Life Lesson Number Ten: Time Flies When You're Having Fun

It felt like yesterday; I was standing in my driveway saying goodbye to all my best friends, family and neighbors. The truth is I cried all the way to Happy Valley, not because I didn't want to go to college. I sobbed due to the fact that my friends and family were not coming with me.  Flash forward to the present day of April 14, 2016 and in three weeks I will have one year of college under my belt and it flew by.

This year I learned more about myself than I did in my previous eighteen years.  First, college courses are rigorous and in order to succeed academically I would need to study for more than an hour.  In addition, reading the syllabus carefully and not waiting to the last minute to complete the assignment would only help my grades in the long run.  My hometown was the greatest place that anyone could ever inhabit.  New Jersey's pizza and bagels were far greater than Pennsylvania's ( sorry).  Sleep was essential for my well being and a daily nap had to be fit into my schedule in order to survive.  Avoiding the Freshmen Fifteen could be done, after all the view from the track as well as the treadmills in the IM Building which was right near my dorm never got old.  I also never realized how amazing my parents were until I got to college.  They had always been my best friends, it just took me a while to realize it.  Who would of thought that laundry would be such a hassle.  Until this year I never really appreciated the time and effort my Mom put into doing my wash every week at home, thanks Mom!  Not only my parents, but my best friends from home were always texting and face- timing me everyday which made me feel as if they were on this journey with me.

 I'll admit that in the beginning being away from home was very difficult for me.  With all my best friends in New Jersey, the thought of transferring popped into my mind many times. There were days when I wanted to be at college with my best friends.  Days when I wanted to watch my brother become one of the best volleyball players in the state, go to my favorite pizzeria every Friday with my parents, and cuddle with my dog at night.  In January, after a winter break and having one semester of college under my belt, it all finally hit me. Throughout the fall semester, I had visited my friend's colleges and none compared to mine.  I realized that I was at one of the best universities in the country and that this was my life now.  For the first time, I knew that there was no more going back to high school and I was okay with that.  Finally, I figured out that I was here for a reason and in the next four years I would be getting an education from an amazing school, that some people only dream of.  Ready or not, it was time to grow up!

So thanks Penn State for helping me grow up and realize that my parents are not going to be there to guide me and make decisions for me every step of the way.  Thank you for helping me realize that I  am  decently smart and do belong here with all these incredibly bright people. Thanks, for giving me a heck of a social life and always having something to do on the weekends.  Thank you for introducing me to some of the most amazing people that I'm grateful to spend the next three years with.  Thanks for letting me get involved in the most incredible event that I will ever be a part of in my entire life, Thon. Thanks for showing me that anyone can make a big school feel small.  Thanks for the football games, Creamery ice cream, pookie sticks, stacks section of the library, all the fitness classes, the shopping and restaurants downtown.  Thanks for admitting me a year ago and lastly thank you for making me realize that after visiting 23 colleges and universities, this one was most definitely the one for me!  Its safe to say this year has flew; its been a blast and the best is yet to come.

Life Lesson Number Nine : Anyone and Everyone Can Avoid The Freshmen Fifteen

Going into college, I was pretty worried about three things.   They were not being able to sleep in a twin size bed, never being able to find my classes on the first day and  gaining the Freshmen Fifteen. There was no way I wanted to be that girl that went back to my hometown and everyone was like she gained a ton of weight.  Lucky, I can say that I won't be that girl and I am the same size, I was when I came to Penn State in August of last year. There is no denying that the Freshmen Fifteen is a major dilemma in some peoples lives, however I really do believe it can be avoided here at Penn State.

Truthfully, when I arrived here last August, I never really knew how physically fit our campus was. As time went on, I noticed how students and faculty were also running and biking. The intramural fields were always being used and there are often lines to get into the gym. So it did not surprise me that according to the Active Times, our university the fifth most active campus out of all the colleges in the country.

