“What do I want to do after I graduate?” This is the question many university students ask themselves as they prepare to finish school. Some students have been confident about their career path since a young age, but for most people that is not the case. For most folks a career is something that is fluid. You may start with a vague idea of what you enjoy doing, but as you learn more about yourself and the opportunities out there, you may transition into a field that feels more aligned to your passions.

For the students who are worried about figuring out their career path before graduation please remember this: it is okay to not be 100% sure what you want to do after you earn your degree. It is also okay to change your mind over time. Some people who majored in geology go back to nursing school. Some people endure a vigorous course load for an engineering degree, then realize after a few years in the field that teaching is actually their passion. A job does not have to define who you are as a person, and it is okay to evolve in your career as you grow as a person.

There are a number of important statistics to keep things in perspective. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the average person holds 12.4 jobs between the ages of 18 and 54. Additionally, approximately 30% of the total workforce will now change jobs every 12 months and workers between the ages of 18 and 24 will hold an average of 5.7 jobs during that time of their lives.

Do not stress yourself out about what comes after graduation. Seek out opportunities that you enjoy doing and resonate with your passions. Our generation is fortunate to have so many career opportunities, and the ability to switch careers quickly. History majors can get A+ certified in a few months and get an entry level job in IT. If you need to work at Starbucks for a year while you figure out what comes next, that is okay, too. I am personally going to graduate school for a Master’s in Public Health; a field I never thought I would be working in when I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Minnesota State University in 2016.

New opportunities will always come your way. Sometimes you will think you have it figured out, and then you will realize you actually do not. Maybe you will try something out for a year and realize you do not like it as much as you thought you would. There is a lot out there for us to learn and life is not always a linear path. For the graduates of 2023, and anyone else reading this, remember that it is okay if you do not have your life figured out yet. Relax and enjoy your life.

Throughout the month of June, students at Drexel and people all over the world celebrate Pride. Originating as a form of protest that began with the Stonewall Riots in 1969, Pride has come to represent a time of celebration and remembrance for members of the queer community and their allies. This Pride, let us take a look at some current issues concerning the LGBTQ+ community and acknowledge some of the recent progress we have seen.

It is important to remember that Pride began as a time of protest; from the start, it has been about demanding change and advocating for members of an often mistreated LGBTQ+ community. When the Stonewall Riots broke out, queer individuals were being abused by law enforcement. Homosexuality was illegal, and tension was mounting between the New York Police Department and the extremely concentrated LGBTQ+ community in Manhattan’s historic Greenwich Village.

In the years that followed the riots, the Gay Liberation Movement gained traction. The queer community’s suffering was also tremendously exacerbated by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which would begin in the 1980s. Throughout the late 20th century, the LGBTQ+ community fought back against their persecution. While being criminalized by political and religious institutions, the queer community and their advocates made tremendous progress in securing LGBTQ+ rights. Pride celebrates and reflects on decades of work fighting against maltreatment and improving public tolerance of queer identity.

Though tremendous progress in queer healthcare has been made since the height of the AIDS crisis, enormous disparities still exist. In its 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the CDC reported that young queer people are at a much greater risk of substance abuse, suicide and sexual violence. An analysis published in the same year by the National Institute of Health also details the lack of gender and sex-specific health services that leaves many LGBTQ+ people without comprehensive care.

Housing insecurity also remains an issue that disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ individuals. In their 2017 review, the NIH reported that LGBTQ+ people account for an estimated 20-40% of the homeless population, despite comprising only 5-10% of the general population. The fact that many LGBTQ+ people are rejected by their families, compounded with prejudice against the community, means that anti-discrimination housing laws do not effectively protect LGBTQ+ individuals. This makes it extremely difficult for them to escape homelessness.

Issues with censorship and visibility have also persisted, and become more prevalent in the past few months. Recent attempts to censor media in public schools have seen state governments banning books that feature queer characters and allude to LGBTQ+ themes. Legislation attempting to criminalize performances of gender expression — namely drag — are calling into question whether governments are attempting to subversively legislate against the right to unorthodox gender expression, effectively outlawing transgender individuals.

