Last week I watched an anti-bullying video made by an eighth-grade student named Alye Pollack that caught my attention. The video is a simple one with music playing in the background and Pollack holding up signs without speaking a word. The signs tell the story of how she is bullied every day at school and how bullying affects every aspect of her life. She doesn’t cut or have thought of hurting herself but is close. The video has at least 100,000 views on YouTube as of April 1, and I hope it’s making an impact on all who watch it because I know it did for me. It makes me think about those who are going through similar, complicated situations, and I have become concerned for my younger sister who is in middle school, and my other sister who will be a senior in high school. I worry what they go through on a daily basis. If a person at such a young age isn’t strong enough to handle the pressure and the derogatory words that are yelled at them, what are they supposed to do? Sometimes things are taken way too far. Pollack explained why she made the video by making a statement on YouTube. It read: “I wanted to share how I feel. Sticks and stones? I don’t think so. Words can really hurt. Think before you speak.” The video sparked my thinking about a program we used to have at our elementary, middle and high schools. It was called the Ophelia Project, or C.A.S.S. Program, which stands for “Creating a Safe School.” I was a mentor for the program and enjoyed it a lot because I do believe that many students understood our message, and, therefore, the bullying decreased. When I was in middle school, there were about 20 other mentors in the Ophelia Project with me. We would teach kids about bullying by performing different skits. The skits would always have a bully, a victim and a person in the middle. After each skit, we would ask the kids who they thought was the victim, and if they could relate to them. It is heartbreaking for me to think about how my hometown school districts no longer have this program due to budget cuts. Not only is there bullying within the school systems and on sports teams, but there is also cyber-bullying. There are stories of children who have killed each other and even committed suicide due to cyber-bullying incidents. A prime example of cyber-bullying can be seen in today’s media. Has anyone heard of Rebecca Black? Yes, we all know her song “Friday” isn’t the greatest, let alone the music video, but the way people treat her is disappointing. She is only 13 and has already heard some of the most hateful words. Bullying in our society definitely starts with what we see on TV and who is saying what. Who wears it the best, who wears it the worst? Who looks fat, who looks too thin? We ask these questions and obtain our ideas from the media. If someone doesn’t fit these standards, it’s hard for our society not to talk about it, whether it is behind their back or to their face. Despite all the horrible things being said about her, Black still focuses on the positives. She said in a recent interview, “I decided not to give the haters the satisfaction that they got me so bad.” I have to admit–although I may sound like a bully here–that it is hard not to laugh at Black. For me, I wish I could explain how such a video became so popular and how someone who does not have a great voice became as big as Justin Bieber. And let’s face it, although her video has hit millions of views, it didn’t get the best ratings. But at the same time, bullying gets to a certain point where it does cross the line. Laughing at her video and making fun of the rapper in the driver’s seat is all fun and games. When people tell Black to “go cut yourself and die,” that is when it gets out of hand. That is when it crosses the line. If you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all. I think this is a much better saying than the silly saying we learned when we were kids, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Like Pollack said, words do hurt. Hurtful words have killed innocent victims. When can we, as a society, finally come to the realization that not only should my school district enforce programs like Ophelia and C.A.S.S., but that every school district should? It may not stop every single person from saying hurtful things or throwing someone down a hall, but it does make students more aware that words do hurt. And words do kill. The editorials of The Crusader reflect the views of individual members of the editorial board. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire editorial board or of the university. The content of the Forum page is the responsibility of the editor in chief and the Forum editor.

 

It’s crazy how much we depend on technology nowadays. Without it, what would we do? We would read books, have more in-person encounters with friends and family and enjoy the outdoors.

I’m not saying we don’t do that now, but sometimes I really do feel that technology limits us from a lot.

A week ago, Pepsi was spilled on my MacBook, and of course, I was initially devastated, but over the course of the past week it seemed to be working fine. Then all of a sudden the keyboard stopped functioning, and the other day, the computer stopped working all together.

Nothing turned on. I took it to several places, trying to get different opinions on what to do. The first guy I went to at a local repair shop told me to give up.

“You might as well get a new computer because the cost it will be to fix this is about the same as a brand new MacBook,” he said.

But, I didn’t want to give up hope yet. I finally found a place in town that will be giving me a free estimate sometime soon, and I’m praying for the best.

After four years of use, I realized my computer could be gone forever, and became sad knowing that all my music files, study abroad pictures and practicum articles could be gone. I think a lot of times I took my computer for granted. I didn’t know what I had until it was gone.

I realized how much I use my laptop on a daily basis and how much time I really do spend surfing the net or checking my Facebook. I remember my boyfriend telling me, “Sarah, it’s just a computer.”

And I of course, I retaliated, saying I feel like I lost a part of me. After I said this, I felt selfish and spoiled. I was getting upset over a piece of technology. I was sad over a computer. Yes, my MacBook meant a lot to me, and it is an expensive device, yet it is just a thing.

