As an incoming freshman at Penn State, there are lots of changes and new experiences coming my way. With so much changing around me and lots of new things to learn ahead, I have set some goals for myself and also have a few things I am looking forward to, as I begin my first year.

There are so many different things that I am looking forward to as I begin my first year at Penn State. The main thing I am looking forward to the most, and that I am most excited for, are the football games. I have been to many Penn State football games but I never have actually attended one as a Penn State student so I am very excited for that new experience. One of the main factors that played into my decision of choosing Penn State was all of the great experiences I had at Penn State football games, so that is one thing I am extremely excited for. One of the other things I am looking forward to the most is getting to know new people from all different backgrounds. Coming to a new school and having to start fresh and make new friends is something really intriguing to me. I am looking forward to this because I can meet people that have had completely different life experiences from me and it is a really great opportunity to learn new things. Lastly, I am looking forward to being able to have complete freedom and being able to create and determine my own schedule. Unlike high school, I am going to be able to make my own rules and have to learn how to manage my time and use this extra freedom to my advantage, which is something that can be very helpful in life and for the future.

Although there are lots of new and great things about college, there are also lots of different things that have me feeling a bit anxious. Sometimes I have a habit of procrastinating, and I know that bad habit will not be sustainable through college so I am a bit anxious about having to stay on top of all my work and trying to be able to balance work with other activities. A few other things I am feeling anxious about when it comes to college are, getting good grades, and trying to balance 5 difficult classes at once, in the fall.

Now that I am in college, there are a few habits that I feel like I should change if I want to be a successful college student. The main things I think that I need to do differently in college are getting my work done before the last minute, dedicate more scheduled time to my school work, and pay closer attention in class and take better notes. I feel that if I can start slowly making these daily habits part of my everyday routine, I can be a much more organized and less stressed student in the long run.

With there being so many different activities and clubs at Penn State, there have been a few that have caught my attention that I may want to try at some point during my freshman year. One of the things that I have heard from Penn State students that I have talked to is that the intramural sports teams are very fun and a great way to meet new people. I am really interested in trying to play intramural flag football, and also basketball. I would also really like to get involved in club golf since I played golf all throughout high school, and would still like to play competitively.  Also, if I were able to, I would like to get involved in THON because my older sister was, and it is something really special and exclusive to Penn State that no other school has.

I feel that by setting goals for myself, it will help me be the best student I can be because I have something to push towards and chase. A goal that I have for myself for the first semester is to have no worse than a C in any of my classes. Another goal that I have, for my first year, is to finish the year with a 3.3 GPA. For my four year goal, I want to graduate with a lifelong group of friends, and also most importantly, have a job lined up related to sports such as working with an NFL franchise because that is something I have dreamed of for a long time.

Overall, college is going to be a new experience with lots of ups and downs, but by setting these goals and starting in the summer I think they will help prepare me for whats to come in the future and they will always give me something to look to accomplish throughout my four years here.