Though the amount of ground left to cover regarding some issues can be dispiriting, Pride is about energizing the community to continue the fight; it is also a time to appreciate the progress that has been made in combating queer issues!

Recent developments in healthcare have entirely transformed the treatment options available to LGBTQ+ patients in all sorts of fields. Gender-affirming surgical procedures, for example, have seen exponential improvement in recent years. More advanced technology, a more educated healthcare workforce and developing techniques in things like sex reassignment surgery have led to enormous growth in the number of quality options that exist for patients seeking gender-affirming treatment.

When it comes to treating HIV (the viral infection that, in extreme cases, progresses to AIDS), researchers have developed drug therapies capable of lowering the viral load in a patient’s blood to an undetectable, and untransmittable, amount. Similar medications have also been made available to the public which, when taken regularly, can lower a person’s risk of contracting HIV through sex by up to 99%. Developments like these are tremendous steps forward in the fight against the ongoing HIV epidemic — one of the battles that the queer community has been fighting since the early days of the queer rights movement.

Public acceptance of queer rights has also been rising globally. Though same-sex acts can still invoke the death penalty in certain countries, the U.S. News & World Report cites that acceptance of homosexuality is climbing significantly in many others, including South Korea, Argentina and the Netherlands.

Pride is an important time of year. It is about remembering where the fight for queer rights came from, and finding the drive to continue it. But Pride is also about finding an appreciation for how much the queer community has achieved, and praising this progress. This June, join the Drexel and Philadelphia communities in the celebration. Happy Pride!

Graduation week is here, finally! With family and friends flocking from all corners of the globe to celebrate this momentous occasion, here is your guide to make the most of their trip to Philly. Whether your biggest cheerleaders are native to the city or it is their first time visiting, there is so much to do, see and eat when in Philadelphia. 

Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States of America. It is where the Declaration of Independence was signed and where notable people of history gathered and lived. There is no better place to start than from the beginning, so it is no surprise that I recommend making visiting the historic district of Old City a priority. Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell are must-sees, and fans of National Treasure will quickly recognize the iconic red brick buildings that surround the area. Be sure to visit the Betsy Ross House and learn all about the making of the first American flag through interactive storytelling and skits. The National Constitution Center is fun for all ages, with many activities explaining the history of the U.S Constitution and all signers. There is even a room with life-size bronze statues of every person who signed the Constitution in 1787!

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the cultural hub of the city, is filled with tons of museums and attractions, and is the perfect way to beat the heat on a hot afternoon! Check out the Philadelphia Art Museum, The Franklin Institute, The Mutter Museum, The Barnes Foundation or Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences. With rotating exhibits and hands-on activities, there is something for everyone in the family. For lovers of the Rocky movies in your group, definitely make a point to stop by the Rocky statue outside the Philadelphia Art Museum. The Parkway Central location of the Free Library of Philadelphia houses the rare book collection, and hosts various author readings and events throughout the week.

Moving a bit outside the downtown area of Philly, there are beautiful parks and ways to enjoy nature with your family and friends while they are in town. Starting off in Fairmount Park, Belmont Plateau is the best place to have a picnic with gorgeous views of the skyline. Visit an authentic Japanese house and garden at the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center and take a stroll to the waterfall and koi fish pond for a more serene activity. For anyone in your group looking to work up a sweat, Boxer’s Trail and Trolley Trail, located in East and West Fairmount Park, respectively, are the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

The food in Philly is unbeatable, and you have to start off with a local staple: Wawa. It is way more than just a gas station convenience store. Philly cheesesteaks are obviously a fan favorite along with soft pretzels, so be sure to check out Reading Terminal Market to grab a little bit of everything from the 80+ vendors! Chinatown is a crowd favorite for everyone, and whether you have the time for a full sit-down meal or want to grab some takeout, the restaurant options are truly endless. 

