17-05-2010 

Hey Day is a celebration where third year students (juniors) go on to their fourth and final year (become seniors) and have to earn the right of way. Due to last year’s mishaps at Upenn, this year, cops were standing by to prevent any throwing of flower, eggs, ketchup or anything else by the seniors. Last year the main campus road was so slippery that apparently seven students were hospitalized after the event. My roommate even swears he saw a senior with a gigantic fish slapping juniors in the face as they were marching.

I joined the juniors in the congregation place before the march; it was a large patch of grass fenced off from all directions. They all received a traditional hat made out of styrofoam, a cane and a red “Hey Day” shirt. People were dancing around taking pictures and enjoying the music. It seemed some were barely walking on their feet and were dirty to the extreme, covered with ketchup mustard and flower. I was told they were already greeted to their senior year by their fraternities. Eventually the juniors gathered and marched towards the university’s president’s house which is an impressive establishment located on campus. Amy Gutman, the president came out of her house and proclaimed the class of 2011, seniors. Only minor ketchup and flower throwing incidents were evident. Being with the juniors in their special day was a unique experience. It was amazing to see how much school spirit was shown that day, something that us exchange kids from Holland were really jealous of.

Spring Fling is another amazing annual event, where the whole schools stops and parties for an entire weekend. Everywhere there are shows, BBQs performances and other attractions. The highlight is a performance of a well known artist; this year it was Snoop Dog. The last night of spring fling involves a huge party in the middle of the university, with free food from all the restaurants around campus, inflatable rides and a DJ. Students were dancing on the “button”, a big plastic statue in front of the main library (the equivalent of the green statue in front of the T-building at RSM). It was astonishing to see so many people celebrating over these three consecutive days. Students long for Spring Fling every year and it is probably the event with some of the most pleasant college memories for most. Could you imagine something like that happening at RSM?

Jonathan Friedman is a master student in the Finance and Investments program at RSM. He is currently an exchange student at Upenn’s Wharton.

12-04-2010

These two weeks I am on a traveling rampage. I just returned from Washington DC and New York.

As I was in New York, Apple launched the iPad. I could clearly see what it means to be in the center of the world. The flagship Apple store is located on the famous Fifth Avenue. It is a large glass building with the Apple logo on top of it, with swirling stairs to the bottom, revealing a sizable space. People were lined up days before the launch and of course the TV vans were ever-present. Seeing the following day about ten different articles all around the web, with shots of people outside the store having just purchased the device, made me realize how central this little island really is. It is also impressive to see headquarters of almost every respectable company in the world centered on just a few blocks. The word “grand” comes into mind with anything that has to do with New York.

The city was full of people and there was even a line to street food cart selling fried rice and chicken. Eighty people queuing was apparently a usual thing for this specific cart and the people swore it’s the best food in New York. After a bit less than an hour, I discovered the food was not much better than the average “Kapsalon” in Rotterdam. I guess the free mayo, which people used very generously, was partially responsible for the myth.

Washington DC – Here the word “royal” comes to mind. I can only describe it as a modern day Rome. A city of a superpower, bearing the symbols and the scars of its legacy. The monuments themselves are impressive in size. The Capitol, the White House, Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument are familiar from numerous movies and thus feel instantly familiar to all visitors. The Smithsonian museums are amazing to visit, from art to natural science and space; they provide infinite entertainment for the whole family. Three full days were not enough to see all it had to offer.

Even though I am at big “Wharton”, it is just very hard to study. Life is rich outside academia and being in a new place urges you to explore. I think it might hurt my letter grades but hey, they don’t count for my average. For next weekend a trip to Boston is already confirmed and Puerto Rico is in its early planning stages.

Jonathan Friedman is a master student in the Finance and Investments program at RSM. He is currently an exchange student at Upenn’s Wharton.

