Don't forget your friend

Everybody has one.  It is nothing to be ashamed of.  When I first packed for college (and every trip I have taken since), I made sure to pack my best friend.  He is fuzzy, blue and purple and stuffed.  He is my stuffed dinosaur, Timmy. 

My sister (at the time, a Penn State senior) was a pro at the packing game.  “Roll your clothes.  It will give you more room to pack lots of items in a small space.  Are you really going to wear that at school? Pile those pants over there.  Give me those shirts.  Ugh, where are we going to fit your suit?!”  The things she yelled at me during the intense packing process are endless.  The one comment that sticks out the most in my mind is the one about my dinosaur, “You’re bringing that thing?”  Once all of the shirts, shorts, pants, sweatshirts and desk accessories were perfectly packed by my pro Penn Stater, the only thing left was Timmy. 

She made me think that I would be judged by this choice and that Timmy would not be accepted.  Little did she know that bringing him to college was the best decision I ever made.  What other best friend is going to listen to you cry over how much you miss your momma, weep over that ONE bad exam you had that won’t actually be the end of the world, boast about the cool interview you scored at the career fair and everything else in between?  The only friend that I found that is available 24/7 and 365 days a year is the one that I brought with me from home.  Not only is Timmy a good listener though, he also scored me some A’s and a really amazing friend.  Without Timmy, I would not have known what to write one of my English 15 papers about, what to give my first CAS 100 speech on and I would never have felt free enough to express my love of dinosaurs that brought together me and my best friend. 

So, when you start packing for college, don’t forget to bring along that stuffed animal you know that you have because you don’t know how helpful it will be until you don’t have it.  And DON’T let anyone judge you.

Kati Shea is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She is a Mentor for WEPO 2011, and has completed research through the WISER program. She is also involved in SWE, Penn State Racing and EON. Feel free to contact her at katishea29@gmail.com