Weird-ness

I'm weird. Like, incredibly weird. And I'm starting to have the feeling that everyone else is too.

I had this sleep-deprived, delusional conversation with a friend the other day, you know, the ones that  only happen when you can't remember what you ate earlier that day because you've been up for far too long thinking far too many thoughts, and you're not quite sure if you're speaking out loud or in your head. So I confided in her something weird that I did. And she laughed, agreed that it was bizarre, but then told me some weird things she's done.

Okay, so I realize I'm being vague and making it sound like something sketchy is going down, so maybe I should more properly define "weird" in this context. I don't mean weird as in creepy or slightly psychotic behavior, or any abnormal habit. More so in the sense of doing something strange and that doesn't really make any sense to others, or to yourself. For example, the weird deed I am referring to specifically in this example, is when I was walking down the rather long hallway in my building to my room, and I really just wanted to be in my room already, so I sprinted the rest of the way. It was completely unnecessary since  I wasn't in a rush or anything, I just logistically thought it through in my brain that it didn't make any sense for me not to run to my room. I was capable of running, and no one was in the hallway, so boom, I did it. Kind of bizarre, right?

It's easy to see weirdness in yourself, because you're with yourself all the time, and inside your head, and observing everything you do, think and say. So it's practically impossible to believe that there is nothing weird about you. So sometimes I do really weird things, and I recognize that what I'm doing is beyond bizarre, but that doesn't stop me from doing it.

And everyone does weird things. Sometimes you catch people doing weird things, which can be highly entertaining, but who's to know if what you deem to be weird is weird to them, or if that's just what they do typically. My friend responded to my "weird" story with her own, and it's kind of interesting to think about this out of body decision making moments we have on occasion.  I don't have any solution or analysis for why we do these things, but its just a inconsequential thing I like to think about from time to time, and know that everyone, no matter how cool, calm and collected that might seem, does irrational, slightly bizarre, and just straight up weird things.

Michaela Bethune

Why Ghana?

Michaela Bethune

Ever since this summer when I made the decision of where I plan to study abroad, I've been repeatedly asked the question, why Ghana? And although at this point I immediately launch into my rehearsed spiel describing logistically how the program makes sense with what I want to study and how I want to go somewhere I never will go again, internally I know that there is something more to my decision than just this monologue I've repeated approximately 48 times. 

I have never been a decisive person. Any insignificant choice I am forced to make always proves to be a struggle for me, and is followed by continuous over-analysis on whether or not I made the correct decision. Then I consider if the alternative would have been better, and regret my choice, although I know there is no way to know which experience would have been more beneficial. This indecisiveness drives me, and presumably all those around me who have to listen to my constant streams of consciousness, absolutely crazy, but I haven't been able to outgrow this annoying characteristic.

Except for now. Although at times I get nervous and scared when I realize I will be in a completely foreign environment, camping out in tents for four months behind strangers' huts, and conducting independent research on a topic I still haven't determined, this fear and insecurity has never led me to regret my decision to study abroad next semester in Ghana. If anything, it is this uncertainty and cluelessness of what I'm getting myself into that drives my desire to go and my excitement. The feeling in my gut when I suddenly have moments of clarity that I am actually going to be living in Africa, rolling up solo, and my heart skips a beat...it's those moments that make me realize there was no other option. It makes perfect sense to me why I should be studying abroad there, that I need to have this feeling of straight up, unadulterated life, where I'm not getting wrapped up in things that don't actually matter to me, where I'm not oddly competitive about things I'm not even sure that I care about, where I'm not trying to play a game I don't even know how I got involved in. I need to be where I can be living exactly in the moment, if only due to the fact that I don't have another choice, since I have no idea what is going to happen next, and I am beyond excited to not have everything planned out, and just live. I need to be in a new environment where I'm constantly challenged to adapt and learn quickly in order to get by, because its instances like those where I'm forced out of a monotonous, semi-sleepwalking routine, and realize that I am, in fact, living.

And if this explanation doesn't make sense to anyone else, I can give them my rehearsed spiel, because at this point, all that matters is that it makes sense to me.

"Study" Abroad

By Samantha DiFeliciantonio

It is hard to say that my favorite thing about college was studying abroad. Since it did not take place at GW and I was living in a different country, it seems like choosing study abroad is a cop out.

