Pumpkin Spice Season

Ah, 'tis the season of warm hues, cool weather, and pumpkin spice flavoring. Most people love the season of autumn and the tremendous beauty that comes along with it. Being at Penn State, we are lucky enough to be immersed in the colors of fall, unlike the city schools (I'm looking at you, Pitt!). If you're anything like me, you enjoy sweater-weather and good pumpkin. I was pleased and, quite frankly, a little confused when my roommate received a package containing a  real pumpkin. Hey, I'm not complaining, though.

Anyway, if you're wondering why I am introducing the top of autumn and its fruits, it's because I have a fall-themed commentary in store. Also, I will be throwing in a positive story at the end of this blog to make up for the sad tale I told about the chipmunk last week.

Photo: neiljs

As I'm sure we've all seen on Snapchat, Penn Staters have taken an affinity to leaf piles. It seemed as though every day this week I was wasting my time watching someone jump into a leaf pile. I also managed to observe someone jumping into a pile of leaves in person. I was inspired by this person's brazenness and I decided to try it for myself. I leaped into the assemblage of yard debris, arms by my side, in a manner similar to how a fish jumps out of water. When I landed, I consumed the essence of fall aroma and entered a brief state of ambrosia. I had entered leaf Shangri-La. Soon, though, the thought of spiders lurking in the leaves had me getting up as fast as I came down. Overall, it was fun experience, although overhyped by the media.

Leaf-lovers weren't the only noteworthy thing I saw this week, as I witnessed an act of selfless chivalry. In a day where most males prefer texting to face-to-face conversations and have abandoned even the most common chivalrous acts, such as holding a door for a woman, the act the I observed was exceptionally laudable. During my standard commute back to my dorm on the Blue Loop, I squeezed my way into a particularly cramped bus. I managed to find a spot to stand, but all the seats were taken. A male sitting in one of the seats stood up and offered his seat to a young lady standing next to him. In my professional people-watching opinion, they did not know each other; however the girl seemed flattered. In fact, later on in the bus ride, I overheard how that simple act made her day. After seeing this, I was humbled and inspired to be a more courteous person. So, to my males out there: take notes.

Photo: fsse8info

I would like to conclude this weeks blog post by saying this was a great week. It was a week of inspiration: by watching other people, I was motivated to jump into a leaf pile and to be more mannerly. All in all, this week reminded me why people are so awesome—you never know what they're going to do! I hope you all enjoyed this post and hopefully you are inspired to go out there an jump in a piles of leaves!

Animal Lovers Beware!

As you may have noticed, this week saw a dramatic increase in temperature. I hope you guys enjoyed what will probably be the last warm weather for a while. Like most other people, I like the warm weather too, so I spent a lot of time outdoors this week. I ran, sat, ate, and did many of my daily activities outdoors, giving me more exposure to the wonderful people that surround us. I have some positive things to talk about today and then a not-so-positive, cautionary tale I would like to share with you all.

This week, I felt as though everyone was in a better mood from the weather. I saw the swim team practicing outdoors, tons of runners, and people just enjoying the warm air. I observed a few unusual things as well. Such as the croquet club. Did you know we even had a croquet club? Well, we do, and I watched as they practiced on the HUB lawn. Overall, I was mildly intrigued and would rate croquet-watching a 6/10 on a scale of enjoyment. But, still, the good "vibes" in the air felt meditative during a very stressful week. 

Alright. I'll be honest, I tired to lighten the mood until now, but I must share this story which shook me to the core. Having lost interest in croquet (sorry if I offend any croquet fans out there), I began searching for other interesting happenings. Strangely, my friend, Tony, ran into me. We had a little chat before he headed off to his next class. As he rode his bike away, I happened to look at him. He was maybe 50-100ft away from me when I saw a tiny object run across the sidewalk right in front of him. It was a chipmunk. The poor guy didn't know what hit him. One moment he was burrowing in the ground, the next a madman was bearing down on him like a steamroller. Now, let it be known I am an animal-lover in every sense of the word (pugs are my favorite, but that's beside the point). 

After witnessing the accident, I ran over to my friend, effectively making the switch from a people-watcher to a people-interactor. But, to quell my fears and in keeping the emotions of my readers in mind, I had to ask my friend if he had ended the existence of the poor, little creature. Thankfully, my friend assured me the chipmunk ran away, although possibly injured. 

So, my friends, let this be a lesson to you to be cognizant of the little creatures around you. Don't let haste or other distractions allow you to become complacent. If I find out that anyone runs over a little creature again, I'm going to be so sad I might cry. 