For us graduates, it is time to show our families and friends everything Philly has to offer and welcome them to our home-away-from-home these last several years. I hope this guide helps you plan the perfect itinerary for your out of town friends and family, and make your final week in Philly a memorable one!

Graduation is just around the corner, and with final exams, presentations and projects consuming the brain of every Drexel senior, pictures are probably the last thing most of us have been thinking about. However, documenting this milestone achievement with pictures will be something we can hold onto for years to come, unlike the grade we received on the last homework assignment we just turned in. To make it easier for us, I have compiled a quick guide of the best places to take senior portraits and graduation pictures on Drexel’s campus. So grab your caps and gowns, some glitter and champagne bottles: it is time to capture this moment and remember it forever!

Starting off strong, the Mario statue, located at the corner of 33rd and Market, is a Drexel University landmark. What better way to announce your graduation from the university than a picture with our beloved mascot! Maybe you have had your picture taken in front of the statue way back when you toured the university, or from your first few days on campus during freshman year — this absolutely calls for a side-by-side “then and now” picture. 

Staying in the same area, head over to Constantine N. Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building and take a picture in front of the stunning biowall. If you are a biology major (or a biomedical engineering major, like myself), you have definitely spent a majority of the last 4 or 5 years in the PISB lecture halls, classrooms or the Saxby’s. The lighting in front of the biowall is amazing, and in my opinion, coming in to take your picture after the sun has gone down is the secret to the perfect picture. 

The Drexel University sign on Market St. outside of University Crossings Apartments and the Drexel University Railway Bridge spanning Market and Chestnut Streets are great backdrops for photos. With the city skyline and the university logo, there is definitely no confusion where you spent the last several years! Just remember to be careful of oncoming traffic when trying to snap the picture if you plan to go all out and stand in the middle of the street. 

Main Building is a quintessential location for graduation photos, whether you pose by the outside of the building with the gorgeous exterior architecture or on the stairwell inside. As we get closer to graduation, the building is often decorated with banners and balloons to commemorate the graduating class. To add a little flair to your more sophisticated pictures, take a selfie with the statue of A.J. Drexel’s head!

Finally, make your way back to the freshman quad, where it all began. Take pictures in front of your old dorm building and soak in all the feelings of nostalgia and how much you have accomplished over the last several years. This was your first home away from home and the place you pulled your first all-nighter, stumbled in after late nights out, met your closest friends, and where it officially hit you that you were a college student.

Whether you plan to have professional pictures taken or it is just you and your friends with a tripod, don’t miss these iconic locations! 

As my first year at Drexel is coming to a close, I thought it would be helpful to create a guide for incoming freshmen to help them better navigate the process of choosing the right Drexel Residence Hall for them. Going into the housing selection process as an incoming freshman, I had no idea as to what housing style I was looking for, what kinds of amenities I wanted/needed, what part of campus I wanted to be near, and whether I wanted to be part of a Living Learning Community (LLC). I put off thinking about these important aspects of housing until the last possible second (literally the day housing applications were due), so, at the very least, I hope this review will get you to start thinking about your preferences so that you can eventually make a well-informed housing decision.    

With the exception of students living within a 10-mile radius of University City campus, all first-year students must live in one of the eight Drexel Residence Halls: Bentley Hall, Caneris Hall, Kelly Hall, Millennium Hall, North Hall, Race Street Residencies, Towers Hall or Van Rensselaer. In this guide, I will be discussing each residence hall in terms of students’ most prevalent housing preferences/concerns: housing style, location, date of last renovation and LLCs. 

Housing Style

Each Drexel Residence Hall offers one of two housing styles: traditional dorm rooms or suites. 

Traditional Dorm Rooms — Bentley, Kelly, Millennium, Towers

The dorm rooms accommodate two people and their amenities include two beds, two desks and chairs, two closets and an AC unit. On each floor of these residence halls are two sets of communal bathrooms, along with a few full private bathrooms (with the exception of Towers, which only has communal bathrooms). Additionally, each building has a limited number of ‘community kitchen’ areas — Bentley only has one, Kelly has one on every other floor, while Millennium and Towers have kitchens on almost every floor. Finally, each of these residence halls has a laundry room with washers and dryers that service the whole building.   