I do love everything about GW. From the city atmosphere, to the internship opportunities, to the proximity we are to the government and historical things, GW is an awesome place. Because of this, I do not want to discredit my academic life here when comparing it to my study abroad experience.

But, my semester in Florence last semester was the best time of my college career and even my life. I got to experience things I never thought I would, and I was able to survive and travel on my own in eight different countries.

Looking back, it seems like a dream that I was able to travel through Europe while “studying” and “taking classes” in a foreign country. The things I learned from staying in a host family and using foreign public transportation were nothing I could learn from an institution. They were experience-based and life lessons.

I recommend to any college student the chance to study abroad. This is because it was the time I most grew as a person and became a citizen of the world. It made me appreciate life in the US and all the opportunities I have everyday. Studying abroad allowed me to love GW more because I missed my routine, but also it allowed me to open up and live outside the Foggy Bottom constraints.

Fun in Art Class

Dan Stelly

I’ve always liked art, but I’ve never taken a real art class in high school or college. My mom has always bugged me to take a fine arts class so that I’d be able to compare a Matisse to a Cezanne at a fancy party and sound “educated.” I don’t really think knowing the subtleties of some paintings of flowers translates to how cultural or smart you are, and memorizing hundreds of watercolors was the last thing I wanted to do here at GW.

Yet this semester, I took a real art class, and it’s blown my mind. Granted, it’s not painting or sculpture or anything traditional; the title of the class is new media and we primarily work with digital platforms like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Still, our discussions about art have changed how I perceive cultural items and self-expression. Our professor was pretty upfront about the course, telling us that new media is weird and that we weren’t going to like everything we saw nor think it deserved to be called art. He also told us a very poignant line that’s stuck with me: if something seems like it was made just for you, then it’s art. It’s that simple, he said.

Since then, I’ve been grappling with our final projects. New media is great in the sense that you can make just about anything and call it new media. Our group chose to stick with Photoshop and re-design modern products for different time periods, using that time period’s style elements.

Here’s a laptop I re-designed for the Victorian/Industrial Revolution era:

And here’s a train I re-designed for the same time period:

It’s fun commentary about how today’s products and devices all follow a modern style: sleek, minimalist, metallic, etc. I really enjoyed turning that style on its head and using totally different aesthetics to re-think these products.

Overall, I’d recommend an art class to everyone here if you have the time or credit hours left. Or just take one at some point down the road; it’s a really rewarding experience. It’s also nice that I can use these digital art skills for journalistic purposes too!    

Ivory Security

Liz Henriksson

This past week a series of break-ins occurred in the Ivory Tower residence hall. In this incident two women were able to get into the building and walk into a series of unlocked doors and steal many valuables from these rooms. Even after these break-ins GWU police only seldomly monitored the lobby to make sure only GWU students were able to get into the building. I would have thought this incident would have alerted GWU to the problem that one of the largest dorms on campus was easily able to be broken into. I know I have personally followed individuals in through the doors to get into Ivory at one point in time for all my four years of college, however it can cause dangerous problems for the individuals living in that building. While students should lock their doors to their rooms, I do think there should be some responsibility by the university and by UPD to monitor who is going in and out of the buildings. UPD has began to instill a policy where on weekends students are required to show their Gworlds or sign any guests in, however while I do not think this is necessary during the weekdays and during the day time, I do think UPD should be at the front to keep a eye on things. Thurston, a similar sized dorm to Ivory, has UPD at the front desk at all times and requires students to swipe in or sign in their guests. While this may seem excessive and students should take care of their belongings and their rooms, it is just that extra bit of effort by GWU and even just the presence of UPD at the front desk that could help prevent future incidents.

Inauguration and Inaugural Ball: #onlyatgw

I've heard a lot of people talking about how Inaugural Ball is coming up and 'it'll be great and all, but it won't be anything like 2008' and I'm already sick of it and we're still a month out from Inauguration 2013.

My response is usually, 'well it'll be great because I wasn't here last time to experience it so it'll definitely be awesome.'  I honestly don't understand how GW students can be so jaded about things like this that really do happen #onlyatgw.  I mean, how many college kids can say that they're able to walk down the street and take part in any Presidential Inauguration, but especially the one that marks the start of President Obama's second term?  No matter your political persuasion, that's pretty awesome and pretty unique.

With the Inauguration coming up and the Inaugural Ball, that means it'll be my last semester of undergrad at GW.  This year has already been really awesome and marked by plenty of #onlyatgw moments, so it'll be great to start out my last semester in such an incredible way.

