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2, 2010
Reflections on a new start; from opposite ends
By Lia Ferrante & Beatrice McQuiston
Guest Writers
Our home away from home for the next
four years was right in front of our faces as
we pulled into Cabrini College.
New faces, unpacked cars and frantic
parents were all we could see. Not sure
what to expect, we held our breaths as we
walked to the registration table to join the
class of 2014.
Seeing upperclassmen with “Move-In”
shirts and a smile was a relief as they kind-
ly grabbed our bags without even asking.
Walking from table to table to get all our
new Cabrini gear made the move-in pro-
cess more real.
Getting settled in and awkwardly talk-
ing to our new roommates was an over-
whelming and frightening experience,
soley because we knew our living space
Orientation 2010
By Rachael Renz
Copy Editor
One word that would
easily describe the
2010 Orientation exer-
cise would be amazing.
I met so many new people, became closer
with some I already knew and learned new
things about myself.
Last spring when I saw all the flyers
around campus about the orientation appli-
cation, I immediately knew I wanted to be
a part of it.
As a freshman, I came to Cabrini with
trepidation and hesitation. I didn’t know
what to expect and I honestly don’t re-
member seeing friendly faces during my
first day at school.
Granted, I didn’t really want to be at
college to begin with but I don’t remember
anyone coming up to me asking me how I
was doing or how my experience was go-
ing.
During my orientation training, we were
taught leadership skills, how to handle un-
sure incoming students and how to effec-
tively play icebreakers.
www.theloquitur.com
Perspectives
would be shared for the next year.
A million questions ran through our
minds, such as “Are we going to get
along?,” or “Can I borrow her clothes?” It
will take us a while to get used to sharing
a bathroom with total strangers, along with
carting around a basket primarily designed
for toiletries.
The anticipation of meeting new friends
came faster than we thought when we were
split into our groups and meeting our ori-
entation leaders for the first time. Meeting
our OL’s took a weight off our shoulders,
knowing they would be there for us for the
whole weekend.
Every second of our weekend was
booked with planned events, so missing
home never crossed our minds. Little did
we know that the people surrounding us
would be taking the same journey as us. It
was nice to know that every event we went
to, our orientation group was coming with
us.
Seeing all of the excited faces displayed
by the upperclassmen as we ran into the
gym made us feel more comfortable in
our new environment. We were laughing
with total strangers while we played silly
games, helping ease our nerves and relax.
I honestly would have never known
how important those training exercises
were. Yeah, 90 percent of incoming stu-
dents don’t want to do icebreakers and
stupid games but little do they know how
those activities affect their college experi-
ence.
When I was freshman, I didn’t show up
for anything but the first icebreakers and
the Phillies game because, why not, it’s the
Phillies!
After orientation had ended, I real-
ized how my peers had already developed
groups of friends, crushes and perhaps even
enemies. I completely missed the boat.
I relayed this message to my orienta-
tion group and surprisingly they took my
advice. Even though they didn’t want to do
stupid games where you catch a ball and
answer a question about yourself, skittles
fun fact games or two truths and one lie,
they still showed up. Maybe they liked the
games, maybe they didn’t but they still
bonded over one of these factors.
Aside from learning things about each
other, I learned a lot about myself. The
first day of orientation, I walked up to a
father watching students move in and im-
mediately started a conversation with him.
I am naturally outspoken and a people per-
Any concerns sleeping in a new bed
didn’t even cross our minds because of our
exhaustion from our day. Whoever was
bold enough to hear the haunted stories
about Cabrini and go through the tour of
the mansion knew it was an event not to
be missed. Unconsciously grabbing onto
people you didn’t know showed how close
the school is even if you were a freshman.
The skits they performed for us were
informative but in a way to make us laugh.
All the time and effort showed how
much fun they had the week before. It
made us want to be more involved in the
year ahead. The comfort of knowing the
orientation leaders wanted to eat every
meal with us showed how dedicated they
were to making us feel at home.
Being separated into groups to get a
tour of Wayne showed where we would
be spending most of our time. Walking
past a million stores in the King of Prussia
Mall, we knew we would be penniless by
the time we came home for Thanksgiving
break.
The chaos during the bus ride and the
constant chatter made us feel that we knew
these people for longer than three days.
Exchanging email and contact information
son but I would never normally walk up
to a random person and start a conversa-
tion. We talked for about an hour until we
both discovered I was his son’s orientation
leader.
I am typically the type of person that
shys away from my peers. When it comes
to presenting in front of others, leading oth-
ers or being their boss, you can forget about
it. But during orientation week, I walked
up to anyone and everyone, whether or not
they were in my orientation group, to ask
how they were adapting to Cabrini.
