Mastering the Dining Commons with Special Dietary Needs

Food Master Profile

Name: Madeline Iffert

Year: Junior

Dietary Needs: allergic to milk products, peanuts, and tree nuts

Before I started college I was so nervous about what I would do for food. How would I know what I could eat? Would people judge me? What if I had an allergic reaction? I did some research and as soon as I arrived to the first dining hall at Penn State I was relieved at what I found. After 4 semesters I would say that I have my food routine down and have had only a handful of very minor reactions.

Resources to help YOU become a food master:

This website explains what I’ve summarized here in more depth. Definitely check it out!

Also here is a brochure that explains eating with allergies in the dining halls and shows a sample food card!

Talk to the Registered Dietitians

You can set up a meeting with a Registered Dietician or a student assistant to talk about your allergies/intolerances/needs. They can help set up a food plan for you.

Labels

At every buffet/serve-yourself-set-up every food item has a little card indicating what the food is and any allergens it contains. It also shows if it is vegan, meatless, or healthy.

Allergies

The 5 main allergens (peanuts/tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, fish/shellfish) are noted on each food card.

Customized Menus

The menu for each dining hall is determined WAY in advance. And by way in advance I mean they plan the whole semester within the first couple weeks of classes. You can ask the registered dieticians or manager of the dining commons for a customized menu for the dining halls that you will be eating at most. They will highlight all of the food you will be able to eat. It is helpful to see what meals will be served at each one so you can decide if it is a good option for you or not. You can also check what will be served at each dining hall here. They even list the nutrition information!

Make People Aware

When eating in the Redifer food court area, there is a lot of potential for cross contamination since everything is made to order. It is important to let the person preparing your food know that you have special dietary needs. They will change their gloves and wipe down the counter in order to prevent cross contamination. If you are unsure of one of the ingredients, you should definitely ask them what is in it. If they don’t know, they will ask their manager. I have had great experiences with the managers. (It has been the times when I didn’t have the server change their gloves or wipe down the counter at the burrito place when I have had small reactions due to cross contamination with cheese.)

Call Ahead

I met some of the cooks in the kitchen at Redifer and they are very helpful. If you don’t think there is anything on the menu for the night that you can have or you just don’t think there will be enough to fill you up, you can call ahead and give them a heads up that you will be coming. They can prepare a meal that is safe for you that is similar to the meals that are provided for the masses.

Gluten Free

There is a gluten free section in every dining hall. There is usually a microwave, toaster, and refrigerator reserved strictly for gluten-free items only. It is located separately from non-gluten-free food to prevent cross contamination.

Vegan/Vegetarian

There are always vegetarian options. Vegan is a little trickier but there are still options!

Kosher

During Passover week Waring Commons in West has a Kosher menu and designated eating area.

Side note: Rice and soy milk are available in each dining commons as well.

Other side note: One time I ate downtown and had a pretty bad reaction to my meal once I got back to my dorm. I told my RA and she walked me to UHS where they took great care of me! Everything worked out fine. So if you do have an allergic reaction, make sure you let someone know and depending on the seriousness they can either take you to the ER or to UHS. If you have an Epi-pen or other medication that you would take when you have an allergic reaction, make sure you always have it with you! Just be smart :) 

Hopefully with these resources you will be able to deal with your special dietary needs! And feel free to ask me for advice :) 

Madeline Iffert is a junior in Industrial Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!

Hakuna Matata: My real life Lion King adventure through a different kind of study abroad

            If you’re anything like me, the thought of a study abroad has crossed your mind at least once. Sometimes, though, they’re not always feasible. Maybe you don’t want to spend an entire semester in a foreign country. Maybe it’s a money thing. Or, maybe your major just won’t give you the wiggle room you need to spend time somewhere else. Whatever the reason might be, fear not! There are many other ways to see the world without taking an entire semester to do so.

