Koldenburg’s Weblog

This past week was Rider University’s Greek Week, seven days where Rider’s Greek community is supposed to join together and promote unity by embracing in friendly competition and fun activities. I have to be brutally honest as the  President of Rider’s Epsilon Lambda chapter of Alpha Xi Delta when I say this Greek Week backfired worse than an old Pinto with a plug in the exhaust.

Some events were clever and creative, and went toward a good cause. For example, the Can Castle build-off was an event where each chapter was to collect as many cans as they could and then build a castle out of the cans in three hours. All of the cans would be donated to homeless shelters and organizations that needed the food. This was a great cause and a great idea, but the castle contest became a bit overwhelming when other Greek Organizations felt they had to “one-up” others by going out and buying cans in bulk after seeing how many other chapters possessed. I’m talking hundreds of cans. It went from a fun contest for a good cause to a money match over who could win this contest.

In addition, new games were implemented that were not so well thought-out. The Jousting Competition for example, was a huge problem. Not for the guys, but for all of the sorority women who would stand on pillars facing one another and try to knock their opponent off with a large smushy noodle. This would not have been a problem if each opponent were able to reach one another, but for some reason the pillars were too far away for the women, which led to long, gruesome matches (and quite a bit of dehydration and overheating).

Also, poor planning lead to several medical emergencies that the University wasn’t prepared for. The human pyramid contest was going well until one of our girls fell off of the top of the pyramid, hurt her back and had to go to the hospital by ambulance. That was strike one. Strike two was when an overheated jouster (after being up there for about 30 minutes because she couldn’t reach her opponent) began vomiting. They had water. Nothing else. Strike 2. Finally, the straw that broke the camel’s back. An enthusiastic sorority member (who shall remain nameless) decided to try out the inflatable obstacle course and somehow ended up kneeing herself in the nose. This drew blood. Alot of it. But wait, where were the paper towels and the first aid kit? OH WAIT, there were none. There were hundreds of students on inflatables, climbing rock walls and building towers out of bodies in the heat, yet there was not one piece of medical equipment available. Not even a sole band-aid. 

This was not it, however. Events got so heated that members from different organizations began yelling and screaming at each other over stupid scores and losing matches. This was NOT promoting greek unity, nor was it ideal. Greek Week ended with angry members and injured students. I say next year there should be more preparation and thought. Instead of house against house, maybe Rider should actually hold events that PROMOTE the Greek unity they have been looking for instead of promoting. It’s there, because I’ve seen it. Pair up members from all houses instead of adding fuel to the fire and encouraging the competition, maybe then people wouldn’t look at us as selfish groups of people who only care about themselves. People might then consider us people who have friends and can respect each other, which is something I think all of Rider’s greek community can agree on. Greeks are underestimated on this campus, and every campus for that matter. It’s a shame that events such as this past Greek week, shapes the way others think about people. Next time, rider should consider a new approach to Greek week.

And next time maybe they’ll bring some damn band-aids.

This week, I was disgusted and shocked to hear that a 16 year old girl from Florida was videotaped while being beaten by a gang of teenage girls, just so the attackers could show their brutal attack on YouTube. Two boys and six girls were arrested after planning the attack and nearly beating the girl to death. As one girl held the camera, the others took turns kicking and punching the victim, while two boys stood guard nearby. The young girl was beaten so badly that after several minutes of assault she lost consciousness. Once she woke up, she was beaten again badly. The girls reported that they were going to post the beating on YouTube and My Space. All parties involved now face charges of false imprisonment and battery, and three were also charged with kidnapping after forcing the victim into a car to take her to the place where the proceeded to beat her. This 16 year old was beaten half to death, suffering a concussion, eye injuries and has now permanently lost hearing in one year, facing a long recovery period from her other injuries. 

I just don’t understand how after everything this young girl and her family have been through, the beating has somehow still made its way onto YouTube, just as the gang had hoped. Why should we allow such a horrible scene to be publicly displayed in front of millions of people, when this was the wish of the attackers? Is the media really that powerful that people choose to post this video and share this video with others, when this was the primary wish of those terrible girls? Stories like this make me wonder what will eventually tip the scale and actually cause an uproar with regards to what should be viewable on the net. Will videos of rape and suicide be next? It’s not enough that this poor girl was hurt so badly and so publicly in the first place, but in addition, the suspects all got what they wanted- international fame and recognition. I know the media has become too powerful when horrible crimes are being committed just to be able to submit a unique post online.  I know blogs are much more interesting when they include some catchy picture or a link to another site, but you better believe I’m not going to attach a link to this YouTube video. It’s immoral and sickening and I refuse to watch it, as should others who have the opportunity.

