Together in Continuous Change

Change is the only constant in the universe. In The Circle by Dave Eggers, Mae changes jobs becoming a "newbie" at the monopolistic Circle, and at Penn State thousands of students, including myself,  make the life changing leap of faith to go to college. Transition is an ever prevalent and dynamic aspect of life. On the surface level, there are physical similarities in our shifting paths of life and on a deeper perspective there are metaphorical similarities with "big fish, small pond" and the communal spirit.

Smeal College of Business: Credit

When Mae walked through the Circle doors, she was in awe of the enormity and beauty of the building. The ceiling was as "tall as a cathedral" and "every wall [was] made of glass, (pg. 3)." As a newbie at Penn State, I experienced the same admiration as I walked into the Smeal College of Business Building. The glass staircases were perched on the glass windows like birds, and the stocks ran across the stairs like snakes slithering to the top. As I roamed through the building, I felt as if I was in a scene from The Circle. Mae describes the campus as "vast" and "rambling" (pg.1), which is a direct representation of this campus. Mae's first tour through her new workplace is eerily similar to college tours that I did as a newcomer. Her colleague describes the pool and sports areas, as our tour guides mentioned the natatorium and Rec hall.

On a deeper level, Mae's transition to a new area is similar to mine in a metaphorical sense. In Mae's old employment, Mae was a protege. A big fish in a small pond. Mae excelled in all aspects of her career and her coworkers marveled at her bright future. In high school, we too were big fish in small ponds, mastering schoolwork and receiving complements from our small town schools. As Mae transitions to her job, she is no longer a big fish in a small pond, but a small fish in a big pond. She is one of many talented people in the Circle. As new students at Penn State, we are now small fish in a giant pond (50,000 students!). We no longer stand out in the same way that we once did. This metaphorical transition is a trait that we both share.

One other area that Mae and I both experience as newbies is the communal spirit. The group happiness and togetherness that I feel at Penn State is unlike anything I have every experienced. Mae has a similar feeling as she attends her first Circle party.  The Circle's mantra is "Community First" and Penn State's motto is "We Are..."Both mantras exemplify camaraderie and a united front that both groups have. Like members in the Circle come out to speeches and parties, students at Penn State go to football games. New members and new students in both groups are automatically accepted into the positive crowd spirit.

Mae and I are both newbies, her in the Circle job  and my new school. While her Utopian world may be different than my realistic one, we can connect on many levels including: similar physical environment, metaphorical transition, and communal spirit. Change is continuous, and she and I are together in this change.