Not only will a President I helped to elect start his second term in office, but I will be able to dress up and go to a ball at the Omni Shoreham Hotel which has a really cool history of its own, with guests such as the Beatles and hosting FDR's inaugural ball (he was present) and President Clinton's as well.

This is an epic city, for lack of a better adjective and Something surely Happens Here.  I hope that everyone opens their eyes and realizes what this school and this city have to offer, because they will not disappoint.

Winter Break Top Ten List

Jennie Krems

Winter break is fast approaching so I figured it would be nice to make a list of what I am most looking forward to (and not so much) about break.  I will be going home to Boston so I can definitely expect some chilly temperatures.  This will be my Winter Break Top Ten List.

10. Living with my parents for a month
9. Gaining holiday weight from all the egg nog and desserts
8. Not having anything to do
7. Snow and probably lots of it!
6. Going to my favorite eateries in the area, especially Anna's Taqueria!
5. Seeing my friends from high school and the ones from GW who live nearby
4. Seeing a lot of movies and going shopping
3. Going ice skating and doing other wintry activities
2. Catching up on much needed sleep
1. Presents and holiday parties! 

That's it.  I probably missed a few, but I'm no David Letterman.  I hope everyone has a fun break!

Do I Live Here?

By Samantha DiFeliciantonio

When talking to people in Washington about GW, a lot of them touch on the fact that we as students never leave the Foggy Bottom bubble. And yes this bubble stretches into Georgetown shopping and Dupont bars, but when do we ever leave the northwest?

Having projects in school requiring me to leave the northwest and venture off to do research around the city truly shows me how little I know about Washington DC. Even as a senior I see myself going to the same places for lunch and going out to the same areas to see the same people over and over. But don’t we live in one of the biggest and most diverse metropolitan areas in the country?

With this notion, my friends and I decided to try a different restaurant every Friday in order to explore and see what the city has to offer. It has brought us to (dare I say it) Tenleytown near American University, up near Columbia Heights, and down to quaint Old Town Alexandria. Each week we decide on a restaurant that was either recommended to us or on some lists of some website from some author who decided it was something to talk about, but so far so good.

It is hard to leave what is comfortable here in Foggy Bottom surrounded by people we know and streets that are familiar, but we live in a city. We are supposed to know where major streets lead and be able to tell visitors how to take the metro and what sights they should see.

So, as my last semester of college is quickly approaching I am vouching to continue my exploration of Washington. I want to hit the major sites, while also walking around little neighborhoods of the city that are not known to tourists. I do live here, and I want it to feel like that. 

On the Road

I read On the Road last summer and since haven’t stopped telling anyone and everyone that they simply must read Jack Kerouac’s 1957 classic novel. In spirit of preparing to head to the US and travel across the country (my dream is end up in San Francisco) it seemed fit.

“We lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies” he said, and inspired I was.

On the Road was voted 55^th in Modern Library’s 100 best ever English-language novels (my two favorite books of all time The Great Gatsby and Brave New World came in 2^nd and 4^th).

It’s a book that represents the Beat Generation of the 1950s, alongside William S. Burroughs’ (Old Bull Lee in the book) Naked Lunch and Allen Ginsberg’s (Carlo Marx in the book) poetry, most famously Howl, and many more. It is incredibly written. These young lads in their twenties have a lust and passion and obsession with the endless possibilities and adventures and experimentations and sex and drugs and jazz and travelling and living and breathing every second of life to it’s upmost energetic fullest, rejecting materialism and embracing sexual, racial and social liberation.

The book is semi-autobiographical. Its written in first person from the perspective of Sal Paradise, a writer from New York, based on Kerouac himself, who meets Dean Moriarty, a promiscuous carefree lover of life and drugs and oh how Sal adores him. Moriarty is based on Beat generation writer Neal Cassidy, who Kerouac spent years travelling with and too developed an infatuation with.

Come 2012, a film-adaption by Walter Salles that’s been 5 years in the making is released. I am often skeptical of film versions of books I adore, as many people are. They are just never as vivid, as all-consuming, as deep or as wonderful as turning the page of a book and the characters and settings being so clear in your mind.

On the Road was visually gorgeous. However I feel they could have done a bit more aesthetically to portray the beauty of the surroundings the boys so adored during their travels.