My name is Kaylyn Hannon and I’m a senior in biomedical engineering. Before I even came to college, I toyed with the idea of studying abroad. I want to see the world, and I’ve always thought it would be so cool to spend a semester somewhere that I’ve only ever dreamed of seeing. Unfortunately, a study abroad was out of the question for me for a couple of reasons. One, when I came to college, I was waaaaaaay to scared to spend that much time somewhere that wasn’t relatively close to home. Two, by the time I got the courage to go anywhere, I was locked into the cycle that is the biomedical engineering curriculum. The department only offers classes once a year, so I couldn’t really get off track. That’s when I decided to seriously consider HESE and Mashavu.

My own WEPO mentor was the one who told me about Mashavu. She loved traveling (she also went to France when she was in school and is now working for GKN in England) and was so excited when she started the class. I thought it was really interesting, and I kept it in the back of my mind until the time came to sign up for the class. This was an opportunity that seemed perfect for me—it was a combination of both helping others and seeing the world.

Let me give you some background on HESE/Mashavu. HESE stands for Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship and is run by Khanjan Mehta. It’s a combination of engineering specifically geared toward developing countries and building business models to go with the products. HESE is broken up into different parts. There’s Mashvu, the Greenhouse Initiative, Zima Pizza, and a team of med students who work through Hershey Medical. Mashavu is made up primarily of junior and senior bioengineers, but there are a few people in different majors. Any engineering major (or non-engineering major actually) can join HESE—depending on what you’re studying, you go with the group that fits your skill set. As a junior bioengineer, I was part of Mashavu. Mashavu is Swahili for “chubby cheeks,” which is a sign of good health in the Kenyan culture. In Kenya, there are certain members of the community who volunteer their time, receive an informal training, and advise members of the community on health issues. Mashavu is a telemedicine system that takes these Community Health Workers and turns them into paid Mashavu Health Workers. We as Penn State students work on helping healthcare workers there by designing low cost devices or new techniques to make screening for diseases easier. This semester, I worked on a test strip to screen for urinary tract infections that can be printed using a standard inkjet printer. The concept is so cool and allows us to make test strips for $0.02. Most Kenyans only live on a few dollars a day, so it’s important to keep these devices as cheap as possible. We spent the regular semester doing a lot of technical work. Chemical research and validation, working on a business model, and compiling data are just a few of the many things we did in the spring. Once the semester was over, we had the opportunity to do field research. This research was a half credit class and lasted two and a half weeks. This trip was actually my first time leaving the country and it was definitely an experience, I can tell you that. Mashavu is based out of Nyeri County, which is about three hours outside of Nairobi. It was a beautiful area, very lush and green. The people there were all so wonderful and appreciative, and working with them was an absolute joy. I loved every second of it.

 

So what did we do on the ground? Well, a lot of time was taken up by CHW trainings. Since we all spent the semester working on devices that deal with certain diseases, we learned a lot about said diseases ourselves. Plus, these people are only educated at a very basic level. We traveled to six different dispensaries all over the county (sometimes we were as far as three hours away) and taught the CHWs about UTIs, diabetes, and skin infections. We also interviewed them about their work in the community, how they currently deal with the problems, and got their opinion on our test strip. My group went around the community as well and talked to potential patients and hospitals/clinics. The point of fieldwork in this context is to gather information we wouldn’t otherwise have access to, like the opinion of our customer. We can’t just pick up the phone and talk to 30 rural Kenyans. It’s not feasible. This trip gave us insight as to whether our idea was feasible for our chosen market or not.

             It wasn’t all work and no play! On the way to Nyeri from Nairobi (we had to fly into Nairobi), we stopped at an elephant orphanage and saw the CUTEST baby elephants. We also stopped at a giraffe sanctuary and I got to kiss a giraffe. That was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. They had food pellets there and if you put them between your lips, the giraffes would lick them right out of your mouth. (Fun fact: did you know giraffe saliva is used as an anti-septic? Well, now you know!) We also went on a two-day safari in Samburu National Reserve. It was about four hours north of where we were staying, as well as in a different hemisphere. Aka I got to stand on the equator. The safari was AMAZING. We saw lion cubs, elephants, wart hogs, and all kinds of antelope looking creatures. We had a campfire and slept in tents that night, which was definitely an experience. Mashavu is partnered with a group called the Children and Youth Empowerment Center (CYEC) and they take kids off the streets to give them a better chance at life. They allow us to use their facilities and they also provide us with translators. When we weren’t working, we would go to the CYEC and play soccer, usually Kenya vs. USA. We would also play with the nursery school kids when they were on a break. They loved touching the “mzungus” (white people) and playing with us.

