The Circle and Penn State

book-circle-daveeggers-6501The Circle, written by Dave Eggers, is meant to describe the near future. Its attempt to illustrate the social and political world of Google and other technological companies is expressed through the actions, thoughts, and experiences of Mae Holland. The communities of Penn State and the Circle, particularly my experience and Mae’s, show similarities in our transition.

Mae landed a job at the Circle with help from her best friend, Annie. As she walked into the impressive and modern “campus” she was intimidated by the large network and rules of the company. At the circle they expected perfection; they judged you instantaneously by a percentage. Mae being trained as a newbie gives visual to how newcomers make mistakes.

imgresSimilarly, I am new here at Penn State University. The traditions and ideologies are highly valued. Like Mae, I have made mistakes. The first time I walked into the Berkey Creamery I asked for two flavors and some whipped cream. Clearly unaware, the employee softly said, “You may only choose one, and we have no toppings,” I was confused by her request, but complied. Walking on a tour, hearing “WE ARE” everyone yelled back passionately, “PENN STATE,” I failed to reply. I came here not knowing the certain expectations that the University practiced, however, I am slowly adjusting just like Mae later does in the novel.

The Circle and Penn State highlight the importance of appreciating customs and values of the community. The Circle requires all employees to be enthusiastic and dedicated to the company values. Here at Penn State, they uphold the same requirement. It is expected that students learn and appreciate the traditions.

Both show that as a newbie it can be difficult in the beginning to adjust, and mistakes will be made. However, Mae was surrounded by various other newbies, and I am too. This allows us to cope and understand that we are not the only one’s dealing with transition, there are many others in the same boat.

One thought on “The Circle and Penn State

  1. I completely agree in how you explained freshmen and Mae adjust to their new environments. It is a trial by error experience. You start with having little background knowledge of the customs and traditions of your environment. Your example of the creamery, the fact that they only let you pick one flavor with no toppings (except blue and white sprinkles), was a tradition you learned through experiencing it, making a mistake, and then learning from that mistake. Similarly, that is how Mae learned about the workplace environment of The Circle. Through trial by error, she learned what types of social media posts will boost her ratings and make her a more valued member of the community. But we will all get there! By the end of the semester, we’ll surely have adjusted and learned the ropes of our new homes. 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *