Two thousand eight is three weeks old and its first buzzword has already surfaced: change. The word and concept are everywhere.

Change has become the predominant theme in the presidential primaries and caucuses that, in the wake of the writers’ strike, have morphed into America’s preferred form of television entertainment. Candidates, Democrat and Republican alike, and pundits have been using “change” in their rhetoric to gain votes and ratings as well as to convince the country that the new year has brought a pivotal era, one poised for a transformation. If you have been watching A Daily Show, Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s observation — “Is Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton the change candidate? I can’t tell.” — and a montage of pundits and candidates will be especially familiar. New York Times columnist Bob Herbert remarked on the presidential nominating process’ running theme on January 8th: “It’s the idea that voters are fed up with the con, with the phony, plastic, programmed politicians who are obsessed with power and contemptuous of the real concerns of ordinary men and women … people [are] crying out for a new kind of politics.”

Economists warn that our economy is either about to enter, or is already in, a recession — a phenomenon that is likely to change our spending habits, our lifestyles, and our job markets.

The Class of 2008 is looking back on seven semesters of college, and looking ahead to a period of rapid personal change — one that involves entering a challenging job market, unfamiliar territories, and leaving the familiar faces and places of the Hill.

Today, the first day of classes, brings the newness and change of a fresh semester to the entire campus.

While some of these experiences are societal and others are personal, they are all marked by a common trend and call for an examination of just what “change” means and who it affects; it’s more than a buzzword. The presidential nominatinG process already shows promising shifts in record voter turnout rates, especially among the youngest of voters. This renewed and reenergized interest in politics among college-aged and 20-something Americans may emerge as a nationwide force; politicians may be compelled to answer the questions and needs of its young voters. In the next ten months leading up to Election Day, Cornell may be one of the sites of this 21st century form of student activism, as students champion the causes and messages of their chosen candidates in innovative ways. The evolving status of the economy is bound to affect not only the issues of candidates’ campaigns, but each and every American voter and resident. Its implications are likely to resonate on Cornell’s campus — its student body and staff — and in the surrounding areas. And for all students, the new semester brings different academic interests, social shifts, and new opportunities for self-growth.

Change, however, is impossible to measure and quantify. How does one measure the degree to which politics, the economy, and their personal life have been altered by these events? What should be the end-result of a transformative experience?

I was confronted (and stumped) by these questions over winter break. I spent a week touring Berlin with a program sponsored by the German government, designed with the goal of educating young American Jews about Germany and the Holocaust, the transformation and reunification of post-war Germany, and the country’s modern state. Days that were spent visiting both Berlin’s impacting Holocaust memorial and the cafes and clubs of the hip neighborhood of Kreuzberg juxtaposed history and modernity and led to discussions of the philosophical meanings of reparation, repenting, and how to measure the completion of a cycle of change.

Since the years of the Holocaust, Germany has instituted significant Holocaust and genocide education programs, memorials, and a general awareness of the dangers of repeating history. Is that enough? Does that signify real change, an altered attitude and state of mind? The only conclusive answer to these questions reached was that we simply don’t know.

“Real change” in college is also difficult to measure. It’s impossible to pinpoint the exact moment you found your niche on campus, you realized what you want to study, or which field you want to pursue after graduation. They’re realizations that contribute to the fact you graduate Cornell a different person than when you moved into North Campus, and your altered state of mind may only be evident to those that knew you before.

Change, by definition, is an evolving process, comprised of multiple cycles and intricacies, that usually leads to more transformations and revolutions. Upon election to office, a certain candidate may attempt to instigate societal and political changes; some will be immediately apparent while others may take years to develop. When the economy eventually rebounds, the effects of the current recession will not disappear, but will be a part of the next economic cycle. And while this new year and new semester may bring a significant amount of change, it is only one facet of a multifarious college experience.

Elana Beale is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be contacted at ebeale@cornellsun.com. Slope Song appears alternate Mondays.