I'm hoping most of you got to see at least one of the games this weekend, because even though this afternoon's loss to Robert Morris University was the worst disappointment since the crushing loss to the same team last year, the Quinnipiac spirit was incredible.
This afternoon, I loved seeing the different t-shirts and signs representing QU and members of the team. I really loved the WWRD - What Would Rutty Do - t-shirts and "I believe that we will win" chants. And right before we lost, the "Not this year" chant was great, too. It was awesome seeing so many people out supporting Quinnipiac. It made me so proud that I go to Quinnipiac and was a part of the crowd coming out to support the advancement of fellow students. Saturday night, during the hockey game with Brown University, was a very different story.
There were considerably less fans in the student sections Saturday than today. Still, those there seemed determined to amp up Quinnipiac spirit. I wasn't surprised by some fans yelling "sucks" after each Brown athlete was introduced, I had seen that at previous games. I was surprised however, at those who stood and turned their back to the ice to not even acknowledge the players. Also, as I sat by the exit the Brown athletes and coaches used to walk off the ice, I heard terrible things yelled to the players. In particular, I remember "your mother is a fat slob" coming up once or twice.
Now, I am not saying this was every Quinnipiac student at the game, because it was only a couple individuals. But they continued with their insults during the game and I am simply wondering how this type of chanting translates to school spirit.
Here is an example of a Quinnipiac hockey game, an away game at Union College in NY, during which such insults were not tolerated. Union officials have been removing students from games if their speech doesn't stay within a positive realm. The students there, however, are complaining that the officials are now going too far in what they determine to be unsportsmanlike conduct. The students quoted in the article feel the threat of expulsion from the stands keep them from supporting their school. I am in no way advocating a similar standard to be set at Quinnipiac either. I believe the police officers posted around the arena are enough to enforce acceptable behavior.
I am also not naively suggesting an atmosphere where both teams' fans hold hands and get along. Ultimately, I understand the point of going to a game is to be competitive and to support your team coming out on top. I understand "boo-ing" and jabs against the other team/school is part of that spirit. Here, the QU Chronicle suggests chants for an earlier hockey game. I understand these insults come with the territory and think these listed are clever and fine. However, "your mother is a fat slob" is noticeably absent from the Chronicle's list. I guess I am just wondering how such a personal taunt can be considered productive for your team. To me, I would think it could only cause a negative impression of Quinnipiac's students on Brown's athletes and coaches. It just seems so counter-productive when we have other positive aspects to our student section: the band, Boomer's dancing and antics, other teams supporting the playing team, etc. I want to continue being proud of being from QU, but what if the attending Hamden residents look at us differently, hearing these same chants? Maybe someone else who attends more games than I do can explain where the line of sportsmanship is/should be drawn. It's just something I've been thinking about.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Happy Hump Day
So it's Wednesday evening... We're officially over the week's halfway point and can breathe that deserved sigh of relief because we're well on our way to the weekend. Appropriately, Wednesday happens to be my most exhausting day schedule-wise, and things always calm down considerably once I complete the day's tasks. Even better, starting tomorrow night, QU has a packed weekend - with all the home playoff games and WQAQ's Battle of the Bands, etc. There's so much to look forward to, right?
Right. EXCEPT - tonight, when I was walking back from the parking garage with a roommate, she looked up and commented on how beautiful the stars looked. It struck me then, that I had never done that. Despite living up here since August, despite the countless meetings I have walked back from late at night and despite the walks to and from the parking garage for late night Dairy Queen runs. And it got me seriously thinking.
Every week this semester, I have spent getting through the day by crossing things off my to-do list in my planner and when it's done, I go to bed. Each day, I spend waiting for this relaxing hump day night, and then waiting for the weekend. And there's nothing wrong with that. We're in college, have a lot going on, and the weekend is the time to have a life. But, it's almost Spring Break... which means the semester is halfway over... which means I'm almost a senior. And that's just plain scary.
I love Quinnipiac and the thought of leaving already saddens me. What's worse, is knowing that the supposed "best four years of my life" will have been spent crossing things off my to-do list and living for the weekend. I like being busy and involved, like Jeremy recently posted, I've always looked at it as a fulfilling way to spend my years here. But my roommate, unknowingly, made me realize I was missing more. So now I will make a serious effort to not just look to the next moment and count down every moment to some assignment or event, to take my nose out of my planner and cell phone to take in just how beautiful it is living up on York Hill and instill that I can enjoy my time here besides on Saturdays and Sundays.
