I wish there were things I would’ve known before coming to campus for my first year. For example, I wish I would’ve known that if you walk into a lecture hall late or get up to leave early, everyone will turn around and look at you. I wish I would’ve known that if you run to catch a bus – once again – everyone on board will look at you. I wish I would’ve known that GrubHub was a thing so much earlier (although now I wish I didn’t considering how much I spend on it.) However, I’ve learned many things in my first year so far at Penn State, so here I am to offer my wisdom to any upcoming college freshmen in the hopes they get the hang of things a little quicker than I did.
1. Blue and White Loops are your best friends
I can’t stress this enough: the blue and white loops are my actual lifeline. Whether it’s saving me from the brutal weather of Happy Valley, getting me to class in time, or getting me home after a long night out, these two buses have been the hero I never knew I needed. If you find yourself wondering if you’ll be able to walk to class in the horrible weather or make it downtown for whatever reason: take the blue or white loop and prosper.
2. 8 a.m.’s are not your best friend
Everyone thinks they can do 8 a.m.’s because they assume that, after years of waking up early to get to school at 7:30 a.m., an 8 a.m. in a building ten minutes away will be a breeze; these people are wrong. I don’t know what it is, but waking up for an 8 a.m. in college is so much harder than waking up for high school. Maybe it’s the lack of accountability from your parents, or just the freedom in the morning to skip with the warmth of your bed convincing you that it’s not that big of a deal to miss class again – who knows. But trust me when I say this: 8 a.m.’s are not, and never will be, your friend.
3. Stake out your corner in the library early
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to go to the library regularly, starting early in the semester. The library, whether it’s at a table with your friends or in a secluded spot in the Stacks, provides a space to focus and study that’s unparalleled. More importantly, you want to claim your spot in the library early on, so that it’s established that you know where to go to get work done during the dreaded finals week when the rest of the plebeians descend on the Stacks for some last-minute studying.
4. Put yourself out there
Let’s face it: Penn State is a huge campus, and it’s easy to feel lost. Going to involvement fairs and scouting out clubs you might be interested in helps make this big campus feel a little smaller. I guarantee that whatever you’re into, there’s a club for it; and if there’s not, then the beauty of Penn State is that you can make a club for what you’re interested because there’s a fair chance other people out there are waiting for a club like yours. There are so many ways to get involved on campus that the possibilities are endless, and it’s so rewarding to find people with similar interests as you that you can build strong friendships with.
There are a lot of things I love about Penn State, and other things I’ve learned to love (thinking of you, CATA buses). As some younger high school friends get their acceptances to my school, I can’t help but hope they come into it a little more prepared than they think they are. My best advice to soon to be Penn Staters is to get involved, make academics a priority, and for the love of God, love yourself and just say no to that 8 a.m. if you can help it.