 This week I am having no trouble with deciding what I should write about. I feel like this has been the craziest week in the news and I just wanted to discuss the issue I found most interesting. Yesterday I received a phone call from my roommate telling me about a pregnant man featured on Oprah. I didn’t believe her for a second, so I did some research of my own. Low and behold, I found him…or her on Oprah’s home page. This was the strangest thing I have seen in a long time, but by far the most interesting. A man, who was born a woman, decided to take testosterone and physically transition from female to male. This individual even had his (her) breasts removed and began living the life of a man. He got married to a woman and they decided that they wanted to have children. Unfortunately, the woman in the relationship (the one married to the transexual) found out she was unable to have children, so they decided to undergo fertilization treatments…in HIS body. Though his body was male on the outside and he grew a penis from the testosterone, his internal organs were still those of a female. Sperm from a sperm bank was injected into him, and he later became pregnant…just how any other female would. He is due in 3 months, and is living a happy, pregnant life. The media is calling him the first male to ever get pregnant, but I feel he is still a woman. I know he has the lifestyle of a male, the emotions of a male, and the external physique of a male, but his organs are still female reproductive organs. I feel like the media calling him “The First Man to Be Pregnant” is quite deceiving. It’s not like a man, with internal male reproductive organs is pregnant, right? He is a male with working FEMALE reproductive organs. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I say he is a she.  My friend brought up a good point, however. Even though he has the ability to get pregnant because he has the internal organs of a female, how does he get erect as a male? He told Oprah he is still able to have intercourse with his wife and able to get erect. I thought only one could be functioning? Though I’m no expert on transexuals or hermaphrodites or anything of that nature, I’m still pretty darn curious. If anyone knows the answer to this, please…do tell. I also think it’s quite interesting that with so much going on in the past few weeks in the news, especially with the controversy of the upcoming presidential election, that the media (and consumers of the media) are more intrigued by a knocked up guy. Go figure. 

I’ve gotten several responses about my last entry regarding women’s shapes and figures, and how the media and fashion industries have formed this unrealistic, size 0 woman.  One blogger wrote about how she loves Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty because it shows the real “forms” of happy, healthy women. They aren’t size 0, or even size 4’s for that matter, but most of the confident women they feature in their campaign sport a curvy, yet proud size 6 0r above. I too love this campaign, for I feel it does an excellent public relations job in communicating the message that Dove thinks women of every size are beautiful, and if you use Dove products, you too can feel beautiful no matter what your size. I am actually very proud to say that my stepsister, Randi Liodice, is in charge of Public Relations for this “Campaign for Real Beauty”  at Dove.  When Randi first got the PR job with Dove, she told me how rewarding it was to give people the message that it doesn’t take dieting and loads of makeup to make someone feel happy, or even just comfortable, about how they feel. Dove has done something that most industries are scared to do. They took a chance and it paid off. They have one of the most well- known campaigns today because of this angle that few others were willing to try. Problems with eating disorders, depression, and insecurity may wither away if more companies were to focus on marketing their products towards “real women.” After all, it’s true that if it were possible to take Barbie and life-size her, keeping her proportions the same as they are in doll-form, she would not be able to function. Her proportions are too skewed. Barbie has tiny hips, large breasts, a skinny waist, long legs and feet that seem to be perfect for 4-inch heels. It’s not only the fashion industry and media outlets that need to change their perspectives. Maybe the concept of “real beauty” needs to be practiced elsewhere. Let’s start with Barbie…

