Penn State provides an incredible academic and social college experience. I applied to many schools with strong Division I sports teams, but the real reason I chose Penn State was the excellence I saw at the Accepted Students’ Day. That being said, I am most looking forward to being part of this strong network of businesses and alumni. When I heard that companies visit Penn State to recruit students, I get excited knowing I can have a career lined up before I even graduate. Although I applied to many sports schools, there is definitely something different about a football game in the Happy Valley. Just this week I learned that Beaver Stadium has the fourth highest seating capacity in the world. I haven’t been inside yet, but I know I’ll get chills stepping into the stadium for the first time. Finally, I’m looking forward to the little memories like throwing around a football or playing basketball with friends. There are so many people at University Park to meet, and although I won’t talk to a large majority of them, having little conversations with fellow students here excites me.

Coming to such a big school like Penn State creates a lot of anxiety as well. Thankfully, the summer session will help prepare me for the fall in terms of navigating the campus and getting a sense of a college course. However, I’ve only seen this place with 2,000 students, so when I think about how over 40,000 people will be here I get mild anxiety. Places like the gym and the hub can seem crowded now, so I can’t even imagine what it’ll be like in the fall. Although I’m learning how to manage free time and work time now, I’m only doing this with two classes. When I have to take five classes in the fall, I can already feel the stress boiling inside of me. Establishing a plan for organization and getting ahead of the schedule will be crucial for me. Finally, I’m nervous about winding up in the wrong group of kids. Every year, there are stories of people being hazed and forced to do things they don’t want to. I’m prioritizing finding a nice, chill group of friends that also look to stay away from the danger.

In my short week and a half time at Penn State, the differences between high school and college are noticeable right away. Starting on the first day of class, I need to be on top of my work and try to get ahead as early as possible. These assignments rack up fast, so the more I can get done before the due date the better off I’ll be. I’ve also found out I have to adopt habits that weren’t necessary in high school. For the most part I could remember what I had to do for homework in my head, but that isn’t the case anymore. Utilizing a calendar and post-it notes is a good method of knowing what I need to do and when to do it. Finally, college has been much harder work-wise than high school, so seeking out additional resources is essential. I could ask whatever question I had to the teacher in high school and it would get answered, but in college professors might not always give the answer you’re looking for. Spending time in the Learning Center and attending office hours is a great way of using what Penn State has to offer.

At Penn State, I hope to get involved with intramural sports, specifically basketball and flag football. My high school didn’t provide the opportunity to play organized sports outside of the JV and varsity team. I’ve been looking forward to intramural sports for a long time, as it combines my passions with building social connections. I also want to join the Newman Center, which I haven’t looked into too much yet, but I know it’s something I will join. Continuing practicing my faith through this club and the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center is important to me. Finally, I’m going to look into the business fraternities at Penn State. Here, I can connect with fellow Smeal students and still partake in all the social events like a typical fraternity, just excluding the party scene.

My first semester goal is to establish my habits that I will carry with me all throughout college. It’s much easier to figure out how I want to approach my assignments when I only have two classes, as opposed to juggling five in the fall. Making these academic mistakes in the summer will prove to be so much more beneficial, and I’ll feel a step ahead from the rest of the students next semester. My first year goal is to find my group of friends that I’ll have by my side for the college years, and hopefully long after that. I’m not naturally gifted at making friends, but I know the importance of them in college, so I’m going to do my best to step out of my comfort zone. Joining clubs and participating in intramural sports is a good start, but it’ll take more than that to build true friendships. My ultimate college goal is to maintain the required GPA to stay in the Smeal College of Business and graduate with a Bachelor’s in whatever I decide to major in. The requirements for the business school are difficult, but I am trusting my work ethic and devotion to excel at Penn State. I know I’m capable of it, and staying consistent throughout these four years will be the key to accomplishing this goal.

Hopefully, when I reread my goals in the coming years, I’ve accomplished them. Staying on course throughout college is important because I do not want to play catch up, as I know how hard that is. This blog is the first time sharing my goals for college, since I hadn’t made a true list of goals yet. Making a list of goals is definitely important, because it gives me something to work towards in my college years.