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Click Here to See the Olympic Venues!

From the medals received to the records set, nothing is more exciting than watching history in the making during the Olympics. In fact, as I write this blog I have the Winter Games on in the background.  The current Olympic games have inspired this week’s destination vacation.  However, because I am a runner and former gymnast, I am much more interested in attending the summer games. For this reason, this week’s destination vacation will be Rio Brazil during the summer of 2016 games.  While it may seem like planning a vacation two years in advance is too early, many people plan their trips to the Olympics right after the destination is announced.  I guess I better start planning!

In order to take in the complete atmosphere of the Olympics, I would stay in a hotel close to many of the venues. After researching many hotels in Rio, I decided on the JW Marriot Hotel Rio de Janeiro. This hotel received the highest ratings on Trip Advisor. In addition, after comparing the address to the location of the Olympic venues, I realized that this hotel is practically in the middle of all the excitement!  The hotel overlooks the beautiful Copacabana beach.  Not only is this a beautiful view, but it is also the site of many water sports for the Olympics.  Some of the ones I am most excited for include beach volleyball as well as the marathon and triathlon.  In total, there will be 14 sports located right outside my hotel!

While I would love to see the sports along the beach, I would definitely make sure to make my way over the “Barra Zone”.  The complexes for swimming and gymnastics will be located in this area.  My favorite event to watch is gymnastics, so I would definitely make sure to go to the new Rio Olympic Arena, which will be the site for the sport. This arena was built in 2007 and is the largest arena in Rio. The Olympic Aquatics stadium is in the same zone, but is being built specially for the Olympics.

After watching some of the gymnastics and swimming, I would make sure to head over to the Maracaña zone where I could catch the track and field events. I would also make sure to go to the Maracaña stadium to watch the opening and closing ceremonies.  After all, nothing says welcome to Rio like a giant welcoming party, and there is no better way to leave than after saying goodbye to the Olympic athletes!

Overall, this destination vacation just may be my favorite one so far. It combines my passion for athletics with my desire to explore new countries. By staying in Rio I would not only get to watch the various sports, but I would also be exposed to an entirely different culture.  I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to go! Let the games begin!

Check out these sites for more info:

NPR, NY State Department of Health, Mayo Clinic

Lance Armstrong, Alex Rodriguez, Marion Jones, the list of star athletes who have been stripped of their titles due to involvement with sports enhancing drugs continues to grow. In an age where competition is intense, pressures to be the best can become overwhelming. Many athletes have turned to performance enhancing drugs for an extra aid to their training.  However, as laws pertaining to the use of sports performance enhancing drugs become stricter and the use becomes more widespread, more controversies have developed regarding the ethics and policies pertaining to their use. Throughout the course of this semester this blog will look at the issue from different perspectives, consider the current laws as well as possible changes in the laws, and discuss the central arguments that have divided the world on this issue.

One central argument about the use of sports enhancement drugs is the idea that they are extremely detrimental to athletes’ health.  Anabolic steroids are one of the most common sports enhancements drugs and have often been debated due to the health related risks associated with them. This week, the health concerns regarding these anabolic steroids will be discussed.

According to Mayo Clinic’s website, anabolic steroids are often taken to increase muscle mass and strength.  The main anabolic steroid that is commonly taken is testosterone. This is a hormone that has been approved for other uses, not including sports enhancement. However, it is often taken by athletes to help them gain muscle mass quickly and recover from workouts faster (Mayo Clinic).  However, Mayo Clinic’s website mentions that the use of these drugs for sports performance comes with many risks. These include increased likelihood of liver abnormalities, tumors, heart and circulatory problems, psychiatrics disorders, inhibited growth and development, and many other serious health concerns.  The New York State Department of Health warns that these steroids can lead to cancers and if needles are shared, possibly HIV. The website states, “There are many ways to increase your strength and improve your appearance. If you are serious about your sport and health…train safely without drugs.” (Anabolic Steroids and Sports)

Along with the advice of medical professionals, many medical ethicists as well as people from the sports industry agree that the health concerns are some of the biggest issues. At a debate held by the NPR about legalizing sports enhancing drugs, George Michael, a sportscaster and creator of the program Sports Machine, spoke out against the use of anabolic steroids because of the health risks. He said, “I don’t want to go to the cemetery and tell all the athletes who are dead there, ‘Hey guys, soon you’ll have a lot more of your friends coming, because we’re going to legalize this stuff.” He built his argument on the findings of Dr. James Andrews who is an orthopedic surgeon that worked with many injured baseball players. According to this doctor, 17% of baseball payroll went to athletes who were injured because of muscle tears and other over training injuries. Dr. Andrews said that from his experience, most injuries were related to the use of anabolic steroids. George Michael also mentioned that he knew many former wrestlers who used steroids. He explained that he found 40 were dead by the age of 40 and 70 by the age of 50.  While there was no clinical proof that these deaths were linked to steroid use, he defended the position that there is a connection (Should We Accept Steroid Use In Sports?).

