By: Dania Basli

It is without a doubt that freshman year of college is very overwhelming and intimidating. No matter where you go or what you do, there’s a constant buzz that encompasses you; people asking, “so what’s your major”, “what internship do you have this summer” or “what do you want to do after you graduate”. As an incoming junior, I must admit that these questions still have me nervous because at the end of the day, we never really know where we’re going to end up or what the future holds. So rather than focusing on this buzz that often causes stress, my advice is to seize control of the things around you: opportunities.

At Penn State, we are extremely lucky to have the biggest alumni network in the nation, don’t forget that! But how is that helpful to me? Well, in order to work your way up the ladder of opportunities that might lead you to a bigger goal, you should start small. Try to find a club that interests you or aligns with your major. I cannot stress enough how helpful these clubs are, PRSSA has given me more insight, opportunity, and networking than any counseling session or article has ever given me. After making a decision about what you’re interested in, don’t be afraid to ask around about who else, other than fellow students, you can talk to. This might lead you to advisors, which might then, in turn, lead you to alumni. Although connecting with alumni might also seem daunting, more often than not, they turn out to be super open to helping a fellow Penn Stater (hence the amazing alumni network).

On top of opportunities that you might find linked to your major or interests, there are also many that if you take the time to search for, are extremely rewarding. The advisors at the Carnegie Building can be helpful in providing you with information about school trips, internships, as well as jobs within the school.

If you take one thing away from all that it is said above, let it be this: at a university as big as Penn State, opportunity does not come your way if you don’t put in the effort to find it, so don’t be afraid to do so. After all, with all that tuition money spent, you definitely deserve it!