Suite-Style — Caneris, North, Race, Van Rensselaer

Suites can be likened to ‘mini-apartments’ and they accommodate anywhere from three to six people (generally with two people per room). Each room in a suite is about the same size as a dorm room, maybe a little smaller, and has the same amenities as a dorm room. Additionally, each suite is equipped with a bathroom. Just like the buildings with traditional dorm rooms, the suite-style buildings have several community kitchens and a centrally located laundry room. 

Location

All the residence halls are clustered together between 32nd St. and 34th St., placing them within close proximity of the Urban Eatery Dining Hall and the numerous restaurants on Lancaster Ave. Out of the eight halls, Caneris is closest to Drexel’s academic buildings (which makes getting to class less of a hassle), while Van Rensselaer is the furthest away. 

Date of Construction / Last Complete Renovation

Newly constructed or renovated residence halls tend to have more modern appliances, more spacious layouts and better-functioning amenities. Here’s a list of the construction dates/latest renovation dates for each residence hall (starting with the most recent): 

Kelly  — reopening in Fall 2023 after expansion and complete renovation

Bentley  — completely renovated in 2019

Millennium  — opened in 2009

Race — opened in 2007

Caneris — opened in 2000

North — opened in 1999

Towers — opened in 1986

Van Rensselaer — opened in 1931

LLCs

Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are located in certain residence halls (or specific floors of residence halls). With LLCs, students from the same academic programs are able to live close together, which can be a great opportunity for students to make lasting friendships and get to know people from their academic discipline. Currently, the Honors LLC is located in Bentley Hall, while the Biomedical Engineering LLC, College of Computing & Informatics LLC, College of Nursing & Health Professions LLC, Engineering LLC, First-Year Exploratory Studies LLC, Liberty Scholars LLC, and the LeBow College of Business LLC are all located in Millennium Hall.   

I hope this review was helpful for anyone trying to pick the right residence hall for them! I know that sifting through endless Drexel Housing Reddit threads can get overwhelming, so hopefully this guide alleviates some of the stress that comes with this process. Here is a life-saving step-by-step guide to completing your housing application, and here is a detailed look at the amenities of each residence hall.  Be sure to regularly check your email to keep up with housing and roommate selection deadlines. Can’t wait to see you all in the Fall!  

Ranked choice voting is a popular, easy-to-understand method for running elections that allows people to vote for the candidate they want without worrying about whether or not their vote will be “wasted.” When ranked choice voting is implemented, voters first vote for their favorite choice. Then, voters are allowed to pick a second choice in the event their favorite candidate does not receive a certain number of votes. Finally, candidates are allowed to choose a third choice in the event their second choice also does not get enough votes. To some, this sounds confusing but ranked choice voting is actually simple. Voters get to pick their favorite choice even if that candidate has a low chance of winning, and that often results in higher voter turnout. Voters are also more satisfied with the choices when they know the winner will be decided based on the collective decisions of a majority of voters rather than a small fraction of the population.

Derek Green, a candidate for mayor who recently dropped out of the race, was asked about his stance on ranked choice voting. Green stated, “As a candidate for Mayor, I support Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). I have held hearings on RCV, and I have lobbied the Pennsylvania General Assembly to introduce legislation that would make RCV a reality. Unfortunately, current state law does not allow for this type of election reform. RCV was a part of my civics legislative agenda package, which also included a system for publicly financing campaigns in Philadelphia. As Mayor, I will continue to push for election reforms, because good governance means demanding for policies that ensure all voices are heard.”

With that in mind, ranked choice voting will require support at all levels of government. Still, ranked choice voting has been implemented in other states and cities around the country. Maine and Alaska both use a variation of ranked choice voting. This is not a partisan issue. Everyone benefits from ranked choice voting. It is important for voters to demand that ranked choice voting be allowed in the city of Philadelphia. 

