It has been two semesters and 32 issues. The staff was as many as I 0 and as little as two. Some­ how, The PSU Collegian survived its first year of rebirth. The plan was to be a totally online publication. That did not work out for many reasons. With no budget, no place to "publish" and a staff with little knowledge about putting out a newspaper, The PSU Collegian forged ahead with a desire to exist.

Many thanks go out to Mylique Sutton, Amanda Gipson, Casey Petty, Daphnie Vega, Tiara Zhan'e Hernandez, Steve Santiago, L.J. Santa Maria, Becky Long, Liana Van and Belle Culver. In the be­ ginning there was also help from Chase Petty, Kristin Baker, Leslie Capozzoli  and Shainaliz Ortiz. The newspaper got an international feel thanks to the contributions of Dr. Beatriz Glick and her Spanish students.

On the IT side of things and under the guidance of Jon Trosky, IT instructor, Casey set up the Web site and Jeff Click from the IST program refined it. Aaron Hollenback, also from the IT program, developed an app for the newspaper.

Without the contributions of these individuals, The PSU Collegian would not have worked.

And, as you can see, it takes more than students from one second year writing class to make a newspaper work. Just like in the real world, it takes the collaboration, talent and knowledge from different majors to produce a newspaper, news show or online media product. The PSU Collegian was trying to give its club members this experience through­ out the past academic year.

But the future of the college newspaper is uncertain. The PSU Collegian's existence is on shaky ground. The 260W class, which offers students writing for the media and much more, did not roster for the Fall semester. Discussion has been held on opening the course up again in the Spring of 2014 but that is not the time to start the school newspaper. It should be in the fall.

Since I won't be teaching a class on campus in the fall, someone else will need to step up with the understanding, guidance and ability to continue teaching as well as guiding the students on the newspaper or it will just go away.

If this is the one and only year of existence for The PSU Collegian, then so be it. We put out 32 issues and learned an awful lot.

The students learned being an English major DOES NOT make you a journalist nor does taking one Mass Communica­tions class teach you everything about the media industry. The students, many of them interested in marketing and public relations, discovered they DID need to know how to write like a journalist. They also learned they DID need to know AP style.

Those involved with The PSU Collegian found out what the word DEADLINE means. A few learned the art of page design and adjusting photos for print. Many found out it wasn't easy to talk to people or make phone calls that were not returned. Some had doors closed in their faces while others were given excuses as to why they couldn't get information they wanted. A few students realized how difficult it was to define "news."

There is news all around us. Stories can be found everywhere. Above all, the students learned this and much more.

Journalism is a profession. It has a code of ethics and those who are taught correctly continue the legacy of great journalists of the past.

It has been my pleasure to be part of such a dedicated group of students who wanted to see what it was like to work in the media. Beyond what was learned in the short 15-week  media course in the fall semester,  the hands-on experience The PSU Collegian presented the students  was an education they will get nowhere in a classroom.

Journalism is not just for someone "who likes to write." It is a career with specific duties, defined rules and a never-ending drive to deliver the stories that affect us all in some way. It is a responsibility to truth, balance and fairness.

I wish all of The PSU Collegian members an enjoyable summer filled with opportunities.

One of the biggest issues on this campus is the lack of interest in student activities. Freshman, Jonathan Abu, took this into his own hands and decided to create an event that inspired participation and excitement for our student body. On Tuesday, April 16, at 8pm in the cafeteria, Abu hosted the first ever open mic night. We caught up with him to discuss how this idea of his became a reality.

What gave you the idea to have the open mic night?

“I knew that other campuses had this event, so I wanted to create it here at Hazleton.”

Was it hard to get students to come to the event?

“It was easy to get the word out since this is a small campus.”

What was measures did you take to get this event on campus?
“I had to clear the idea by our student affairs coordinators, April Harris-Snyder and Ryan  Aten. When they approved of this event, they stated that Tuesday was free. It was a simple process to say the least.”

What was your reaction to the turnout?
“I was pleased with the turnout because I thought that not a lot of people would come. However, there was a lot of participation with the crowd, which I was happy about. It is better to expect the worst and then be surprised in the end.”

Were you nervous lack of participation with the student body?
“I planned ahead and already knew that there would be four people who would definitely  be performing. Once the audience saw what was going on, a lot of people wanted to be involved.”

When is the next open mic night going to be?
“I don’t think that this will happen again this year due to finals approaching, but next year, I plan on having this event as often as possible. I am even thinking about creating a club for this.”

Students like to swear that finals will be the death of them and in the off chance that studying too much or procrastinating does lead to an untimely demise there are certain things that needs to be taken care of.

Who gets your illegally downloaded music collection? Who will pick up your slack in that group project? Of course, there’s also figuring out how your online persona will be handled.

Google has released an Inactive Account manager tool that will allow you to declare up to 10 people who will have access to your account information or if you would prefer to have everything wiped out after you pass away. You can set up your account to either be purged or passed on after three, six, nine or 12 months of inactive, and then Google will take action.

A month prior to the scheduled date, Google will send a text or email to your secondary address check up on you and if you fail to respond to whatever reason the final step will be taken.