It wasn’t your traditional study abroad, but it was still the experience of a lifetime. The trip was roughly $3,000, and that includes airfare, vaccinations and malaria pills, things I needed to pack, the money I owed to Penn State to go, the tuition I had to pay (since it is a class), and food. Kenya is cheap. I only spent $270 USD there. That gave me roughly 24,000 Kenyan Shillings. ANYWAY, the point is that it’s not expensive (relatively speaking) and I got to go to freaking Africa. Mashavu is a great way to travel, get hands on experience, and impact the lives of real people. Who wouldn’t want that?!

Kaylyn Hannon is a senior in Biomedical Engineering, and she is the Lead Rover for WEPO '14!

How to Get an Internship (As a Freshman)

Step 1: Write your resume in your first few weeks of being in school. In WEPO there will be a resume writing session and you will be able to get a jump start on writing your resume. WEPO also has fantastic resume formats which you can find on Angel.

Step 2: Revise your resume. Send your resume out to WEPO peers and mentors. You may think your resume is perfect but you may have a silly spelling mistake. Do yourself a favor and get your resume reviewed.

Step 3: Start researching online for companies you are interested in working for. Penn State has a huge fall career fair and engineering network sessions and they have all the companies who will be attending at this website http://careerfairs.psu.edu/fall/. Researching companies that will be attending the career fair would be a great place to start.

Step 4: Mark your calendars because the technical career fair day is SEPTEMBER 17^th in the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) from 11AM to 4PM. Search around http://www.engr.psu.edu/career/ for more engineering events. The career fair comes up quick and early so make sure you are prepared.

-         Bring your resume on a thumb drive and printed out (15 copies)

-         Bring a notebook and a pen

-         Dress for success (Slacks and a nice shirt)

-         Have your firm handshake ready

-         Have a 30 second elevator speech ready (Name, Major, Year, Objective and things that interest you)

-         Have a plan of which companies you want to visit

-         Do not forget to be confident and be excited!

Step 5: Apply online for internships with the companies you visited on career fair day and/or apply online for other internships.

Step 6: Keep on the lookout for engineering specific emails. Student organizations and the engineering department will send out emails about employers looking to recruit Penn State engineers. Take every opportunity you can to apply for these jobs online (make sure you read the directions thoroughly).

Step 7: If you haven’t heard back from any company from the career fair day, search online for the company’s Penn State recruiter, and email them saying you are VERY interested in the internship and attach your resume.

Step 8: If you are offered a phone interview or on-campus interview, congrats! Prepare a few talking points but otherwise have fun with the interview and be professional. The company will lead you through the next steps in the interview process; they may even fly you out to their headquarters! Good luck and don’t forget to contact any WEPO mentors for advice.

Don’t let anyone tell you that freshman don’t get internships. If you put in the effort and show passion it is very likely that you may actually get one. Every step in this blog post is something I did in my first month of college and guess what, it worked. I ended up getting two internship offers and by Halloween I knew I was going to be working for Microsoft for the summer. :) 

Ria Bhatia is a sophomore in Computer Science, and she is a Rover in WEPO '14.  

Making the Most of Office Hours

Engineers solve problems.  It’s what we do.   Let me show you how it’s done.  Imagine if you will that you are a first semester freshman at a really large university and you’ve decided to study one of the hardest curriculums around.  Let’s say “engineering” for example.  You are in the first week of class and suddenly you realize that this isn’t high school anymore.  You can’t study and do homework like you did at Home Sweet High.  You need to up your game.  Don’t fret fair freshman, this engineer will tell you the surest way to academic accolades.  Two easy words—Office Hours.  It is to engineering undergrads what the shield is to Captain America. 