However, joining George in the same debate was Norman Fost, professor of pediatrics and bioethics. He defended the use of anabolic steroids stating that while anabolic steroids may have some “undesirable effects” like baldness and acne, the sports themselves are way more dangerous. He said, “The number of deaths from playing professional football and college football are 50 to 100 times higher than even the wild exaggerations about steroids. More people have died playing baseball than have died of steroid use.” He explained that from his experience and studies, the sports themselves are much more dangerous in general (Should We Accept Steroid Use In Sports?).

In addition, Norman as well as many of the other professionals who defended the steroids explained that there have not been enough clinical findings to link the use of steroids to the deaths of athletes. Without proper information and data, many professionals were unable to support the statement that there is a link between anabolic steroids and premature deaths (Should We Accept Steroid Use In Sports?).

Throughout the NPR debate professionals from all walks of life weighed in and many were split about just how bad anabolic steroids are for ones health. However, as it is clearly demonstrated, this is a very complicated controversy. The health effects are just one small aspect of the issues with sports performance enhancing drugs that will be discussed through this blog.

Freezing rain, snow, and frigid temperatures, last week I was willing to embrace the cold weather and take a trip to the Ice Hotel.  However, with the third week of cold and snowy weather, I want to escape to somewhere sunny and warm.  However, I want something more exciting than just any old beach, and for this reason, this week’s destination vacation is to the remote Vaadhoo Island in the Republic of Maldives.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this area, the Republic of Maldives is an “island nation” that is located in the Indian Ocean.  Vaadhoo Island is one of the many islands that comprise the nation.  Ok, I’m sure by now you are wondering why I have to travel all the way to the Indian Ocean just to go to an island. However, Vaadhoo Island has a special quality that makes it very unique; its ocean water is filled with tiny phytoplankton that makes the water bioluminescent. In other words, after the sun goes down, the water looks like it has a neon blue glow.  Even from pictures (below) this view looks like it’s worth traveling the distance to see.

In order to get the best view while I’m there, I would plan to stay at the Adaaran Prestige hotel. This spectacular hotel has individual villas that are on stilts that extend out above the ocean. My favorite villa is the sunset water villa. This option would provide an amazing view of the descending sun as well as the glowing water at night.  What better way to end the day than relaxing on a deck looking out at the view?

As if the views weren’t enough, the weather on the island is sunny and warm almost all year long. No more freezing while walking to classes in five feet of snow! According to the Adaaran Prestige’s website, “The Maldives are blessed with a predominantly sunny and warm climate.”  This means that rather than wait for it to get warm enough to actually swim in the ocean, I can go any time and enjoy the waters.

In fact, one of the other reasons that the Vaadhoo Island is a must is because of the amazing under the sea adventures. While on the island, I would make sure to take advantage of the opportunity to go scuba diving.  The beautiful waters are home to an amazing array of sea life and coral reefs. The Adaaran Prestige even offers scuba diving through the hotel.

Another must-do activity is kayaking. Imagine going out on a kayak just as the sun is setting and the water is beginning to glow. I think that this just might be the most exciting activity of them all!

While there are many other things to do while on the island, scuba diving and kayaking are definitely my top two. I would also make sure to take advantage of the hotel’s amazing facilities such as the spa and state of the art gym (both of which overlook the ocean!). I would also make sure to visit the beach bar restaurant and make other dining options.

As you can see there is more than enough to keep me engaged and relaxed while on the island. Although I can’t drop everything and go right now, I will continue to dream of glowing beaches and warm weather as I trek through snow to my classes.

Look at the glowing water!

The water is really glowing!

Look at the view from the villa!

Below is my essay. Please feel free to make suggestions.

I am Marissa Fritz.  For seventeen years I was only known as Marissa Fritz.  Every homework, every project, and every exam, if there was only one statement I could answer with one hundred percent certainty, it was the first fill in on any assignment-my name.

As a perfectionist I have agonized countless assignments, editing and rewriting, scraping and restarting, spending countless hours worrying about each word. However, I could always count on my name to be properly displayed the page.

