PERSPECTIVES YOU Culture shock Quit ranting, act upon it

So far my experiences in the United States have been a culture shock, to say the least. I am here at Cabrini College on a year-long exchange program from Northern Ireland. The slogan of my program is, “It’s not good or bad, it’s just different.” This comes to mind when my roommate tells me my pants are cute, and I am wondering how she saw my underwear.

Back in Ireland I study in a university with 30,000 other students, so you can imagine how strange it is for me to be here at Cabrini where things are a little more “personal.” My first few weeks here I was constantly met with, “Oh you’re the Irish girl,” followed by, “Oh say something, I love your accent.” Now as charming and complimentary as this may be, can I just warn future acquaintances that I will not “do the leprechaun from Lucky Charms,” no matter how much I like you.

I must say that after only six weeks of Cabrini life, I feel very settled and welcomed. The sense of community on campus still astounds me. I go to a city university back home where the lecturer would have trouble differentiating between the 300 law students in the class. Homework is a rarity and lectures or classes is not mandatory. The style of learning is very independent and grades come from one final exam or dissertation at the end of the semester. This being the case, I am having trouble adjusting to the methods of teaching here, often feeling like I am back in a more intense high school. I am not saying the American way of education is any better or worse than that of back home, just different.

Northern Ireland is a beautiful country and although troubled to this day by terrorism, it was a wonderful place to grow up in. It has much to offer in terms of scenery, history and culture, not to mention the bars on every corner. This particular social culture is something I will miss greatly being in the United States. Sociable drinking or even just frequenting bars for lunch, quizzes and general mingling is a big part of the youth culture of Ireland, my university alone has three bars in its student union. At home this has been an avenue open to me for three years now. Coming to America and finding myself restricted in this way has been difficult but it is all just part of the experience.

I’ve heard of language barriers in study abroad programs but I think I’ve discovered a new problem, accent barriers. This was most evident when the vendor of “Geno’s” cheesesteaks looked at me blankly when I attempted to order “whiz without.” On this topic I knew America was “the land of the brave” and the “land of the free,” but what I did not know was that it was “the land of cheese.” Cheese is everywhere—on fries, (or chips, as I call them), on steaks, on pasta and even on eggs. And I thought the French were bad.

This aside my experience in the United States has been great so far. I am sure I have asked some silly questions and I know I have made my roommate crazy by drinking hot lemonade, but that’s diversity for you. I miss my homeland dearly but with every other person I meet telling me they are “Irish too,” I know that I am among kindred spirits. So if you see me around campus, come and say “hello” or “Top of the mornin’to ya.” Please just don’t tell me that my English is excellent, or you may see this Irish girl turn from green to red.

SHARON M. KOLANKIEWICZ STAFF WRITER SMK724@ CABRINI EDU

Hearing people complain that there is nothing to do at Cabrini has become quite annoying. Every time I turn around I hear people complain how they are always bored and there is nothing to do on campus. In reality, there are many activities and opportunities on this campus.

In the beginning of my freshman year, I had similar feelings until I made the effort to get involved. I knew I wanted to be more active and social on-campus. In the beginning of the year, after class I would spend the rest of my time in my dorm. I was not happy, but I could not find the missing puzzle piece which I need to complete my happiness. So in the spring semester of my freshman year, I started participating in events held by the Wolfington Center. I went on the service trip to New York City and the SEARCH retreat where I met some amazing people, and who I still remain good friends today.

I began to participate in other activities and I saw the same people as well as meeting new people. Since Cabrini is a small campus, it is easy to recognize and remember people. As I began to meet more people, I developed close friendships and that has made the difference. I finally found the missing piece to my puzzle.

By becoming more involved you create more connections among fellow students and faculty. The opportunities will not come to you; instead, you have to find them yourself. Basically, you should not sit around and be a passive person. When you are involved, there is always something to do, but putting the in the effort to be proactive is the first step. Although it has only been a year, I feel as though I have matured and I am a happier person with more self-confidence due to the fact that I am involved with organizations, such as the Up ‘Til Dawn Executive Board, SEARCH and various community service activities.

The main point I am trying to make is that you need to have a positive outlook and overcome laziness. You will realize that there is a lot being offered by Cabrini. This year I am so busy and active, I am rarely in my room. That is a major lesson which I have learned, not to shut yourself in your dorm because you are shutting yourself in from others reaching out to you.

In addition to the activities on-campus, there are also many activities off-campus. Obviously Wayne is only fiveminutes from Cabrini and Philadelphia is just a train ride away. There is easy access to these places. For instance, there is the shuttle and two local train stations. Another benefit is if you are already involved, generally you know a good number of people and some of those people have cars.

I am simply stressing for Cabrini students to stop complaining about the lack of activities on-campus. If you really want to become active, then you must take the first step in making the effort to discover your niche. The more you get involved, the more proactive you become and you will find yourself much happier.

Mastronardi Service & Leadership Award

Students: If you are actively committed to community service & civic engagement, eligible for financial aid, 2.5 GPA or above, and enrolled as a full-time student, consider applying for this prestigious annual award established by Cabrini alumnae to honor our tradition of "education of the heart."

This year the award will be given to two students, who will each receive a tuition remission of approximately $650, divided between fall and spring semesters.

Application information in the Wolfington Center: Dr. Mary Laver x8409 mlaver@cabrini.edu

Deadline for submitting completed application essays and recommendations: OCTOBER 15, 2004

Award winners will be notified on November 1, and publically presented at CABRINI DAY on November 11 th -