Black and Gold with a shade of Green

I say this with experience: Lying generally does not help. It’s usually better for one to just be candid and resolve a complication accordingly. But then again lying, like all other vices, gives that edge to its users if it is applied in a believable fashion. But the problem associated with lying usually does not actually lay in performing the action itself but in its consequences which follow. And as humans, we are bound to repeat any action for which we receive positive reinforcement. Thus, my point is that it is crucial for us to realize that even though if lying has brought us fortune, it may not always keep doing so and we must understand this thoroughly. Most prisoners can attest to this statement as according to a survey, 85-90% criminals in prisons have previously successfully committed at least one crime before they were finally arrested. Therefore, they just didn’t know when to stop pushing their luck!
 

So why am I talking about lying? The answer lies in Matt Damon’s brilliant performance of a corporate whistle-blower in the movie, ‘The Informant.’ In the movie, Matt plays the role of Mark Whitacre, a former high ranked officer at ADM, who later turned into an FBI informant and a whistle-blower. Mark Whitacre’s story is both interesting and insightful as it shows that lying recklessly brings about unexpected consequences. The movie was definitely the highlight of the week for me and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys intelligent humor combined with a brilliant story.

This year, I stayed back on campus for fall break. The only problem that I have encountered up till now is that there is no place to have food! I mean, the Hub opens for very limited hours and even then serves a very small menu. Besides the Hub, the Den remains closed for the entire break. I went to Walmart and got all kinds of microwavable food so I’m ready to get through this break without any help from the Hub.

So far I really like my decision to stay back. I have just been sleeping, reading and watching movies. But in order to somewhat utilize this break a little more beneficially; I am going to set objectives which I hope to achieve before classes start:
 

1.      1.  Rest and relax so that I can be ready for another half semester of college

2.       2. Complete assigned homework (a lot of reading) for classes.

3.       3. And finally, the most important goal, start thinking for the future.

By now, the floodgates have burst fully open, and homework is rapidly flowing through. I feel as if I’m drowning in all this work. But much to my surprise, two of my main readings for this semester have been extremely interesting. The first one, The Taqwacores, a novel by Michael Mohammad Knight, presents an alternative and a more intellectual approach to practicing Islam. This book has not only been an eye opener for me but has also caused me to question some of my own beliefs. At first, I felt offended by some of the material in the novel but later on I realized the importance of the ideas being presented in the book. Although they may lead to some people being offended but in reality, they are presented in such a provoking manner to encourage discussion of these topics. And I believe that this is pivotal for the improvement of any system.

The other book, All Souls, is a memoir written by Michael Patrick Macdonald about his own experiences in growing up in South Boston’s Old Colony Housing Project. This book not only informed me of the hardship faced by the people living in Southie, but has also encouraged me to think of crimes committed by some people in a greater social perspective. This book has also been thought provoking in highlighting some of the emotions that people sometimes face in the event of a personal loss.

After reading these books and analyzing them in class, I truly feel that I have become more ‘educated.’ I refer not only to the expansion of my information but also to the skills of critical thinking that these books have contributed in me. I believe that had I not been at one of the best liberal arts colleges, I would probably have not come across such enlightening readings.

DePauw University may come across to some as a secluded educational institution because of its geographic location. But I feel that a little space can sometimes lead to deeper understanding of complex issues. This is my definition of a solid education, a liberal arts education.

 Last Saturday, I went to the Lily Center to work out a little. There, I met a friend of mine who introduced me to racquetball. I really liked the game because it was both fun and provided a good workout. Being an avid youtuber, I saw all the videos of racquetball online. Since then, I’ve been trying to fit racquetball into my daily schedule. Anyways I will be updating this blog in a couple of days and this time I’ll also try to post a couple of pictures.

Hey everyone. My name is Asad Alwani and I’m a first year student at DePauw University. Even though I was born in the US, for the most part I’ve lived in Pakistan, so you can consider me to be an international student. Coming to US was a really big decision for me, but now that I’m here, I feel that I’ve made the right decision by choosing DePauw.

Even though DePauw is a small liberal arts college, it still has many international students. I believe that meeting people from different cultures and learning from their experiences is an essential component of a well-rounded college experience. Combined with a highly approachable faculty, DePauw never makes you feel that you’re away from home.

I have been on campus for three weeks now and I am still at a loss for how fast time has flown by. There are so many opportunities here which one may take advantage of that almost everyone is able to find something related to their interests. The key to succeed here is time management. I am currently enrolled in the following classes for my first semester:

ECON100H Intro to Economics