Sal Paradise is played by British actor Sam Riley. Riley excellently played Ian Curtis in Control, the 2007 film about the life of the Joy Division lead singer. For me, he was a perfect Paradise. A little reserved, a little gangly, always present, had a look he gave Dean and only Dean.

Dean Moriarty on the other hand, could not have been further from the Dean I imagined when reading On the Road. Played by Garret Hedland, he looked too perfect and seemed too serious to be the crazy bouncy vivacious spontaneous free-spirited Yes Man.

What I liked was that the film built bridges between the actual life of Jack Kerouac and Sal Paradise, links that weren’t made in the book but remind the viewer that the author has lived this life, the Beat generation happened and since inspired and continues to inspire to this day (Why do you think The Beatles spelt their name that way?).

For example, the film begins with Paradise singing the lyrics to Kerouac’s song On The Road, recorded and released by Tom Waits, “I left New York in 1949 / To go across the country without a bad blame dime…”

It ends with Paradise endlessly typing the story of his travels and Dean Moriarty on his 36.6m scroll of paper, which he taped together for his typewriter so as not to halt his creative flow. This was not part of the book but was how Kerouac wrote On The Road – the scroll has become so famous that its been displayed in museums across the world (currently at the British Library in London).

As a whole, though, the film just didn’t have as much of the pazazz, the energy, the depth, the heart and soul of the Beat generation that made the book such a literary landmark. Kristen Stewart playing Marylou didn’t help either.

Nevertheless, next month I go “coughing and bouncing down to Mexico” to meet my best friend who is university in Puebla, a decision that On The Road may just have influenced.

 -Emily Roe

The Royal Baby is Coming

By Erica Windwer

In theory, the birth of the "royal baby" should have little to no impact on my life whatsoever. So why am I so excited? Why did I actually scream out loud when I read the news. The REAL news, not all of those stories that have been written over the past year to sell tabloids.

It might have to do with the fact that I studied abroad in London. In my time their last spring and since, I've spent a decent amount of my time obsessing over British culture, food, music, style, TV, you name it. If it comes with a fancy accent, I'm pretty much all over it. And, of course, the royals are no exception.

I was lucky enough to essentially stumble upon the Queen one day while I was on campus in London. I attended King's College, located right on the Strand and next door to the Somerset House. She happened to be there and I happened to be quite close. I heard whispers that old Queenie herself was at some high falootin' event so I did some investigating. A security guard told me that if I wanted to see her I better get to the sidewalk where the car was set to leave from (I think he only told me because I was American). So after taking a few pictures with the Queen's purple Rolls-Royce, I planted myself on the sidewalk. After chatting up a constable for a few minutes, we started to hear the rumblings of the motorcade and before I knew it, her car was right beside me waiting to turn onto the street. And while she and Prince Philip may have only sat there in front of me for 25 seconds, I managed to snap my photo and give my wave. And it was glorious.

Every time I walked past that spot on the street for the next three months, I stopped, thought about that moment, and paid just a bit of homage to Lizzy herself. But even before this magical encounter, I always felt a connection to the royals. I remember seriously contemplating staying up to watch William and Kate's wedding (I didn't, but COME ON, it was so late). I was young, but I remember the coverage when Diana died and I remember how devastated everyone seemed to be. She wasn't just Great Britain's princess, she was the world's princess.

The bottom line is everyone loves the Royal Family. Whether or not you think they actually do anything, whether or not you agree with the things they actually do, you can't help but want to know everything about their seemingly fantastical lifestyles. It's hard to believe that there are people in 2012 that actually live the way I imagined Cinderella's life to unfold. And knowing that that lifestyle is out there, and that this baby is going to live that life, is something that makes me happy. And a bit jealous.

Finding the Oasis

There is no lack of anxiety this time of year for college students. Just look at the posts below me – everyone is stressed about finals, cramming all the content from the past 15 weeks or so into our heads for that last exam, putting the final touches on that months-long project, getting the final details for that 20-page research paper. But between the seemingly endless trips to Starbucks for overpriced coffee, the latenight Domino's orders to your study room and the 10-hour sleep schedule – for the entire week, not night – it's important to find that place to unwind, to forget for five or ten minutes about everything else.

A couple weeks ago, a couple friends and I took a stroll from my apartment down M Street into Georgetown. Instead of staying along the area congested by tourists that walk too slow for my liking, we cut up 28th Street into the residential area. After wandering through some streets lined with rowhouses tightly packed together like sardines in a can, we wound up at the Dumbarton Oasis, or Montrose Park.