I decided to write this extra little blog this week in regards to my blog post this past week. Speaking of figures, my sister sent me this awesome blog that was made by someone she knows. The blog is called “On the Fringe of Fashion” and it’s completely informative and wonderful. I have to say I’m a slave for fashion…usually not at school, because I prefer jeans and a tee but in the summer, on the other hand, I get to reveal a little bit of my creativity. I work in the city at a production company where the atmosphere is relaxed, but very trendy. I’m always looking for looks that are relatively cool (because the city gets insanely hot), but still cute and youthful. When looking at this new blog that I was told about, I found lots of styles that I can relate to (and can actually pull off, which is always a plus). The blog is filled with personal opinions about trends and styles, as well as up-and-coming news related to fashion. I have found such a love for this site, and now check it on a regular basis. I’m so glad my sister sent me this (especially because she usually just forwards me corny jokes), and if you’re a fashion lover I strongly suggest looking into this awesome blog. Here is the site:http://fringeoffashion.blogspot.com/ Please check it out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I have noticed recently, more than ever, that the figure of today’s woman is changing. With all of the media controversy about women being “too fat” and women being “too thin” I have noticed that those around me have become more sensitive to these criticisms. Living in a sorority house has opened my eyes to many things, but I have realized in the past few months that the wonderful women I surround myself with have been trying harder than ever to lose weight, including myself.  I’ve been told multiple times that a woman who is almost 5′7 and only 130 lbs. is probably underweight if anything, but the way I see it is that if I’m not thin like the celebrities in magazines than no standards  apply. Maybe spring break and the beginning of summer approaching has something to do with people’s attitudes changing, but I’ve begun to feel that the a size 0 is the new size 4. Stick-thin celebrities are being idolized for their lack of eating and their eating disorders when “healthy” women who are over a size 2 are considered fat. With our sorority formal approaching I have been looking for dresses to wear, so I figured my best bet would be to wear something I already have. I have narrowed my choices down to 3 dresses, none larger than a size four, yet I look in the mirror and see someone with love handles and thick legs. Who is to blame for this? I know that these feelings have generated mainly from those around me calling themselves “fat” and “huge” but what makes women so vulnerable to weight changes? Is it true that men want a girl with meat on her bones? Why has the thin look become so popular that women with normally high self esteem, like me, begin to second guess themselves? These attitudes don’t change overnight, so the media needs to begin praising women with healthy bodies. Every once in a while I like to eat a cookie…or a box of cookies. I should be able to feel like I can eat them every once in a while without feeling guilty or judging myself.

While trying to decide what to write about this week, a friend IMed me telling me about his boredom on campus. Rider has gone through some massive changes in the past few years, but I feel like they have gone overboard with trying to “improve” Rider’s image. For starters, I feel like the new alcohol policy on campus is completely ineffective. I feel like I have heard of more binge drinking incidents in the past year than I have ever. I feel like the strict rules and punishments do nothing but scare people into drinking, and then hiding their intoxication because they are afraid of the consequences. By threatening students too much, Rider seems to be forcing students away, rather than making them more “aware.”If Rider wanted to prevent the excessive drinking that I hear about so often, they should make this campus more interesting. On Friday nights, the highlight of the campus is Bronc Bingo. I have nothing against playing bingo, don’t get me wrong, but what is this, a senior center? We are grown adults looking for fun, interesting, DIFFERENT things to do. I have friends who do drink, and I have friends who don’t drink. Those who don’t drink are bored with Rider and so are those who do drink. Something new needs to happen here.The lack of activities is not the only bothering aspect of Rider, though. Now there is a housing lottery that FAVORS the freshman and sophomores. I’m sorry, but after paying and being loyal students for several years, they are now trying to kick the juniors and seniors off? Something seems askew. They can only guarantee housing for freshman and sophomores because Rider wants to recruit more people, but what about the students who live here now and who have one year to go?! Luckily I’m a Greek at Rider, so our housing policy is a bit different, but am I wrong to think that all the independents up-campus are being shafted? Rider needs to seriously think about their priorities. I’m pretty sure that if things continue to go the way they are going now, my kids won’t be coming here. I’m very involved in campus activities, and I love Rider…but I can honestly say that I’m glad I’m not a freshman. It seems that Rider has begun to push a little bit too much, so much that it is driving students away.Oh and one more thing…just because Rider has a lawsuit coming at them doesn’t give them the right to ticket my car every day for NO reason. Use our tuition money, please. My poor college salary can’t take much more of this. 

