Throughout these next four years at Penn State, there are countless things I am looking forward to. In the fall, I am so excited to finally be a part of the schoolwide spirit during football season. Having gone to an all-girls high school, I never had the opportunity to cheer on a football team on Friday nights in a student section with enthusiastic fans. I always knew I wanted to go to a big school with a good football program, and what better place and community to be apart of then Penn State! I am also looking forward to making a core group of friends. Leaving my 13 high schools friends was a huge challenge for me because of how tight-knit our bond was, but everyone always tells me that college is where you meet the bridesmaids of your wedding. I have already met so many new people with great personalities just in this past week and I am really looking forward to finding my core group. I am also looking forward to getting to know my professors and the other students in the Donald P. Belisario College of Communications. 

With any new uncertainties, such as a new home and newfound responsibilities comes anxiety. While I know Penn State is there to work with me and help me be successful, my biggest concern is falling behind in my schoolwork and not being able to maintain good academic standing. With the temptations of peer pressure and Netflix, my goal is to stay on top of my schoolwork and always prioritize school over my social life.  

Thinking back to high school, one of my goals in college is to no longer procrastinate. Often times, I found myself studying for tests and starting papers the night before the assignments were due. One way I can achieve that goal is getting ahead on homework when I have free time. Summer is a perfect opportunity to get ahead on school work because we only have two classes.Now that I will have more free time and independence, I believe that that is a very manageable and realistic goal to uphold.   

Luckily, Penn State, because of its size, has an array of clubs and organizations to accommodate everyone’s preferences and interests. My goal for freshman year is to get involved in THON. Throughout my entire elementary and high school lives, service was always a major part of the curriculum at my schools because I attended Catholic school. THON is the perfect way to not only to get involved in one of the largest service organizations, but to change lives. I also want to be a part of any Communication related clubs, such as Onward State or the Telecommunications club because it suits my major. In addition, I hope to become a member of Greek life during my freshman year. I think it will be a great way to make friends and meet girls with the same interests as me.  

I think it is important to set goals for yourself in order to keep yourself determined and on the right track, but make sure they are realistic. In order to succeed in college, the first step is taking care of yourself. My goals are to eat well, stay fit by going to the gym, and get an adequate amount of sleep each night. My long term goal is to graduate with a degree with gpa as close to a 4.0 as possible and leave college with a good job. I can’t wait to achieve all of my goals these next 4 years in the happiest place on Earth!