Have you noticed the gradual onset of a more idiotic behavioral pattern amongst the inhabitants of this Happy Valley, which may spill out into the streets at a moment's notice? Even if you only use the Collegian as an option to taking notes in class -- you know, for the mere entertainment of a crossword puzzle -- the subtle altering of this cavalcade can be noticed as a quick glance is spared for the front cover. If you haven't already been subjected to this first-hand -- on the streets, in a bar, at a party or even in your own vagrant actions -- your time will come soon enough.

I can remember back about three years ago, when this town was rumored to be one of the safest in the nation. Funny thought, huh? Next thing you know a rogue gunwoman lets loose on innocent people, even killing one student. Then, numerous instances of people falling from windows, while filled to the brim with intoxicants (which of course are the direct source of the problematic calamity that has consumed State College) littered the headlines.

And that's not all. Our shining-star athletic program, the football program, takes a hit when a star athlete, Curtis Enis, accepts a suit from a sports agent for no legitimate reason. How could all of this possibly happen here? And to top it all off, I mean how could this carousel of craziness be complete without the epitome of rebellion -- a full-scale riot. Not some small, unnoticed act, but an actual outbreak of manic and depraved behavior smack dab in the middle of the downtown area for the whole world to see. Penn State is definitely not used to making the headlines for reasons unbecoming of civility.

Where has all of this outlandishness grown from? Better yet, why has it surfaced here at Penn State?

You see, bars and alcohol have been here since the beginnings of time, but what has not is a growing level of immaturity, which appears to engulf certain sects of the student body at times. Their total lack of respect for not only society, but themselves and their fellow students -- to care less and oppose more for no reason but the sake of the appallment of sanity -- has caused more harm than good.

Unfortunately, in some instances, parenting must be considered as a medium through which some students have learned their uncivil behaviors. Still, the students must be the ones held responsible, because the human mind, when used to process the positivity that exists within everything surrounding us, possesses the ability to realize that which is conducive to the construction of a good-hearted world. To give you an example of how this outwardly-projected anger has inwardly projected fear amongst the powers that be in this town, (the police, our school's president, etc.) let me tell you about a problem that a friend of mine and I encountered one calm, snowy night in State College.

It was about 12:30 or 1 a.m., and after having consumed enough alcohol to swill most of the demons out of our system, Chad and I were traversing Calder Way minding our own business. As we headed toward the next bar on our ill-fated journey, a car turned off of College Avenue and headed up toward Beaver Avenue. As Chad and I continued across the snowy street, taking our time since there was no reason for a car to speed up in that short of a distance, the car did in fact speed up. With uncontrolled swiftness, it came to a screeching halt, just five feet from hitting us. Needless to say, the car kept going. Somehow, though, as if from a concealed, adjacent dumpster, two cops on foot -- with badges that dangled on what appeared to be necklaces straight out of a gumball machine -- appeared to suppress the situation. To handcuff Chad, that is.

The most disturbing portion of this tale though is the unwavering manner in which we were to blame for the disturbance that had ensued, not the moron who almost ran us over.

So you see, even I have been part of this infiltration of madness. What we were subjected to seems to be the newfound fear of an uprising amongst the people. Coupled with the increasing influx of new ideas, attitudes and divergent backgrounds coming together on this grand stage, our drama can only begin to bring to light the problems within society and its sometimes fatal upbringing.