Although Google may not like it, chances are that your digital life encompasses more than them which means that there’ll need to be a bit more planning for your digital afterlife.

While neither Facebook nor Twitter have a similar feature which would allow you to plan how your account is handled before it’s too late, there’s a third party service that would allow you to schedule special messages to be published in the future.

DeadSocial works in conjunction with a users’ Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn account to send messages from the account as if the original user were still alive and kicking.

For the tweeters among us, _LivesOn is a tool that hasn’t quite been perfected yet, but the creators hope that one day it will be effectively able to mirror the tweeting style of the account owner. That way a person’s memory will be kept alive as twitter continues to post tweets in their “voice.”

Another service that allows you to live on even after you’re long is if i die, which sends private video or text messages via Facebook or email after three people you listed confirmed that you’re no longer with them.

While many of these programs may seem more appropriate with the terminally ill, these programs are also suitable for the sudden, unexpected deaths. They may help mourning loved ones and you may come to terms with your mortality by planning for the unforeseen.

The government also advocates the creation of a social media will because not everything you leave behind can be physically held.

Social media has changed the way we live our lives, and with these emerging tools allowing us to live on they may change the way we look at death too.

While Penn State Hazleton's Recycling Program reminds and encourages students to recycle

in the residence halls, the fact remains that not everyone does this. Often times all the trash from the residence halls gets tossed into one huge dumpster. This has to change.

According to the Recycling Guide, recycling reduces waste caused by pollution.

Large amounts of energy is used when making products from raw materials, recycling and preserving natural resources uses much less energy. It is also important to keep in mind the fact that landfills where we dumb trash are filling up quickly. Finally, our recycling today will benefit the future generations. It comes down to a matter of how much do you care about yourself, your environment, and others.

Caring and being mindful goes deeper than recycling, it includes disposing of cigarettes butts properly (not in the flower pots on in the grass). It includes carrying your trash, no matter how small, to a nearby garbage can. It includes picking up trash you see on the ground outside around campus, even if you didn’t put it there.

Who knows, maybe someone will see your “good deed” and follow suit. Maybe the person that spotted you carrying that soda can that has been sitting in the grass for weeks to the trash is some- one who had a slightly negative opinion about you, and seeing you take that step to care about your campus and planet will change their mind about you.

Even if there’s no one around, do it for you, for us. This is our campus, our community, and our planet, and we should start acting like it.

Mis compañeros Belkys, Evelyn, Dillon, Heath, y  yo estamos en la oficina hispana, este sábado y son las once de la mañana. Yo estoy hablando con los niños y ayudándoles a crear poemas. A  mí me gusta ayudar personas por la satisfacción que me da. Me siento bien porque me doy en cuenta que estoy haciendo algo por mi comunidad. La otra razón es que me gusta conocer  a gente diferente.

On Saturday, 6 April, 2013, professors and students from Penn State Univ/ Hazleton provided an Enrichment Program to students from the Hazleton Middle School by introducing them to the following topics:  1.  The Amazing Newborn:  Stages of Development   2.  Breaking the Ice:  Communication Techniques    3.  Looking for Metaphors in Pablo Neruda’s Elemental Odes.

Jane Roda, Instructor in Human Development/ Family Services, gave a presentation on the Amazing Newborn. 

She explains:  “My presentation was called The Amazing Infant and I talked about Human Development during the first year of life. I wanted to make the students aware of how much an infant is capable of seeing, feeling and learning, even though it might not seem like they do much. At a quick glance, it often appears that an infant is only capable of eating and sleeping but a closer look reveals that they have an impressive array of skills and abilities. I wanted to share these fascinating abilities with the students so they can be as impressed as I am at what researchers have discovered about the newborn infant”.  

Myrene Magabo,  Instructor in Communications, explained to the students how to break the ice by using various strategies and adds that “ the workshop started with an ice breaker activity for student participants, followed by a presentation in basic terms and simplified explanations of the following main points:

1)    The historical, metaphorical, and modern day meanings of “breaking the ice”
2)    A video illustration of the titanic-- symbolically representing the self, inner core values and potentials, and the iceberg to represent external obstacles in life.  
3)    A video slide show of some important core values
4)    Inspirational video featuring Will Smith’s Mindset Wisdom.

Penn State student, Eduin Lorenzo Medina assisted during the presentation, providing interpretations and some guidance to participants during the workshop activities. Ms. Sandra Lopez-Medina and Ms. Lorie Cudwadie of the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU) also worked closely with the kids and participated in the “icebreaker” discussion.

 Beatriz García Glick, Instructor in Spanish,   and PSU students developed the topic of metaphors by analyzing poems in Elemental Odes  by the Chilean poet,  Pablo Neruda.  Dominican Poet, Eddy Ulerio,  who was also present at the ARTS Workshop,  used several examples of metaphors from his book of poems “Travesía”. 

This collaboration was possible through the efforts of Sandra Medina-López,  Director of the  Office of Education for Migrant Students, and Lorie Cudwadie,  Assistant to the Director.  

La lectura de poesía por Eddy Ulerio se celebró el 27 de marzo en Graham 115, en la Universidad de Penn State. La habitación era grande y estaba llena de gente. La lectura comenzó con la promesa de lealtad a Estados Unidos y la República Dominicana. Entonces el señor Ulerio fue presentado y leyó algu- nos de sus poemas.

