The Facts About Research

By now you’ve probably realized Penn State is big.  Like REALLY big!  Due to that, there are literally thousands of things you can get involved in on campus from THON to Peanut butter and Jelly club!  It’s so easy to get lost in all the possibilities, so I’m here to tell you about one of the many, research.  Almost every professor on campus has research opportunities and here are some steps and tips to taking advantage of one of Penn State’s many resources.

1) Figuring Out What You Want To Do:  

The opportunists are actually endless when it comes to research.  I am currently working in Curtis Lab, a chemical engineering lab with a plant biology focus, but you don’t have to work in a lab that is part of your major.  How did I find this lab?  I listened to a talk given by Dr. Curtis.  Professors love to talk about their work, so ask them about it!  You might just find something interesting.  After listening to Dr. Curtis talk about his lab, I had to learn more about it.  Six months later and I spend my days walking the halls with him going over the most recent data I’ve collected for one of my many cacao growth experiments.  I would have never thought I would be capable of working in a college level lab, especially one that involves plants (I have a track record as a flower murder).  However, I’ve come to love my work and it has showed me how impotent it is to keep an open mind when you are trying to figure out what kind of research you want to do.

2) Joining Up

Ok so you’ve found research material you like.  Now what???  It’s extremely intimidating joining such a high level lab, especially as a freshman with so little knowledge of the high level concepts used in a lab.  What I have found is that the best way to join a lab when you don’t have the skills is to start from the bottom.  Volunteer to just come in and wash dishes or fill pipette boxes or anything they need done!  As you get familiar with the space start to make friends with senior lab members and learn about their work, even offer to help them out in little ways or tag along when they do an experiment.  In no time you’ll realize how much you’ve learned and professors really appreciate students who are willing to start at the bottom and work hard to learn their ways to the top.

3) Sticking Around

Working in a lab is a big commitment, especially in the beginning.  There is an overwhelming amount of information to learn and it is very easy to feel like the dumbest person in the room.  I know I felt like that a lot my first few months in lab and it was extremely frustrating.  However, if you love what you’re doing, it’s worth it.  The number of opportunities that I now have through my lab are insane.  I have gained a mentor by working closely with my professor and I even got a paid summer position for working as hard as I did to progress in lab.  But, working in a lab doesn’t have to be a permanent commitment.  If you find yourself working in a lab that don’t like or you find research is not for you, it is more than ok to stop!  Your time is so valuable, don’t waste it doing something you don’t want to do!

Well that’s all for now!  If you have any questions for me about research feel free to contact me at mes5909@psu.edu or find me at WEPO!

Morgan Shires is a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering, and is a Rover for WEPO'15!

Staying Healthy on Campus

The “freshman fifteen” can sometimes be the scariest part of college for some students.  I was really active in high school and love to workout, so exercising wasn’t too difficult for me.  However, I definitely have the biggest sweet tooth and really love basically any unhealthy food, so that was my struggle.  For students who don’t enjoy working out, it can be difficult to find time or just the motivation to exercise.  And with the thousands of options at the dining halls, it’s so easy to sit for 2 hours with your friends and go back for seconds and thirds and fourths.  However, use this advice for staying healthy on campus when there are so many temptations for the alternative.

Get outside when you can.  Running on the treadmill or using the elliptical or bike for 30 minutes every single day can definitely get boring.  I love to run, and even I can get really bored with the gym machines.  If you want to run, definitely get outside and run a loop around campus or downtown.  Of course, this only works when it’s warm outside, which is only for a couple months out of the year.  The gyms on campus provide maps with running/walking loops and their distances.  It’s a good way to switch up your workout, and it will definitely keep your interest more than staying in one place on a treadmill.  When it’s cold outside and running on campus just isn’t an option, go to the gym when your favorite TV show is on.  Most machines have TVs, and watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy or Fresh Prince of Bel Air (a nice throwback) while you workout will definitely help pass the time.

Don’t be afraid of the weights.  I know, it’s intimidating when all the guys are lifting and you don’t want to be that one girl that’s over there pumping iron.  Get a group of your friends to go and it won’t be as scary.  At the intramural fitness center, there are weights upstairs too with all of the cardio equipment, and there is a good mix between girls and guys.  Using weights still gives you a great workout, and it’s a nice break from cardio, so definitely look up some exercises and try it!  Plus, who doesn’t want to show off their muscles?  GIRL POWER.