It was almost unnatural to me, finding a place so natural in the city. It's the hidden gems of D.C. like this that I forget exist when I'm consumed in the bubble of Foggy Bottom and the constant tick of school. And this was only a ten minute walk from where I sleep every night. I reminded me a lot of Central Park, except this was a lot more shut off from the world. It was a few minutes of pure serenity. No cars. No sires. No people, except my friends and the casual jogger.

I think finding a place like this is vital for a college student, particularly one studying in a city where there isn't a huge quad or park to escape to during the school day. Just like our days spent waking up, going to class, seeing friends, doing activities, doing homework, going to bed and repeat, the world keeps spinning and time keeps moving. But that doesn't mean we as students can't take a few minutes out of the day to make the world stop for a minute.

Find the time for you. Find what makes life pause, and spend some time there.

-Matthew Kwiecinski

A very Jewish Christmas

By Josh Perlman

For as long as I can remember, Christmas has been my favorite holiday.

I anxiously await the start of the holiday season each year, when the stores pull out their decorations and the TV stations prepare their best Christmas movie marathons. As far as I’m concerned, the end of Halloween marks the start of the happiest time of the year. With the cheery carols, lit-up streets and seasonal drinks at Starbucks, nothing compares to the excitement of the days leading up to December 25^th.

There’s only one problem – I’m Jewish.

Growing up, I was always pretty bad at hiding the envy I felt for my Christian friends.

“But you’re so lucky,” they would say to me. “You get a different present for all eight days of Hannukah.”

Little did they know seven of those presents were usually socks.

Sure, there are perks that come with my religion. My parents threw me the party of the century for my bar mitzvah, and I always felt rather impressive when people asked me if I “speak Jewish.” But there’s one thing you just can’t beat, and that’s the spirit of Christmas.

My enthusiasm for the holiday has always been a bone of contention for my parents. I think they first began to feel concerned when I asked them if I could hang Christmas lights in my bedroom. Once I was about 13 years old, I began freeloading off my friends and spending Christmas with their families each year.

“This is Josh. He’s a Jew,” my one friend would tell her family.

The attention was great. It was like I was Annie and they were all my Daddy Warbucks.

I was happy to finally be a part of a tradition I longed to experience, but I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing. Maybe that’s just the way it’s meant to be, I thought. Maybe some people are meant to open presents under the Christmas tree, while others are destined to order Chinese food and see a movie.

But as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize that life doesn’t have to be so black-and-white. Just because I don’t have a stocking hanging above my fireplace with my name on it, doesn’t mean I can’t take part in the holiday cheer. The Christmas spirit isn’t about where you come from or which Testament you believe in; it’s about appreciating life, and appreciating each other.

So when you see your Jewish friends this month, give them some eggnog and wish them a merry Christmas. If they’re anything like me, they’ll love you for the gesture.

Who and What are we Studying for?

by Jade Polay 

It's that time of year again - finals season. As students camp out at university libraries around the country, crunching numbers and cramming facts amidst stacked piles of books and endless amounts of paperwork, a glimmer of hope dangles in front of sleep deprived 18-22 year olds: winter vacation. 

The promise of a holiday break, full of lazy days with hometown friends and the opportunity to sleep in is often a motivational factor for students to get through their assignments. But what exactly motivates students to succeed on their exams? What drives students to in fact want to read that 400 page book that  they've been assigned? Is it the promise of a glorified 'A' on their transcript? The desire to brag to friends and family about academic success? Or, do students genuinely spend all of their time cramming for the greater benefit of learning and to enrich their sense of self? 

OK, the posing of the last question is somewhat humorous, but it is a notion that I have often pondered and started to take more into account, now that I have one semester left of college. While I have learned a great deal here at my time at GW, I have also mastered the art of skillfully and successfully studying. Having the ability to "effectively" study is a critical skill, but it seems that students simply study in order to get the grade and forget what it is that they are in fact learning.

I was reminded of this prospect when I was reading a post on The Huffington Post this morning. The post included this image: 

I laughed at the image, considering just how many people I know who spend more time figuring out how they can get an 'A', when they could be studying or immersing themselves in the material. Although this is not a scientific chart by any means, (it is meant to poke fun at students), I couldn't help but realize just how applicable it is to people that I know. 

