the Paterno Fellows program. I hope to give you a sense of how some Freshmen perceive this Penn State community and all that comes with it.

I look forward to sharing!