Page 2 • Thursday, February 13, 2003
Opinions
The Pendulum
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The Pendulum
Bitching; The wave of
the underground
It’s one page long, it’s underground. It has a quote
from President George W, Bush. And it’s a bitch.
Actually, it’s Bubble Bitching, and it’s Elon’s new
underground publication, or the “official unofficial
paper of Elon.” The anonymous editors of Bubble
Bitching are attempting to capitalize on every
American’s right to complain.
Bubble Bitching was released unceremoniously last
Friday. The premier issue popped up in Pendulum stands
in Moseley, Long, McEwen and Belk. The publication,
which seems to emulate The Onion in its style and con
tent, has brought much-needcd humor to Elon, as well as
provided competition for The Pendulum.
The one-page issue highlighted such hard-hitting top
ics as dead, rotting squirrels on streetlights and a bidding
war for naming rights to the median on Haggard.
We at The Pendulum are looking forward to seeing
what the staff members of Bubble Bitching have in store
for the future. We welcome the competition Bubble
Bitching may provide. If nothing else, it lends an air of
levity 10 Elon’s campus - a sense of humor that is lack
ing in The Pendulum.
But humor is a lough issue to tackle. Most newspapers
stray from ihe world of funny, mostly because it’s an art
form that’s hard to conquer, and when done wrong, it has
disastrous consequences.
The Deep Throat editors of Bubble Bitching have the
humor potential, and we await the content covered in the
next issue.
Suffering from depression not
a battle you liave to fight alone
The Pendulum
Colin Donohue, Editor-In-Chief
Katie Beaver, Managing Editor
Lindsay Porter, News Editor
Jessica Patchett, Assistant News
Editor
Eric Hall, Opinions Editor
Andl Petrlni, A & E Editor
Kathleen Frey, Features Editor
Kristin Slmonettl, Sports Editor
Tim Rosner, Photography Editor
Mary-Hayden Britton and Ellis
Harman, Copy Editors
Annette Randall, Business
Manager
Matt Ford, Online Editor
Janna Anderson, Adviser
The Pendulum Is published each Thursday of the academic year. The
advertising and editorial copy deadline Is 5 p.m. the Monday before publi
cation.
Letters to the editor and guest columns are welcome and should be
typed, double-spaced, signed and include a telephone number for verifica
tion. Submissions are also accepted as Word documents on disk or by e-
mall.
The Pendulum reserves the right to edit obscene or potentially libelous
material. Lengthy letters or columns may have to be trimmed to fit. All sub
missions become the property of The Pendulum and will not be returned.
To reach The Pendulum at 233 Moseley Center, call 278-7247 or fax 278-
7246. Contact The Pendulum by e-mail at pendulum@elon.edu. Visit our
Web site at www.elon.edu/pendulum.
Each Individual Is entitled to one free copy.
Ellis Harman
Copy Editor
Spring semester has begun,
marking the return of home
work, tests, papers and proj
ects, as well as new social activi
ties and commitments. Some stu
dents look forward to embracing
these challenges and opportuni
ties. Others, including myself and
countless Elon students, wonder
how we’ll make it through the
semester in one piece.
How often do you go to class
and watch your friends get A’s,
and wonder how they do it? How
often do you feel that you’re not
doing enough to get your life on
track, and that your best is not
quite good enough?
If you’re like me, you probably
feel that way almost every day. If
you’re like me, you probably
wonder what you’re doing wrong
that everyone else seems to be
doing right. Well, the answer is
nothing.
Many college students feel
pressure to succeed; that’s only
natural. We all want to do our best
and make something of ourselves.
And usually, students feel that
they’re doing okay. Most students
know that they aren’t expected to
be perfect, and that there’s only so
much they can do in one day.
Students suffering from depres
sion, however, always feel a step
or two behind.
Depression is a serious disease
that does not get enough attention,
especially on college campuses
where students are exhausted,
stressed and overworked.
Students feeling tired, pres
sured and stretched too thin can
become clinically depressed, or
even suicidal. According to a Feb.
7 article in HealthScout News, the
number of suicidal and clinically
depressed college students seek
ing help at university counseling
centers across the country has
tripled since 1990.
This dramatic increase shows a
frightening trend that affects col
lege students everywhere, includ
ing here at Elon, and demon
strates the need for a greater
understand of this disease.
Depression is caused in most
cases by a chemical and usually
genetic flaw in the brain that
affects the way neurotransmitters
are absorbed. Stress, traumatic
events and negative thinking or
reinforcement from parents or
caregivers can also trigger depres
sion. When these transmitters are
not properly processed, the brain
has trouble performing normal
actions, which can cause depres
sion.
According to tlie Medical Source
Web site, one in 10 people are
bipolar, meaning they experience
uncontrollable and extreme emo
tional highs and lows for no
apparent reason. Whatever the
cause, and whatever the symp
tom, depression can be a debilitat
ing disease.
For those of you who constant
ly feel sad, worthless, anxious,
uninterested in life or hopeless,
know that you are not alone. More
importantly: This depression is
not your fault. There is nothing
wrong with you as a person, and
this disease is one of which you
should not be ashamed.
There is no magic cure, and
you can’t just “snap out of it.”
There are*medications that can be
prescribed, but the disease will
never go away. You have to learn
to live with it, instead of letting it
take control of you.
Fighting feelings of perpetual
sadness and worthlessness is easi
er said than done, I know.
I know because I’ve been
struggling with these feelings and
problems for more than 10 years.
I know how difficult it is to drag
yourself out of bed in the morning
to face a day that seems empty,
and I know how it feels to believe
that you will never succeed. Well,
I’m still here.
Maybe I’m not a straight-"A”
student. Maybe I’m not the pretti
est girl on campus, and maybe
I’m not the most popular. In fact,
I could probably count on both
hands all the people at Elon who
even know my name.
But I live for me. Not for the
depression, and not according to
anyone else’s standards. And
believe me, if I can do it, so can
you.
The road to recovery may be
long and hard; in fact I can guar
antee it won’t be easy. It took me
years of medication and a failed
suicide attempt to realize that this
disease is a part of who I am.
Instead of letting it destroy me,
1 used it to make myself stronger.
I have faith in myself now, even
though I’m not perfect, and still
experience days when life just
doesn’t seem like much fun.
But thanks to weekly visits to a
therapist. I’m learning to control
my life, my feelings and my
depression so that I can become
the best that I can be and live my
life on my own terms.
If you or someone you know is
experiencing symptoms of
depression, I urge you to get help.
Depression can be conquered, just
not on your own. The R.N.
Ellington Health Center offers
counseling services by appoint
ment, and the counselors there
can recommend a long-term ther
apist or psychiatrist to help you
overcome this obstacle.
Admitting you need help is the
first step toward the rest of a hap
pier, more stable life.
Contact Ellis Harman at pendu-
lum@elon.edu or 278-7247.
CORRECTION
- In the Feb. 6 issue of The Pendulum, the Black History Month @Elon box on page 7 incorrectly stated
that the Minority Visitation Weekend for prospective high school seniors would take place Feb. 6-8. The
Visitation Weekend will be Feb. 14-15.