All too often it seems that students, particularly at GW, become entirely caught up with doing well, that they forget about the process of learning. One of the things that I was somewhat awry about in coming to a medium to large sized university like GW, was the possibility of being lost and becoming another student in a lecture hall. Some small liberal arts colleges have other means of assessment come December that allow students to truly explore and apply what they learned, versus simply taking a multiple choice exam. 

While it is true that professors need some way to assess their student's performance, it would be beneficial if some classes could give students the opportunity to step outside the box and perhaps apply what they are learning in more "real-life" applications. I am not speaking on behalf of any of my professors' means of teaching or assessment, however, I do think that students could have more ways to express and show what they have learned, so that they don't simply memorize words and phrases to attain a specific numerical value on their transcript. 

Is this real life?

By Devon Horowitz

As the semester winds to a close, my peers are getting ready to for the end of classes, nearly a month of relaxation and lots of holiday cheer. However, I'm having a bit of a different experience. Yes, my classes are ending as well, but it seems a bit more final. Yes, world, I'm going to be done with college in just one week. For good.

Graduating in December has been an interesting and eye-opening experience. I've been fortunate enough to land a job, but it has been quite a ride. Between countless applications, interviews, writing tests, resume redrafts, recommendations - I've learned that getting a job is a job in itself. It's worth it, obviously, but it's exhausting and can be discouraging at times.

However, the most interesting thing I've dealt with in my decision is hearing the reaction of other people. The conversation goes something like this:

Devon: Yeah, I'm actually graduating early, finishing up in December.
Other person: Oh, wow. So are you going to go travel?
Devon: Um, nope.
Other person: Oh, so you're just going to take it easy for the semester?
Devon: Uhhh, no?
Other person: So what are you doing?
Devon: I got a job, actually.
Other person: What? Why would you do that? Why would you ever graduate early? You have the rest of your life to be a real person.

That last sentence is like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. And it's uttered frequently. Very frequently. Especially by people who are 5 or 6 years out of college, cursing their own post-grad lives by displacing things on me.

I understand what people are trying to say. However, I take offense, not just for myself, but on behalf of a lot of GW students. I think I, along with many of my peers, have been "real people" for the past few years. Not only are we dedicated, hardworking full-time students, most of us work 20-25 hours a week, have multiple responsibilities in extracurriculars, pay our way through college through jobs & student loans and still manage to have a bustling social life.

In fact, my post-grad life is going to be shockingly less stressful for me. In fact, I'm keeping a second freelance job because I'm already anticipating needing something to do.

I realize that not everyone is like this. I thrive on busy schedules, responsibilities and involvement. However, I think that many GW students are like me because our campus life encourages this sort of lifestyle. A lot of universities are like a four-year vacation for students, in which the biggest stress of the week is where to tailgate before the football game. However, GW isn't like that. You're constantly surrounded by people doing a million incredibly impressive things, so it's hard to not be inspired by this.

This sort of lifestyle has already proven to be an advantage in the job market. Employers seem to be very impressed that I, like many of my peers, have balanced this much and feel confident that I am a candidate that can multitask, handle stress and manage my time. These are incredibly important skills for most industries (especially mine, like public relations), and my best advice would be to tout these experiences when you're interviewing.

I'm hoping my December graduation will be worth the questioning. Yes, I'll have to miss spring break in Jamaica and most Tuesday nights at McFadden's, but I'm excited for this new chapter. And while it's true that I have the rest of my life to be a "real person", that's quite all right with me. Real life is looking pretty damn good.

Tweets from the pope

By Josh Perlman

The Vatican announced Monday that Pope Benedict XVI has created an official twitter account.

The 85-year-old leader of the Catholic Church will begin posting tweets next week, which will feature mostly content from the pope’s speeches, homilies on major holidays and reactions to world events, the New York Times reported.

I obviously went online and began following the pope – or @pontifix, should I say – as soon as I heard the news. I was immediately impressed by the profile’s cheery yellow background emblazoned with the pope’s signature, the beautiful cover photo of Vatican City and the welcoming headshot of Benedict himself waving to his followers. It’s clear the Vatican is taking this Twitter account pretty seriously.

Personally, I’m experiencing some mixed emotions. Though I understand that the media plays a crucial role in almost every aspect of modern society, I can’t help but find it strange that I will soon see this religious icon’s face mixed into my Twitter feed along with The Onion and that annoying girl from high school who tweets about her socks.