Play intramural sports.  It’s fun and you can do it with all of your friends.  It’s even a great way to meet new people!  If you played sports in high school, it’s a great way to continue to play them at a not-so-intense-level.  Even if you’re not the best at the sport, it’s still so much fun to just get out there and try it.  There’s an intramural team for basically any sport you can think of, so there’s bound to be something you find fun!

Have will power at the dining halls.  Trust me, there are so many options at the dining hall that you’ll be tempted to try one of everything.  DON’T.  You’ll soon realize that you’re eating WAY more than you did at home, which is totally unnecessary.  Plus, if you go to the gym right before dinner, everything will look 10 times more appetizing and it will be 10 times harder to resist (this was always my issue).  There’s an app that you can get for your phone that will have the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu for each dining hall.  My advice is to look at the menu ahead of time and pick out a few things you’re going to get and only go to those lines.  It will help you to avoid going into every line and getting more food than you actually need.  If you keep your portion sizes in check, staying healthy will be that much easier.

Don’t get dessert every night.  Cookies in the West dining hall could seriously be the death of you.  They’re so soft and warm and delicious (my mouth is watering just thinking about them) but you don’t need one every day.  Treat yourself every once in a while and they will taste that much better when you do get to have them.  The same goes for ice cream.  Passing up Creamery ice cream in the dining hall takes some serious will power, but trust me ladies YOU CAN DO IT.

Try not to snack too much and/or stress-eat.  When you have an exam coming up and you’re really nervous and stressed out, sometimes all you want is a half galloon of ice cream or a chocolate cake or a candy bar to make you feel better.  Trust me, I’ve been there, and like I said before, I have probably the biggest sweet tooth EVER.  But don’t give in, especially when you’re up late studying.  If you have to, lock away your snacks or have your roommate hide them for you (I’ll admit I’ve done both of these).  When you’re stressed out, you tend to not be as conscious of what and how much you’re eating, and avoiding this behavior can really help you to stay healthy.

If you make exercising fun and really be aware of what you’re eating, staying healthy will be a breeze.  And before you know it, you will have conquered the “freshman fifteen.”   

Christina Cianciarulo is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and is a Mentor for WEPO'15!

How to Make the Most of Your Weekend

As future engineers, we study hard.  However, there is more to college and engineering than late night study sessions and binge eating Insomnia Cookies (yum!).  There are so many fun things to do every weekend at Penn State, that it can be difficult to know where to start!

When choosing a fun activity every weekend, going to a football game should be number one on your list!  Penn State football games are a one of a kind experience.  Beaver Stadium may be the largest stadium you'll ever visit in your life, and the energy that emanates from the stadium on game day is “unrivaled.”  Even if you don’t want to sit through the game, you must at least take a walk towards the stadium and mill around the tailgating areas to witness the pride that Penn State fans have for their football team.  If you’re feeling up for your very own game day challenge, I dare you to wait in the mile long line for ice cream at the Penn State Creamery.  If you weren’t able to snag season tickets, have no fear!  Penn State has a student ticket exchange where you can buy and sell tickets for every game.

If football still isn’t your thing, I guarantee at least one late night activity at the HUB will pique your interest.  Late Night is sponsored by SPA (Student Programming Association) which is a club you can join.  Activities range from free concerts (i.e. Hoodie Allen, MKTO, and Big Sean) to free RECENT movies (like Fifty Shades of Grey and the Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1).  There are also free crafting options every week.  Last year my friends and I decorated coffee mugs and made vanity license plates to name a few.  In addition to the free movies, concerts, and crafts, a few of the HUB restaurants like Burger King and Sbarro offer great deals on food during Late Night every weekend!

Okay so if football games, free concerts, free movies, and free crafts still haven’t convinced you that every weekend at Penn State can be epic, then maybe free comedy shows will!  Before freshman year started, I had never been to an improv or a stand-up comedy show in my life, but now I can’t imagine a weekend without them!  Full Amo Improv and Second Floor Stand-Up are two amazing comedy groups that offer free shows every Saturday night at Penn State (like them on Facebook for the location of the show).  Best of all, if you love their comedy and you want to explore your own skills, they welcome new members every fall!