So when it came time to apply to colleges I spent many sleepless nights wondering, “Do my essays show that I’m passionate?” but what if they sound too eager to please? Maybe I should have included that extra club in the short answers just in case….  And while I tormented myself over every minuscule detail of my applications, I never thought twice about filling out the required basic information, including my name.  At least I never thought about it until I got the confirmation email from the Common Application addressed to the one and only Marissa Fritz Fritz.

No I did not just stutter, and yes you heard correctly. The perfectionists consumed by the content, submitted an application to almost every college under the name Marissa Fritz Fritz.

As you can surely imagine to an overachiever like myself, this mistake was devastating. I frantically contacted the Common App and was told that the mistake was fixed. I let out a sigh of relief and told my friends about my error. While they laughed and called me Fritz Fritz, I could not see the humor in the situation, but was relieved the ordeal was resolved.

The next month passed peacefully, until I received an email from one of the colleges I had applied to saying they never received my SAT scores. After calling the school I learned that my SATs were not matched with my application because my name was listed as none other than Marissa Fritz Fritz.  Frustrated with the turn of events, I corrected the school and tried to move on.

However this proved to be more challenging than I thought because it turned out that it was not just that one school, but that every school had my name listed as Marissa Fritz Fritz.  Not only did I have to make the mortifying calls to my dream schools to tell them that I messed up on my name, but I also had to send proof of identification. Call after call, my pride and confidence began to diminish.  My friends and even coach continued to find humor in the situation, but all I felt was embarrassment.

Eventually all of the corrections were made and I thought that once and for all the tale of Marissa Fritz Fritz would be put to rest.  It seemed that this was likely to happen, until I received an email about finical aid that said my names did not match. It was just like all of the other times, except instead of expressing my frustrations I began to laugh.  When I went back and filled my friends in, I even laughed with them.

I had done all I could do to finish Marissa Fritz Fritz, but the name followed me like a looming shadow.  I was beginning to see why the whole situation seemed so funny to my friends. No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, the name stuck. In fact, even to this day I somehow receive a few emails addressed to Marissa Fritz Fritz.

While the name may not have changed, the way I react to it has. I have learned that sometimes, no matter how serious or how much of an overachiever you are, you have to roll with the punches and laugh when you make a silly mistake.

I can now say that I believe in learning to laugh at my own mistakes. I believe in not taking myself too seriously. I believe that I am no longer just Marissa Fritz. I am Marissa Fritz Fritz. This I believe.

Howling winds and frigid temperatures have made walking to class over the past couple of weeks more than unbearable.  I don’t know about you, but if I have to freeze every time I step outside, I want to be somewhere slightly more adventurous than State College.  For this reason, this week’s destination vacation is none other than the famous Ice Hotel in Sweden!   After all, if it has to be this cold, why not stay in a hotel remade every year from ice and snow!

For those of you who have never heard of the Ice Hotel, it is located in a small village in Northern Sweden. The hotel was the first hotel constructed out of snow and ice, which come from the nearby Torne River.  Every year new and innovative artists and architects from around the world come to create suites and other areas of the hotel.  After months of construction, the Ice Hotel is open from December to mid April.  During this period guests can stay in a wide selection of rooms decorated with ice sculptress and held together by snow and ice. These rooms look like igloos, but don’t let the looks fool you. The rooms come complete with saunas, televisions, and even furniture made out of ice!

Now that you know a little about the hotel, it’s time to hear about my very own destination vacation. My stay would start with a reservation in one of the artist’s suites. World-renowned artists design these suites every year, and every suite is complete with the unique style of the artists.  To see some pictures of rooms I would consider staying in, please look bellow.

While staying in a room designed by famous artists and made out of ice would be cool enough, my vacation would include some other exciting adventures as well.  One of the first things I would do is go cross-country skiing.  With beautiful scenery and long, empty, snow covered land, it is the perfect area to explore on skis.

After spending some time sight seeing on skis, I would also make sure to try an ice sculpting class. The Ice Hotel offers classes with professional artist so that anyone can try to sculpt with the ice from the Torne River.

To finish my days of exploration and new experiences, I would set a reservation at the Ice Bar and Restaurant inside the hotel.  With high-end entries and delicious desserts like baked chocolate truffle, I could easily enjoy a delicious meal.

Then, as the perfect way to finish my nights, I would venture out with the other guests to view the Northern Lights.  According to the Ice Hotel website, “the white snow reflects a heavenly light show – glittering stars, a full moon and the magical, mystical Northern Lights.”