22-03-2010

Spring break has come, ten days of vacation time in which the campus empties out entirely. Everyone goes either home or on vacation. Mexico is a one of the favorite destinations, a lot due to the age restrictions on alcohol here, 21 or older. (Alcohol is much more of a big deal here than I’ve ever experienced in Europe). Some of my fellow exchange students went to Acapulco, but I was invited by a friend to his aunt’s house in Miami. She picked us up from the airport and told us they had some Miami Vice episodes filmed in their house. When we got there I understood why. The house is huge and equipped with all the amenities for an ideal vacation. Most of my time at the house I spent in the pool and the hammock, and at nights in the outdoor Jacuzzi with a beer and a movie on my laptop. Miami Beach is a very vibrant place with many shops and bars, but is very expensive and has been losing some of its former glory as a student destination for spring break.

We rented a car and drove to the Everglades and the Florida Keys. We first booked the cheapest car possible, but when we came to pick it up the employee at the desk recommended a special promotion price for a convertible. It took us exactly two seconds to nod and roll out with a red Mustang which made the road trip ten times better. Pumped up by the American experience we took the roof down and started driving with the music on full volume. This gave me enough energy to drive 750 km in the course of two days as my Swiss friend did not have a driving license. Singing along with the radio in a striking, fast sports car seemed like the ultimate American experience; it makes you feel a distilled and pure sense of freedom while you enjoy the best fruits of capitalism.

The Keys were a real student destination, imagine thousands of college kids in an area the size of the Oostplein on a famous street called “Duval”, drinking and having fun. Girls and boys in the different stages of the “hooking up” process, dressed in their finest clothes and just having a good time. During the day everyone is busy with various activities such as “chilling” in the pool or beach, jet skiing and snorkeling or just sitting at a bar. All in all, a true dream destination for the young college student.

Jonathan Friedman is a Master student at RSM, doing the Finance and Investments programme. He is currently in Philadelphia, studying at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, as part of an exchange programme.

Last week I went to my first ever NBA game, a 'must do' in America. We went to see the Philadelphia 76rs vs the Texas, San Antonio Spurs. We arrived at Wachovia court, the stadium, and it did not look very impressive from the outside. However, it held a whole experience within. The court itself is breathtaking and made the TV games come alive; huge monitors on top, 360 angle view of the crowd, we were impressed already but then the Philly team was called on to the court, which was a whole show by itself. First the singing of the national anthem by a high school choir and then lights and flashes all around the court in a dazzling display, while the names of the players got called out and their pictures shown on the gargantuan screen.

Following the tip off, the game started slowly, but in the end picked up pace. The speaker was greatly biased, screaming the names of the Philly players that scored, while almost whispering the names of the other team’s players. Of course there were the cheerleaders, the fans who attempted the half-court shot to win some money, the Mascot (which is a crazy bunny, very much like the movie “Donnie Darko” just more athletic) and the unhealthy food, which we happily gobbled up. Unfortunately, being students, our budget was limited, and 23 dollars got us the cheapest tickets; so high up that you needed a telescope to view the players. But as we enjoyed so many things besides the game, it was still a lot of fun. I am invited next week to the Miami Heat vs Atlanta Falcons with MUCH better seats. So I’ll keep you posted.

The 76’rs won by more than 100 points, which triggered a big advertisement that our ticket from the game would grant us a free Big Mac. I happily went the next day to claim mine just to get some nasty heartburn. I can swear they are making these differently here!

But there is much excitement at the university too. The conferences and speakers that line up at Wharton are amazing, in the course of one week, just to mention a few, we had the ex president of Mexico, Donald Trump Jr, Tommy Hilfiger and Ted Schlein (partner at a very famous venture capital fund who invested in Google, EA and almost all other tech companies you are obsessive about, before you even knew them). This adds so much to the academic experience, enriching it with inspiring stories by the actual people. A truly impressive feature for a business school.