Before I leave you go to have an awesome freshman year, I have to tell you about the delicious dining options in State College.  When you move to Penn State in the fall, you’re not just moving to a university, you’re moving to the town of State College, PA.  Downtown State College is one of the most iconic features of Penn State University.  When it’s Friday night and you’re sick of the dining hall food, head downtown and eat at one of the restaurants on College Ave or Beaver Ave.  There are many dining options, so you’ll definitely find one that suits your pallet.  If you’re in the mood for frozen yogurt, I highly recommend Kiwi on the eastern end of College Ave, and if you’re walking home from off-campus late and your tummy starts growling, grab a slice of Pizza at Canyon Pizza on Beaver Ave.  To make your dining experience even better, make sure you download the Pocket Points app as soon as you get onto campus in the fall.  This app gives you points for every time you don’t use your phone in class.  These points can be redeemed for freebies at various restaurants in downtown State College.

Well, that is all the information you need to know in order to make every weekend epic at Penn State University.  Have a great year!

Emily Strohm is a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering, and is a Rover for WEPO'15! 

Getting all the fries you can get

At the beginning of my second year, my first AE professor brought up a really good analogy for college. He said we’ve all gone to McDonalds to buy fries, we’ve all seen fries at the bottom of the bag, and we’ve all made sure to grab every last fry left. We do this because our fries are delicious, but also because we want to get everything we paid for. How does this relate back to school? Well, we’re paying for each and every minute we sit in class with a professor, for each opportunity that comes knocking at our door for leadership and travel, and for each and every social and professional development event. It’s easy to remember that last fry at the bottom of the bag, but it’s equally as important to remember each and every minute you have as a Penn State student.

I’m not going to be all cliche and say “this analogy totally changed my life,” but it did change the way I thought about my classes and new opportunities. I’m sure a lot of you are like me and have a plan set out in your head before you even get to college. You know what you want your major to be or where you want to study abroad or what kind of clubs you want to be involved in. If you take this route and just go with what you know, you’ve gotten all the fries in the box, but not at the bottom of the bag. Those fries come from stepping outside of your comfort zone and finding your passion. You get these fries from paying attention during every minute of the class period, from going on a trip to a new place with one of your organizations, and attending events that interest you whether it be a guest lecturer or a free concert.

This past year, I started to pick up those fries at the bottom of the bag. Since seventh grade, my plan had always been to go to school for architectural engineering and study abroad in Rome. This year, it came time to choose the AE Rome trip or the China trip. I was totally content with just taking a fry from the box and going to Rome as I had always planned. After being accepted into the Rome program, I took another look at the bag and decided to take one from the bottom instead. If I was going to pay for study abroad, I was going to take every last fry I could get out of it, and I knew China was the right decision to get the experience I wanted. Trust me, this was no quick decision, but the switch was made. Now I am three weeks into my study abroad experience, and I know the decision I made was the best choice. I have traveled to Beijing and Shanghai, and I am currently living in Hong Kong. I’m here with eleven amazing AE’s, and together we’ve gone to a oceanside amusement park, climbed a broken part of the Great Wall, and taken a river cruise around the bund in Shanghai. I’ve stood on the top floors of two of the top ten tallest buildings in the world, taken a bullet train, and became a master of charades with the crazy language barrier.

The fries at the bottom of the bag may not be the easiest fries to get, but they always taste the best. I challenge you to get every fry you can get whether it be in class, through WEP, in a club that interests you, or by taking a trip somewhere new.  The first time I got to campus, I felt like I had a whole lifetime ahead of me at Penn State, then before I knew it three years were gone and now I’m a senior. Take every moment you have at Penn State and take advantage of everything being offered to you so when it’s time for you to graduate, you can confidently say you got every last fry at the bottom of the bag.

Lauren Boyle is a senior majoring in Architectural Engineering, and is the Professional Development Assistant for WEPO'15!