With all of these exciting activities, it’s no wonder that the Ice Hotel could make the frigid cold weather look attractive. However, for now I guess I will just have to make do with the chilly temperatures of Penn State and dream of my next destination vacation…

The is the artist’s suite at the Ice Hotel

The Northern Lights as seen from the Ice Hotel.

Deciding on one core belief for the “This I Believe” podcast can be a very daunting task.  However, after brainstorming I have narrowed my ideas down to two topics.  When I first thought about where my core beliefs come from I immediately thought of running.  Over the past three years running has taught me numerous life lessons that have shaped my beliefs.  One of the more recent running experiences I’ve had since arriving at Penn State has helped shape a new belief.  During a club cross-country practice three other girls and I decided to try to navigate a seven-mile run on our own. We ended up getting very lost, running down a high way in the dark, and turning the seven mile run into a ten mile run.  Although this run was hard and scary, it was also fun and adventurous.  After this experience I believe in getting lost and creating a new more adventurous path.

While I do think that this is a very important belief, the more I thought about the prompt, the more I thought about branching out beyond running. As I was rereading the assignment I noticed that it said the belief could come from a funny story. After reading this I began to think about how I accidently wrote the name Marissa Fritz Fritz on my college applications. At first I was devastated, but as the name began to follow me, I began to laugh at the whole ridiculous situation.  I now believe that sometimes when you think you’ve hit rock bottom and you’ve tried everything to fix the situation, there is nothing left to do but laugh at your mistake.

I would love some feedback about which topic the class thinks would make a better This I Believe podcast. Currently I am leaning more towards the second idea. However I think that the belief may be too long. If anyone has any ideas on how to summarize the belief or state it in a more eloquent manner I would love some suggestions! Feel free to comment with any ideas.

From an adventurous zip line across the rain forest in Costa Rica, to a relaxing stay at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, no matter how outrageous we’ve all imagined what it would be like to go on the destination vacation of our dreams.  Even though we might not be able to drop everything and hop on a plane to adventure land, planning that dream trip is the perfect way to add some excitement and creativity to a monotonous routine.  As we discussed in class, just the act of planning a trip can boost happiness.

With an entire semester ahead and the faint idea of summer lingering at the end of the tunnel, what better way to make it through the cold winter than by planning the wildest, most extravagant trips?  For this reason, this semester each week I will plan an entire trip to a new dream location.  From the place I would stay, to the activities I would do while there, each detail of the vacation will be carefully planned.  Although I can’t actually go on these trips right now, it will be a great way to learn about new destinations and look into the trips I’ve always thought would be exciting. In addition, I think that planning each trip will be a great way to stay positive and excited through what feels like the longest months of the year. And who knows, maybe some day I can look back at this blog and pick a trip or two to actually try!

I’m very excited to begin this blog and explore all parts of the world. From places and activities here in the US, to those on the other side of the world, over the next fourteen weeks I hope you will join me on my destination vacations.  All you have to do is buckle up, sit back, and enjoy the view as we tour the world’s most exciting trips. Next stop: Destination Vacations!

Wanna see what it looks like inside the new rink? Pegula Ice Rink

While buildings change, students graduate, and trends come and go, some college activities surpass the test of time. One activity in particular has remained a popular pastime for Penn State students: ice-skating.  As the weather begins to change and the holiday season draws closer, it’s the perfect time to pull out those skates (or go for rentals) and head to the rink.

This week’s entry came from my mom, who offered ice-skating as a fun activity when the weather starts to get too cold to enjoy the time outdoors.  She explained that when she was a student at Penn State she would go with her friends to the Penn State Ice Pavilion for their open skate sessions.  She actually suggested this idea to me after a conversation about what there is to do once football season is over, and I have to say that I never would have thought of ice-skating as a Saturday pastime. However, the minute she suggested this idea I got excited because unlike my mom who had to go to the Pavilion to skate, we have a brand new facility at our disposal.

This fall marked the opening of the brand new Pegula ice rink.  This rink is the new home for the Penn State men and women’s ice hockey teams.  However, after doing a little investigation, I learned that the Pegula also has skating lessons as well as open skates for the public! I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they actually allow students to skate in the brand new complex.  After looking at their open skate schedule I knew I had to add it to my bucket list! After all, while my mom got ice-skate, she never got to experience it in a brand new 88 million dollar state-of-the-art rink complete with two sheets!

