Get Rid of First Day Jitters- Know Your Way Around Campus

Hey Girls!!  My name is Kenna Markel.  I am majoring in Architectural Engineering, and I’m a Rover for Team G!!

Penn State University Park, as many of you already know, is comprised of around 40,000 students.  Being a part of a big campus is one of the many things I love about Penn State, but coming here in the fall may seem intimidating- at least if was for me.   With such a large campus, I was worried about getting lost, being late to class, and feeling safe, but I, like all of your other mentors and rovers, survived my first year and so will you!  I found that there are three basics for getting around campus:  be confident, be CATA smart, and be safe.

Be Confident

One of the many advantages that WEPO gives you is the chance to move in early.  Not only do you avoid the rush, but it also gives you a few days before classes start to get used to campus.  Something that my roommate and I did during one of these days was to walk through our schedule.  Your first day of classes is all new: new students, new professors, new teaching styles, and new subjects so why not make the campus seem a little bit more familiar- make it one less “new” thing.  Not only will this make you feel more confident on your first day of classes, but it is also an easy way to bond with your roommate.  Also, do not be afraid to ask for help.  College is by no means like high school; people will help you around.  University Park is a huge campus, nobody, not even the seniors know where every building is. 

Be CATA Smart

If you have been keeping up with the WEPO blog, the CATA bus system is something that Megan gave great advice on so I’ll just talk about it briefly!  This past year like most freshman, I lived in East and yes, it is far from a lot of classes- so use the CATA buses!  I’m not over exaggerating when I say they can shorten your travel time by up to twenty minutes.  So yes, I would definitely recommend using them!  Two things that I would remember about the CATA buses are 1) only get on the front entrance (if you get on the back, the bus driver will see you and will make you get off- super embarrassing) 2) the buses don’t run all hours off the day, so don’t get stuck having to walk back alone at night (that’s obviously a safety issue, not to mention PSU gets really cold in the winter).  Like Megan said, I would advise getting the CATA bus app if you can! 

Be Safe

I want to begin this topic with saying- I have never once felt unsafe on campus, but without trying to sound too much like your parents, it’s true you can never be too cautious.  Be smart by just sticking to the basics that I’m sure we’ve all been told for years.  When coming home at night, stay on well lit, often used paths and try to avoid walking home alone.  One tip, that my roommate and I used when walking home alone was unavoidable, was we would give a time that we planned on being back in the room, and if we were not back by that time, we would check up on each other.  All of this I’m sure sounds so simple even monotonous, but that’s just it.  Taking these steps isn’t hard so for your own safety why not just take them.

Ultimately, I just want you girls to be excited not nervous to come to PSU because it’s the best place to be.  I loved my first summer back, but I miss being at school because it became my home.  Penn State really is a family, a family that you are already a part of.  So don’t be afraid.  Penn State will give you more that just internationally recognized education, but it will shape you with every experience you have there.  So that one day- a day that seems so far away- you will graduate into the world, and through your example, prove what makes Penn State so great.

Kenna Markel is a sophomore in Architectural Engineering. She is a rover for WEPO 2012.