So let’s get started.  What can you expect from office hours?  What should you bring and have done beforehand?  What are you really getting out of it? 

Types of office hours:

Not all office hours are created equal, and they tend to run differently for each professor.  However, there are a couple main types, and there are different strategies to make the most out of each one.  I’d recommend going to all of your professors’ office hours if you can during the first few weeks of school to at least see what they are like. 

One on one:

I think this is what people typically think of when they hear “office hours.”  You come in with your specific question about the homework or lecture and meet with your professor one on one or with a classmate you were working with to talk about it.  This tends to be very efficient and really focuses on your own questions.  If the class is very difficult or homework is due, there often may be a line, but waiting on the help is worth your time.  View the line as an opportunity to connect with others in your classes that are serious students.  These people are ideal study group material.

Round Table:

These office hours usually involve around 3-20 students with a professor and/or TA.  Everyone has a chance to ask questions and listen to everyone else’s questions.  There’s usually a wide gap in homework completion- some students have their homework almost completely done and have a few, very specific questions, while others haven’t started or have no clue where to start and have very general questions.  I find it best to do as much of the homework as you can or at least be as familiar with the problems as you can before these office hours—professors generally appreciate the effort.  I also suggest that even when you run out of questions, consider sticking around and listening to other questions if you have time—that’s often just as helpful. 

Lecture Style:

Just like a normal lecture, the professor spends the majority of the time talking and working on the board.  However, office hours tend to be more example focused- whether it’s homework problems or mock exam questions- and it includes more audience participation.  Professors are typically more willing to answer questions both during and after the examples as well. 

Homework Help:

This type of office hours are my personal favorite.  TA’s often have this style of office hours, but sometimes professors do too.  Typically, students come in to get homework done, and spend the office hours working with peers to solve the homework, like a study group.  TA’s/professors are there to answer questions as students get stuck.  I often found that the best learning happens here.  A lot of large intro classes like Chem 110 and Physics 211 have a mandatory class component similar to this type of office hours called recitations that involves small group work with TA guidance. 

So why go to office hours?

Now that you know what office hours are like, what’s the point of going to them?  Well, the obvious benefit is learning something about the course and improving your chances of doing homework assignments correctly.  But there are some hidden benefits too.  It’s a great way to find dedicated, eager to learn students like you that you might have missed in a crowded lecture hall.  Many a study group was born from students who met in office hours.  It’s also a good way to get to know professors, which could help with getting letters of recommendation or getting involved in research later on. Remember, you are paying to attend this university-office hours are a service that you have purchased.  Use it for all it is worth. 

Other Quick tips

-Do your homework with the expectation that you will go to office hours.  For me, this means doing homework with a stack of post-its beside me.  As I get stuck on a problem or have a question, I place a post-it where my problem was, and write a short note to remind myself what my issue was when I get to office hours.

- Check with your textbook or talk with friends before bringing a question to office hours.  It is fine to have questions, but office hours shouldn’t be a substitute for careful reading of your notes and the textbook. You are expected to do due diligence.

- Office hours can be a great time to get to know professors and classmates better.  But make sure you get some work done too!

-When in doubt, go to office hours!  Most engineering courses build on previous material, so clearing that little bit of confusion in Chapter 1 can save you a major headache in Chapter 10. 

So to reiterate, what do you do if you have a question on a lecture topic, get stuck on a homework problem, are looking to stay on top of your academics or want to work with other talented people in your class?  Office hours is the answer to all of the above.  Engineers are problem solvers, and you’ve already solved one.  Pretty good for someone who hasn’t been to class yet. 

Kathleen Lauser is a senior in Chemical Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14! 

5 Steps to Staying Green While Wearing Blue!

First, I hope you are all so excited to start this coming fall at Penn State. I may be a little biased… but I really think you made one of the best choices! There are dozens of helpful things on this blog that you will be able to reference at any point leading up to, and during your freshmen year. Since it is such a wonderful resource, I wanted to be able to contribute some advice/guidance on something that I find super cool and important at Penn State, and that is sustainability!

