Over three years ago, I toured Penn State and fell in love.
It was a beautiful sunny day in Happy Valley during summer semester. The campus was empty, there was was no hustle and bustle, people were hammocking. I thought every day in State College looked like this.
Wrong. On my commute the class, I just expect to be nearly run over by a car. Thousands of people flood the campus. If you want to stop at Starbucks in between class, expect to wait for an hour for your latte.
Okay, I know that sounds miserable. I promise it’s not. As someone who came from a particularly small high school, it’s almost refreshing to be surrounded by so many people. I was getting sick of being a big fish in a small pond.
If you plan on touring Penn State, especially in the summer, just know that you are seeing a completely different side of campus and college life. Here are some things I wish I knew about PSU before I committed.
- The Campus is Huge
-
If you go on a tour, you’ll quickly figure out how large the campus is. My mom and I walked over five miles that day. I didn’t mind and I really loved the layout.
After my first year, though, I realized how far away everything can be. If you live in East and want to meet your friends in South, expect a 15 minute walk. If you have an 8 a.m. in West, you’re waking up at 6 a.m. to get ready.
It’s all fun and games until you have to walk in the snow to your classes, but there are thankfully some ways to cut down on your commute. I use my bike as often as possible. You can also hop the bus or invest in a student commuter pass.
- The Bus System Is Terrifying
-
I signed my lease for sophomore year uptown. That meant I pretty much had two options to get to class: my car or the bus.
The first day of the spring semester in 2022, I decided to take the bus to class for the first time. The snow plow had blocked my car into its parking space and I didn’t feel like shoveling it. My bus pass was provided by my apartment complex, so I might as well use it (and save some gas money)!
I walk down to the bus stop an hour and a half before my class started. I was watching for updates on the bus app to see when it would be there to pick me up. After sitting in the cold for nearly 45 minutes, the bus was both late and at max capacity. Seriously. It rolled right by me.
It was too late for me to shovel my car out, drive it to the Bryce Jordan Center and make the 30 minute walk to class. I missed both of my classes that day.
To sum it up, the only reliable method of transportation is yourself. If you have a job interview, an exam, a mandatory class or whatever, be sure to get to the bus stop way earlier than expected just in case you run into a situation like mine.
- You don’t have to be in a sorority to have fun
-
When I was in high school, I knew I was going to be in a sorority. No question about it.
The idea of sisterhood, involvement and philanthropy was so enticing to me. I knew Greek life was huge at Penn State and lots of other schools, so I figured I’d fit right in.
That wasn’t the case. I spent the majority of fall semester stressing about it, doing research on the sororities I thought I’d like to be in, picking out rush outfits and driving myself to a point of insanity over the whole ordeal.
By the time recruitment rolled around, I was burnt out. I figured that if I wanted to rush so badly, I would just COB in the fall, where I could rush one sorority instead of them all.
Here I am, two years later, super content and unaffiliated with Greek life. There’s nothing wrong with it if it’s something you enjoy. It just isn’t for me and I’m so glad I’ve saved myself time and money.
- There Are so many ways to spend your Free Time
-
My first semester of college, I wasn’t in a single club or organization. It was super difficult to get involved with COVID and all, but it’s really not a valid excuse in my opinion.
Second semester, I stumbled on Org Central, a website that has a comprehensive list of all the student orgs on campus. You can find sororities, fraternities, THON orgs, club sports and all sorts of general clubs on there.
I recommend you start your club hunt early! You can find your place and people relatively quickly in these organizations.
If clubs aren’t of interest to you, I also recommend checking out what jobs are hiring on campus. It’s an easy way to earn some spare money and the hours can fit into even the busiest college student’s schedule. I spent four semesters with PSU Housing working at the commons desk and I genuinely enjoyed my time there.
Finally, if you want to check out some academic based opportunities, talk to your professors. If you’re in a STEM major, it’s likely that a few of your professors are involved with research here.
You can assist in these studies or even become a participant! My freshman year, I participated a neurology study. I even made $30 from it!
- Game Day is Expensive
-
Everyone’s favorite day is game day, but let’s talk about it.
Purchasing your student ticket will run you about $250 for the season. Over the course of four years, you will spend about $1,000 on Penn State Football tickets. Go team.
Okay, so there’s your initial cost. Things you have to consider: outfits, food, drinks and transportation.
I’ve spent so much money on game day outfits. I try to borrow from my friends when and where I can, but sometimes you just have to commit to the fit and buy pieces from the shops downtown.
Food, especially in the stadium, is crazy expensive. I think a chicken basket is a whopping $12 and fountain drinks are $6. Cooking is tough on game day, though, so make sure you plan accordingly.
Finally, if you live far away, be prepared to pay an arm and a leg for parking or an Uber.
- Networking is Important Here
-
Here I am, junior year of college, screaming, crying and throwing up over my LinkedIn account.
Penn State has the largest alumni network in the nation. Tell me why I haven’t made a single connection yet?
Well, the answer is easy: I don’t know how to network. It’s difficult. I hate to be naggy, so I always feel like I’m bothering someone by reaching out.
Thankfully, my college offers a mentor/mentee program. I applied and now I’m connected with a recent PSU grad who is out in the real world, working a full time job and pursuing her master’s degree all at once. I’m super excited to use this program to my advantage and make some connection.
- Additional Major and Minors are easy to fit into your schedule early
-
I did this whole college thing completely wrong. When I first applied, I was ready to be Macy Miskiewicz, M.D. CHEM 110 begged to differ.
I am actually so thankful I struggled in the pre-med major early on because I truly don’t think it was for me. My advisor suggested I check out the BBH major in the college of HHD. It’s a way better fit for me and I’m so glad I switched. For a minute, I considered adding an English major as well.
I think if I was more decisive earlier in my college career, I could have done it. Now, I definitely do not have the time to catch up. Instead of a double major, I settled on a major and two minors.
I’ve realized that minors are quite easy to fit into your schedule at pretty much any point, but the sooner you decide, the better! Look into minors you may be interested in early and talk to your advisor.
Navigating college is difficult, especially when you’re in the process of applying and touring. I thankfully ended up in the right place, but it’s important to do independent research and think logically as you tour potential universities.