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(12/06/91 10:00am)
They're ba-a-ack . . . Finals. It's time, once again, to brush off the cobwebs and dust from that Finance book, to remove the plastic wrap from that still unopened bulkpack and to catch up on a semester's worth of reading. Or is it still a little too early for even that much preparation? For many University students, next week's reading days and final exams will mean much missed sleep and many hours of study time. To some, it's a time to stock up on late-night revivers and to do the work which was put off weeks ago because a trip to New York City seemed like a much better idea. College freshman Celeste Perron said she's already anticipating the amount of work that she has to look forward to in the next few days. "I haven't read for Sociology since the midterm," Perron said. "So, I guess I'll have to stock up on Vivarin and Diet Coke and do a lot of reading over reading days." College and Wharton senior Stacey Karp -- another late-nighter -- also advocates the caffeine study diet. "I drink a lot of Diet Coke," she said. Though cramming seems to be the most popular way to study for finals, not everyone waits until the last minute. Some students, like College sophomore Leigh Montville, said they like to begin preparing ahead of time so they're not as rushed towards the end. "I start studying a couple of days beforehand," Montville said. "I'll go to the library and spend a good deal of time studying . . . or trying to study." Other students, though they have good intentions to prepare early, end up getting distracted from their studies. And, in the end, they wind up cramming anyway. Wharton senior Kevin Mann said he's inevitably diverted from his work by the enticement of video games. "I start out really well," Mann said. "But what always happens is that something ropes me into the video game room. And I find myself there until it closes . . . The funny thing is that I'm not even a big video game player usually." Many students try to quell this desire to procrastinate by getting as far away from potential distractions as possible. College and Wharton junior John Kraska said he tries to find places to study where no one can possibly find him. "I definitely don't study in my room or in Van Pelt [Library] because it's much too distracting," Kraska said. "I like to lock myself up in some remote area somewhere on campus so I have no interruptions. That's the only way that I can get anything done." Other students agreed that studying alone is usually the best way to prepare for finals. "I'd rather study by myself because whenever you study with someone else, you're usually on different levels," said Wharton and Engineering junior Ed Flores. "Sometimes the other people can hold you back. Or sometimes they're just way ahead of you and you can't keep up." But some students, though they know that it may not be as productive as working alone, prefer to study with friends. Engineering junior Tim Teramoto said he welcomes the company and distraction of others during finals. "I should probably work by myself," Teramoto said. "But I'd rather study with other people even though I know it's less efficient. I guess I like to study with other people because I know it's less efficient." Each student has his or her own unique way of studying and some even have certain superstitions about finals. Kraska, for instance, likes to make sure that he studies in a variety of different rooms. "I make sure that I study in a bunch of different places," Kraska said. "That way I don't relate a particular room with one subject." And Kraska also has a lucky shirt that he wears to every final to help him get an 'A.' "So, even if I have three exams in the same week, I'll wear my shirt to all three of them," Kraska said. But all work and no play makes many students a little crazy around finals week, so some try to find ways to help relieve stress during the otherwise hectic time. Wharton junior Cecil Gouke said that he and his friends use the time before finals to have some fun and blow off studying for awhile. "If two or more of us have an exam around the same time, we'll talk about it on the way down to Atlantic City," Gouke said. "Then, on the way back, we'll mope. And finals week is usually a great time for poker too." Flores said he and his roommates are having a little contest to make finals week more interesting. "My roommates and I are growing beards to add a little humor to finals," said Flores. "We're all not going to shave for two weeks and see how it goes." And Karp said she intends to spend part of next week catching up with roommates she seldom sees. "I generally don't see my roommates because I leave the room early in the morning and don't get home until late at night," she said. "So, I'd like to take this opportunity to say 'hi' to my roommates now." Of course, there's always the occasional student who likes to avoid the stress of studying for finals altogether. "I don't usually study for finals," said Engineering freshman Raffi Curringe. "Or, I'll study for finals the day before . . . if I have time." But, it's almost over. After December 20, it's time once more to put away the books and enjoy three weeks of relaxing, non school-related activities . . . Until next semester, when it starts all over again.
