Playing It Safe

When I was young my parents always told me that I could be whatever I wanted to when I grew up. Now a twenty-year old, I can’t help but wonder if I truly took their words to heart. As a child, I don’t think becoming a bioengineer was very high up on my “what I want to be when I grow up list.” At the top of the list were things like being an actor or baseball player. If I truly believed my parents’ words, why did I never try out for school plays and why did I quit my little league baseball team in the seventh grade? Was it due to lack of motivation from my parents or from laziness on my own part to become truly good at something? The answer is no to both of those questions. While my parents did not push me extremely hard to become an all-star baseball player, it would be selfish to blame them for why I am not on my way to the major leagues right now. They wanted me to carve my own path and follow my own dreams, not their dreams for me. I wasn’t lazy either; I applied myself in many other areas of my life like my school work.

The truth is I was scared. The wild dreams of a child to become a major league baseball player or movie star became silly ideas as I grew older. The thought of pursuing either of those careers, which both have very low rates of success for people trying to make a name for themselves, was a terrifying one because, like most people, I feared failure. The easier road was to pursue what I was best at, school.

So now here I am, a junior bioengineer at a prestigious university. I am not unhappy, and I truly feel blessed to be afforded the opportunity to attend Lehigh and to have a family that supports me and loves me. Yet I can’t help but wonder,  have I truly made the most out of my life or am I going through the motions? Have I taken chances or have I played it safe? Mostly I try not to think about it because what’s past is past, and I always try to make the best out of any situation.

 I can still try to live up to the words my parents said to me, but by now is it too late? In telling my friend some of these thoughts, she told me “Colin, you could change your major right now, but you won’t.”  She is right. I’ve come too far to start fresh, the dreams of my youth are gone anyway, and again, I’m still scared of failing. While there’s no guarantee the path I’m on right now will lead me somewhere meaningful, I do enjoy bioengineering and look forward to what the future holds. Maybe it is just the rigors of a junior year engineering course load instilling doubt and worry into my mind, but for now I will have to struggle with these fears of almost indescribable nature.

Still, I can’t help but smile every time I see someone else’s childhood dream become reality. It was such a great moment watching C.J. McCollum get drafted into the NBA because it was such a real example to me and everyone else at Lehigh of what it is like to achieve your dream. Moments like that give weight to the idea of being able to be anything when you grow up. Moments like that make me hope that when I have kids one day, they believe it and live it more than I did as a child. Moments like that make me think maybe I still have a lot of growing up to do, and it’s not too late to live the words my parents told me when I was younger.

- Colin Orr '15

Holiday Troubles

Lehigh is a nondenominational school, as anyone who attends could tell you.  To someone unfamiliar with Lehigh, though, being unaffiliated with any religion might mean that Lehigh avoids any involvement with religion.  This, however, is very far from the truth.  Lehigh permits clubs for various denominations, allows any type of worship in Packer Memorial Church and takes the stance of allowing any religious belief rather than restricting the student body from all beliefs.  The positives of this view point are numerous.  From a rights perspective, every person has the ability to practice whatever set of beliefs they see fit.  From an academic perspective, there is no requirement to take classes pertaining to a certain religion.  Coming from a Catholic elementary school and high school where theology was easily the most boring of my classes each year, I especially appreciated this aspect.

Despite the positive aspects of Lehigh’s acceptance of all beliefs, there is one major drawback.  By accommodating all religions, Lehigh puts itself in a tough position to be accommodating for particular religions on especially important holidays.  Take Judaism, for example.  Judaism’s most serious holy day, Yom Kippur, fell on Wednesday, September 26th last semester.  The very next day was the first day of four o’clock exams.  While this timing was unusual and unfortunate, the fact remains that someone Jewish would have a very difficult time observing this “Day of Atonement.”  Yom Kippur involves fasting as well as taking the day off from work or school.  Although most professors are very understanding, Lehigh cannot accommodate Jewish students on this holy day by giving them the day off.  If Lehigh did, there would no doubt be uproar anytime a different religion needed a day off for a holiday.  This fact left Jewish students in the position last semester where, on a day meant for reflection and penance, they had to worry about missing class and about an exam the next day.

As for myself, I only recently began thinking about this issue when I encountered a religious conflict of my own.  Holy Week is the most important week in the Christian calendar.  In particular, Good Friday and Easter Sunday of Holy Week are very important.  In my experience at Lehigh, it is an inconvenience that we are not given off for either Good Friday nor the Monday following Easter.  For people with classes on Friday and early on Monday, like myself, going home to celebrate the most holy and joyous day in Christianity with family becomes a terse and stressful experience.  Easter Sunday becomes a rushed event, worrying about getting back to school for classes the next day.  To make matters especially bad this semester, Good Friday fell on March 29^th, with Easter Sunday landing on March 31^st. This year has had such magnificent timing that, like Yom Kippur, both holy days fell during four o’clock exam time. I was faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to go home to be with my family. I would barely be home two days, spending all of Saturday home but only getting to enjoy some of Friday and Sunday with my family. Then there was the fact that I had an exam on Monday that would be difficult to study for while celebrating with relatives. Ultimately, I decided to go home because I value spending time with my family during the holidays. Whether or not I will regret the decision remains to be seen (at the time of my writing this I have yet to take my Monday exam), but it is upsetting to me that it is so difficult to go home for such an important time without feeling guilty that my time could be better spent preparing for exams the next week.  Part of me understands why Lehigh can’t do anything, but another part of me wishes Lehigh would make it easier for any religion to observe their most important holidays.

