May 2008 Archives

I was surfing the Internet today and found the following Onion News segment on a historic "Blockbuster" store that is showing visitors how movies were rented in the past.

Blockbuster is still around today but for how long?  In my IST 110H class, the class talked about the purpose of libraries, bookstores, and music stores.  We came to the conclusion that the services these places provide is made obsolete due to the advent of the Internet.  With Amazon, NetFlix, and iTunes, surfers can get everything they need in the comfort of their own home and usually for less.  However, the reason why most of these companies and stories are still around is because of the atmosphere or the experience they provide for the customer.  For example, Borders and Barnes and Noble offer a cafe atmosphere with couches and classical music.  Libraries offer people, especially college students, a place of serenity to learn.  But as the Internet continues to grow and evolve, what will be the future of these stores?  While I believe atmosphere is nice, I believe convenience is more important to the American consumer than anything else.  As the Internet becomes more convenient, the historic relics of Blockbuster and Borders will fade into the abyss as the Mall of America will be the World Wide Web.

The second semester has just ended for me.  I have taken all of my finals and have packed my entire room.  I am just waiting for parents to come, move my stuff into the car, and head back on home.

My freshman year has been nothing short of remarkable.  Initially, I was a little unnerved and learned to adjust to the Penn State way of life, or at least my version of the PSU way.  After I had adjusted, everything started to fall into place.  The classes that I have taken so far here have been pretty good, especially the classes that I have taken for my major.  I love my major of Information Sciences and Technology and can't wait to begin my internship this summer.

However, don't let the SHC fool you.  I have done a lot more up at UP than just coursework.  I have been fortunate enough to be a part of Penn State's biggest events.  I went to every football game last season, but truth be told, I would much rather go see Penn State volleyball in action in Rec Hall.  Congratulations to both the men and the women once again on their great national championship seasons.  It was awesome being a very small part as a manager for the men's team and see how they came together to win the title.  The highlight of my fall semester was going to see a Switchfoot concert at the BJC with some friends.  I was twenty feet from the stage!  After the show, I had the chance to meet the lead singer Jon Foreman and get an autograph.  The highlights of the spring semester were numerous.  I was a part of the OPPerations Committee (or the stage crew) of THON 2008 and saw first hand the power of FTK.  I participated in the MLK Day of Service, Spring UP, and will be a team leader of FreshSTART this fall.  I have also been elected the position of webmaster of the Science Lions website.  I hope to make improvements to this website this summer.  I became more involved in the sport of volleyball through managing the men's team and playing with my friends as the newly formed student club Volleyball Addicts Anonymous.  I have kept many old friends and made many new friends.

And yet, all of this barely begins to tell the story of my freshman year.  At the end of the first semester, I was excited about going home and apprehensive about coming back to Happy Valley.  Now, at the conclusion of the second semester, I am still excited about going home.  However, I am excited about coming up in August to begin a brand new adventure here at Penn State.  I'm gonna call Penn State home too.

THAT JUST HAPPENED!!!  Last night, the Penn State men's volleyball team won the national championship against Pepperdine in UC Irvine.  To read Coach Pav's commentary, click here.  To watch the ESPN highlights, click here.

As one of the managers for the team, it was unbelievably awesome to see the team celebrate out on the court.  Being able to help at practices and stat matches was a great experience for me and has given me a lot of insight into the game that I love so much.  All in all, this year has been an unbelievable year of volleyball for me.  I have made many new friends and gained many new experiences.  Congratulations to this year's 2008 Penn State Men's Volleyball National Champions!  I am looking forward to the sequel.