Still, I can't lie... I'm pretty excited for tomorrow night. See you at the game! --Meg
Right. EXCEPT - tonight, when I was walking back from the parking garage with a roommate, she looked up and commented on how beautiful the stars looked. It struck me then, that I had never done that. Despite living up here since August, despite the countless meetings I have walked back from late at night and despite the walks to and from the parking garage for late night Dairy Queen runs. And it got me seriously thinking.
Every week this semester, I have spent getting through the day by crossing things off my to-do list in my planner and when it's done, I go to bed. Each day, I spend waiting for this relaxing hump day night, and then waiting for the weekend. And there's nothing wrong with that. We're in college, have a lot going on, and the weekend is the time to have a life. But, it's almost Spring Break... which means the semester is halfway over... which means I'm almost a senior. And that's just plain scary.
I love Quinnipiac and the thought of leaving already saddens me. What's worse, is knowing that the supposed "best four years of my life" will have been spent crossing things off my to-do list and living for the weekend. I like being busy and involved, like Jeremy recently posted, I've always looked at it as a fulfilling way to spend my years here. But my roommate, unknowingly, made me realize I was missing more. So now I will make a serious effort to not just look to the next moment and count down every moment to some assignment or event, to take my nose out of my planner and cell phone to take in just how beautiful it is living up on York Hill and instill that I can enjoy my time here besides on Saturdays and Sundays.
Still, I can't lie... I'm pretty excited for tomorrow night. See you at the game! --Meg
Cultural Experience (2)
To comment a little further on Mr. Horn's statement (hence the title having the number 2 in it), "one of the reasons I suggest to everyone I meet that studying abroad (twice) is not only one of the best decisions I have ever made, by one of the best one could ever make.", I could not agree more. Although no one has asked me to talk about my own, personal cultural experiences, I thought I'd do it anyways.
Lets go way back in time - say September 2009 - fall semester here at QU. I had just started sophomore year, and as any typical college student, I loved the typical college life. As much as I seemed to love college, I knew that i was CLUELESS in what I wanted to do in life. I switched from History major, to Business, then tried out Political Science before I got really scared with my future and decided to make the final switch to Economics. Although, I regret making all those switches, and wasting time filling out paperwork, I am very happy being an Economics major.
During the beginning of that semester, I went out to the Alternative Spring Break Trip to Nicaragua information session with two of my room mates, and the moment I saw the video of the past trip's I felt a connection - as I'm sure 97.549% of the people in that room did too (thought that % was a fair guesstimate). I applied, and almost two months later was notified that I got accepted. Tremendously happy and proud of that, I still had no idea how this experience was gonna throw a nice curve ball at me.
Before the trip, I figured I'd follow the steps of my father, brother, aunts, uncles, everyone i knew, going into the business world - aka Corporate America. I also knew that I was going to travel to an underdeveloped country, where poverty was high, and living conditions meant cardboard homes. Still I couldn't have guessed what was in store for me.
Now let's fast forward a few months to spring break, March 2010. The moment we stepped outside of the airport in Managua, Nicaragua, you can see how poor this country is and how undeveloped it truly is. Through all the struggles the people in that country have gone though in the past 40 years - earthquake, civil war, poverty, government corruption, etc - they still go out everyday to do their best and give 100% in their work.
This ten day trip, gave me the opportunity to see the world, and life, from a different lens. It opened the door to other opportunities in life. It made me experience a culture that I was unfamiliar with. It allowed myself to see what and how America is looked at from outsiders. It made me realize and understand what was important in MY life. It helped me become a better person than I was before. It ultimately changed the path I want to take in life.
I know I could literally write for hours, and get every detail down, but I will possibly save that for another day - that is if people even want to read it, ha-ha.
Now, in approximately 9 days, I will be back in Nicaragua. This time though, I will have the opportunity to see the transformation happen to other members of the delegation.
To sum it all up, I, again, could not agree more with Horn, that going abroad - in any type of trip - is a great experience, and one of the best life decisions one can take.
That's all for now...if you liked it, show some love, if not - I'm sorry
Stay Classy,
MP
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Things I think about in class...