A strong social media presence allows those in the public eye to better connect with the general public, so for the pope to create a Twitter account seems like a logical decision in theory. In practice, though, it feels like an inappropriate use of the religious leader’s time. Maybe it’s because I’m just not used to the idea, or maybe it’s because I’m Jewish. I just can’t help but laugh at the idea of reading tweets that end with the hashtag “#askpontifex.” Yes, if you want to communicate directly with the pope, make sure to make room for those 12 characters.

The Vatican made it clear that the pope will not be following anyone else on Twitter and will not be retweeting anyone’s posts… “for now.”

As undeniably awesome as it would be to have one of my tweets favorited by the pope, I hope for his sake that whoever runs his Twitter account continues to stick to this “be followed, don’t follow” policy. It’s already strange enough for the pope to be tweeting; I think it’s reasonable to say they should try to keep the account as professional as possible.

I will admit I’m anxious to see what the pope’s tweets are like. Who knows – maybe they’ll be insightful enough to knock me off this high horse I find myself riding. Let’s just hope the pope doesn’t get a Pinterest account.

The Power of a Word

I recently read a piece in my investigative reporting class about the mistreatment of people with mental disabilities in group houses surrounding Washington, D.C. during the late 90’s. The reporting included in the story was amazing, and the narration through which then-Washington Post reporter Katherine Boo told the stories of each abused person was pure genius. I felt like I knew each person – each person had a voice. The language she used clearly provoked a tremendous amount of emotion in the reader because the piece won a Pulitzer Prize. There was one word in the story, though, that made me hate the entire piece: retarded.

I understood what Boo was trying to convey through the use of the word. She was trying to convey the language used by the men and women leading these group homes where so many people suffered – and even died – under their care. These group owners had no remorse for the people they allegedly “cared” for. Simply put, the people were “retarded,” and the owners didn’t deem them worth the value to watch after. But each paragraph that word appeared, I cringed. What was the overall significance of it? There obviously was one, otherwise the Pulitzer wouldn’t be plastered to the story. I counted, and in day one of her multi-day serious, she used the r-word 46 times. That is 46 times more than necessary in my opinion, but who am I to decide the style of the story? I’m just the reader.

I’m not sure what it is that makes me so prone to hating the use of that word. Maybe it is my fraternity drilling it into me, which promotes the end of the r-word. Maybe it is just the raw insignificance of the word. Maybe it is the connotation behind it – that it was morphed over time to portray a symbol of weakness or inferiority. To me, it is much like when I hear someone use the n-word, or calling someone a fag or “so gay” to convey lack of intelligence or importance.

I’m in no way a savior when it comes to using “politically incorrect” language, as many have come to call it. I, too, have fallen victim over time to using words that are so demeaning to a particular group of people as the form of an adjective in a sentence. But it’s wrong, and I was wrong for using them. I picture it this way: what if my name became a derogatory term to describe something as utter worthlessness? How would I feel if someone hated the idea of something so much, they said, “no man, that’s so matt?” It’s a simple word that can hold that kind of personal meaning to someone, as personal as one’s own name.

To one person, those words could hurt more than a fist blow to the face. To one person, those words could leave a scar far deeper than any wound.

-Matthew Kwiecinski

An Ode to Twitter

By Erica Windwer

There are a lot of things that I  love about Twitter. I love that I can get the news in 140 characters and that I can get it before its online, on the radio, or dare I say, in print. I love reading random thoughts and funny messages from my friends, my professors, and from total strangers. I love that I can use it as a supplement to watching TV, debates, elections, and concerts. I love that I can share what I would consider my wittiest, dumbest, or off-the-cuff thoughts, updates, and interactins. But what that I love most about Twitter is the access it gives me to my favorite celebs.

I'm a pop culture buff. I love all things entertainment. If you want to know about baby bump watches, love matches, or high-profile jail visits, I'm your girl. It might be my way of escaping reality or getting myself as close to the celeb lifestyle as I'll ever lead. Whatever it is, I know that I love it and I know that I'm not embarrassed to admit it.

Back in the days of my N*SYNC obsession, I would have done just about anything to communicate with Justin Timberlake and the boys. I may have been nine years old, but I would have offered up all of my Beanie Babies, my AOL time, and my candy jawbreakers to just get a hello from JT. Now, with the Twittersphere, I can (attempt to) talk to the people whose lives I know intimate details about even though they don't know I exist.