But I can’t take all the credit for my
awesome experience. My partner Ryan
Pashley was great too. He was outgoing
and welcoming to our group as well. We
both agreed on every game and how to
handle our students.
Not only was my partner great but our
group was awesome too! We had 16 boys
and four girls, which as you may know is
an unusual ratio for Cabrini. The boys were
definitely engaged and the girls seemed
very eager. I was very fortunate with my
group. I loved being a role model to my
students but also being their friend, some-
one they can go to for advice or help.
I feel as though I learned a lot about peo-
ple, myself and my future, oddly enough.
Thursday, Sept.
made us feel like we weren’t the only peo-
ple struggling to meet new people.
As the weekend was coming to a
close, we knew college wasn’t all fun and
games. We knew our first night of pulling
all-nighters was coming closer than we
thought. Like a typical freshman, we were
worried about our schedule, our books and
waking up on time for class in the morning.
We would’ve never thought that the
library would soon become our new best
friend, when in high school we didn’t even
know where the library was.
Searching for places to go and people
to meet will still be on our minds as new
weekends approach. Even though we still
get homesick almost everyday, we know
that each day will get better. After doing all
the activities we never would’ve thought
that they would help us be more confident
walking through the Cabrini campus.
lf375@cabrini.edu
bmm77@cabrini.edu
I am a business administration major and
have taken leadership courses and have
defined and evaluated the term leadership
half a dozen times.
Never before have I applied it to my
life. I learned skills that I can discuss in
the classroom and bring to my career.
During orientation we supplied the
freshmen with a haunted tour of the man-
sion, game nights with awesome prizes,
laser tag, photo booths, movie night, King
of Prussia Mall trip, a Wayne-area tour and
even tours of the campus.
I was amazed at all the imaginative
ideas that orientation coordinators Brittany
O’Connor and Aisling Carroll created. I
was truly impressed and maybe slightly
jealous that my orientation wasn’t as in-
ventive.
Even though the hours of orientation
can be long, I couldn’t be happier with my
decision. I would definitely recommend
others to apply and help with freshmen
orientation, because being a leader and
guiding the new students can change their
experience and potentially change the face
of Cabrini.
rr724@cabrini.edu
Thursday, Sept 2, 2010 www.theloquitur.com page 7
Perspectives

Police should After 5 years, Katrina victims still fighting

change focus By Michelle Costa
made temporary contributions and sugar- my head around the idea that people who
coated progress to the press and ignored the once had a stable environment that they
By Liz Scopelliti
Copy Editor
I think there’s
been a moment
in everyone’s life
when they have
been guilty of speeding. It’s an inevi-
table fact that is bound to take place
more than once, twice or a dozen
times.
I’ve had my license for three and
a half years and I’m proud to say that
I consider myself a very responsible
and conscientious driver. I wear my
seatbelt, I use my mirrors, I generally
go within 10 m.p.h. of the speed limit,
Managing Editor
A few days ago
marked the five-year an-
niversary of Hurricane
Katrina. On that day,
millions were washed away of a future in
a matter of minutes. Today, not much has
changed; not the change that you would
hope to see in five years, anyway.
Festive New Orleans has surely gotten
some life back but not to the level of spirit
and fun it was once known for. It is safe to
say that if the city’s levee system had not
failed, Louisiana would be booming with a
future filled with unique flavor and promis-
ing soul.
While other states were hit by this bru-
long-term damage. No matter how large a
volunteer group may be or how many layers
of paint is put on a house, no one can in-
stantly help and resolve the mental damage
that is crippling the minds of those affected.
I believe we as a country take on many
tasks at one time. This demand of compli-
cating commitments results in doing work
in every direction, essentially at a mediocre
level. If prioritizing were implemented,
people five years later would not be home-
less and still suffering.
Reports all over do not hide the astonish-
ing numbers that show the truth behind poor
resettlement projects. Currently there are
125,000 people that remain displaced due to
the vicious hurricane.
My heart continues to break. I try to wrap mmc78@cabrini.edu
called home became homeless in a blink
of an eye. It’s years later and hopelessness
would not even begin to describe the pain
they must face day in and day out.
Natural disasters are certainly not
planned. Sure, we are given warning but
no plan of action is significant or successful
enough to save ones belongings that have
made up a lifetime of memories. Every per-
son in our world should be granted the gift
of a home, a place where a family can be
protected and safe.
This hurricane was no ones fault. It is
our job, our responsibility to restore life and
give these people a future that can replace
the hell they are currently living.

etc.  So why, Mr. Officer of the Law,
do you feel it necessary to present me
with a ticket when I do not have a bad
track record?
The reason I bring this up is sim-
ple: I see no point in negatively al-
tering people’s days solely to meet a
quota that should not have been set in
the first place.