Philadelphia’s mayoral primary election is this month. Philadelphia may not have a ranked choice voting system yet, but your voice and your vote still matter. Do not forget to vote on May 16!

In April 2023, Drexel University began a pilot program for organic land management at Drexel Park. The site will be the first turf space on Drexel’s campus managed without synthetic herbicides, and is part of an effort to transition the entire Drexel campus away from synthetic herbicides and fertilizers that has been the focus of advocacy by students from EcoReps and Re:wild Your Campus  groups.

“We’re really excited that this is finally happening,” said Kacy Gao, ‘25, a sophomore at Drexel who advocated for the effort as a leader of the Re:wild Drexel student group. “We’re thrilled that Drexel Director of Grounds Maintenance Scott Dunham is on board. His support for this project has been pivotal.”

Gao, who is a RYC Fellow, and her peers, Sean Vanson, ‘25, and Julie Jeon, ‘25, began advocating for organic land care on Drexel’s campus in the fall of 2021 in partnership with Toxic Free Philly, a Philadelphia-based organization advocating for the elimination of synthetic pesticides in Philadelphia. The group successfully lobbied to pass a law in January 2021 to eliminate the use of synthetic pesticides — including the use of glyphosate — on city grounds and is now calling for enforcement of the law. The students then connected with RYC and joined the 2022-2023 RYC fellowship cohort.

“I salute our students and the University’s Grounds Department for introducing this organic land management program on our campus,” said Drexel President John Fry. “At Drexel, we strive to promote civic engagement and sustainability, which are core values of our mission. As we take the lead toward becoming the first institution in the Commonwealth to join the Re:wild Your Campus movement, we hope others will join us in pursuing a greener and healthier future.”

In implementing the pilot project, Drexel is following in the footsteps of schools like the University of California Berkeley, Harvard University and Seattle University, which have all completely transitioned to organic land management, a holistic form of land care that focuses on cultivating soil health to increase resilience to weed pressures. Research shows that organic land care on campuses can reduce overall costs by 25%, decrease water needs by 37% and improve soil health after an initial investment period of three to five years. Students are hoping this success can be replicated in Drexel’s urban environment. Organic land care also reduces the use of synthetic inputs frequently used on college campuses, instead focusing on naturally outcompeting weed growth by optimizing soil chemistry and microbial density.

“I would like to thank RYC for helping us with securing a grant from the Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation to help fund the first year of the transition project,” said Vanson. “Alongside our organic turf expert consultant PJC Organics, as well as our other partners, Rachel Carson Council and Drexel Climate and Sustainability.”

“After learning about public health and the impact of pesticides in class, I’m really glad that Drexel is taking steps to protect human and environmental health,” said Jeon, who is majoring in nursing. “More schools should follow Drexel’s lead in implementing organic land care to help the climate and biodiversity crisis and protect campus communities, especially in Philadelphia, where environmental justice concerns are pervasive.”

Dunham said his Grounds Maintenance team is excited to be working with students and PJC Organics to pilot the three-year program in Drexel Park. “While we have always been very careful of the types and timing of the products we choose to use on campus, we are hopeful the pilot will show that turf quality can improve, or at the very least remain the same, without the use of synthetic fertilizers and herbicides,” he said.

The student advocates are also working with Anneclaire De Roos, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Dornsife School of Public Health, to begin a comparative study on the organic transition. “In public health, we advocate for following the ‘precautionary principle’ – which says when there i’s evidence for health risks but also uncertainty, we should err on the side of public health protection in our decisions,” said De Roos. “So, I think this is a great example of applying the precautionary principle. By switching to organic turf management in Drexel Park, visitors will have less exposure to these possibly harmful herbicides. This could have a big impact because of the number of University students, families with children, and dogs that spend time in the park. Data collection at the site will give insight on the success of the program and hopefully influence similar organic turf management at other Drexel sites and other universities.”

For more information on the EcoReps, please contact Kacy Gao at kmg477@drexel.edu or the Drexel Climate and Sustainability team at sustainability@drexel.edu. To learn more about Re:wild Your Campus, visit www.rewild.org/rewild-your-campus.