In the interest of not ending on a bad note, I hope you all had a great week and enjoyed the warm weather as much as the club croquet team and the swimmers and runners. Enjoy it while it lasts, though, because soon it's hibernation season. Break out the comfort food and hot chocolate! 

The Tables Have Turned...

Life is hard. We don't always get what we want. This year, I've found that many times I don't get as much sleep as I want. I do my best, but there are always those nights where work takes precedence over sleep.You might ask, why am I talking about sleep in a people-watching blog? Well, my friends, keep reading and you'll find out.

It was Wednesday, and I had woken up at the crack of dawn, affording me only a few hours of sleep. As usual, I found myself running to my chemistry class, which is a grueling 15 minute walk from my dorm. Still, being the scholar that I am, I made it on time.

My chemistry class is actually not boring, but, although I find it interesting, for some reason I always doze off. Perhaps my body has gotten into the habit of sleeping at 12:45 PM? Whatever the case my be, I discovered that my sleeping habits were eliciting some unwanted attention. I am used to being a people-watcher, but this week I observed that I was, indeed, the people-watchee. 

Sleeper
Photo via: Kristina Kuncevich

As I was emerging from my state of unconsciousness, I noticed a group of classmates staring at me. I snapped to attention and realized I had fallen asleep with my face smushed against my hand. They were pointing and laughing, and I saw one of them giggling at her phone, presumably at a Snapchat she just took of me. I felt betrayed by the people-watching gods—how could the tables be turned in such a cruel manner? We exchanged looks for a while; I watched as they got their laughs and they gaped at my still-disoriented self.

I believe one thing we can all learn from my experiences this week is that we should always get enough sleep. Without rest, it's difficult to pay attention and get work done. Everyone wants to succeed, but it's important that we set ourselves up for success. Not getting enough sleep is recipe for disaster, as previously illustrated. Insufficient sleep not only impacts your academics, but also your dignity. Being caught "slipping," as some might say, is simply detestable, as a principled intellectual should always sit upright and focus his or her attention to the mission at hand.

I can't stress enough the importance of sleep—just get some sleep, people! It'll make you more productive, more focused, and better prepared for every class. It's always wise to keep composure and to look professional at all times. Getting a sufficient amount of sleep will also prevent you from become a Snapchat story. Trust me, whether you notice it or not, you're most likely always being watched.

Look Out!

This week had been fairly slow until Tuesday. My people-watching was going smoothly as I walked to class. Still, nothing particularly caught my attention. But, as a wise man once said, "expect the unexpected." My eyes, which were darting around the street, suddenly fixated themselves on a rapidly approaching object. This object was a man. A man on a bike.

Let me ask you, my fellow Penn Staters, have you almost been run over by a bike on campus? Well, if so, you might understand the fear I felt as I watched a man barrel toward me at seemingly triple-digit speed. Don't worry, though, I luckily was able to avoid his murderous roll and I am here now, writing this blog, not only for your entertainment, but as a cautionary tale.

A speed demon on a bike.
Photo Credit: Miguel Pinheiro 6x6

So, after nearly being run down, I decided I would focus my attention on bikers. Over the next few days, I noticed how utterly careless some of the riders were. I observed one student as he rode his bike with no hands. Really, man? You knew this probably wasn't a good idea. I watched as he narrowly missed crushing a female student. He came so close to hitting her that the female student dropped a book she was holding. In another instance, a gang of bikers came whizzing down Pollock Road and almost took out a group of students crossing the street. Thankfully, the bike riders were able to stop in time. Please don't let my somewhat (hopefully) humorous tone detract from the severity of the bike threat.

So, what is it with these bikers? They seem to be indifferent to walkers, uncaring if they side-swipe a person or two. I urge everyone to exercise caution when crossing streets or when walking on busy sidewalks, such as those in front of the HUB. If I were to offer an hypothesis as to why these bikers are so aggressive, I would blame it on the stress of school. Even though I may only get brief glimpses at bikers before they speed by, they are still people. In all honesty, I would bet they are just trying to get to class. If you find yourself stressed out about school or getting to class on time, I recommend meditative exercise or cup of hot green tea; I can attest to their effectiveness. 

Don't get me wrong, I think bikes are great, but I think bike riders should be more cognizant of their less-mobile brethren who don't have a bike.

As always, I can't make this stuff up. I hope you enjoyed this post and come back next week for more exciting, unpredictable people-watching adventures!