Después, el público hizo preguntas sobre algunos de los poemas y por qué el Sr. Ulerio los es- cribió. La profesora Glick tradujo algunas de las respuestas del Sr. Ulerio.

Finalmente, el Sr. Ule- rio tomó fotos con algunos de los asistentes y firmó algunos libros para los que pidieron.

El Sr. Ulerio era un hombre tranquilo de estatura mediana. Fue aconsejado por sus amigos a publicar sus poemas. Me gustó su poema "mi mundo" porque me gustaba cómo sonaba.

En conclusión, me gustó la lectura y deseo que más autores vengan a Penn State, Hazleton.

El miércoles, 27 de marzo asistí a un programa por Eddy Ulerio. En el programa, Eddy Ulerio leyó una selec- ción de poemas en inglés y español . Me gustٕó  escuchar cómo él cambió su voz al leer el poema. El cuarto estaba en silencio mientras leía. En el públi- co, vi a muchos estudiantes. Me gustó su poema "Ultimo encuentro" en su libro llamado "Travesia". Comprendí un poco las palabras . En conclusión disfruté de la lectura del poema porque es una experiencia diferente que nunca había hecho antes.

Fui a la lectura de poesía con mis amigos, Will y Matt. Me encantó todo acerca de la presentación. La sala estaba llena y creo que todo el mundo tenía un buen tiempo. Todo el pueblo español era muy educado y agradable. Me sentía tímido al principio, así porque me senté en la zona reservada, pero todo el mundo era agradable. Entonces, mi poema favorito era el poema de su familia, porque tengo una gran familia y los quiero mucho.

Entendí una buena cantidad de las palabras, pero él usa algunas palabras que no estoy acostumbrado.

En conclusión, me gustó la present- ación mucho y volvería a ir a otro.

Yo asistí a la lectura de poesía por Eddy Ulerio el 27 de marzo, 2013, en la Universidad de Penn State. La sala estaba concurrida, y  llena de personas.El público estaba muy atento. La mitad del público entendía español y mitad hablaba solamente inglés. El orador y poeta, Eddy Ulerio, era de Republica de Dominicana. El poeta era tímido y reservado. El señor Ulerio era genial y pensativo. Yo esraba emocionado, porque yo leo o escucho la poesía raramente. Primero, mi padre y yo nos sentamos en el parte posterior de la sala. Después, el rector de campus, Doctor Lawler, introdujo el poeta. La señora Marisol Espaillat, otra artista y poeta, leyó un poema de Ulerio al público, y dio un discurso sobre su impresiones de Eddy, basado en poemas de Ulerio. Finalmente, Eddy Ulerio respondió a las preguntas del público. Ulerio recitó solamente un poema, Postmodernidad. Mi poema favorita era Mi Mundo, porque era profundo y universal (aplicable a todos personas).

Me gusta mucho el tema, porque era sobre el autor y cómo percibía sus pensamientos.

Me gustó la rima. Yo entendía muchas palabras, pero yo tuve problemas con algunas palabras difíciles. En conclusión, la lectura fue una iluminación al mundo de poetas, y a la mentalidad de artistas. Eso es todo.

Primero fui al edificio, Graham 115,  de la Universidad de Penn State, Hazleton. Aquí oí a Eddy Ulerio, un poeta dominicano. Me  sentía tranquila y contenta. El orador hablaba muy bien y fue interesante. Había mucho público. Había muchas per- sonas bilingües. Me gustaba el recital de libro de poemas Travesía por Eddy Ulerio. Mi poema favorito por Eddy Ulerio era “Desamor”. “Desamor” es mi poema favorito porque describe cómo la chica no quiere que hable de su amor, pero el poeta todavía siente algo sobre ella. Pero el poema no rimó. Finalmente, aprendí las palabras nuevas. Aprendí que “desamor” es “indifference” en inglés. Aprendí que “la memoria” es “memory” en inglés. Aprendí que “olvidar” es “to forget” en inglés. Aprendí que “marchito” es “withered” en inglés. Aprendí que “sufrir” es “to suffer” en inglés. Aprendí que “girar” es “to turn” en inglés. En con- clusión, aprendí mucho esa noche. Me gustó escuchar a Eddy Ulerio que leyó los poemas.

Armed with nothing more than buckets, bare hands and bags to snatch up eggs filled with condoms, candy and cash, PSU Hazleton students came out in droves last Wednesday to partake in the annual campus Rotten Egg Hunt.

Spearheaded by Ryan Aten and April Harris-Snyder of Stu- dent Affairs, the purpose of the hunt was to educate the students about the importance  of being wary of sexual partners and the importance of protecting them- selves, a sentiment that Harris- Snyder echoed with megaphone in hand minutes before the students were let loose onto the field.

“These eggs represent your potential sexual partners, pretty on the outside but you don't know what's on the inside," said Harris- Snyder.

While a student may be unaware of the STDs their partner could be harboring until itching, swelling, warts and unsightly and often painful discharges from the genitals alert them that they may have an issue, they had a better idea of what prizes were stuffed inside of the eggs  and they were ready to push and shove to get them.