Today I write to present an issue that has been more apparent to me during my abroad studies that it had previously been in my American endeavors. Because I am a business major, many of my classes abroad have an international business focus (big surprise, I know). I am accustomed to this, never less, it is entirely new to me to be educated by a non-American, Italian-raised professor. Obviously the same national pride that I experience is present in her as well; it is simply not for the United States of America. This often seemingly trivial matter has taken me by surprise in the most unlikely of places; one of the reasons I suggest to everyone I meet that studying abroad (twice) is not only one of the best decisions I have ever made, by one of the best one could ever make. (There are other avenues to new cultural experiences, ask Mr. Pankey this and I am sure he would be glad to talk about how they have changed his life.)
However, this is not what I prepared to write about. An issue that has struck me here is that the Italian business front is much different than that of America in many ways. Foremost, though there are malls, supermarkets, etc. in Italy, ther are typically much smaller that those found on American soil. In the U.S. there is a massive corporate focus on creating and sustaining maximum profits in spite of whoever or whatever is being affected in the process. Not to say this sense of capitalism has not found its place in Italy, but the idea does not seem as pervasive here. The majority of businesses I have experience in my home away from home are family owned and operated because Italians believe much more in establishing a relationship with whom they do business.
Admittedly, because Italy does not seemed as focused on capitalism, the rest of the world has begun to leave it behind in a sense. The infamous American sense of capitalism, which has so long been legally obligated to pursue that which is most beneficial to the shareholders before all else, has only been recently been placed behind humanitarian concepts such as Corporate Social Responsibility or ecological concerns. These issues have become necessary hurdles in the business world, and for good reason: where there used to be standards governing these practices, the desire for profit has eliminated any consideration for them. In a world where an incorporated group of people can be considered a legal person, there are many who might wonder where these "individuals'" sense of right and wrong have gone.
The part that irks me is that the only reason these issues are now governed is that someone laid claim to something these practices were damaging, e.g. nations addressing that dumping was damaging THEIR ecosystems or that unfair business practices were limiting THEIR market share. This enforces the belief that one day, someone is going to own everything. Water, land, air, pensions, etc. are all going to be privately owned commodities. This transition has been happening for many years; there was a time when the concept of airspace and the extension of ocean off the coast of a country were not even recognized as legitimate. In the eyes of some, this can be beneficial because who better to protect these assets than those with a vested interest in them? However, I am of the opinion that like communism, this an idea that looks great on paper, but in reality opens doors for corruption, bribery, and malintent.
While America in her own eyes is a much more advanced and stable economy, why is it then that capitalism has made us less civilized? Which is the "right" way to operate? I know this has all been one sided and mostly without solid direction, but hey, its just an opinion. I'll stop writing and let people formulate their own ideas.
However, this is not what I prepared to write about. An issue that has struck me here is that the Italian business front is much different than that of America in many ways. Foremost, though there are malls, supermarkets, etc. in Italy, ther are typically much smaller that those found on American soil. In the U.S. there is a massive corporate focus on creating and sustaining maximum profits in spite of whoever or whatever is being affected in the process. Not to say this sense of capitalism has not found its place in Italy, but the idea does not seem as pervasive here. The majority of businesses I have experience in my home away from home are family owned and operated because Italians believe much more in establishing a relationship with whom they do business.
Admittedly, because Italy does not seemed as focused on capitalism, the rest of the world has begun to leave it behind in a sense. The infamous American sense of capitalism, which has so long been legally obligated to pursue that which is most beneficial to the shareholders before all else, has only been recently been placed behind humanitarian concepts such as Corporate Social Responsibility or ecological concerns. These issues have become necessary hurdles in the business world, and for good reason: where there used to be standards governing these practices, the desire for profit has eliminated any consideration for them. In a world where an incorporated group of people can be considered a legal person, there are many who might wonder where these "individuals'" sense of right and wrong have gone.
The part that irks me is that the only reason these issues are now governed is that someone laid claim to something these practices were damaging, e.g. nations addressing that dumping was damaging THEIR ecosystems or that unfair business practices were limiting THEIR market share. This enforces the belief that one day, someone is going to own everything. Water, land, air, pensions, etc. are all going to be privately owned commodities. This transition has been happening for many years; there was a time when the concept of airspace and the extension of ocean off the coast of a country were not even recognized as legitimate. In the eyes of some, this can be beneficial because who better to protect these assets than those with a vested interest in them? However, I am of the opinion that like communism, this an idea that looks great on paper, but in reality opens doors for corruption, bribery, and malintent.
While America in her own eyes is a much more advanced and stable economy, why is it then that capitalism has made us less civilized? Which is the "right" way to operate? I know this has all been one sided and mostly without solid direction, but hey, its just an opinion. I'll stop writing and let people formulate their own ideas.
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