I was pulled over for the first time
in my life in July while on the Penn-
sylvania Turnpike. (Side note: if any
of you have driven on this road, you
know as well as I do how boring and
never-ending it is.)
I was playing a game with my
mom and while I was thinking about
how to answer her question, my foot
ever so slightly pressed itself harder
onto the gas, which resulted in me go-
ing over 15 miles above the “65 mph”
zone I was in. Right as my mom told
me to slow down, I looked out my
mirror and saw the flashing lights
behind me, signaling for me to pull
over.
OK, long story short, the cop was
super nice and lowered my “punish-
ment,” so to say. But still, let’s be for
real here! It’s not like I was tailgating
or swerving through lanes.
I think police officers are wonder-
ful people. At least I hope they are.
I have had a few minor run-ins with
the cops over the past few years, and
some are just straight up rude and im-
polite.
I have seven uncles involved with
the law, one of whom is a detective,
and two cousins as well. They are
some of the greatest people I know.
But regardless, I still see no point
in handing out tickets or citations for
simply speeding. If you’re going 75
in a 25, then you have issues. But 10
mph over the speed limit, 15 mph? If
we’re all traveling in the same lane
without tailgating or endangering the
lives of others, who cares?
I’m not stupid. You want our mon-
ey, don’t lie. I also know you have
that silly quota to meet every month.
How about this: instead of parking
on side roads or disguising yourself
in blue Ford Explorers, you actually
go out and find the bad guys, the ones
that continue to terrorize our cities
every day?
Crazy idea, I know. But take it
from a girl who lives in a town where
2,340,398 back-up police cars are
called when two people get pulled
over for speeding. Chill with the dra-
ma and remember how your egotisti-
cal ways can ruin someone’s day.
tal storm, lack of improvement
and rebuilding still stands in
Louisiana. How is that not
one, not three but five years
later, people are still displaced
and living in conditions that
are completely unsuitable and
unacceptable?
What went wrong in the
reestablishing plans that have
left thousands robbed of their
homes and a life that they once
had before the winds hit? The
current lifestyle that many are
continuing to live is a complete
disgrace and embarrassment
on our government’s part.
Sure, donations upon do-
nations have helped those in
need but the depths of destruc-
tion have not been properly ad-
dressed. Alternate procedures
could have restored lives back
to the way things were before
the 2005 storm. mct
In my opinion, I strongly In this file photo from 2005, search and rescue teams evacuated people who had decided to stay
feel as though FEMA only in New Orleans, Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina.
Mentoring means ease of mind and success
was very interested in helping other college students, espe- Receiving mentorship is a great
By Felicia Melvin
me succeed. cially upperclassman, is a great way to become a mentor and in-
Web & Photo Editor
After realizing that media, way to get involved with differ- spiration to another student.
In high web and writing were passions ent activities and also a way to Going into my freshman
school, of mine, I decided that commu- gain long-term friendships. year at Cabrini, I encountered
similar to nication would be the best fit for Peer mentors also can help and took advantage of countless
the ma- me as a major. you become determined through professors, students and faculty
jority of With my mentor at my side I inspiration. With that being who actually enjoyed mentoring
seniors, became a little ahead of the pack said don’t be afraid to ask your and giving advice about aca-
I began because of her guidance and peers questions and advice. You demics, social life and taking
thinking support that gave me motivation will gain great friendships and advantage of what Cabrini has
about col- to strive as a student. knowledge during your college to offer.
lege. I had a hard time trying to My mentor, who was a jour- career. Freshmen especially, do not
figure out what my future ma- nalism major, introduced me I believe that having a men- be afraid to connect with upper-
jor would be and what school I to the networking process first- tor is a great asset, not only to classmen and professors who
wanted to attend. hand. She taught me that build- a college student but to anyone can help you get ahead. Being a
I really didn’t understand ing relationships and my skills who is willing to take advice mentor is a great way to grow as
the whole process and what I would be my best start as an in- and learn from someone who a student who will do something
realistically wanted to do for a coming freshman. has gone through it before them. extraordinary.
career. With all these decisions I My professors also gave me Although I have not had the
had to make and things I needed advice about my field in com- opportunity to mentor some- fdm29@cabrini.edu
to get done, my mom knew that munication. They helped me one, in the future I hope to give
a mentor who dealt with these realize the importance of intern- someone else the guidance and
same matters would be a great ships and working hard in and direction needed to succeed in
help. out of the classroom. becoming an adult and a striv-
My mom introduced me to a Great mentors can also come ing student.
woman at her job who had just in the form of your roommate, Do not be afraid to help
graduated from college and she classmate or friend. Meeting someone out or to ask for help.
What’s your perspective on these issues?

ems83@cabrini.edu
Let us know at www.theloquitur.com