After more than a month of preparation, the eggs were finally ready for the chilly Wednesday afternoon hunt. Once students saw the colorful capsules sprinkled all over the field, they began to buzz with anticipation. Inching further and further in front of the starting line, the crowd was all ready to go minutes before the scheduled start time and Harris-Snyder had to order them back on a few occasions while other eager participants raced to the field and scrambled to find an open spot on the line.

Finally, with the blare of a siren, the hunt was on and the mad dash ensued. Shrieks of joy coupled with playful banter were the soundtrack of the event as students sprinted around enthusiastically grabbing as many eggs they possibly could. For a few minutes it was mass hysteria on the field, but it only lasted a few minutes because almost in the blink of an eye the rotten egg hunt was over.

Some students truly looked like they were on their way back from an intense battle sporting disheveled hair, dirty nails and mud caked pants. A phone was even lost in the mix. As people trudged to the starting point, out of breath and a bit sore it seemed that the fun for the day was over; however, it was only truly beginning.

Soon voices began to call out announcing their prizes after they sifted through their cache of eggs and for every scream of excitement there was one of disappointment to match.

Wide-eyed and hopeful, students pried open their eggs until there was none left and compared their hordes with friends. Whether they racked up a huge amount of cash or only secured a dollar, many participated in the clean-up effort and the field just about spotless when they were through.

It wasn’t only about the money as some students stuck around to read aloud the slips of paper tucked into their eggs declaring which STD they contracted by participating in the hunt.

Amused, one man discovered that he had HPV. To his dismay he may soon learn that the virus doesn’t discriminate and while men are usually primarily relegated to carriers there are instances where men could suffer from genital warts and in much rarer cases anal or penile cancer.

Condoms could help combat STDs, and luckily they were also placed in the eggs and one student jokingly questioned the use of condoms while another announced that Plan B, also known as the morning after pill, was his Plan A.

Plan A for anyone that’s sexually active should be to ensure that both they and their partners are clean because there won’t be a neon sign announcing that they’ve contracted a disease. Symptoms of STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea often go unnoticed or unchecked or they may not even show up at all. And while condoms may be effective, they don’t grant immunity and someone would still be vulnerable to the oral effects of some STDs.

 The Rotten Egg Hunt was a means to spread the word of infections and protection by mixing an educational experience with fun and games but only time will tell if the lesson was learned.

Have you ever been made fun of? Has anyone ever called you a mean name? Well, the Student Government Association hosted a diversity party last week in Slusser/Basik to help spread diversity and bring awareness to stereotypes.

SGA supplied pizza, along with water and sweet lemonade for the students to eat while they made t-shirts. On the shirts, students were able to fabric paint offensive names that they have been called before, bringing awareness to the different types of stereotypes that can occur.

People are made fun of based on their religion, body type, race, ethnicity, and by the way they dress. Students who attended were able to socialize and play various games that deal with stereotypes.

Overall, the event was a success and students had a lot of fun.

The world of video games got a taste of the good the bad and the ugly throughout the month of March as the release of big titles met, surpassed or fell below expectations and fans were there every step of the way to voice their opinions.

Crystal Dynamics and their reboot of Tomb Raider came in to reintroduce the iconic Lara Croft to the world. The game serves as an origin story to explain how Croft evolved into the dual pistol wielding no nonsense adventurer we’ve grown to know and love.

In Tomb Raider, Croft finds herself stranded on a strange island after a shipwreck and is forced to defend herself from the animals and people lurking. Alone and wounded, Croft is portrayed in the early part of the game as vulnerable and even scared yet savvy enough to navigate her way through the hazardous terrain as she searches for her crew mates and for answers.

However, while the overall game is excellent it doesn’t come without a few faults. Namely con- tinuing the trend of purely single- player games having a multiplayer aspect tacked onto it and having it feel more like dead weight than a useful addition.

Mass Effect 3 was another game that brought in multiplayer and had fans fearing that it would come at the expense of the single- player experience. Admittedly, Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer was a pleasant surprise, and served as an exception to the rule.

While Mass Effect 3 may have gotten multiplayer right, even a year after its release the game’s controversial ending still causes strong reactions for appearing rushed and resorting to a deus ex machina of sorts. Since then, Bioware has provided additional content for the game culminating with the release of the final piece of DLC.

The Citadel DLC gives fans a bit of closure and ends things on a high note as it’s packed to the brim with humor, action and one last get together with all your favorite characters from the trilogy. It’s a complete tonal shift from the rest of the game’s “the world is ending” vibe, but the DLC makes sense within the context of the story as a much needed vacation gone awry in a hurry.

Though the DLC isn’t meant to replace the original ending of the game, it certainly feels like the end because with this Bioware has officially moved on, although Mass Effect 4 in undoubtedly in the works.

Many gamers are weary of the next iteration in the Mass Effect franchise not because they don’t have faith in Bioware to bounce back from that polarizing ending, but because they don’t have faith in the publisher, EA, who they feel caused the downfall of the series.

EA’s reputation took another hit upon the release of SimCity where the game was essentially rendered unplayable because the servers couldn’t handle the influx of gamers who were ready to play the game they waited ten years for.

