Welcome to the Bubble I stare blankly at my computer screen. www.facebook.com. I continue to refresh the page, as minute-by-minute, new statuses are updated and my key to the outside world is revealed. “Kanye, what are you doing to Taylor? Lady Gaga is bleeding on stage!” It has come down to this pathetic action of my relying on friends’ statuses to keep myself updated on life outside the bubble that we call Cornell. All time low, right here. Welcome to Cornell University, where students are transported to a secluded community, full of vibrant culture and and develop an immunity to the outside world (with the exception of swine flu.) Yet, when over 13,000 students are kept inside this tight-knit bubble, how can we possibly manage to remain aware of what is occurring in the outside world? Little did I know that the day I left my comfy abode in New York City I also lost my connection to current news updates, Hollywood gossip, or even new hit singles.  No longer can I turn on the radio while I drive to school, nor is it rare that I have the time to turn on VHI or CBS News. Without these outlets we once utilized every day, how can we stay tuned? This is where I step in. I, like thousands of other incoming freshmen, entered this institution searching for a warm and welcoming community, where I could escape into a world of independence and education. I am here to inform you, the student body, of what escapes us on a daily basis—the minor changes in the plot of a cheesy TV drama as well as the major catastrophes taking place around the world. Sure, many students bookmark Perez Hilton’s site or the New York Times online edition, but multiple others sink deep into a sea of ignorance, incredibly surprised by each and every bit of breaking news they seldom hear. Did you know that Ellen Degeneres was appointed Paula Abdul’s replacement on American Idol? Are you aware of health care debate that has been heating up over the past month? The answer for most of you is probably ‘Negative.’ We are definitely preoccupied with the world on Cornell’s campus—working hard and playing hard, but this isn’t summer camp. It is still vital for us supposedly well-educated students to keep ourselves informed. I’ll try to inform you all about the happenings of the outside universe, whether it’s the latest trend in fashion or assassination. We are Cornellians, yes, but that should in now way prevent us from being informed and cultured adults. By Lindsay Rothfeld