All About Food

So you’ve just arrived on campus and you realize you’re hungry. Where are you going to eat? Well, I’m happy to say there are a ton of options for any occasion that you can explore throughout your time at Penn State.

First off, there’s the dining halls. As incoming first year students, you are required to live on campus and purchase a meal plan. You’ll find that there are six levels of dining dollars with varying costs. This meal plan level can be changed anytime until the last few weeks of the semester to adjust for too many or too few dining dollars left in your account. Then, at the end of the fall semester, whatever dining dollars that are left in your account will carry over into your meal plan for the spring semester. Be careful, though, because your remaining dining dollars at the end of the spring semester do not carry over into the fall semester. So, remember to manage your spending and adjust your meal plan at the end of each semester to save as much money as possible! That said, you can save money by spending your meal points at any of the five dining commons on campus (North, East, West, South, and - because they ran out of directions - Pollock commons). All the food offered at these locations are discounted 65% off the menu price.

Your meal plans can also be used at other locations on campus such as the HUB dining and Au Bon Pain cafes. However, you don’t get dining dollar discounts at any locations besides the dining commons. So, be careful and watch your spending because the HUB dining and cafes on campus can drain your dining dollars fast. You can also use your meal points to buy items at the mini markets throughout campus, such as Louie’s in South Halls, and the Berkey Creamery. Besides food on campus, there’s some great places downtown for casual lunch and dinners between or after classes.

There are chain restaurants like Chipotle, Panera, Pita Pit, Jersey Mike’s, and - for all of you from Pittsburgh - Primanti Brothers. Some other restaurants in the area include Fiddlehead, Big Bowl, Rotelli’s, and Irving’s. And don’t forget the sandwich shop in the back of Maclanahan’s. But what about for special occasions like showing off your new school to your parents when they come visit? I have some personal favorites in the area. My all-time favorite is The Tavern (hint: awesome food with unlimited sides - try the seafood lasagna). Then there’s The Waffle Shop. I will warn you, though, if you want to eat at The Waffle Shop on a football weekend or pretty much any weekend, you need to get there very early because a line will form as the alumni come back to visit campus. Another great place is The Greek a little off campus with extremely delicious Greek food.

All in all, there are a ton of ways to stop your stomach from growling at Penn State. Whether it’s at the dining commons or downtown, you’ll always find a place with some delicious food. So have fun

exploring all the places to eat during your years in Happy Valley!

Melissa Shallcross is a senior studying Mechanical Engineering and is a Mentor for WEPO'16!

Grab Your Cameras!

You’ll see soon enough that Penn State is full of traditions, but the one just about every student participates in has to be one of the classics: photos on campus.  If you visited campus before the beginning of the school year, you probably already took a few.  Here’s some places you should be sure to take your camera before you graduate!

• THON: Penn State is famous for so many things, but THON may be the most famous.  The world’s largest student-run philanthropy poses a lot of opportunities for great pictures.  THON, held in the Bryce Jordan Center, is a huge inspiring event held every year.  When the grand total of donations to the cure for pediatric cancer is revealed at the end, grab your camera and throw your diamonds in the air! 
  

• Old Main: The architecture of Old Main makes for some really great pictures.  The stairs are a fun place for group pictures and graduation photos.  Walk through the lawn on a bright summer day, a colorful fall evening, or a chilly wintry morning, and you can’t resist but snap a picture.

• WE ARE: I personally can’t wait to get onto campus and see the new WE ARE sculpture that was built over the summer!  I’m sure this landmark is going to become a favorite for photo opportunities for students and visitors all year round. 

• Bryce Jordan Center: If you like concerts and events, definitely keep an eye on the Bryce Jordan Center calendar.  Students get discounted tickets for great seats, and a selfie standing right next to the band is always a favorite!

• Football games: The atmosphere as you walk into Beaver Stadium is one that brings alumni back from around the world.  Photo opportunities are everywhere: tailgates, running into the Nittany Lion, touchdown celebrations, Nittanyville, and so much more.

• Nittany Lion shrine: Last but absolutely not least, the most classic photo opportunity on campus and the second most photographed landmark in Pennsylvania, the Nittany Lion shrine.  The shrine is an iconic landmark on campus and a symbol for Penn State.  I try to take a picture with it every year!  Take your pictures with the shrine and maybe we can beat out the Liberty Bell for the number one photographed landmark in Pennsylvania!