To combat piracy, EA and developer Maxis attempted to make SimCity an online only game that players had to log in to enjoy, even if they wanted to play alone or on the road. That drew the ire of many though they were willing to look past that until they weren’t even able to play the game, or lost creations they spent hours working on.

The backlash was so large that Amazon put up a notice warning potential buyers about the server issues and also went against policy to offer refunds to disgruntled customers who downloaded the game. One reviewer summed up the overall experience by saying, “But buying this game? In my opinion, you would be wiser to take three twenties out of your wallet, and light them on fire.”

This may seem harsh, but for many, when it comes to EA, this is the straw that destroyed the camel’s back. EA has adopted a reputation of hurting the credibility of once beloved developers from Bioware, who caught flack for the ending of Mass Effect 3 and the lackluster Dragon Age 2, to Maxis and the hoopla surrounding SimCity. Not to mention that the Madden series is often cited as what happens when a company doesn't have any competition.

The PlayStation exclusive MLB: The Show series is one game that does its sport justice, and this year’s iteration once again knocked it out of the park. With its realistic game play and eye- catching graphics, MLB 13: The Show stands head and shoulders above MLB 2K13 which has been called a $60 roster update. That’s a disappoint to Xbox 360 owners who don’t have an alternative.

Gears of War: Judgment, a pre-quel to the Gears of War trilogy, could have softened the blow for

360 owners, but its multiplayer, a hallmark of the series, felt like a downgrade from previous titles as did the entire game overall. The adventures of Damon Baird and Augustus Cole, both part of The Kilo Squad that is put on trial, are a step down from the antics that occurred in the main trilogy and Judgment doesn't quite match up to its predecessors.

On the other hand Bioshock Infinite has drawn favorable comparisons to the original Bioshock game as opposed to the sequel that left a little to be desired. Infinite has been highly touted and comes highly recommended as a game does everything right, from graphics, to storytelling to game play all combined to make one unforgettable experience.

Sophomore from  Las Vega, Nevada

Major: 
Letters Arts and Sciences

What do you do for fun?
I like to paint, clean, play sports, and cook.

What’s your favorite thing to cook?
Anything Mexican and anything desert.

If you were going to die tomorrow what would you do today?
Go home and spend the rest of my life with my family.

Say one fact about you?
 I’m a hard cookie…I look good but I’m hard!

Spanish Club and the Faculty Senate Lectures and Events Committee  welcome Dominican poet,  Eddy Ulerio, on the 27 March,  at 7 p.m. in Graham 115 for a reading and book signing of his poems Travesía:  Estaciones del alma/ Voyage:  Seasons of the Soul. The book contains  63 poems about love, life, family,religion, and the Dominican Republic among other themes.  This bilingual presentation will include readings in both Spanish and English of several poems,  an informal discussion with the author and a book signing session.  Eddy Ulerio, the poet,  Marisol Espaillat, a Spanish translator from NYC,  and other local bilingual poets will be at the presentation to discuss  the author’s work as well as his importance in Dominican literature.  His book “Travesía”  is on reserve at the library and the following is an excerpt of one of his poems:  

PSU HN students had the opportunity last week to have an up close and personal meeting with the 2013-2014 Student Government Association presidential and vice-presidential candidates when they gathered in High Acres Café to discuss their platforms.

Junior Casey Petty and freshman Rangely Geronimo are running for office in hopes of making major changes around campus. Their main goals are to create a voice for student athletes and to allow Penn State alumni to be on campus regularly. They also want to see students be more involved within clubs and around campus by implementing activities that both residential and off campus students can participate in.

Petty, who is running for the president’s seat,  said Penn State Hazleton is a second home to him and he wants to make sure all students share the same positive experience he has had.  As 2012-2013’s SGA vice-president, member of the basketball team, and one of the founding members and webmaster of The PSU Collegian, Petty has a good idea of what goes on around campus and knows what things could be improved on.

Although vice-presidential nominee Rangely Geronimo is only a first-year student, she already has experience being president of the Spanish Club and director of activities for the Blue and White Society for PSU-HN.  She and Casey are looking to work closely with the student body and would love to hear any suggestions  anyone may have regarding making the PSU-HN experience better.

Students are encouraged to go online to cast their vote at elections.psu.edu from Tuesday, March 26 to Wednesday, March 27.  

If Students want to see things change on campus, they have to make their voice heard by voting for people with the power to make a difference.

In a 2006 video recording of Sir Ken Robinson, he speaks about the school system and how it often stifles creativity, mainly in children. Robinson also describes how the purpose of education for as long as he could remember has been to prepare people for the future. Education has been the gateway to the “ideal life” that everyone wants and looks forward to. 

However, Robinson also states that while humans have this incredible amount of undiscovered creativity, we on the other hand don’t have the ability to look into the future and see what’s to come. But we still have kept the same hierarchy order of education which includes first and “most importantly” mathematics and sciences, followed by languages, then humanities, and finally the arts.

In most public schools music, art, and dance aren’t taken as seri- ous as mathematics and language arts. In many cases when a school faces a budget problem the first thing to get cut is generally the arts.