There is no clear solution to these issues that arise as a result of organized religion.  Lehigh offers so many great opportunities for everyone to practice their belief system of choice, and I do not mean to sound ungrateful for those opportunities in writing this article.  I am very happy with my decision to be at Lehigh and aim not to complain, but rather raise the question: by accommodating every religion, can Lehigh really accommodate any religion when it really matters?  I like to believe there is some way, but it’s times like these when I’m rushing back to Lehigh after a hurried Easter dinner that make me frustrated it hasn’t been found yet.

-Colin Orr '15

Full of Crepe

[Photo from the Full of Crepe's Facebook page]

The new off campus restaurant will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
Although Lehigh has several dining options, students living on campus can grow weary of having to eat at the dining halls for every meal. Upper Cort offers a food court style alternative to the traditional dining halls, but after countless trips, the variety seems less appealing. For those students looking for some new options and for fraternity and sorority members whose chefs don’t cook meals on weekends, venturing into Bethlehem is an attractive choice. There are always the classics like the Goose or Sal’s to get a good meal at. Yet, the line at the Goose is often out the door, and there may not always be time for a sit-down meal at Sal’s. New to the food scene at Lehigh, Full of Crepe offers a creative and quick alternative to standard fare in the form of delicious crepes served at an affordable price.

Full of Crepe is easy to miss, located on New Street between Subway and Sal’s. Once you get your first crepe here, though, you’ll never have trouble finding it again. The actual restaurant is no bigger than a dorm room, and there are only two hot plates on which the crepes can be made. The counter to place your order is located at the very front of the store near the entrance. Although it can be difficult, try not to stand too close to the entrance, or risk being whacked by the door as an incoming customer arrives. Despite the small size, there has not been a line once in all my visits; that must be a crime considering how delicious the crepes are. What is not a crime is how polite the staff is. Immediately upon entering, you are warmly greeted by the two to three workers. Every time I’ve gone, I have been offered coffee without any delay at all. Then, they patiently wait while you decide which crepe suits your tastes, even offering up some of their current favorites. I say “current favorites” because, as they explained to me, they love all their creations but cycle through favorites all the time. Prices for the crepes range from 4-8 dollars, depending on how complex your selection is. Once your order is placed, you watch as your crepe is assembled on a hot plate, cooked, and ultimately placed in a conveniently designed crepe holder. From walking in hungry to leaving happy, the process is smooth, quick, and pleasant.

Where Full of Crepe really shines, however, is in its interesting menu choices. The menu is diverse with both savory and sweet options. Whether you want a satisfying, meaty crepe or just a sweet treat, there is a crepe for everyone. Take my personal favorite, for example, the “Turkey Lurkee”. This crepe consists of turkey, spinach leaves, balsamic reduction, tomato, mozzarella cheese, and pesto mayo. The ingredients work perfectly together, sending your taste buds on a flavorful ride but also leaving you more fulfilled than any other old crepe. In a more odd combination, there is the “Christy Cristo” which consists of raspberry preserves, ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, maple syrup, and powdered sugar. Full of Crepe pushes the boundaries of this succulent crepe by adding raspberries and turkey to the traditional ingredients of a Monte Cristo, resulting in a fruity yet savory masterpiece. More traditionally yet just as deliciously, Full of Crepe serves the “Blue Plate,” a combination of eggs, cheese, and ham or bacon; the “Canuck,” simply bacon and maple syrup; or the “Moravian Sugar Cake,” consisting of brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. There’s no other restaurant that I can honestly say I want to try every item on the menu. However, if none of the menu choices are to your liking, there also is a “Fill Your Own” option. Additionally, the restaurant offers gluten-free batter for an extra dollar. With all of the appealing choices and the opportunity to customize your own crepe, you can’t go wrong.

Full of Crepe only allows takeout due to its small size. Plans are in place, however, to expand the building into an adjacent room in order to allow for in-restaurant seating. Also worth mentioning is that the restaurant only accepts cash at the moment. Taking the time to go to an ATM will be well worth it, though, once you’ve had a chance to experience this hidden gem’s food. If you are looking for a quick, delicious, affordable, and unique alternative to on and off campus dining, look no further than Full of Crepe.

-Colin Orr '15