(10/18/91 9:00am)
Recent studies by the National Education Goals Panel have indicated that American school children are lagging considerably behind their foreign counterparts in math and science. Directors of PENNlincs, a two-year-old mentoring program which focuses on assisting young people in these areas of study, have said that the increased enrollment in and enthusiasm for the program are positive signs for the nation's future. PENNlincs, the brainchild of Graduate School of Education graduates Jean Roberts and Pamela Freyd, is designed to stimulate children to get excited about math, science and engineering. Once a week, University students devote an hour of their time to go to local elementary schools and work as mentors with groups of four or five young people. They are given the freedom to design their own curriculum, formulate hands-on experiments and plan overnight trips to places like the Philadelphia Zoo and the Franklin Institute. Generally, the same group of three to seven students go to the same school each week. The program's directors said they hope that the elementary school students will learn and retain more in this atmosphere which is less rigid and stressful than the normal classroom setting. "The focus of the program is on introducing kids to science," Roberts said. "We want them to understand that normal people work in the field, people who share, people who like to inquire . . . The children learn to seriously do science in a fun way." When PENNlincs began in 1989, there were only six mentors serving two area schools. Today, the number of participating schools has increased to over 13 and the number of mentors has soared to over 100. Mentors have said they are optimistic about the results of their efforts. They said that they are trying to show their pupils the things which most impressed them when they were younger. "I remember watching the same kinds of experiments when I was a kid," said College junior Michael Stauffer, while preparing an experiment dealing with the senses of taste and smell. "And, they made a real impact on me." The feedback from teachers at the participating grammar schools has also been positive. "I think it's a wonderful opportunity for the students to do hands-on things with people who really know what they're doing," said Janet Krevenass, a science teacher at the Albert Greenfield Public School on 22nd and Chestnut streets. "And, after a draining day of teaching, I've found it very energizing to watch as well." But, most importantly, the children say they get a lot out of the program. "I thought it was excellent," said Naomi Miller, a fifth-grade student at the Greenfield School. "I had a lot of fun and the people who came really taught us a lot." But the learning process is not just a one-way street. Mentors say they feel they benefit from the program as well. "Teaching helps you to understand things better," said College junior David Maleh. "The kids have fun, you have fun . . . it's just nice to see them walk away with a smile on their faces." An additional research component adds extra depth to the PENNlincs program. The mentor-student interactions are recorded and analyzed in an attempt to understand the processes involved in learning and mentoring. The results of this research will be placed in a database which will be made available to the local school board. Similarly, school board data will be shared with PENNlincs so that the program's directors can track students' progress as they enter high school. In this way, directors said they can see if mentoring does, in fact, have a significant effect on the children's enthusiasm for and learning of math and science. Roberts said that she hopes PENNlincs will serve as a model for other universities to follow and bring an improvement in national math and science abilities. "It's so great to tap the cream of the crop," Roberts said. "And, if other top schools did the same, imagine the results."
