Penn Dean of Admissions Eric Furda went viral for his impassioned screaming at a nationally televised Eagles game last weekend. Furda’s enthusiasm stimulated a lot of conversation on and off Penn’s campus. In addition to the mass quantity of memes circulating the internet, the video of Furda was featured on Stephen Colbert’s late-night show. But there is something beyond poking fun at Furda that we can glean from his wild zeal.
Furda has demonstrated an undying passion for Philadelphia and Penn sports, and there is a lesson to be learned from his unapologetic excitement. Instead of laughing at Furda, Penn students should take a page from his book. We are often criticized for being jaded and apathetic. This is an opportunity for us to see that it’s cool to care about something. While football might not get your blood pumping, find the thing that makes you excited. Whether it’s dancing or doing volunteer work or auditing a class for fun, go for it and give it your all.
There are countless examples of Penn students’ indifference: the notoriously under-attended Huntsman Hall sit-in, as well as low turnout at sports games and the Spring Fling concerts. Channel Furda’s energy into something that you care about.
Dean Eric Furda shows his enthusiasm at a Penn men's basketball game against Harvard.
As we grow older, caring too much stops being cool. But we must reject that notion. Being passionate about something is important and gives us purpose in our everyday lives. Further, at Penn we are so focused on output that we forget to cherish the hard work we put into everything. If you spent 20 hours studying for an exam and did poorly, celebrate that you cared enough to spend 20 hours studying. If you prepared for your interview with Boston Consulting Group, and didn’t get a second round, celebrate that you tried your best. And maybe, if we keep investing ourselves in the input, then we can start to accomplish something.
Apathy prevents us from achieving greatness. As cliché as it may sound, we have to put ourselves out there and go for the things we want at the risk of looking silly or overeager. Success looks different for everyone. But we all were accepted to Penn because we cared about something and had the drive to achieve great things. Laughing at Furda’s stunt at the Eagles game is a completely normal response. Still, we can’t forget the importance of raw passion. We all should have something in our lives that we care enough to scream at the top of our lungs about.
Editorials represent the majority view of members of The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. Editorial Board, which meets regularly to discuss issues relevant to Penn's campus. Participants in these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on related topics.
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