I wasn't always a supporter of handles and hashtags. In fact, there were a handful of years in the late 2000s in which I was avidly opposed to tweeting. I didn't like the shorthand language that led to so many grammatical errors and new ways of spelling words in the English language. (Side note, I still refuse to use shorthand in tweets and I still cringe at "u" instead of "you" and any use of the "<3" symbol.) I also didn't think that anyone I knew was on it, it didn't seem hip and god forbid word get out I wasn't hip (although, people might have already known that in hindsight). Anyone who was anyone was on Facebook, no one I knew was on Twitter. Then I made an account. I made it as a secret in the fall of 2009 so that I could follow the cast of Glee. I lived by their every word but rarely responded. What were the chances they'd see it anyway? Wouldn't I just be embarrassing myself in front of all of the internet AKA all of the world?

It wasn't until a Twitter run-in earlier this fall that I really, truly fell for Twitter. In September, I went to an Ed Sheeran concert at the 9:30 Club. My friend and I traveled to the venue near U Street early in the day so that we could wait in line and get close to the stage. While standing in line, I thought I should find the e-mail confirmation with our tickets. I scoured my e-mail and almost stopped breathing. There was no confirmation. I called my housed and asked my mom to check the mail - nothing. I called my roommates and had them check our school mailbox - nothing. I called and e-mailed the ticketing agency but on a late Saturday afternoon no one was around. My friend and I then did the only thing we could think to do, we tweeted Ed, his manager, and the club. Within minutes, Ed's manager tweeted us back saying that he had followed us and we should direct message (DM) him our detials. As we received his DM saying that he had talked to the ticket agent, my phone was ringing. The ticket seller wanted to let me know our tickets had been printed and were waiting for us at will call. I turned to my friend and declared, "THIS is the power of social media."

Not only had we talked to the manager of our favorite artist (a celebrity in his own right), but we he had helped us get everything straightened out in a matter of minutes. Since then, I've had even more famous person Twitter contact talking to some of my favorite musicians about shows of theirs I had seen and, in a few lucky cases, reaching the Twitter-Mecca and getting a few follows. Of course, so many celebritites have millions of followers on Twitter and being noticed can be tough, but with each retweet, trend, and cat video, I find a little bit of hope. And for that, Twitter, I love you.

Think Local this Holiday Season

By: Eugenia Finizio

Every Thanksgiving break, my family and I drive to a farm in Pennsylvania and cut down a Christmas tree.  It is always cold, there is always free hot chocolate, and my brother always insists on choosing a tree that is two feet taller than our ceiling.  The cutting of a real Christmas tree is a tradition in my family, but another, perhaps even more important, tradition grew out of this annual trip into the country.

One year while driving to the farm we got lost.  Pennsylvania is full of wide-open spaces and hills, and a few wrong turns here and there and you can end up in Amish country.  This particular year, when I was about ten years old, we ended up in a trailer park.  Instead of pulling out the GPS and getting out of there, my dad decided to drive us through the community.  I had never seen anything quite like it.  The trailers were dilapidated, the toys outside the houses were broken, and the grass looked as if it hadn’t been cut in years.  Through later research, my dad found out that most of the people living in the park were unemployed or battling alcoholism.  At just ten years old, I realized that not even an hour away from my comfortable Pittsburgh home, there were children who would receive nothing for Christmas. 

Every year since we discovered the trailer park, we drive through it on our way to the farm.  Not to mock the inhabitants, but rather to humble ourselves.  Not to pity the people who live in these trailers, but to remember that not everyone lives in a suburb or gets to attend college.  Some years the trailers look tidy and cheerful, and others they look a little disheveled.

I think of this trailer park most during the holiday season because it is the time when people are willing to give a little money or time to give back to those less fortunate.  I think of this trailer park specifically because it is in my country, my state, and even in my county at home.  With all of the causes that we can give money to this holiday season, many of them will be international.  There is a need for help across the globe, and don’t get me wrong, international causes are just as worthy of donations as local ones, but sometimes we as a nation forget to look into our own backyards.  We read the national newspapers, we watch CNN, and we see commercials about causes around the world.  But sometimes we fail to recognize the need that exists right here in our own country.  We become blind to the impact we can make close to home.

So this holiday season, I ask you to think local.  It’s not about the money, it’s about the concept of caring for people that live around the corner, down the road, and a few miles into the Pennsylvania countryside.