(10/11/91 9:00am)
For hundreds of juniors and seniors, the letters MCAT, GMAT, LSAT or GRE spell stress. The tests, which are a prerequisite for entrance into all graduate and professional schools, are the collegiate equivalent to the SAT. In recent weeks, many students have pulled all-nighters to cram for the tests or shelled out hundreds of dollars for books and review courses, hoping to get a score that will assure them a spot in the graduate school of their choice. According to Loretta DeLoggio, who teaches a review class for the Law School Admissions Test, this test-taking anxiety is not peculiar to the University. And the stress can cause some students to get cold feet around exam time. "About 40 to 50 percent of students who register to take the LSAT either never show up or cancel their scores within five days after having taken the exam," DeLoggio said. "This reflects the stress level that accompanies these exams." Most University students believe that once they've taken the SAT, they will never have to see another standardized test. But those looking ahead to graduate school may have to deal with LSAT, the Medical College Admissions Test, Graduate Management Admissions Test (for prospective MBA students), or the Graduate Record Exam, depending on which path they hope to follow. But despite the differences in subject matter among the tests, student reactions to the exams were basically the same. Stress. University students tended to agree that the pressure placed on them to get into graduate schools made them nervous about taking standardized tests. "I'm concerned because, since I'm going into a Ph.D. program, I need higher math scores than most people taking the exam," said Wharton junior Matt Thatcher, who will take the GRE tomorrow and the GMAT next week. "That puts a lot of pressure on you." Other students said that they were worried for other reasons. "Most of my stress has been coming from not doing my work," said College senior Addison Snell, who is also taking the GRE this weekend. "I've been spending all of my time studying for the GRE and not concentrating on my classwork." Many students spent weeks or even months studying in anticipation of the exams. "I've been looking stuff over since the beginning of September," said Thatcher. "I want to make sure that I do well." University students use a variety of techniques to quell their fears. Many opt to take review courses, such as those offered by the Stanley Kaplan, Ronkin Educational Group, University Test Preparation Services or The Princeton Review. Programs such as these meet for about 30 or 40 hours over several weeks, giving students a chance for individual attention. They focus on helping students to understand the format of the exams and to review the concepts which will be presented on them. "It's very helpful in mathematics to refresh your memory on the basic concepts," said College senior Lori Blackman, who took a University Test Preparation Services class to study for tomorrow's GRE. "I'd recommend people to take a course because a lot of the stuff on the exam you haven't seen since high school." The courses also give students test-taking strategies and stress-reduction tips to help them remain calm. "I was a little nervous at first," said College senior Tracie Hoffman. "But, the last class, Loretta [DeLoggio] gave us a lecture on exactly what was going to happen and how not to be so nervous. Also, knowing that I did well in the course made me more confident." Ranging in price from $400 to $700, these courses can be a bit too expensive for some students. As a result, another popular option for many is to buy prep books, such as those published by The Princeton Review, Arco and Barron's. "I bought the Princeton Review book and the prep book put out by the GRE to help me study," said Joanne Yarin, a first-year student in the Graduate School of Education. "Besides, I was too poor to take a course anyway." Review books are easy to find and are familiar to many students. "I've found that the Barron's book is excellent," Snell said. "I used it for the SAT and it raised my scores significantly. So, I figure it'll work for the GRE as well." Frank Allegra, founder of University Test Preparation Services, also gave some advice to those planning on taking the GRE. "I encourage students to take practice exams," Allegra said. "That way they can see where they're starting from and what things they have to concentrate on." In addition to these preparatory measures, every student has his or her own tricks for tackling the exams. "I just made sure that I got to become accustomed to taking that kind of exam," said College senior Yunsook Chang, who took the LSAT last week. "You feel more confident if you know what kinds of questions to expect." "I'm going to get to bed at 10:30 or 11 the night before," Thatcher said. "And, right before that, I'm hoping to go over vocabulary. That's my weak point and they say that you retain more if you study just before you fall asleep." Many students said they believe that these kinds of standardized tests don't really measure anything of value. "The exams test you on how well you can take a test," Hoffman said. "They really don't reflect your knowledge." And, some students have said that they think the exams are a waste of time. "I think it causes too much stress for the students," Thatcher said, "especially when you're not learning anything useful by studying for them except for a few vocabulary words. The time spent on preparing for them could used for much more productive things." Hoffman tried to put things into perspective in order to relax before the LSAT last weekend. "In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter how well you do on the exam," she said. "You really don't have to go to a top school. You'll do well in your field as long as you put the energy in." Other students were reassured by the fact that taking an exam does not have to be a one-shot deal. "Generally, I was pretty nervous about the test," Chang said. "But, you can always retake it. So, if you mess up the first time, it's not the end of the world." Yarin had one final word of advice for those taking the GRE this weekend. "Relax," said Yarin. "They're not as stressful as you think." One last word of wisdom. Don't forget your #2 pencil.