Finding Your Own “Place”

In high school, I was the type of person that loved to be involved in everything: sports, debate team, student council, pep club, key club – you name it.  However, going into college, I hoped that I would find my real, unique passion, a cause I could work towards everyday.  It was like I was putting this pressure on myself to do something great.  So many of my friends at other schools and my new friends at Penn State already seemed to know their “place.”  I just didn’t.

One day, I followed a link to the Lala, an online magazine meant to empower college girls with style, spirit, and substance.  It focuses on publishing articles that go deeper than ones you normally see, like “Why Blondes Have More Fun.”

Once I read that first article, I was hooked.  I began reading everything on the website from tech and innovation to style and perspective stories.  These were college girls like me writing with such confident and inspiring voices.  After any bad day, I got lost in the Lala for hours and left with more motivation than ever to be an empowered woman.

Around this time, I learned how much I loved to write in my own style.  No more of this high school standard five paragraphs stuff.  I could write about what I felt passionate about.  Being involved with WEPO and the Society of Women Engineers, along with reading more and more articles from the Lala, made me realize that how strongly I felt about empowering women.  When I did things to promote this cause, I felt like I was doing something meaningful.  This is what then inspired me to apply to be a contributing editor for the Lala.  And I got it!

College is all about giving new things a try – things you could never have imagined doing/accomplishing.  There are so many opportunities at Penn State (how many times have you heard that?!) and beyond that spending time on something you are not passionate about is a waste of your time and talents.  You do not need to know exactly what you want.  Just do what gives you peace and happiness.  It is as simple as that!  If you love animals, find the closest animal shelter to volunteer at.  If you love cooking, join the cooking club.  Pursue anything and everything!  Be an advocate for what you believe in.

Once you take the first step, more and more things seem to fall into place.  A feeling of fulfillment in finding your “place” is great. It is a safe-haven.  But half of the fun is working your way there!

Katie Yannarell is a sophomore majoring in BioMedical Engineering and is a Rover for WEPO'15!

Career fairs and Internships, Oh My!

It sounds crazy doesn’t it?  You just started college and it’s already time to start thinking about your first job!  But trust me, the sooner you start the better.  Although it sounds intimidating, an internship can be one of the best things you do in college.  It offers you a great first look at what kind of careers people in your major can have, and lets you use the skills your learned at school in the real world!  Plus, you sometimes get to move to new and exciting places for it, and you always meet some really interesting people that share your passion for engineering!

So now that you know why internships are awesome, it’s time to talk about how to get one in the first place.  The best place to start is at one of Penn State’s many career fairs.  There are so many different ones that it can be a bit overwhelming but here are the ones you will want to look out for…

• Fall Internship Recruiting Day: September 16
• Engineering Career Fair: Spring (usually January)
• Career fairs specific to your major occurring throughout the year

Okay, you’ve picked a career fair, now what?  There are 5 things you are going to want to have with you when you go to your first career fair.  First, and most importantly, you need a resume.  It’s okay if you don’t have one yet though, WEPO can give you a hand with that!  Second, you will need to dress the part, (the career fair is business professional) wear your most professional outfit.  Third, you will want to have a list of the companies you want to visit.  The career fair has so many companies there that it helps to go in with a plan.  Fourth, you will need an “elevator pitch,” a short speech about you and what kind of internship you are looking for and why.  And finally you will want to bring confidence!  The recruiters all started out exactly like you so don’t let them intimidate you.  So get out there and get that internship (I know you’ll do great)!

Mikhala Stevens is a junior majoring in Chemical Engineering and is a Mentor for WEPO'15!

How and Why Should You Get Involved at Penn State

Until you attend your first involvement fair at Penn State, you will not BELIEVE all of the things you can be involved in on campus.  Literally… you probably won’t believe me.  These are just a few of the current clubs and organizations you can join (total, there are over 1,000):
3D Printing Club, the American Helicopter Society, the Asian Undergraduate Student Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Belly Dancing, British Culture Society, Caribbean Student Association, Coffee Club, Concrete Canoe, Egyptian Student Association, Fencing Club, Figure Skating Club, Glee Club, The International Society of Explosives Engineers, Irish Student Society, Jungle Club, Longboarding Club, Music Therapy Club, Nittany Divers SCUBA, Paranormal Research Society, the Pokemon Society, Sailing Club, Student Red Cross Club, Swing Dance Club, Ultimate Frisbee, Winemaking Club, and the list continues.