Now I may not be a figure skater or hockey player, but I’m not going to turn down the opportunity to enjoy this winter activity in the Pegula.  While ice-skating is a pastime that seems to never go out of style, the Pegula ice rink will surely help reinvent the image of skating. With the cold winter weather as well as finals and the holidays approaching, this is the perfect activity to get your mind off the stress of the season.

With the holiday season upon us, this will also be my last entry for my bucket list 🙁

Even though I was not able to complete all of the items on my list, I have had an amazing time discovering these new activities. While I may have been a Penn Stater for the past 19 years, I’m just now beginning to see all that PSU has to offer.  So take a look at my list and I hope that you will try some of the activities. I know that even though the blog is done, I’m going to try and finish up the list. After all, We ARE… PENN STATE!!!

OK Let’s Recap

1. Have a 700-person class in 100 Thomas

2. Climb Mt. Nittany

3.  Eat at the Creamery

4.  Hear a distinguished speaker 

5. Go to Wipple Dam

6. Meet Mike the mailman

7. Go to an open skate at the Pegula

From savvy props, to eloquent explanations, and unique demonstrations, TED talks have found a way to blend old forms of presenting with today’s technology.  This creative way to present ideas has attracted some of the brightest minds. In addition, it has captured the interest of everyday citizens around the globe. TED talks have managed to accomplish all of this through rhetorical appeals.  By crafting a presentation in a manner that engages a widespread audience, TED talks have become a significant new rhetorical appeal. One of the main reasons TED talks are significant is because they incorporate all three rhetorical appeals.

First, by having a live presenter who has access to different props and technology, TED talks are able to appeal to logic or logos.  The presenter can use the available technology as well as his/her own props to logically explain the different ideas. If these new explanations, theories, and ideas were written rather than presented, they would be more confusing and less logical. However, by having someone to breakdown the concepts and visually demonstrate them, the ideas appeal to the audience’s logos.  The use of this new presentation makes it easier to explain concepts logically to the audience.

In addition, the combination of visuals and live presenter appeal to the audience’s pathos, or emotions. By having someone give a live talk, the audience is more likely to connect with the presenter and therefore be more engaged. For example, often TED talks speakers use personal anecdotes or funny stories to explain their ideas. These stories allow the audience to relate on a more personal level and connect with the topic. If they were reading about the ideas or watching a documentary style video, it would be less personal and therefore less effective.

Lastly, TED talks normally rely on experts in a specific field to give a talk.  For this reason, these talks are often credible and for this reason the audience feel they can trust the speaker.  If the audience were to search online for information it is not always certain that it is from a reputable source. However, because the speaker is through the reputable TED series, he or she can be trusted.

There are not many other forms of presenting that make the concepts easy to understand and relatable while also coming from credible sources.  However because TED talks combine the standard presentation with today’s technology and brightest minds, they are a successful way to spread new ideas.  TED talks provide the opportunity to utilize all three rhetorical appeals to give an engaging and informative speech that has the ability to change the way people around the world think.

Learn more about Mike!

Mail, packages, and stamps: most people think these are the only reasons to go to the post office. However, if you ask any of the upper classmen at Penn State they will tell you why everyone gets so excited about going to the post office. According to them, it’s not about what you get at the post office as much as it is who you talk to while you are there.  Most of the students here go to the post office to spend some time with the now famous Mike the mailman.

I first heard of Mike the mailman during SHOtime.  In between all of the ice breakers and awkward meetings was a presentation about life on campus.  During this presentation they introduced us to one of the most famous people on campus: Mike the mailman.  According to the presentation, he is located in the post office right near the HUB and is known for putting a smile on every single customer’s face. He is known for telling jokes and keeping his Penn State enthusiasm high.  An article in Onward State mentioned that he has been working at the post office since he was a student here in 1968. Since then he has been redefining the word mailman.

Before coming a Penn State student I had never heard of students looking forwards to going to the post office. However, after seeing the SHOtime presentation and talking with my roommate, I definitely want to meet Mike. In fact, I was so interested that I decided to look him up online. As it turns out there are multiple articles from Penn State as well as other areas of the state talking about Mike. In addition there is a Facebook page dedicated to him as well as a segment that aired on CBS!

If one thing is clear it’s that Mike has quite the following at Penn State and beyond. He has become as much apart of the school as the Nittany Lion.  For these reasons I can’t wait to check this off my list and meet the legend.

OK Let’s Recap

1. Have a 700-person class in 100 Thomas

2. Climb Mt. Nittany

3.  Eat at the Creamery

4.  Hear a distinguished speaker 

5. Go to Wipple Dam

6. Meet Mike the mailman