It isn’t someone that I love or hold dear to my heart. It is a computer.

Editor inspired by celebrity donations

By Sarah Johnson
Forum Editor

The world needs more celebrities who give back to society. I look up to three women in the media who are truly passionate about humanitarian work: Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Sandra Bullock.

I have always enjoyed going on service trips, and I am very excited about giving back to the community and getting others involved with it as well. So for me, to see these three women do so much for others is inspirational.

Jolie has been on all kinds of field missions around the world, some including to Tanzania, Colombia and Ecuador. She has even visited many cities in the United States to help those in need. In February 2010, after the Haiti earthquake occurred, Jolie immediately became involved and donated more than $1 million to relief efforts.

For her involvement in humanitarian work, she has received not only worldwide recognition, but was also awarded the Global Humanitarian Award, and in 2007, she received the Freedom Award from the International Rescue Committee.

Also, since she has traveled all around the world, Jolie and husband Brad Pitt have adopted several children. There are many children who deserve a good home and someone to love them, and Jolie and Pitt did that for not just one child, but three.

Madonna is a celebrity who has been around for a long time, in and out of the public eye, yet she always has been portrayed as a great role model for women. She is an active member and donator to more than 20 organizations, many relating to helping children. She is a patron of Children of Peace and has supported causes toward abuse, adoption, homelessness, poverty, cancer, disadvantaged youths and the environment. Madonna is beyond doubt an encouraging woman to others.

Little did I know that Sandra Bullock was yet another celebrity who was involved in humanitarian work. She gives back to several charities, and like Madonna, Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million to Haiti relief efforts following the earthquake. Most fans know Bullock as a huge supporter of the American Red Cross, to which she has donated more than $2 million.

From Ferraris to numerous multi-million dollar homes, of course these three women share the luxuries that come with being famous. But it’s important to realize how much these women give back to society. They all have the money to donate to these various organizations, so they do it. Not many celebrities can say they have donated millions upon millions of dollars to organizations all over the world.

I think it’s inspirational and encouraging, especially to young people my age, to see that although these women are worth a lot of money, they care. They care about others who face challenges every day just as they do, but in a much different way. To them, we are all human. We are all the same, and we all yearn for love and compassion. They are proud of what they have given back to the community, and they should be.

Also, with fame usually comes the difficulty to be yourself. But with Jolie, Madonna and Bullock, despite some ups and downs, they have remained classy, powerful individuals. These women truly are the whole package.

After Professor Hastings mentioned huffingtonpost.com in my editing class, it is now my new favorite site, and it’s where I go to get my daily dose of news.

After spending a good amount of time skimming through various articles, I came across several interesting topics: an Egyptian father who named his baby daughter “Facebook,” Texas poised to pass a bill which would allow guns on campus, the top 5 ‘germiest’ places on a plane and the man with 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren.

Despite the interest I took for these articles, I continued clicking on links and came across an article on body image. It struck my interest for two reasons. First, girls: have you noticed the sticky notes on the mirrors in some of the bathrooms on campus? I’m not sure where they came from or who started the trend, but I think it’s a great idea. For those of you who don’t know about it, there are several bathrooms on campus that have sticky notes on the mirrors, written by a lot of people. One says “you’re beautiful in your own way!” and another one reads, “Smile, it’s going to be a great day.”

Another reason the article was interesting to me is because body image is something that all women think about on a daily basis. In the article, Huffington Post writes, “A new poll by Glamour has found that a whopping 97 percent of women experience ‘I hate my body’ thoughts daily.

I think most guys may be able to relate to this also, but in a different way. For example, boyfriends may hear their girlfriends say something such as ‘Do I look fat in this?’ But at the same time, I think guys may be self-conscious in ways that aren’t necessarily verbalized as often as women.

For men and women, the way they perceive themselves is different, yet everyone goes through body image issues more often than we think. Body image is that hidden or invisible facet that is always in the back of our minds: at parties, out with friends, at dinner, in the classroom and obviously at the gym. It is always there. Our lives revolve around it.

Also, I find that women often compare themselves to other women. They look each other up and down from head to toe, compare their hairstyles and eye make-up and see who looks better in high heels and a dress.

What men don’t realize is that at the end of the day, their rock hard abs are not the reason women dress up and look nice; it’s merely the competition of looking better than all the other women. It’s hard for me to say this, because I don’t want to come off as someone who does this, but I really think that most women do this, or they have at some point in their lives.

We are in a culture where body image is everything, and the way it is portrayed in the media is different than many other places around the world. For instance, in American culture, and with many European cultures as well, to be skinny is ideal. No one likes a little extra fat on his or her hips, thighs or butt. It’s unattractive. I’m not saying this is how I feel, I am simply stating the social creation of what body image has become. It’s sad, but it’s true.

