Stress and college may seem like an obvious matrimony. But the rates at which college students nationwide regularly experience stress are higher than one might expect. A recent study conducted by The Associated Press and mtvU found that 80 percent of 2000 university students polled reported experiencing stress on a daily basis.

If you only have a vague idea of the location and politics of Sierra Leone outside of what was presented in the movie Blood Diamond, you're not alone. But there's a lot more to this small West African country than Hollywood drama depicts. Last night, the International Relations program hosted Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier from Sierra Leone and author of the highly acclaimed book A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.

While Spring Fling 2008 is still almost two weeks away, Quad residents are already frustrated with the inconvenience of bag checks. Last Thursday, security guards began checking the bags of each student entering the Quad. Some residents complain that the alcohol checks make them uncomfortable.

"Come on! Right here!" Jason Pinsky yelled to himself when a break point presented itself in the second set. The senior captain, playing at No. 1, was up 6-3, 3-3, before winning that point to take the lead. "I knew eventually I was going to convert it, but I just had to be patient," he said.

It took Corey Winkoff less than eight minutes to prove that he belonged in the men's lacrosse starting lineup. The freshman attacker scored in the first 7:41 of his career and 27 minutes later, he ripped the net again in the Feb. 23 game against Drexel. Now, six games into the season, Winkoff is second on the team in points, behind only captain Craig Andrzejewski.

One student is fighting for civil rights via economic justice. Another wants to change the face of foreign policy. And now both have the support of the prestigious Truman Scholarship - awarded to juniors who show leadership potential and are committed to careers in public service - to help them realize their aspirations.

Doctors do it for love, while lawyers do it for money - at least according to a recent survey of almost 1,000 pre-law and pre-medical students. Kaplan, the test-prep company, conducted a survey asking 914 students what role earning power played in their choice to pursue a career in either law or medicine.

When it comes to the perception of crime, Penn students need to get their priorities straight. It never ceases to amaze me how comfortable Penn students are leaving their possessions in the company of strangers. The same students who'll practice walking in circles to throw imaginary muggers off their scent will leave their $2,000 laptops unattended to wait in line for an ice-mocha-latte-frappuccino.

Remember when P. Diddy was screaming at everyone to Vote or Die? That's how Locust Walk feels now. People yell about how important it is for college students to vote in this historic election. (Has there ever been a non-historic election?) But is it really that important for young people to vote? It's often cited that only 46.

Penn officials have wanted to collaborate with University City High School for some time now, but many community members who attended a public forum last night say Penn's help is not welcome. At the forum, held to share plans with the community about renovations, Philadelphia School District leaders officially said they have been in discussion with Penn and Drexel for the past two years about the possibility of a partnership with University City High once it is renovated.

Jason Pinsky left no doubt about the importance of yesterday's No. 1 singles match against Saint John's Artem Vlasenko. He drove the message home on the very first point. A high-arcing Pinsky forehand sailed just a little longer than desired. Vlasenko let the ball bounce without a return, signaling that the ball landed out.

They've been together for two years, but they still can't hold hands in public. Kate, a College sophomore, began dating Dan, a University of Charleston sophomore, while still in high school. Still together, their biggest relationship issue isn't that they are long distance - it's that they are a secret.

From Facebook groups to YouTube videos, technology has undoubtedly changed the way presidential campaigns communicate. But new modes of communication aren't exclusive to campaigns - political groups on Penn's campus, and at other schools as well, have also revolutionized their efforts.

In a contest riddled with walks, balks, hit batters and wild pitches, the only thing Penn's hurlers couldn't tally was a win. Lafayette rallied from 5-1 down to upend the Quakers 6-5 at Meiklejohn Stadium, eliminating the Red and Blue from the eight-team Liberty Bell Classic.

Geno's Steaks owner Joey Vento never thought eight words would cause such a fuss. But the ruckus, raised over a sign at his ordering window that reads, "This is America. When ordering, please speak English," has finally ended. Thirty-one months after Vento first put the sign up, and nearly two years after the City of Philadelphia filed a "complaint of bias" against him because of it, Philadelphia's Commission for Human Relations ruled that the sign is not discriminatory.

So far, presidential candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties have debated issues ranging from the war in Iraq to the economy. But these aren't the only issues facing the future president - one group argues that scientific issues, such as global warming and science and math education, should also be discussed.

The Democratic presidential primary isn't the only highly contested election this spring - more students than ever are running for positions in next year's student government. A total of 73 students are competing for 83 positions, according to Colleen Donovan, the vice chair for elections for the Nominations and Elections Committee, which is in charge of the elections process.