In my first column, I might have sounded a bit gloomy about the USA. It may have been the combination of all the hurdles of starting in a new place together with the feeling of foreignness. But, things have changed. It is great being here and I’ll try to give you a small taste of Wharton’s student life:

Campus Activities – what they have here dwarfs everything we have at Erasmus. Erasmus Magazine should have a look at the school’s news paper, 'The Daily Pennsylvanian', which is distributed daily around campus; it is student run and has about a million dollars in annual revenue. Besides that there are clubs and associations for everyone – Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths, Gays and Lesbians, Jewish Gays and Lesbians, a club to reconcile inter-faith disputes, Athletes against Homophobia, a club for almost every country, every sport, and every course subject on the planet plus other eclectics such as clubs for aviation, comedy, women’s rugby and what not. A large fair was organized to showcase them all, and being mesmerized by the variety, I signed up for too many. (I am still getting e-mails from the Korean association).

Going out – Besides the local equivalent of Concordia (called 'Smokey’s') I got invited to a few fraternity parties. These are exactly what you see in the movies, just more mild. The big red cups, beer kegs, upstairs rooms where people go to “hook up” and one even featured an outdoor Jacuzzi. Besides, there are always different parties at private apartments around campus or down town.

Classes – I am no longer with 350 people in a room listening to a lecture! My biggest class has less than fifty people in it, which is really good – more interaction with the professor who actually remembers your name, group discussions where you hear other student’s thoughts and a much more personal feeling of interaction. On the flip side, the professor might cold call on you to answer a question; this requires you to follow the class at all times and to prepare upfront so no more two-week-before-exam cramming. There is even a program in place which lets you go and get a free lunch with your professor and up to two or three classmates, in order to get to know each other better. All in all, the campus is just packed with everything a student can dream of. At least, everything I dreamt university would be when I was in high school. Welcome to the dream!

Jonathan Friedman is a Master student at RSM, doing the Finance and Investments programme. He is currently in Philadelphia, studying at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, as part of an exchange programme.

I landed at Philadelphia International and took a shuttle bus to my new campus. The shuttle drove through a very industrial-looking landscape: Imagine tall smokestacks, like the ones you see in all those popular anti-pollution commercials. I saw this type of scenery for the first time in real life. A little later the shuttle started dropping off students, at what seemed to be just another residential block. I realized we were actually on the campus itself. It is very different from what an EUR student might imagine. Firstly, the campus grounds are large. It comprises a couple of blocks, an area roughly the size of Kralingen. Secondly, there are no real borders between it and the city itself; it just blends in. I found my room, settled in and couldn’t help visiting a McDonald’s restaurant. I just felt I wanted a taste of the institution most associated with America, in the US itself. I can’t say the food was very different from anywhere else, besides, perhaps, the free refills. What struck me however, were the two tall guards that stood next to the doors, inside, attending to anyone who spoke a little loud and removed people that sat there without purchasing anything. Only later I found out that this McDonalds had one of the highest shooting incident rates in the United States.

Despite the lack of clear boundaries, the campus itself feels like a bastion. There is literally a police officer or a ‘yellow coat’ (a private protection force operated by the university) on each corner. It made me wonder whether I should feel safer or just more worried. We even had a safety talk by a campus police officer telling us about falling crimes rates. Still everyone was given a ‘rape whistle’. This has its obvious use but also has printed on it the phone numbers of the ‘yellow coats’ who will escort any student home after 6 pm. That same week we got some proof of why all these measures are needed. A student and an off-duty police officer got shot inside the on-campus movie theater. The offender managed to escape with the money unhurt. I was just about 200 meters away munching on a burrito when it happened. Seeing five choppers in the air with beam lights scanning the whole area and channel 6 vans with reporters reporting live from the scene were like sights from a movie. The opening titles were running: Welcome to the USA.

Jonathan Friedman is a Master student at RSM, doing the Finance and Investments programme. He is currently in Philadelphia, studying at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, as part of an exchange programme.