Is self-expression and creativity not as important as history and mathematics?

Public education often encourages us to not take music and dance seriously if we don’t plan on becoming some incredibly known dancer or a musician, which always seems to be “very unlikely.” But still, we’re expected to study mathematics and explore history text books as if we all wish to become professors and historians.

Later in the video, Sir Robinson briefly discusses a book he’s been working on, “Epiphany.” In this book, Robinson introduces a number of people he has inter- viewed and documented exactly how they found their creative sides.

One woman, by the name of Jillian Lynn, told her story about how when she was younger her teachers told her mother that something was wrong with her because she didn’t focus on mathematics and reading like she should.

Assuming something was wrong with young Lynn, her mother took her to a specialist. The doctor listened as Lynn’s mother explained Lynn’s difficulty focusing in school. The doctor took note, the entire time Lynn sat at on her hands.

When Lynn’s mother was done describing her daughter’s “learn- ing problems” the doctor asked her to step out of the room with him to talk. Before he walked out he turned on his radio.

From the outside of the room, the doctor and Lynn’s mother watched her dance around the room to the music. It was then when Lynn’s mother discovered that the girl wasn’t slow, she didn’t need medication to focus, she was simply a dancer and she needed to be in an environment that allowed her to express her creative side. Lynn’s mother took her to a dance school after that.

Today, Jillian Lynn is a very accomplished dancer. She is also credited with many successful theater productions.

While academics are important, is it okay to stop someone from expressing themselves and being happy by doing what they desire, even if it doesn’t include academics?

How supportive is Penn State when it comes to student’s creative interests and self-expression?
Although Penn State is not a fine arts school, students should still be allowed and even encouraged to express their creativity.

Do students have equal access to sports facilities, art studios, and music rooms or is it all about academics?

A likely response could be “go to an art school if you want to practice fine arts” but how many times have you walked into a high school or college that didn’t have a gym or offer a variety of sports?

Don’t worry, I`ll wait.

The upcoming rotten egg hunt is providing college students with the essentials. There’s candy to put that special someone in a good mood, condoms to ensure nobody gets more than they bargained

for and some cash to treat your partner to something nice after- wards and they’re all conveniently packed inside of an egg just waiting to be discovered.

Spearheaded by April Harris- Snyder and Ryan Aten, the hunt is as much of a fun and games ordeal as it is an educational opportunity. Above all, Aten hopes that students walk away with not only stuffed pockets but also with an understanding of STDs, the danger they pose and how students can protect themselves.

“The whole idea behind it is that the eggs represent sexual partners and so everybody may look fine on the outside but people could be hiding sexually transmit- ted diseases from you. You’re not going to know that just by looking at someone,” Aten said. “So inside the eggs that have condoms there is also information about different sexually transmitted diseases.”

It takes Aten, Harris-Snyder and a few work study students about a month to prep for the hunt where Aten anticipates having hundreds of eggs scattered across the soccer field and 100 students scrambling to gather as many as possible.

“Sometimes we’ve seen people out there with garbage bags and book bags and one kid had a butterfly net the one year,” Aten said.

Considering what’s being given away for free it’s no surprise that things get intense on the field when the mad dash for the eggs gets underway. The hunt itself only last a few minutes, from the moment Harris-Snyder yells the purpose of the event through a megaphone to the moment the final egg is picked up, compared to the weeks it takes to get every- thing ready.

After all the work he puts into the hunt and making sure things go off without a hitch, Aten likes to have a little fun with the students and not all the eggs will have a prize inside.

“I’ve done that kind of as a joke in the past, throw some empty ones out there, but that’s for my own personal amusement,” Aten said.

However, the chances are pretty high that’ll you’ll like what you get when you discover an egg and over the years this event has been held students typically like to gather around and see how much money they made, see what kind of candy they got and how many diseases they caught.

This year’s hunt will be held during common hour Wednesday, Apr. 3 which is a few days after Easter and explains why the eggs are all rotten.

Aten wants students to have “an understanding about non- monogamous sexual encounters where you may encounter some- one who you’re attracted to but you don’t know a whole lot about them. That happens, particularly with college students, they don’t have a long relationship with that person but they still may have a sexual encounter with that person and if that’s the case then they should protect themselves. They should take precautions.”

Debra J. Jemo Ed.M., Counseling and Psychological Services at PSU HN, recently provided information important for everyone to know regarding students in distress.

Students typically encounter a great deal of stress during their university years (i.e., academic, social, family, and work, financial). While most students cope successfully with the demands of university life, for some the pressures can become overwhelming and unmanageable. Students may feel alone, isolated, helpless and even hopeless. These feelings can easily disrupt academic performance and may result in harmful behaviors such as substance abuse and attempts at suicide. 

 Faculty, staff members and even other students are in a unique position to identify and help those who are in distress.This may be particularly true for students who cannot or will not turn to family or friends. Anyone who is seen as caring and trustworthy may be a potential resource in times of trouble. Your expression of interest and concern may be a critical factor in helping struggling students reestablish emotional equilibrium, thus saving their academic careers or even their lives.