But for me, that is why I love traveling, because in other cultures, it’s much different. When I went to the Philippines with Susquehanna’s PLUS program, body image there was obviously still important—as important as it is here—yet in a much different way.

During my first day experiencing the Filipino culture, a woman came up to me and said in broken English, “You are so fat!” I was caught off guard and was clearly offended when she said this to me. But later, I realized that in their culture, this was nothing less than a compliment. In fact, to be “fat” (or to look like you can afford to eat well) in their culture is idealized. To be skinny, or thin is looked down upon in Filipino culture; it means you cannot afford to feed yourself or your family.

Also, for all the men out there—men in the Filipino culture who are muscular with great abs are looked at as someone who carries things for a living, and is therefore poor. Filipinos literally work hard and therefore are muscular, whereas in our culture, we work out everyday to look that way. I think it’s so interesting how our culture and many other cultures use body image as a way to presume the lifestyle of someone else. For Americans, we see being thin as being able to work out and afford to go to a gym, whereas Filipinos see it as the complete opposite.

No matter what body image is perceived as in a particular culture, we should all just be happy we are healthy, and enjoy what we have right in front of us.

I like to eat healthy, but at the same time, I’m not a person who can survive on eating a salad everyday for lunch. If I have the luxury of ordering something delicious from Benny’s, of course I’m going to do it.

Body image will always be a central importance within every culture, but it’s crucial to know that we are all attractive in our own way, and if we strive too hard to be different than who we truly are, we are only kidding ourselves.

So for those of you who started putting those sticky notes on the mirrors in the women’s bathrooms: thank you.

 

Traveling sparks inspiration

By Sarah Johnson
Forum Editor

 

Me, junior, standing atop the mountain of Calpe, located on the eastern coast of Spain.

When one travels abroad, there are many opportunities to do incredible things like see the Coliseum in Rome, taste the mouth-watering pasta in Florence, view the beautiful city of Granada from the Alhambra and visit the numerous museums and cathedrals all throughout Salamanca.

Studying abroad for a semester in Valencia, Spain was such a great opportunity and an experience of a lifetime. The city of Valencia itself has so much to offer. It’s a city that will always be in my heart.

I fell in love immediately upon arriving and seeing the gorgeous park that ran throughout the entire city, the white sand beaches along the Mediterranean and the friendly people I ran into along the streets during my daily walk to class.

Also, the Spanish culture is so laid back. In fact, their motto is “No pasa nada. Esta bien. Tranquilo.” They say this to tell you not to stress and that everything will be ok. When I first arrived back to the U.S., I immediately felt stressed and busy. It was a big transition coming home to a life much different than that of a typical Spaniard. The life in Spain starts early in the morning, but throughout the day, there is plenty of time for breaks and “siestas.”

From 2 p.m. until about 5 p.m. every day, everything in the city shuts down. There are no stores open. Everyone is out and about, whether it be to grab a glass of wine while they sit with friends and talk at a local restaurant or to lounge and read a book in the park.

Living in a home stay with my roommate, host mother and her daughter was the ideal situation for me. This is where I learned the most Spanish because I was constantly speaking the language. For my roommate and me, our host mother became our second mother. She made us her homemade remedies when we were sick, cooked us meals that can never be compared to and even took us to her other house in the mountains of Alcublas.

I was also assigned an “intercambio,” named Carlota. She was about my age and currently lives and attends school in Valencia. She instantly turned into my friend and showed me around the city, took me out with her friends and taught me more Spanish. Thanks to her, I learned a lot about the life of people my age in Spain.

The most important thing I learned while studying abroad was not the language, culture or the food. It was what I learned about myself. When I had the opportunity to travel to other countries on my own and my independence shined through, I knew then that I could do anything in the world.

Studying abroad will definitely take you out of your comfort zone and throw you into a completely new and exciting culture. From seeing the snow-capped mountains of the Alps, to actually climbing a mountain on the eastern coast of Spain with friends, I learned more about myself and the world in which I live.

Living in Valencia for four months was the best experience of my life and I would recommend it to anyone. You won’t regret it. In fact, you’ll get the bug. The travel bug. You will want to jump on planes and go to special places, you’ll want to eat the delicious food, try and speak a different language and try new things. You will want to see the world.

The editorials of The Crusader reflect the views of individual members of the editorial board. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire editorial board or of the university. The content of the Forum page is the responsibility of the editor in chief and the Forum editor.

Hi everyone,

I just joined the wordpress community and am so excited about it! I have several articles that I have written amongst the archives, but in my next post I will put my first article of the year (Feb. 4) that was published in The Crusader, our student-run newspaper at Susquehanna University. I am proud of how far my writing and editing have come since my first staff meeting freshman year. And now, as a junior, I feel comfortable putting my work out there for everyone to see. So, enjoy! There is a lot to come! 🙂