My first theory as to why everyone at Penn State is so fit is because our campus is huge.  The only downfall of going to a huge school is how far away everything is.  This means that walking to any place on campus takes a significant amount of time.  Though there are buses on campus, most of time they are usually full and personally I would much rather walk than be packed like sardines on a Catabus.  On average I tend to walk six miles a day and average about 9,000 steps.  What many don't realize is how good walking actually is for our bodies and it only takes a few extra minutes to walk to a class rather than take a bus.

Theory number two as to why the Freshmen Fifteen is absolutely avoidable pertains to the dining hall in East Halls.  After almost of year of being in Happy Valley, I am proud to report that I have sampled every dining hall that our campus has to offer.  Ironically, the worst one has to be where the vast majority of freshmen live, East Halls.  This dining hall has little to offer to begin with and with the renovations taking place, it seems that now they have nothing to offer at all.  I do believe this was done on purpose, so that the freshmen wouldn't gain weight and be forced to take the ten minute journey down to South Dining hall or the HUB where they offer many more options.

Another theory about why the Freshmen Fifteen is avoidable is the beauty of our gyms and all they have to offer.  The IM building which happens to be next to East Halls, where the vast majority of freshmen live, is the nicest gym that I've ever seen in my nineteen years of living.  From the indoor track, basketball courts, weight rooms, racquetball rooms, volleyball courts and ample treadmills to the ellipticals, this building makes you want to work out.  The view from the treadmill and the track just happens to look out to Beaver Stadium. The scenery never gets old and makes me miss the fall and Saturdays spent with family and friends decked out in blue and white.

Lastly, our university has so many food places to offer.  From the various dining halls, to HUB dining with two salad places and a smoothie place.  Let's not forget that the Creamery even has sandwiches, pasta salad, fruit and veggie cups.  Also, if you get sick of all that, there are a ton of healthy places to eat at downtown like Fiddlehead (my favorite salad place), Noodles & Co and Panera Bread.  Penn State has it all.

People gain weight in college and that is okay.  However, I do believe that it really is avoidable here at Penn State.  If you take the bus often, try walking to class; after all the weather is getting warmer. Take a friend to the IM building and play racket ball; after all it is an incredible work out. Go for a run outside; there are so many different routes you can take each day with all different beautiful scenery.  Take advantage of all the healthy options that are both on and off campus and I guarantee that those fifteen pounds won't be seen on you.

Life Lesson Number Eight : The Importance of Studying

There are two types of people in this world; those that are naturally smart and don't have to study and those that have to study their butt off just to get good grades.  I happen to be the second type of person and I'm pretty jealous of those naturally really smart people.  It's safe to say that over the past year of being at Penn State, I've spent more time in the first floor stacks cubical than anywhere on campus.  If college has taught me anything, it's that you have to study, not the day before, day of or twenty minutes before the class.  I'm talking at least a solid five days before the exam. After all, college is much much harder than high school.

As mentioned in one of my previous blogs, I remember sitting in orientation and a man from Penn State explained that our high school GPA's compared to our college GPA's would be drastically different.  In my head I was laughing, telling myself that I'm a pretty decent student and there is no way that college could be that much harder.  That man was right however and with only a month left to go in  my freshmen year I finally understand why it's such a large accomplishment graduating from college, because it isn't a walk in the park.

I'll admit that I am a nerd; I do really enjoy school and learning, which may sound crazy to some.  In high school I got good grades and studied.  However, there were a handful of times I found myself just studying during lunch for a test or in the hallway five minutes before a test, but in college that isn't possible. The thing about college is that many classes only have three tests, so if you do poorly in one, your whole grade is affected.

It seems to me however, that the first exam in a course is always the exam I tend to do the worse on. Last semester I took a sociology class that made me lose lots of sleep at night.  I remember when we got our first exams back.  I looked at the score.  It was a D and I thought that never in my life have I done this bad on a test.  The girl next to me saw how distressed I looked, turned to me and said, "You're a freshmen aren't you"?  She explained that usually the first exam is always the worst grade and you learn how the professors ask their tests questions.  Then she talked about how professors tend to curve the first exams of classes more than any other test.  The moral of the story is, if you fail the first exam, don't panic just yet, after all I ended up getting an 89 in that class.