Tips for Recognizing Distressed Students

At one time or another, everyone feels depressed or upset. The following may help to identify some symptoms which, when present over a period of time, suggest that the problems with which the person is dealing are more than the “normal” ones.

 Marked Change in Academic Performance or Behavior

· Poor performance and preparation
· Excessive absences or tardiness
· Repeated requests for special consideration especially when this represents a change from previous functioning
· Avoiding participation
· Dominating discussions
· Excessively anxious when called upon
· Disruptive behavior
· Exaggerated emotional response that is obviously inappropriate to the situation

Unusual Behavior or Appearance
· Depressed or lethargic mood
· Hyperactivity or very rapid speech
· Deterioration in personal hygiene or dress
· Dramatic weight loss or gain
· Strange or bizarre behavior indicating loss of contact with reality

References to Emotional or Life Stressors
· Problems with roommates, family, or romantic partners
· Experiencing a death of a significant other
· Experiencing a physical or sexual assault
· Experiencing discrimination based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disabilities
· Experiencing legal difficulties
· Any other problem or situation that is experienced as a loss or stress

References to Suicide, Homicide or Death
· Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
· Verbal or written references to suicide
· Verbal or written references to homicide or assaultive behavior
· Isolation from friends, family and classmates

What Can You Do?

If you choose to approach a student or person you are concerned about or if an individual reaches out to you for help with personal problems, here are some suggestions which might make the opportunity more comfortable for you.

Timing 
It is important to be aware that options for referral vary depending on the time of day. Counseling is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for appointments and crisis intervention. After hours, Northeast Counseling Services is an agency that provides 24 hour emergency coverage. You can call them at 455-6385. They are located at 750 East Broad Street, Hazleton, PA.

 Follow-up 
Arrange a time to meet again to solidify the student’s resolve to obtain appropriate help.

 Consult 
When in doubt about the advisability of an intervention, call Counseling at 450-3160 or 450-3027. After hours and on weekends, contact Northeast Counseling Services 455-6385.

From:
Hazleton, PA

YR:
Sophomore

Why PSU?
It was right next to my house!

What do you do for fun?
Rock climb, cliff jump and bungee jump.

Scariest thing you’ve done?
Sky dive.

Do you like traveling? Where?
Love to travel to the Middle Ease. Gaze City especially!

Something you want others to know about you?
I’d like to become President of the United States of America/

What would you change if you were President?
Not to change, but to fix. I would fix the broken education and welfare system and help lower income families with the high costs of education.

Changes have come to the library in the form of 136 new chairs. When asked to describe these new chairs, head librarian Valerie Lynn says the library “decided to go with a wood maple back finish to match the Knowledge Commons redesign color scheme which incorporates maple wood to brighten the library’s physical space. We selected a blue pattern fabric with a high rub count for durability.”

As Lynn notes, these changes were carefully thought out, as part of the Knowledge Commons. As the PSU Collegian previously re- ported, the Knowledge Commons process was started last summer. Library staff spent the summer months culling the library collection to address issues of currency and space in preparation for the massive changes the Knowledge Commons will bring.

“These chairs have wheels for greater mobility,” Lynn says adding this is done to allow students to work collaboratively in the new spaces envisioned by the changes.

In the future, perhaps as close as the Fall 2013 semester, there will be further changes in the form of tables.

“The new tables also have 2 wheels and 2 glides that will en- able students to move them around to create their own learning environments,” Lynn adds,

In the face of such progress, one might wonder where the old chairs have gone. Library staff, in efforts to be as environmentally friendly as possible, recycled the chairs that have served the campus since 1972. After being such a fixture of the library landscape for so long, one student said they were excited for the changes. After her departure from campus last spring, Kelly Pandolpho, a junior at University Park, said she “wants to see the new library” that she passed so much time in while at Hazleton.

The library is an active place on campus and students should keep a look out for more changes ahead.

From the dancing to the tears, THON 2013 was filled with emo- tions only those who experienced it live can understand.

It seems like everyone who was involved in THON weekend has the same one word response when asked to describe the weekend, “amazing.” THON dancers Leeann Tufaro, Megan McGee, Gabiela Herrera, and Mike Bailey all danced for 46 hours during THON weekend representing the small but big hearted campus of Hazleton.

Tufaro, along with her three fellow Hazlethon members, loved having a chance to interact with the children at THON for the chance to raise enough money to find a cure for pediatric cancer.

Audrianna Bartol lost her battle with cancer just hours before the start of THON. But she and the other fallen angels drove other Penn Staters to get to the stands of the Bryce Jordan Center and dance FTK, (for the kids.) McGee, 22, dedicated her weekend to Audrianna.

“Audrianna, one of our pen pals, was my biggest motivation. She suffered so much, so THON weekend was my turn to suffer,” McGee said.

On the bright side of things, Bailey described his favorite mo- ment of the weekend was when it was almost over.

“The end was the best. Not only was the band Go Go Gadget amazing, but to see the total earnings wowed me,” Bailey said.

THON raised $12,374,034.46.

“It was completely worth it!” Tufaro said.

Many say the first time at THON is the toughest but Tufaro wouldn’t take anything back.

