A Circular View of Penn State: Circle Blog #1

Let's face it, becoming the "newbie" in any situation is often overwhelming and confusing.  The plethora of little traditions and know-how of current members can make new individuals feel out of place.  In several ways, adjusting to life at Penn State is similar to Mae's first few weeks at the Circle. Most notably, the flood of new information, cultures, and traditions makes for a tedious transition into both communities.

New information is vital to the success of any community member, regardless of current experience.  For example, even though the longterm Circlers are comfortable with constant technology changes, they still benefit from evolutions in their company gadgets.  On the other hand, the landslide of information results in Mae feeling overwhelmed.  Although she handles the pressure well at the start, it becomes obvious that every additional task required becomes burdensome.  A "newbie" Penn State student may begin to feel the same way, specifically when it comes to getting involved. Freshman students drowning in countless emails and advertisements feel temped to skim over the involvement processes.

As Mae acclimates to her new environment at the Circle, she also becomes aware of a revolutionary culture.  Most employees at the company are the epitome of efficiency.  Sitting at a desk with several screens at once, the workers strive to achieve perfect evaluation scores from clients while handling other duties as well.  Several tricks of the trade, such as sending out follow up assessments if perfection was not achieved the first time, highlight the cultural trend for excellence (Eggers 52). At Penn State, new cultures meld together to generate a sense of pride for the University as well as bolster newcomers to join the ranks.  While perfection is not required, Penn Staters share a fundamental goal to achieve the highest standard or learning possible, even if this requires multiple attempts.

Finally, the unwritten traditions of a new environment can make or break a newbie.  Mae's first nighttime party showcases new social interactions and party games she knew nothing about. Furthermore, people always tended to pick up on Mae's inexperience.  For example, while laying down with other circlers while playing a relaxation game, an older circler said "Look at this one.  She looks so peaceful" (Eggers 32).  The fact that another community member cutely referred to Mae "this one" proves how easy it is to pick out someone who is new.  At Penn State, the same rules apply. Most freshman are extremely easy to pick out due to their obvious lack of know-how and confidence. Both communities also share traditional mantras that bring the community together such as Penn State's obvious "We Are," and the Circles more obscure "All that happens will be known" (Eggers 71).  Even the traditional obsession for Penn State football creates a feeling of unity.

Although starting off at the Circle or Penn State can be similarly challenging, differences in fundamental values also emerge.  The Circle focuses more on following the flow of command.  Mae's boss constantly checks in on her to make sure she is doing a satisfactory job (Eggers 54).  At Penn State, however, individuals operate with a greater degree of freedom.  If someone wants to shortchange their academics by going out every night, they are allowed to do so at their own expense.  While these differences are what makes Penn State a more individualized experience, the structure of the Circle does appeal to order.  The similarities and discrepancies between these two communities makes us question balance between individual freedom and control.  As someone who believes in personal liberties, I am glad Penn State is not the Circle.

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

Image provided by Heath Brandon

Image provided by drocpsu