There are many haters when it comes to activism at Penn State. Many students see protests as a waste of time. That's better then the rest of students who don't even know that there are protests going on at all. But with Monday's walk-out and Tuesday's Capital Day, is activism becoming contagious? Are students finally becoming engaged in politics? It's not quite as bad ass as a European riot, but we're getting there.
As students become more involved, I can't help but wonder what could have caused the sudden change in interest. Did the rallies we once diss actually make a difference? Can the controversial protests actually be the root of this political epidemic?
If you think walking to class in sub-arctic temperatures sucks, imagine having to scour the campus for everything mother nature decided to screw up. That's exactly the job of Penn State's OPP. With 41 inches of total snow accumulation and damages done by ice, the maintenance team has quite a job ahead of them as Spring rolls into Centre County. Find out what it takes to get the campus back into shape.
Walking into the first floor of the HUB, you may have seen a group of cheerful campers sitting indian-style on baja blankets with acoustic guitars and djembes. According to organizers, it isn't just a group of kids finding new ways to spend their free time, it's a movement.
Ivory Wave, Vanilla Sky, White Rush- these are not discreet code names for coke or the next bad Nicholas Cage movie. They are brands of bath salts, the legal spazz that has been putting people in intensive care and business owners in a tough spot.
There wasn't any monkey business for Jane Goodall at her visit to Penn State yesterday as part of SPA's Distinguished Speakers Series. To my personal disappointment, there weren't any monkeys at all. In fact Goodall studies chimpanzees, which aren't even monkeys. Her message was clear as she spoke a stirring proclamation of hope to the next generation of young activists. The Eisenhower Auditorium was all ears as she shared her vision of a more compassionate human race that focuses on the welfare of nature, animals and mankind.
As Onward State's resident optimist, I took a look at Movin' On's headliners through my rose-colored Ray Bans in an attempt to shed a ray of sunlight into the wide-spread dissatisfaction surrounding the selection of the main acts. By taking a look at each artist, I searched below the angry Facebook comments for anything positive to rant about. Do you think O.A.R., Lupe Fiasco and Little Big Town are worthy to grace the same stage as past acts such as Fall Out Boy, Run DMC and Jimmy Eat World? Or do you think that Penn State's annual end-of-the-year concert is shaping up to be a let down?