After reading David A. Graham’s Atlantic article, “What Does Nate Silver Know?” a 2020 interview with Nate Silver, the editor-in-chief and founder of poll aggregation website FiveThirtyEight, I have been fascinated with polling. How do you get from the opinions of a certain group of people to forecasting who wins an election? Do not worry, these pollsters have got polling down to a science. Well, sort of!

If you are wondering why you should even care, look at the 2016 and 2020 presidential election polls. In 2016, none of the polls predicted that Donald Trump would win. After the 2020 election, Graham says in an Atlantic article, “The Polling Crisis Is a Catastrophe for American Democracy,” that “in every swing state but Arizona, Trump outperformed the FiveThirtyEight polling average.” Unfortunately, this is a bad look for the science of polling, considering FiveThirtyEight is considered (at least by this writer) as the gold standard for polling. Their technique of aggregating a series of poll results instead of relying on a singular set of results should allow for greater accuracy and representation of the nation’s opinions, but not in this case.

So, if we really want to know everyone’s opinion, we have to start with the problems inherent in polling. First, let us look at whose opinions we are getting and how we are getting them. Publications like FiveThirtyEight and the Pew Research Center have written comprehensive analyses on the way polls can be skewed by the people responding to them. Within many polls, Democrats and politically active people are overrepresented. One reason is because these polls may not account for their respondents’ level of education. According to a Pew Research Center article, “Key Things to Know About Election Polling in the United States,” higher levels of education are beginning to become correlated with people who identify as Democrats among certain demographics. 

If we look even closer at the issue of education level, we also see a problem with how the polls reach our respondents. The same Pew Center article notes that “online opt-in polls are based on convenience samples that tend to overrepresent adults who self-identify as Democrats, live alone, do not have children and have lower incomes.” So, if voting firms and news publications are using one specific method to gather their survey results, they might be missing entire populations of people. The accuracy of surveys by phone, a common method to reach respondents, could be affected due to a decrease in responses, further skewing the results.

Not only are there problems with who’s participating in surveys and the methods used to get their responses, Silver also believes that systematic polling errors are going to become more common. Systematic polling errors are problems with bias towards one side in calculating elections state by state. For example, a poll that thinks Democrats will win by a large margin in one state based on the results of a state that is similar. From what I have read in Silver’s article, “The Death of Polling is Greatly Exaggerated,” these inaccurate results come from the fact that the United States has become more and more politically polarized (divided into two differing political factions) and people are more likely to only vote for people within their party. When voting outcomes among states are linked, there are more chances to get it wrong, which means inaccurate poll results that feel useless to the public. 

These polls can become more accurate through weighting and transparency about the way a poll is conducted. Even if using weighting, the process of making sure a poll’s data is balanced towards the population on highlighted characteristics, there are so many variables we must weigh and account for. Unfortunately, there is also no incentive for polling firms to be more transparent, unless they just want to contribute to bettering the field. 

Overall, maybe it is best to turn away from the polls as predictors of election outcomes. As voters, we are not one single political party or ideology, which means these polls can not truly represent the full picture of who we are as political beings. These polls can reveal some people’s opinions on politics, but the general picture of what policies or candidates our thoughts are trending towards is not quite clear yet. Since we do not live in a political silo, we have to remember that other people also shape the vote and future of our country. I just wish polls could give us a better overview into other people’s heads. At the very least, we will not have a repeat of 2020’s failure in the near future. Maybe that is all we can hope for.

While it may not feel like it yet, spring is in full swing and the city is buzzing with activities and events. Whether you are looking for the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon or want to spend the day outdoors, there’s plenty of exciting things going on in and around Philly to keep you busy!

On May 6, enjoy streetside cafes, live music, art showcases, and a fashion show at Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.. Also happening on May 6 is the South Street Fest from 11 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. where vendors set up shop from 2nd Street down to 8th Street for a day filled with food, art, music and fun! With the weather finally warming up this weekend, these are perfect events to spend the afternoon at if you are looking to get away from the midterm studying at the library. 

