The first day of classes can always be stressful! On a campus as big as Penn State’s, it can seem especially overwhelming with the vast amount of students walking around. Coming from an extremely small high school, this was definitely intimidating for me. From my experience through four semesters as a student at Penn State, I have highlighted some important tips that have helped me and will hopefully help make this transition slightly less significant for incoming students.
Find (and go to) your classroom buildings ahead of time!
I would first like to recommend looking up exactly where on campus the buildings of your classes are located and physically finding them prior to the first day. It is super helpful to know exactly where you are walking to during the day, as it can be super crowded (and if you have classes back to back you don’t have too much time to dawdle). Since WEPO ends on Friday and classes don’t start until Monday, you have all weekend to explore the campus (and your mentors would be more than happy to accompany you)!
Get there early!
In terms of the actual first day of classes, try to get to your classes a few minutes ahead of time! Students usually try to get there early -- especially the first few classes -- as it can get really crowded and they want to ensure that they can easily find a seat (and oftentimes people save seats for friends!) With that being said, however, there is no need to get there too far in advance, as there is a 15 minute period between all classes. This means that the earliest you can get inside your classroom is 15 minutes prior to the starting time.
In terms of the actual first day of classes, try to get to your classes a few minutes ahead of time! Students usually try to get there early -- especially the first few classes -- as it can get really crowded and they want to ensure that they can easily find a seat (and oftentimes people save seats for friends!) With that being said, however, there is no need to get there too far in advance, as there is a 15 minute period between all classes. This means that the earliest you can get inside your classroom is 15 minutes prior to the starting time.
Sit close to the front!
When considering bigger classes, commonly referred to as lecture halls, it is most helpful sitting closer to the front. Yes, this means walking all the way down the steps, which you are later going to have to walk right back up. On the surface this seems way less appealing than just finding an empty seat in the back, but sitting in the front is very important for several reasons. First, it keeps you more engaged in the class. Second, the professor is more likely to remember your face (which is always a good thing -- remember, they are the ones who have the final say on your grade!) Third, it minimizes distractions. Sitting in the back allows you to be able to see every laptop screen watching netflix or browsing the internet in front of you which can be easily distracting. Sitting in the front -- rather towards the front -- eliminates all of the distractions of the people sitting behind you.
Make friends in your classes!
Walking into classes first semester freshman year, you are not expected to know anybody (and most everyone doesn’t). I would like to advise everyone to not be afraid to talk to a random person. Having a friend in the same class as you makes the class slightly more tolerable (someone to sit with, ask questions with, study with!) Hopefully, you will recognize a whole bunch of girls from WEPO in classes and you can try to sit/study together (I know I did!)
Last and most importantly, GO TO CLASS! :)
Anne Vandervalk
Team i Mentor
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