As countries around the world have gone on lockdown and enforced stay-at-home orders, less people are driving on roads, and companies are scaling down on production. This temporary shutdown has caused carbon emissions around the world to decrease, polluted waters to clear, wildlife to return to former habitats, and oil prices to plummet. The […]
Author: Isabelle Stepler
Hey everyone! My name is Isabelle Stepler, and I am a freshman at Penn State University. I'm studying mathematics with hopefully a minor in music studies. Originally, I'm from Jefferson, Maryland, a small town in the beautiful Middletown Valley. Growing up playing soccer and piano, I developed a love for pushing people over (only on the field, I swear) and listening to classical music. I hope I can persuade you that classical music really isn't as boring as it seems - you may just find yourself rocking out to Tchaikovsky's cannon-like drums in the 1812 Overture before long!
Passion 2 #10: Don’t Clap Until the End of the Performance
Hey guys! Hope y’all are staying healthy and staying home. Finals are in just a few weeks, and I don’t know about you guys, but I feel like I have to study extra hard because of the online format. No one knows what to expect, and we’re all feeling the repercussions of being quarantined. […]
Passion 2 #9: The Sousational March King
Week 2483 of social distancing and we’re still here… Just doing the same things that we did last week, over and over again… taking a walk to the ice cream shop just to get out of the house… watching Netflix like it’s your new job… You know how it is. Anyways, this week I’ll […]
Passion 2 #8: Tchaikovsky – The Man Who Could Make Music Out of Cannons
Week 3 of social distancing (I think? Honestly March has lasted an eternity). I’m feeling a bit more adjusted to being at home, I don’t know about you guys. But I think we’re getting back into midterm season because I have 3 exams in the next 3 days, and I think others are feeling the […]
Passion 2 #7: Revolutionary Richard
Week 2 of social distancing, and I’ve realized there’s only so many times I can walk around my neighborhood. Hopefully this self-isolation helps us protect others and get back to normal sooner. At the recommendation of Nick, one of my classmates, I’ll be talking about Richard Wagner this week. He was a German Romantic […]
Civic Issues #4: Issue Brief Plans
For my issue brief, I would like to discuss how rural America can benefit from switching to renewable energy. Many small towns, farms, and communities rely on outside sources for power and supplies. If these places could produce their own renewable power, they might be able to reallocate money to other urgent needs. This issue […]
Passion 2 #6: She’s the (Schu)Mann
So, we’ve all had a bit of a change in scenery… instead of writing from my dorm room, I’m writing from my bedroom in Jefferson, Maryland. And you all will most likely be reading this from home as well. Stay safe in these trying times and wash your dang hands please! Anyways. As you […]
Civic Issues #3: Reflection on Deliberations
The purpose of this Deliberation Nation project was to foster discussion and active thinking about solutions to a prominent public issue. I believe my group’s deliberation, “Sentenced to Rehabilitation: Rehumanizing the Prison System,” and that of another group I attended, “Gen V: Take a Hi(n)t,” both achieved this purpose, although there were some differences in […]
Passion 2 #5: I Can Debus-see Clearly Now, The Rain Is Gone
(Ah finally, a man with an actual photograph instead of a painting.) We are so dang close to spring break I can almost taste my dad’s carrot cake. Just a couple more days of projects and exams and then we’re there! And then we most likely get to do homework over spring break too! […]
Passion 2 #4: To the Brahmised Land of Classical Music
Midterms. Projects. Papers. How many more weeks till spring break? Too many, in my opinion. However, this week I’ll be talking about a guy who makes such great music that he’s famous for making people fall asleep with his lullaby. Johannes Brahms! The third (and most often overlooked) of the Big Three B’s of […]