(04/05/91 10:00am)
Emphasizing the importance of the translation of literature in bridging the gap between different countries, Puerto Rican writer Rosario Ferre presented two literary works to a crowd of more than fifty students and faculty members Wednesday night. Ferre read her essay "Literature, Destiny, and Translation" and a short story entitled "The Youngest Doll" and explained that it is important that works written in foreign languages be translated. "Translation is very important to Puerto Ricans and other Latin Americans because we have to make our culture known to other countries," Ferre said. "It is a way to integrate the old world and the modern world." But Ferre said that translating is not an easy task and that it can often be frustrating and futile. She pointed to poems as the most difficult of literary genres to translate, because in poetry form and emotion are so closely intertwined. "Poetry cannot be translated, it can only be transcribed," Ferre read from her essay. "The loyal translator will write what is correct, but not necessarily what is right." Festival Latino Planning Committee member and College junior Scott Recaldi said that he agreed with much of what Ferre said. "I think that it's true that it's very hard to translate," Recaldi said. "You lose a lot about the way a person thinks and the culture when you try to translate from one language into another. It becomes very hard to express yourself." Many of the students at the speech said that they were surprised by the content of Ferre's speech. "I'm not sure that everyone expected it to focus so much on translation," College junior Alfred Bustamente said. "I thought that she would read more of her works. But I did like the blend of the reading of her essay and that of her short story." In general, most students and Festival Latino organizers said they were pleased with the program. "I enjoyed it very much," College junior Doreva Belfiore said. "I especially liked her canal image as a metaphor for translation." Festival Latino organizer Recaldi said that the speech was "a great success." "I hope that people come to the other events," he said. "There are lots of interesting things going on this week."
(04/01/91 10:00am)
More than 30 fraternity and sorority members gathered in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house Thursday night for a panel discussion entitled "Homophobia in the Greek system." The program, which was sponsored by the Greek Social Action Committee and organized by Chi Omega sister Haesin Kim and Zeta Beta Tau brother Jeff Furman, featured four panel members from the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Alliance who fielded questions from the audience and discussed their own feelings on homosexuality. Students in attendance were asked, upon arriving, to write answers to two questions, which were read to spark the discussion: "What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the terms 'gay' or 'lesbian'?" and "What is one question that you would want to ask about homosexuality or bisexuality?" LGBA members related personal stories about their experiences "coming out of the closet" and their difficulties in dealing with their sexual orientation. "I was really looking for a community," said one panelist about her public admission to her homosexuality. "Before I came out of the closet, I felt so alone. I thought I was the only one. Now, the more and more I come out, the more I feel honest. I don't want to be alone anymore." Reactions to what the words "gay" and "lesbian" mean ranged from "friend" to "different," reflecting the diverse views of the Greek members present at the program. Most students present said they empathized with the panelists' views of homosexuality, although some said they felt uncomfortable with the discussion. Another panelist admitted that it wasn't always easy knowing that he wasn't like his friends. "I remember praying every night 'Oh God, please let me fall in love with a girl,' " the panelist said. "All I did was make myself and those around me miserable." Engineering senior and LGBA member Cheryl Rose said that these are common feelings within the lesbian, gay and bisexual community. Many of these people are "really terrified" to admit to their homosexuality because they have been surrounded by heterosexual role models all their lives, Rose said. "There are so many images of men and women together in the media," said Rose. "But, when L.A. Law showed two women kissing, people were talking about it for a long time." The one and one half hour discussion also dealt with myths about homosexuality, the Greek view of homosexuality and the lesbian, gay and bisexual community's reactions to the Greek system. The panelists' frank responses to questions were well received by students and most seemed enthusiastic about the program. The program is only one of many taking place during BGLAD week.
(03/29/91 10:00am)
Wharton freshman Rob Gardos took a few steps back from the pool table and surveyed his next shot. He took a deep breath, chalked-up his stick, set up and fired the nine ball into the side pocket. Each day, hundreds of University students, like Gardos, fill game rooms across campus for various reasons, from relieving stress to just having a good time. Gardos said he goes to the McClelland Hall game room in the Quadrangle after dinner a few times each week to "relax and put off studying." There are pool tables, ping-pong tables and video games located in most campus residences -- including Hill House, Kings Court/English House, the high rises, Graduate Tower A and the Quad. Many students also go to the arcade in Houston Hall and to the Galaxy II arcade on Walnut Street. In addition, most fraternity houses have their own pool tables, foosball and air hockey machines. · The McClelland Hall pool room is a popular spot for both Quad and non-Quad residents. The three pool tables, two ping-pong tables and three video games attract a crowd of game enthusiasts daily. But according to students, the main attractions at McClelland are the pool tables. The pool room, like others on campus, is clean -- a stark contrast to the image of smokey halls filled with beer-drinking men. Students come and go throughout the day, but after 10 p.m. it is almost impossible to find an empty pool table, according to Engineering freshman Todd Engram, who has worked in McClelland Hall all year. "Most nights, the room is full of people," Engram said. "There's usually a line for at least an hour to use the pool tables, and sometimes up to 30 minutes for the ping-pong tables. I've even had to kick some people out because they refused to leave after their time was up." Many of the same faces can be seen there almost every night, practicing ping-pong with friends or playing cutthroat -- a billiards game for three people -- or eight-ball. "It's usually busy after dinner, but the regulars come late at night," said College senior John Kim, who has been shooting pool at McClelland and at other campus game rooms for four years. "That's when you see some real pool-playing." However, the game rooms are usually filled with just men. According to students at several game rooms around campus, there are rarely ever any women there. Many students said they prefer to unwind in the Underground Cafe gameroom in the basement of High Rise North. In addition to the video games, pinball machines and pool table found there, there is also a jukebox, a large-screen television and, on some weekends, live bands. There is also a coffee and dessert bar. The Hill House game room, which contains two pool tables, two foosball tables, ping-pong tables, video games and one air hockey table, caters mainly to the students who live there. College junior Samir Saxena, who used to live in Hill, said he enjoys ping-pong the most. "Playing ping-pong is the best excuse to get away from studying," Saxena said. "And in the Hill House game room there's good lighting and a lot of room, so you can enjoy it even more." The game room in Houston Hall has over 30 video games. At any hour of the day, students can be found standing mesmerized in front of anything from the traditional Ms. Pac-Man and Millipede to newer games like Mad Dog McCree. The arcade is usually full from noon until 5 p.m., when classes are in session. Students said they like to go to Houston Hall for a break between or after classes. "We're all on the track [team]," College freshman Joe Tansey said, as he watched two of his friends playing heated games of pinball. "Before we study, we come here and play a few games about once a week. Right now, I should be studying for Econ, but you can't study until after you digest your food anyway. So, that's why I'm here." Off campus, Galaxy II on Walnut near 40th Street features over 50 video games, pinball machines, and other arcade-style games. Both University students and area residents frequent the arcade, despite its history of fights between patrons. Kevin Lord, manager of the arcade, claims the Galaxy II is doing its best to prevent such disturbances. Besides the open game rooms on and near campus, almost every campus fraternity house also has a few arcade games or a pool table. "There's always someone playing at the pool table at our house," said College freshman and Tau Epsilon Phi pledge Steve Blader. "It's a great way to hang out, socialize and have fun with the other brothers." College sophomore and Sigma Phi Epsilon brother Michael Stacchini said that playing pool goes hand-in-hand with being a brother. "As a brother you must learn to play pool; everyone in the house knows how," Stacchini said. "Even our cook's a pool shark." · According to students, game rooms' popularity stems from the need for stress relief. While playing a game of pinball or shooting a game of pool, students can "escape from reality." "Playing games makes us forget about homework and the exams we've just failed," said Wharton sophomore Michael Kirkell while awaiting his next turn on one of the pinball machines at the Underground Cafe. "It really kills time. Somehow, doing nothing helps you forget about doing something . . . like work." Many students said by hanging out in the game rooms, there is also an opportunity to win some money. "If you are good, it's easy to make a few extra dollars," Kim said. "There are always lots of tournaments going on here and there's usually someone willing to bet on a game." Wharton senior Todd Genskay offered a more psychoanalytical explanation of why he and others play the video games. "Look at my generation," said the senior as he waited patiently to play Tetris. "We grew up with video games; Atari was the first one. So, of course, these are just extensions of that and we feel comfortable with them. They bring us back to our childhood."