One of the greatest things in college that has been beyond beneficial is group studying.  In high school I never used to study with others, but in college I find myself every night in the business building studying and doing work with my classmates.  It definitely helps the time go by faster and I find it very beneficial to have another person besides your professor explain information about an exam, essay or project in their words.  In a way, you are learning from a whole other prospective. However, some people need to just study alone in order to fully concentrate on the material, which is completely understandable.

There are two ways that I study for every exam.  The first one is that I make note cards.  This helps me memorize the material faster.  After all, I can flip through a bunch of terms and questions in just a few minutes. The note cards also help to pull out the important information.  In addition, I tend to rewrite my notes until I have fully memorized them.  Yes, the process is long and tedious, but it tends to work. There is research out there that shows that if you write out information, you tend to remember it better.

Lastly, your syllabus is your best friend.  She explains to you all the topics that will be on the exam. Also, she can even give you some helpful websites to visit for extra help.  Remember, she available twenty four hours a day and weeks before the exam, so make sure you see what she has to offer.

Life Lesson Number Seven: Its Okay To Be Homesick

It felt like yesterday my eight best high school friends and I were sitting around our lunch table, complaining about how boring our hometown was. Talking about how we were "so over" high school, the work, and everyone in our grade. Fast forward to about eight months later, and every single one of us would do anything to be sitting at that table again. Surrounded by firmilar faces, Friday night football games under the lights, trips to our favorite diners, hikes over looking the Delaware river and our adventures to Princeton.

College has taught me so many things, among many, I am for sure a homebody. Also, its one hundred percent okay to feel homesick somedays. Don't get me wrong, I love college and I am beyond happy with my decision to attend Penn State. After all, our University offers absolutely everything from stellar academics, to a variety of clubs and organizations. Lastly, lets not forget to mention a pretty insane social seen. However, there are some days, when I miss my hometown, my friends, family, my dog, Jersey pizza, bagels, and of course my bed. The truth is I didn't realize how amazing Ringoes, New Jersey was until I had to leave.

I'll be the first to say that one of the factors that makes me miss home some days, is my big queen size bed. The thick mattress pad really adds to it, as well as all my nice fluffy pillows, cozy blankets and my dog snuggled up next to me. I will say though, I was worried that going from a queen to a twin at college would be a hard transition. However, a thick mattress pad can go along way on any size bed.

State College does have decent food. However, if you have ever met anyone from New Jersey, or New York they will definitely not let you leave the conversation you're having without explaining to you how good their bagels, pizza and subs are. Now, I understand everyone thinks their hometown food is the best but even though I sound like a stereotypical Jersey person, there is something in New Jersey's water that makes the bagels and pizza better than any other out there. Let me tell you about my favorite food in the entire world, Tortellini Pizza. In the part of New Jersey that I am from its a big thing to put Pasta on pizza. Some nights when I'm at State College I crave this pizza, its so cheesy, very filling and I probably should mention not the healthiest food in the world. Lets not forget our to die for taylor ham that we put on our fluffy bagels.

Im fortunate enough to have so many amazing friends from my hometown. Some that I went to school with since kindergarten while others, I met in high school. My high school had about 800 student in each grade, so about twenty of my classmates came to Penn State. Lucky for me, that included one of my very best friends Kiley. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we venture to the gym to not only avoid the freshmen fifteen but chat about hometown gossip as well as our new college gossip. Its crazy to think about how you go from seeing all your hometown friends for about four years straight. Then one day they are only there over texts. The distant hasn't come between my best friends and I. Our home town hero's group chat blows up my phone nearly every hour of the day, making me feel as if they are right there with me every step of the way.    

 So if there are days when you want to go home and sleep in your bed, thats normal. If there are days when you want to be back in your car, blasting music with your hometown friends, thats normal as well. If there are days when you are craving bagels and pizza from home, thats normal. If there are days when you wish you were back under the Friday night lights watching your number one ranked high school football team win a state championship, thats normal to. If there are days when you miss home and just want to go home, thats okay to, we all have those days. Remember though, State College is our new home! 