I know that starting and maintaining a green mind during your transition into college may not be on the top of your list, but I just wanted to share how easy it is to participate in Penn State sustainability!

Let’s start with 5 steps to living green. And remember that any little good habit that you start will help!

1.      LIGHTS & HEAT!

If you live in the dorms, remembering to turn off lights will be easy, as there are stickers by each switch with a quick reminder. Turning off lights as you leave the room/bathroom will save electricity and money. Most dorms have overhead florescent lights, but using desk lamps with energy-saving bulbs will also help you reduce your carbon footprint. You can apply the same habits to classrooms on campus.

Let it not be a surprise to you, Penn State can get really cold in the winter, and that makes us want to crank up the heat, but that isn’t a very green solution. Be sure to dress appropriately and in layers as the weather gets colder; this can help you adjust comfortably in your dorm on campus. If your room is too hot (or cold), report it to your RA; they can fix the problem for you, so you don’t have to keep windows open.

2.      TRANSPORTATION!

Penn State has their own bus systems, also known as the CATA bus. There are multiple bus loops that run through campus as well as to shopping centers. I suggest downloading the app on your phone before the start of school. The “CATA” app will tell you where buses are on their loops so that it is convenient for you. I am sure you already know about the affect of carbon dioxide emissions on climate change, so cutting down on using cars is a huge green step! Not to mention all the Cata buses run on natural gas. Personally, after living in State College for three years, I have yet to have a car and can depend primarily on the buses to get me to where I need to go. If you are looking to go out of town, we also have Mega Buses and the Fullington Buses that get you to any major city that you may need to go.

Other then buses, you can register a bike to have on campus, or invest in a good pair of walking shoes!

3.      TRASH!

Or rather, no trash! Penn State has an awesome reduce, reuse and recycle program. You will find in all buildings a multitude of bins for your use to recycle almost any product. Each bin has a picture that tells you what exactly should go into it and you can use that as an easy guide. You will find that there are a limited amount of actual trashcans around campus, so Penn State really encourages you to recycle! When you do have waste, try to be conscious of the amount you create. This can be done through reducing. Take only food you will eat at the dinning commons or make sure you print double sided. As for reusing, Penn State has an awesome resource that few people know about and it is called Lion Surplus. It is a store right on campus that resells a variety of items for reuse. Go check it out on a rainy day!

4.      WATER!

Bring a refillable water bottle! Penn State has set up an abundance of refill stations for your use. By refilling water bottles, you will cut down on the amount of plastic that needs to be manufactured to fill the bottled water you may buy at stores. As a fun fact, you may be paying close to 10,000 times more per gallon for bottled water than tap water! Think of how much money you could save. Of course, if you do buy bottled water, be sure to recycle it!

Another aspect of water to consider is grey water use. This includes showers, teeth brushing, and laundry. All that I ask is that you are water conscious and that you may want to think about taking shorter showers, turning the water off between cleaning your teeth, and always making sure you are doing a full load of wash.

5.      CLUBS & ACTIVITIES!

There are so many great things to get involved with that can help you go above and beyond in your sustainable habits. As the school year begins, go to votunteer.psu.edu to check out cool events that are occurring on campus. Be sure to ask your mentor about the involvement fair that will occur in the fall, so that join sustainability related clubs! I was able to get involved with STATERS recycling, which allowed me to promote recycling during football tailgating during the fall semester, and participate in “Lights Out” during the spring semester.

All my information, and more can be further referenced on Penn States sustainability website! They have so much more information that you should definitely check out if you have a couple of free summer minutes! http://sustainability.psu.edu/

Kara Slocum is a senior in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and she is the Design Lead for WEPO '14!

Doing Research as a Freshman (WISER)

Hey everybody! My name is Kristen Myatt and I’m a rising senior in Chemical Engineering. When I was a freshman I got involved in research here at Penn State, and YOU can too! It does not matter what your major of interest is, you can do research in any engineering field (and many non-engineering ones!).

All labs at Penn State are different. Usually, though, there is a professor that oversees the research and a team of students complete the bulk of the work. That mean as a student in a lab, YOU will do the hands on research!