Melissa Shallcross is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and is a Mentor for WEPO'15!

Penn State Packing List

Two weeks until you’re all up at Penn State starting your next adventure as college students!! You move in in less than 14 days! But wait… what are you going to bring with you? Ah, the classic dorm room checklist. There are tons of them, and I have no doubt you’ve all Googled it at least once this summer. I’m sure you’ve all started a pile in your house of things you want to bring. Well, here is another list of things you may want to consider, but with a touch of my personal recommendations that might spark a thought of other items you need!

First, here’s a list of things that you DON’T need because Penn State provides them for you:

      -          Each room comes with a microwave and mini fridge. Fun fact – the mini fridge freezer was made to fit exactly two containers of Creamery ice cream! Each side of the dorm rooms are also provided with large corkboards on the walls so you can pin pictures, etc. Also, each desk has a built-in light, so a desk lamp isn’t absolutely necessary.

Now for what you DO need:

      -          Bedding: Bring 2 sets of sheets for when one set is dirty. Pillows - however many you love to sleep with! Personally, I use one of those pillow armchairs that you sit on your bed. They’re comfortable for reading and browsing on your laptop. Bed risers are extremely helpful for providing space for storage. Mattress pads and mattress cases are an option, too. Personally, I made my bed at college so fluffy it was almost nicer than my bed at home!

      -          Care products: 2 sets of towels and washcloths can be helpful. Bring a shower caddy and shower shoes – cheap flip flops work fine. Toothpaste and a toothbrush are definitely needed. I usually just kept them in a plastic cup so I can easily bring them to the bathroom. Anything hair care – hair dryer, straightener, brush, shampoo, conditioner, etc. And don’t forget any personal toiletries and medications.

      -         Clothing: Besides all your normal clothes, bring along with you a professional outfit. You’ll need one for WEPO anyways, but it’s nice to have a least two options for outfits because you never know when you might have to go to an interview or a professional event. Sports clothes are always handy, especially if you plan on going to the gym! In the winter, some sort of winter boots are pretty handy for Penn State snow and ice storms. And as for rain, a rain jacket and pair of rain boots are highly recommended because it rains A LOT at Penn State. Speaking of, a small umbrella to fit into your backpack is a must for days when you walk out of class and into an unexpected rainstorm! Lastly, you need hangers for all your clothes!

      -          For the room: Obviously you’ll be decorating your rooms with tons of pictures and posters and fun things, but you also need a lot of practical items, too. First, a trashcan is absolutely necessary. Here’s a tip, I never buy those mini trash bags, I just stock up on grocery bags and use them to line my wastebaskets. A laundry basket is super handy for trips up and down the elevator to the washers and dryers. In case you didn’t know, the washers and dryers all charge your LionCash on your ID card. You’ll need an alarm clock for all those early morning classes! If you bring a fan with you, it will become one of your best friends, especially early in the fall semester and later in the spring semester. A full-length hanging door mirror is pretty useful, too.

      -          Technology: If you’re looking for a laptop for college, check out Penn State’s official recommendations here: http://www.ecs.psu.edu/PSU_COE_COMP_RECOMMENDATION.htm . You’ll also need an Ethernet cable in order to hook up to the internet in your dorm. Several dorm halls are in the process of switching over to Wifi, but this has been a slow process. I’d recommend buying the longest Ethernet cable you can find. Try Bed Bath & Beyond for cheap 25-foot cables. If you want, you can bring a printer for your room. I found this extremely convenient so that I didn’t have to run down to the computer lab on late nights of doing homework, but it’s not necessary by any means – you can always find a computer lab nearby, and most are open until late. Extension cords are also pretty useful.

      -          Miscellaneous: If you have one, bring a camera! You’ll want to take a ton of pictures of all the fun things you’ll be doing at Penn State! Slippers are comfortable to wear around your dorm room and hall. A first-aid kit is always a good thing to keep around the room just in case. Each desk comes with a locking drawer if you want to store any valuables, but you need to bring a combination lock. A rug is nice so your feet don’t get cold in the morning. And last, but certainly not least, cleaning supplies can be quite useful!

I hope you all are getting super excited for college and that this list helped you remember something you would have forgotten otherwise! We can’t wait to welcome you to Penn State! WE ARE!

Melissa Shallcross is a sophomore in Mechanical Engineering, and she is a Rover for WEPO '14!