Life Lesson Six: Try New Things

It felt like yesterday I was walking into the involvement fair in the Hub. The sheer amount of clubs and people in the room was extremely overwhelming. At every presentation event that I attending before coming to Penn State, they explained how the University inhabited more than 40,000 students  and hundreds of different clubs and activities.  These clubs and organizations were what made Penn State feel small.  College has taught me many things among them, never be afraid to try new things even if it doesn't work out at least you tried it.  That could mean anything from trying new foods at the dining hall, trying different study habitats, or joining new clubs and organizations on campus.


Around the second week of school, I decided to rush a sorority. After a week or so, of the same conversations over and over, and my voice was practically extinct. As the week came to a close I learned that I had gotten a bid from one of the sororities. After attending numerous meetings with the girls that would eventually become my sisters one day I realized, that the sorority life wasn't exactly for me. At first I felt so out of place, all my friends loved the sororities they were in. For some reason I just couldn't see myself being apart of this origination for the next four years of my life, let me remind you a very expensive organization. The whole rush experience was one that I was fortunate for, after all, I was able to meet some amazing people through the whole process.

After the sorority experience I didn't know what I was going to do here at State College since Greek Life is a huge part of our University. At this point I didn't want to try anything new, but then my family friend from home, Matt told me that I had to join a Thon Committee, no if and's or butts. In the back of my mind I kept telling myself that if the sorority thing didn't work out then there was no way the Thon Committee would go well. Finding the Human Behavioral and Health building was like searching for gold. I asked about twenty people where the building was located and even used my the  GPS app  on cell phone. I thought for certain that I was going to miss my interview and blow my chance of being apart of Thon. I'm glad to report that I made it there, pretty district but I made. A bald headed guy told me that the kid before did a back flip, and asked what cool talent I had. That's how my interview started but a few later I got the call that I would be a member of the 2015 Thon Operations Committee. This Committee changed the way I felt about Penn State, I met the greatest people who I would spend every weekend with at State College, the people that would eventually become my best friends and family. With them I was able to experience a life changing event, THON.



Like I said before the involvement fair at our school is pretty insane. From friends club to mortal, to Republicans of State College, to Ohana, and PAD law frat, Penn State offers more than anyone has time for. After coming back from the fair with a stack of about 50 flyers, I decided to join Ohana which is a special interest group associated with THON. In addition, the law frat here at State College called PAD really sparked my interest and I found myself at Monday night meetings. Going to the meetings, at first, is intimidating of course, but as the meetings go on faces get more familiar and the people in the room that once were strangers become your best friends.

Penn State has so much to offer, from all its club sports. To organizations that deal with THON, to its tutoring centers. To all the amazing food places downtown such as Noodles, Qdoba, Uncles Chen's, to the Tavern. Our University has it all however, I would never know any of this I didn't step out of my comfort zone and try all of these new things!

Life Lesson Number Five: College is expensive

For many of us, the cost was a factor when looking at colleges, at least, it was for me.  I remember visiting Penn State and thinking by the time my four years are up, my parents will have spent around 200,000 dollars just so I could further my education.  According to the Business Insider, Penn State has the second highest in-state tuition out of all the public institutions across the country. For those out-of-staters like myself, 48,000 dollars a year is pretty grueling as well (thanks, Mom, and Dad). Until I was at college for a few months, I never knew about all the other expenses and they sure do add up pretty quick.

Another expensive part of college is the books.  In high school, we were given books for free.  Of course, my parents paid taxes to fund the school.  When I walked into the book store, the second day of my classes, I found myself flabbergasted by a number of books there were and the cost.  One of my books cost $175.  Of course, I could rent the book, but that was a ton of money and I still needed to purchase four more.  The sad part was, I only needed that book once the whole semester.  The academic part of college was expensive but the social part was too.