The point is: there are a lot.  You have 1,000+ opportunities to be involved in whatever you want to here, but you only have four years (maybe five if you’re like me) to participate in everything you possibly can.

So how do you possibly choose?  Can you do everything?  As much as I’d like to tell you yes, no, you really can’t do everything.  Engineers already have pretty full schedules, so joining 1,000 clubs just won’t work.  The good news is that you can still do a lot.  Here are my tips for learning about orgs, joining the ones you like, and still staying on top of your busy schedule:

1. Go to an involvement fair.  Don’t get involved…not IMMEDIATELY at least.  The biggest mistake I made at my first involvement fair was giving my email to about 50 different clubs.  They are awful at removing you from their email list, and whether they admit to it or not, they’ll email you basically every day.  My suggestion for your first involvement fair is to bring a notepad and a pen.  Write down the name of the clubs you like (and maybe the emails of their presidents), and review your list after you leave.  All of the clubs are registered online so you can easily find them, and join them whenever you’ve decided you DEFINITELY want to join.  If you want more information before joining, that’s when you need the president’s email address.  Just ask them any questions you have, and officially join when you know you really want to be involved.

2. Be yourself, and be someone totally new.  This is college; it’s your time to do whatever you want and really put yourself out there.  Maybe you would LOVE the Olympic Weight Lifting club, maybe not.  Whenever you have your list of clubs that you’re interested in, pick one or two that you know are totally you, and then pick one that goes a little outside of your comfort zone.  If you don’t like it, you really have nothing to lose, but I have heard of some people who have found totally new hobbies that they fall in love with (and yes, weight lifting became one of my friend’s new obsessions; and yes, she’s a girl).

3. Ask when meetings are.  As much as you LOVE to play clarinet, if the clarinet club meets at 8pm every Wednesday and you have Chem Lab every Wednesday night, you just won’t make it to meetings, so there’s no point in joining… yet.  Maybe next semester your schedule will free up, or scheduled weekly meetings for your favorite club will change.  Keep your options open, but don’t join things that you just can’t be involved in.  It’ll be another spam-a-lot for your inbox.

4. Schedule EVERYTHING.  Now this one is not even across the board.  Maybe it works for you, maybe it doesn’t, but I am a planner.  I plan/schedule everything even including when I shower each day (okay, I’m only that extreme during finals week, but you get the idea.  My planner is basically my soul mate).  The point is, if you are planning to go to a THON committee meeting for 3 hours tonight (and sometimes they DO last that long), you had better allow enough time before/after to finish your lab report that is due tomorrow.  That is where my schedules come into play.  After about two weeks of classes, I know how long assignments, lab reports, etc. should take me to complete.  I add those things into my weekly planner before the week starts to make sure I can complete all of my necessary work, then I add in extracurriculars where they fit.  You’ll find a balance pretty quickly.  If you aren’t doing well in your classes because you are dedicated to making it to a ton of club meetings and activities, then you need to drop a few.

When it comes down to it, being involved in so many diverse and exciting activities is possibly what I love most about Penn State.  I can battle pediatric cancer through THON, learn more about my industry through the Society of Petroleum Engineers, take a stand against child abuse through One Heart, send care packages to soldiers overseas through the Dear Hero Program, and in a few weeks, I’ll be travelling to Iceland with a scholarship from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences to learn about renewable energy.  Penn State has completely changed my life for the better, but only because I let it. GET. INVOLVED.  As I’m nearing graduation, the one thing I’m already beginning to miss is the opportunities I have at Penn State to throw myself at different experiences without anything holding me back.  Don’t miss out on that.  Research clubs and orgs, join the ones you love and some weird ones too, make new friends, and TAKE COLLEGE BY STORM; no one is going to lead the way.  It’s up to you to make these next four years the best of your life.  I know I have.

Thou didst mold us, Dear Old State…

Danielle Roethlein is a senior majoring in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, and is the Spirit Lead for WEPO'15!