(02/13/91 10:00am)
Combatting stereotypes about Muslims, the Muslim Student Association held a panel discussion Monday night to try to help reconcile students' misconceptions about Muslims' attitude towards the war in the Persian Gulf. The two-and-a-half hour discussion, "Muslims' Perception of the Gulf Crisis," featured two Temple University professors and one graduate student presenting their views and answering questions about the Muslim perspective on the war. In the midst of the Gulf Crisis, many University students may have misconceptions about the Muslim attitude towards the war, according to Muslim student leaders who were at the program. Panelist Yasir Sakr, a University graduate student and Muslim activist, said that the program was aimed at introducing people to how the majority of Muslims feel about the war. "The media misrepresents our view to such an extent that they cause Americans to have a negative conception of our view," Sakr said. "I would like to invite students to come who are interested in hearing the often untold view and to allow them to hear how the Muslims feel about the events in the Gulf." The other two panelists were Mahmoud Ayoub and Khalid Blankinship, both professors of Religious Studies at Temple University. The panelists all gave a brief description of the events leading up to the Gulf Crisis and the accompanying tension in the Middle East, as well as a synopsis of Muslim religious beliefs before opening the floor to questions and discussion. According to Ayoub and Blankinship, Muslims do not condone Saddam Hussein's actions, but believe that the Western nations have no business in interfering with a problem that affects only the Muslim community. "The issue is not only the loss of lives, but the presence of colonial countries in the Gulf and their taking up of a dominant role," Blankinship said. "This is completely unacceptable . . . the Muslims will decide what is correct and incorrect on the basis of their own books." Ayoub and Blankinship added that the Muslim community believes that an important choice must be made in order to pick a side in the conflict. Their first concern should be the maintaining of the Muslim community, not the welfare of a single country within it. "A choice must be made between the greater and the lesser evil," Ayoub said. "The evil of Saddam's taking of Kuwait is lesser than the destruction of the Islam community." Many students said they enjoyed the discussion and were glad to have the opportunity to hear the Muslim perspective on the war. "It was very interesting and informative, " Engineering junior Ali Kazi said. "I'm really glad I came." But other students said they felt that the panelists were not completely credible. "It seemed like they were saying a lot of blanket statements and that they were using Israel as an excuse for the war," said College junior Carmel Gerber. "These people are professors of religion, yet they tried to predict the political outcomes of the Crisis. They understand the religious but not the political aspects."
(11/12/90 10:00am)
Addressing the Third Annual Career Dinner for women at the Faculty Club Thursday night, Undersecretary of Health and Human Services Constance McNeely Horner told members of the audience that they should concentrate on family ties. Horner, a 1964 University graduate, also stressed the need for both men and women to stop focusing on earning money and to spend more time strengthening ties with the family, neighborhood and. "The work of rearing children for both men and women is the single most important work that this country faces right now," Horner said. "We'll go under if we don't correct this." She urged the women in the audience to not "get addicted to power," and to make their families their primary concern. Horner told audience members that the university is a "real laboratory for leadership," and urged them to take advantage of it. She also urged students to take advantage of the changes that have occured in the workplace since she began to pursue her careers in the mid-1960s. "When I graduated from Penn, it wasn't appropriate to find a career," said Horner. "It was appropriate to find a job until you got married." Students, faculty and administrators praised Horner's speech and said she gave them encouragement for the future. Susan Catherwood, chairperson of the Board of Overseers at the University Museum, called the presentation "wonderfully balanced." The Annual Career Dinner was started three years ago by Alvin Shoemaker, chairperson of the Board of the Trustees, in order to enhance the quality of life for women at University, according to organizers.