The Rothman Orthopedics Roller Rink at Dilworth Park is back, so enjoy an hour-long retro-themed skating session in front of City Hall! Don’t forget to look up and admire the new art installation! There’s always so much going on at Dilworth Park, sometimes just snagging a park bench and cooling off by the fountains is just what you need to unwind from a busy day. 

If you’re looking to beat the heat and stay indoors check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, The Barnes Foundation or the Academy of Natural Sciences. Even if you have visited before, there are plenty of new exhibits, such as the Disney100 exhibit at the Franklin Institute, which runs from now until mid-July. 

In just a week, beginning on May 12, the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest opens at Penn’s Landing. The boardwalk will be filled with carnival style games, rides, and treats, a roller skating rink and mini golf! The pier lights up at night with a giant ferris wheel and twinkly lights overhead, making this the best place to be on a warm spring night.

If you are looking for a more relaxing and chill way to spend the evening on the waterfront, check out Spruce Street Harbor Park, also opening May 12. Curl up in a hammock with a good book or enjoy one of the many live music performances occurring in the area. This is the place to be if you just want to put your feet up and unwind after a long day. 

Starting May 27, rent animal-themed paddle boats and cruise the Delaware River with Paddle Penn’s Landing. On select evenings, there’s even a nighttime glow option where the boats are decked out to glow and light up for Starlit Paddles, but you’ll have to wait till June for that!

There’s always something going on in Philly, so look no further if you’re trying to plan your next group outing or add activities to your bucket list! 

Whether you just passed your driver’s test or you are going back to the DMV to renew your license, you are bound to encounter the question “Would you like to be an organ donor?” on one of the many forms you’re asked to fill out. It can seem like a scary and morbid question at first, but I’m here to ease your anxiety, debunk common misconceptions about organ donation, and encourage everyone to answer “yes” during your next DMV visit. 

Why is organ donation so important?

Here are some quick statistics:

21 people die everyday waiting for an organ in the United States, and there are currently over 107,380 men, women and children awaiting life-saving organ transplants (Cleveland Clinic). In the Greater Philadelphia region alone, there are about 5,000 people awaiting transplants, and every ten minutes another person is added onto the transplant list (Philadelphia Tribune). As a registered organ donor, your organs have the potential to be transplanted into sick patients at the time of your death and save up to 8 lives (Geisinger).

The lives of many sick patients depend on whether or not they are able to receive an organ transplant, and you have the power to do something about that.

Debunking Common Misconceptions

While 95% of Americans support organ donation, only 60% are actually registered organ donors (Integris). There are a lot of misconceptions out there that may deter people from registering to be a donor (even if they do support the cause), so I’m here to debunk some of the most common concerns I’ve heard.

First and foremost, your medical care will not be compromised if there is an “organ donor” identification on your medical chart — you will still receive the highest quality medical care, and healthcare professionals will put forth their best efforts to save your life if you are ever in critical condition in a hospital. The Gift of Life Donor Program states that “an individual must be in a hospital, on a ventilator and pronounced brain dead in order to donate organs. Gift of Life Donor Program is not notified until life-saving efforts have failed. The transplant team is not notified by Gift of Life until permission has been given by the deceased’s family.” Organ donation won’t even be in the picture until all life-resuscitating measures have been taken by your healthcare team, and your survival will always be the priority.

Additionally, don’t let your age or medical history discourage you from registering to be a donor – your organs could still be perfectly suitable for a recipient. Leave it up to the healthcare professionals to decide if your organs/tissues are suitable for donation after your death.

Finally, it ought to be made clear that you do not have to pay to register as an organ donor, and your family will not be charged for the cost of transplanting your organs. There’s no financial burden attached to registering as or being an organ donor.

How to Get Involved

As I mentioned before, your quadrennial trip to the DMV is a great time to register to be an organ donor, but there’s also no need to wait that long! You can use the following link to register to be an organ donor via the Donate Life PA website: https://donatelifepa.org/