The summer before my freshmen year of college I worked at a day camp.  Every time I got a pay check my Mom would tell me to save the money because I was going to need it for college.  At that time, I just yessed her to death.  What could I possibly need that money for?  Little did I know that my bank account would shrink my first semester in college.  Hockey Sticks and Chinese food I quickly learned were the only food places open at four in the morning and those places didn't take meal points.  Every time I would walk into the bookstore or McClanahans I would see some type of Penn State apparel that I needed to add to my closet.  Then I would make my way through the HUB and see the THON apparel.  I needed a THON shirt or two to wear around campus and let's not forget the cute THON hats that everyone wears.  If I wanted to see a hockey game or attend certain sports events that cost money too.  When it came time to travel home and visit my best friend for her birthday I found out that traveling to and from State College wasn't cheap either. The bottom line was my bank account was diminishing and my meal points were as well.

We're pretty lucky here at Happy Valley.  We have a variety of food places to eat at.  From Burger King to Au Bon Pan to Jamba Juice to Chick-Fil-A to Mixed Greens, we have it all, but unfortunately these places, as good as they are, deplete our meal points.  After awhile I realized that my handpicked salad that I enjoyed eating everyday from Mixed Greens cost 7 meal points.  The crazy part is I only get 800 points a semester but pay 2,000 dollars for it.  I learned to not get the salad everyday from Mixed Green and avoid Starbucks as much as possible.  Of course once in a while you have to treat yourself, but treating yourself too often can lead to rationing at the end of the semester, or a phone call home to Mom and Dad asking for more meal points.

The bottom line is that college is expensive.  I learned quickly that I couldn't order Chinese at four am every week or get my favorite drink from Starbucks each week.  I can't buy every cute shirt I see downtown or in the bookstore and that renting my books saves tons of money. Most of all I learned that I'm grateful that I have my summer job again because my bank account needs the money!

Life Lesson Number Four: Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help

It seems pretty self explanatory, when you're confused or uncertain about something you should ask for help.  I mean what do you really have to lose?  In middle school and high school this was a pretty simple task.  After all, you knew all your classmates and teachers.  Then you get to college and all that changes.  No longer are you surrounded by your best friends, nor does the professor know your name half the time.  So in college when you need help, you have to step out of your comfort zone and open your mouth.

When I first arrived at Penn State, I found myself asking for help often.  Some of my questions were: Which way does which bus go?  How do I even work the buses?  What is the difference between Lion Cash and meal points?  Can I put colored clothes in with white clothes or will all my white clothes turn different colors?  Do you know where the Walker Building is?  As silly as these question sound, I would have never learned how to take the bus or separate my clothes before I washed them. Also, I probably would of thought that Lion Cash and meal points were the same thing.  All of this would not have occurred if I didn't ask for help.

These were the little things in life that caused minor dilemmas and were pretty simple to ask for help about.  As we have all learned pretty fast, college happens to be much harder than middle school.  I remember sitting in freshmen orientation and our leader explaining  how our high school GPA would be nothing like our college one.  She then explained that a 3.0 in college was good and my jaw dropped.  She was right.  The point is that the classes in college are challenging.  So when you don't fully understand a topic, first read the book, then if the book can't answer your questions, ask for help.

We all have that one class each semester that no matter how hard we try, our best just isn't good enough.  This happened to me last semester with my Political Science class.  I went to every single class and read the book, but at the end of the day I just couldn't grasp the material.  When it came time to complete our third homework assignment, I happened to get a 32 percent.  This was a major problem and I found myself in tears.  The saddest part was that I had to get this grade to realize that maybe I needed help.  So, I sent the TA an email, met with her in office hours and I can say that after asking for her help I became an expert on game theory (I don't recommend trying to learn how to solve games for fun, because they are not fun).  Anyway, it only took a quick email and a half hour session for me to learn the material, all because I asked for help.  This semester when I truly don't understand a concept, I don't wait till I fail a homework assignment to go into office hours, I just go right away. After all, TA's and professors are there to help you, they're human after all you know.

It may seem scary at first, being in a new place and asking strangers for help, but that's life.  In college what suffers is your GPA when it comes to grades.  Asking for help doesn't make you stupid, the reality is that it can only benefit you.  So the next time your confused or lost looking for a building around Penn State, don't be afraid to ask for help, you really have nothing to lose.




Link Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b5/Help_poster.jpg