Swine flu reached Amherst

I was riding the Five-College bus on my way back to Mount Holyoke when I saw a friend from Hampshire College. "Claudia! I haven't seen you in ages," I exclaimed and hugged her. "Well, yes, that is because I just came back from Mexico," she responded. Yes, I did freak out.

My mom called me early on Sunday morning to warn me about the flu. She had heard the news in Italy, knew the symptoms and informed me about precautionary measures I needed to take. I had to take a lot of vitamins and wash my hands non-stop. I told her not to worry, hung up and went out to socialize with people.

Now that "at least two, and perhaps six, students have tested positive" for swine flu at Amherst College, I am not sure I am going to the same tomorrow. Today, the president of Amherst College released a campus-wide e-mail announcing the possible swine flu containment. "We are asking that students with compromised immune systems, serious heart, lung, kidney or liver diseases, and diabetes contact Health Services for advice regarding precautionary measures," he wrote in the email. Minutes after I read about this on 22News, I received an email from Robert Holub, the University of Massachusetts chancellor. "This remains a rapidly evolving situation and we will continue to update you as new information becomes available," he wrote.

Although the rapid spread of the flu is scary enough in itself, there is a lot more to it that adds to the student panic. With graduation coming up in May, international students won't be able to invite family and friends from Mexico to their commencement celebrations.

Moreover, there will be further complications with those who tested positive for the flu but had planned on leaving the U.S. for the summer. Infected individuals must be put under a 7-day quarantine, which will undoubtedly prompt change in their travel plans.

To all this I say, I hope my mom is not watching the news.

Here Just For the Credit

"So, I don't want to do all of the talking myself today. I want to give you a chance to introduce yourself and say a couple of words about why you are taking this course," said my new professor teaching New Media Technologies and Social Change. "And don't be afraid to say you are here because you need the credit," she added with a smile.

My first communications classes for Spring semester began today in the University of Massachusetts (Umass), Amherst and confirmed my opinion about this school's culture. It consists of a rich selection of Communications courses, big classes, resourceful professors, and immature students.

Answers to my professor's requests varied from "Yeah, I am here for the credit," and "I am taking this class because it fits into my schedule," to "I saw the word 'media'" and, my personal favorite, "I want to do TV and stuff."

Naturally, every professor will want to receive a clear picture of her students' level and ambitions but to me this experience today was absolutely disillusioning. I am certain that there are people truly interested in the topics and materials for discussion, and would love to occupy one of the seats in the classroom. Moreover, they will make the most of it. I just regret that half of my class doesn't include such individuals but is interested in simply receiving their diplomas without applied knowledge to support these otherwise empty of meaning pieces of paper.