“I went into THON knowing exactly why I was there, FTK; that was my motivation along with my nephew. He’s 2 years-old and that’s usually the age that most children are diagnosed with certain types of cancer. And my moraler kept me going and active; she was amazing!” Tufaro said.

A moraler is a THON dancer’s ultimate support system. This is a person who the dancer can rely on during THON weekend and help them if any problems arise.

So is the experience any different when on the stands rather than on the dance floor? Yokasta Lara, a sophomore, said she looks up to all the THON dancers who were there.

“Every time I saw my good friend Gaby Herrera, I would jump up to get her energy pumping,” Lara said. “My motivation for dancing may be a little different than the dancers on the dance floor, I danced of course FTK, but I danced to energize the dancers and to keep them motivated because they are the ones who motivate the Penn State Hershey Medical Center families to never give up the fight.”

Thinking about being a THON dancer next year? Listen to the THON professionals like Herrera.

“If I could change one thing about the weekend I would change nothing, but if I could change something about my preparation for THON, I would have exercised more to prevent the pain in my legs and feet.”

So get in shape because who knows, maybe you’ll be dancing on behalf of Penn State Hazleton for THON 2014.

It’s Thursday night, homework isn’t done, you haven’t studied for tomorrow’s quiz and yet there’s time to go off campus to party it up and drink so they can be initiated into the college life.

“Thirsty Thursday,” a term used on most college campuses, gives students an excuse to party and drink Thursday nights to Friday mornings.

Many college students stay on campus to experience “the college experience.” So what comes with this? Drinking, partying and being the most well-known; but how harmful is alcohol for your body?

Both faculty and students are aware of the coined phrase, “Thirsty Thursday,” but are you willing to

put everything on the line to have a couple drinks with your friends?

Underage drinking is a serious offence and according to the Pennsylvania Law those who are caught underage drinking can serve some of the following consequences:

Suspension of Driver’s License
• 90 days for the first conviction
•1 year for a second conviction
•2 years for a third/fourth/fifth/etc. conviction
•You may qualify for an OLL, or “Occupational Limited License,” which would allow you to drive only for work-related activities.
•If you don’t have a driver’s license when you are convicted, you will be prohibited from applying for a learner’s permit for the period of time your license would have been suspended had you had a license.

Other consequences include fines, community service, and attending an alcohol information class.

Why go through all that hassle for a couple hours of feeling “buzzed”?

Not only can you get into trouble with the law but when you are under the influence you are more likely to be sexually or physically assaulted. You might be thinking “so what if I have to pay a fine if I get caught?” What if the fine that you had to pay followed you everywhere for the rest of your life?

Most students on campus said that “Thirsty Thursday” was the best day of the week, yet not one knew that getting caught with alcohol meant getting their driver’s license can be revoked.

Stephen Demko, an police officer on campus, said the number one offense that students commit is underage drinking. Police know most college students drink and to decrease the cases of underage drinking they want to make clear the consequences of alcohol use through a longer period of time.

Health risks include:
•Cancer of the throat, esophagus or larynx. Regularly drinking two large glasses of wine or two pints of strong lager a day could make you three times as likely to get mouth cancer.
•Breast cancer in women. Regularly drinking just above the guidelines increases the risk of getting breast cancer by around 20 percent
•A stroke
•Heart disease or an irregular heartbeat, which can lead to a heart attack
•High blood pressure
•Liver disease such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. If you regularly drink just above the lower-risk guidelines, the risk of liver cirrhosis increases 1.7 times
•Pancreatitis

Alcohol can lead to many problems in the future, so think about the present to ensure that your future is what you want it to be and not a result of what you did ten years ago on “Thirsty Thursday.” Rethink Thursday nights.

So this week, stop and think before you pick up a drink. You can still have fun with your friends on Thursday nights, just be sober.

There’s also State Patty’s Day at UPark which puts Melrose parties to shame. This State Patty’s Day event at UPark is Feb. 23 and authorities are well aware that commonwealth campuses plan to drive to Main Campus for the all day and night drinking party.

State Patty’s Day is a “holiday” created by Penn State students in 2007. Many students begin lining up outside of bars and drinking as early as 6 a.m. to celebrate. The festivities last the entire day as students wearing green show up drunk to class, or don’t go at all. Many parties are held at night, featuring green beer and green jungle juice.

This year Ben Clark, from the Council of Commonwealth Student Goverments, sent out emails announcing that heavy fines and stricter rules will be in place for State Patty’s Day.

No matter who you are, or who you know, whether you hang out with the book worms, or the athletes I’m sure you’ve most likely heard about the “shorts and t-shirt” kid. Yes, the one with the nice long hair. In a realm of winter coats, boots, and scarfs, current freshmen Jesse Berardo makes his way around campus on twenty degree day’s often wearing only shorts and a t-shirt. 

Here on the Hazleton campus, some students first questioned whether he was from a place such as Canada, which experiences cold weather all year around. Surprisingly, Berardo is from South River, New Jersey where he also generally wears shorts and a t shirt. When asked the most anticipated question, “why don’t you wear a coat?” Berardo simply responds “I don’t see the point in putting on a jacket unless I get cold.” 

Berardo admitted that he wore a jacket when the weather got below fifteen degrees, but he still wore shorts because his legs weren’t cold.