Something I find interesting is the list of stereotypes that are used to distinguish freshmen from the other students at Penn State. They range from everything to carrying your keys on a lanyard to thinking you will be able to easily find your friends on the tailgate fields on game day. As a member of the class of 2024, the class who began college when COVID entirely changed what the college experience looked like, I wonder how those stereotypes changed or applied differently to us. Even at a personal level, I was mortified by the idea of seeming too much like a freshman even when I was one.
During my sophomore year, it became a joke among my friends and others in our class that the incoming freshman class was more socially apt than us. We did not get to experience classes and social life in a normal way because of COVID, and, despite there still being restrictions, the university had returned to more normal habits. As sophomores, I was having “freshman year experiences” at the same time the actual freshmen were. It embarrassed me when a student younger then me gave me directions to one of my classes or had more knowledge about social norms.
Which leads me to this year. I am a junior who really doesn’t care anymore. I realized that I was using the idea of freshmen stereotypes as an outlet for insecurities. I came to this realization after a particularly chaotic Tuesday afternoon this week that left me comparing myself to all of the new students on campus. This is my first year living in an off-campus apartment and also the first year in which I am not easily able to walk anywhere I want. I was fortunate enough to live in the centrally located Atherton hall for two years, and I really enjoy walking on campus. Tuesday was the first time I had ever taken the bus by myself because the 30 minute walk to the IM building was not ideal in the rain.
As you can imagine, it was pretty obvious that I had never taken the bus by myself before. I accidentally got onto paid Toftrees busses, mixed up the Blue and White loops, and had the bus app up on my phone the entire time. I spent the whole time mortified that people would assume I was a freshman instead of a Junior but also comforted by that assumption because at least they wouldn’t realize how inexperienced I was by my third year. My pride had already taken a hit, and then I had to ask for directions to find my workout class in the IM building. Along with the lost freshmen, I went up to the information table because I had no idea there was a lower level of the building considering I only ever go to IM for my weekly Power Remix class.
After a very fun workout class, I was feeling confident and decided not to risk being embarrassed again by taking the bus back home. It was great walk until about 5 minutes in when it started pouring down rain on me and I was left feeling like the llama in Emperor’s New Groove during my long walk home. It gave me time to think about why I was so embarrassed earlier in the day about the idea of being compared to first year students. Is my pride so fragile that I need to associate making mistakes with a category of people to which I don’t belong?
Although I was really embarrassed on Tuesday, I needed to be humbled. It put college more into perspective for me and killed the possibility of becoming a self-righteous upperclassman. Honestly, it would be more embarrassing to pretend like I know everything. College is about discovery, and my most recent discovery is that I am never going to stop making mistakes. That’s okay, as long as I learn and grow.
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