So, I know we are now allowed to write about anything we please, so I have chosen something near and dear to my heart: awareness.  This past week has been a rough one for me. This week I had a procedure done to help make sure I don’t have cervical cancer. At 20, one has to worry about so many things that seem necessary to a college student; school, boys, work…I cannot fathom how it must be for someone to actually have cancer or other type of critical illness and trying to juggle all other aspects of life as well. Living is never anything I thought I would have to worry about. Having this procedure has opened my eyes to realize that anything can happen and to live life to the fullest. This was strike 1. Before my procedure this week I also learned that a friend of mine was diagnosed with Lupus. My older sister has Lupus, so I know first- hand that dealing with this illness is anything but fun. It can be painful and tough, and for a college student to endure so much pain simply from walking, makes one open their eyes and see that life really is a gift. This was strike 2.  Thursday night I received a phone call from my older sister that my mom had been hospitalized. She had a stroke Thursday afternoon and was stable, but not the same. She would be in the hospital for several days while they tried to figure out where the blood clot was that they thought caused the stroke. I was told she should return to normal soon, but that she was very lucky it wasn’t worse. She is 59 years old, eats healthy and exercises.  This was strike 3.  I have made a pledge to myself that not only will I begin to better the lives of those around me by helping causes like the Lupus Foundation and organizations against cervical cancer and strokes, but I will do my best to inform those around me of the dangers of these illnesses. In three different instances, three different people could be in fatal danger…people close to me. The more people are aware of these problems, the more that can be done to help find cures and provide care for those diagnosed.  I have attached links about the 3 things that took over my life this week: Lupus, Cervical Cancer, and Strokes. Please read up on these illnesses and send the link to at least one person you know. Any bit of awareness can make a difference. One day it could be you, your mother, your sister or your friend who are diagnosed with these illnesses, and wouldn’t you do anything in your power to make things better?www.lupus.org www.cervicalcancerfacts.comwww.strokeassociation.org 

I have to say I have had sort of a rebirth when it comes to blogging.  After reading more of David Scott’s, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, I have really begun to understand where all of the rave about blogs are coming from. I can’t agree more with some of the points Scott makes about the effectiveness of blogging, and the Internet in general. For starters, I was able to see first hand where some of Scott’s points were coming from. For example, his preaching about the benefits of blogging for businesses has become clear to me. This week in one of my classes, an event planner came in to discuss her business and how she got her start in the field. She took us to her website, where a blog featuring regular updates and information can be accessed to anyone interested in her services. She told us that if her blog did not exist, she would have far less business because most of her clientele are “caught” through her blog entries.  In addition to blogging, I have seen the effects of podcasting and how clips can become viral.  This past week I have been sent the same online video from my sorority sister, biological sister, and long-distance friend.  The New Rules speaks about the “Numa Numa” guy and how quickly his home video spread to thousand of people through the Internet. I have seen this first hand this week with the  ”evil eye baby” on YouTube. I have been sent the same clip from someone I live with, someone who lives in North Carolina and someone who is at school in Pennsylvania. This just proves how viral something can become if put in the hands of connectors, mavens and/or salesmen…something the book The Tipping Point also stresses.

I am honestly enthralled and mesmerized by Gladwell’s, “The Tipping Point.” Gladwell stresses the importance of epidemics and word of mouth communication, as well as how to go about starting an epidemic. I have never thought about this concept on my own before…it seems like something so natural that it is normally not worth thinking over. When I think about an epidemic I think about erosion, global warming, and the flu- things that people look to cure and solve, but never look to start… concepts individuals normally wouldn’t think about are explained and defined through the course of the book.Relying on Salesmen, Connectors and Mavens, word of mouth is a very simple process that many overlook and underestimate. Gladwell explains that one of the reasons he decided to write the tipping point was because of his fascination of word-of-mouth epidemics. Though I have never before thought about how epidemics initially occur, I can honestly say Gladwell does an excellent job describing the process and key elements when epidemics first form, thus giving his audiences information to better their PR efforts when in need.The Tipping Point gives me excellent ideas about how to become a better PR professional. I now know how to promote events and publicize things without taking too many steps and wasting my time. The mavens, salesmen and connectors should be the focal points of every successful and effective PR effort. Gladwell does a great job citing specific examples of word-of-mouth epidemics and relaying the message to his audience that starting an epidemic can be easier than one would think