Research is not for everybody, but I do recommend trying it at least once if you think it might interest you even a little. It is a great idea to try lots of new things at Penn State, so you can start to decide what kind of work you like and don’t like.

Kristen making a block co-polymer for a solar cell

One great way for first year women to get involved in research is through the WISER (Women In Science and Engineering Research) Program. You can apply to the WISER Program during your first semester at Penn State. If you are accepted, you will be placed in a research lab of your choice starting your second semester. Through this program, you will work with a professor for two whole semesters (spring of freshman year and fall of sophomore year). After those two semesters, you may be invited to continue your work in the lab, as I was. It is also common for students to stay through the summer, but only if they desired to do so.

The WISER Program isn’t the only way to get involved. You can also simply ask one of your professors if you can join their lab. Seriously! Just walk up to them and say, “I’ve read about your research and it looks really interesting. I would like to talk about joining your lab.” Sometimes they won’t have space in their lab available, so don’t get discourage if you don’t get your first choice.

Most of the time, research is completed for credit that goes towards your major. After my sponsorship through the WISER program ended, I stayed on and worked in the lab for research credits.

If you want to get involved in research at Penn State, don’t be afraid to get out there and do it! I did it, and you can too! And if you don’t know where to start, you can always ask me, your mentors, or an engineering advisor. Good luck at Penn State!

Kristen Myatt is a senior in Chemical Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14! 

Penn State Special Living Options: Pennypacker and E-House

At Penn State there are a lot of great special living options that you can get involved in.  When I was a freshman, I chose to live in Pennypacker as a part of the First Year in Science and Engineering program.  I felt like this was the best option for me because I wanted to have the “freshman experience,” while at the same time being able to focus on school and make friends who would be in my classes in the years to come.  By living in Pennypacker, I got to have the best of both worlds – I lived in East Halls where a majority of the other freshman lived, and I also got to take advantage of all that Pennypacker had to offer.  Many nights a week they offered tutoring for the core engineering and science classes, but more importantly my freshman special living option gave me the opportunity to meet other people who were in the same classes or even major as me.  I was able to make friends that I could study with or just hang out with because we lived in the same building.

For my sophomore year, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to move off campus yet, so I decided that E-House (Engineering House in West Halls) would be a good option since it is similar to Pennypacker.  Throughout freshman year, I participated in E-House social and academic activities in order to get a housing contract there for my sophomore year.  The activities ranged from watching an episode of TV to study hours.  It ended up being a great experience because I was able to meet even more people that I could study and do work with, and I lived on West campus which was close to all of my classes.

If used wisely, special living options can go a long way in helping you both socially and academically.  Looking back, I would do it all over again, and I definitely recommend that you take advantage of them.  I’m happy to answer any questions you might have, and can’t wait to see everyone at WEPO in August!

Sarah Cooperman is a junior in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!

Making Friends

That’s what WEPO is for! A number one concern every freshman has is about making friends when starting college. Thankfully WEPO gives you a great group of friends to help you transition into the college life. The number one thing to remember is: YOU’RE NOT ALONE! Every freshman is just as worried as you are whether or not they came to college with friends or with none at all. If you are going into college with friends you already know, try and branch out and meet new people, possibly forming an even larger group of friends. If you do not know anyone going into college, a great way to meet people is by getting involved in different organizations and clubs in which you share similar interests with others.

Move in day is always hectic and overwhelming. After you attempt to get settled in, I know it’s easy to keep to yourself and just unpack but take the time to go around your floor and meet some people. These will be the people you will be spending the rest of the year with, so it is important to get to know them. I was very shy at the beginning of the year and did not take the time to get to know my floormates, and that was a big mistake. Having friendly faces around you makes the college transition so much easier and more fun.

Surprisingly you will also meet people in your classes. You never know, the girl in your math class may be struggling just as much as you are and working together may be the only way to pass the class. (This actually happened to me!) It’s important to form study groups among your friends and classmates because there will be times when you have no idea what is going on in a class. Study groups will save your grades, your sleep schedule, and your sanity. There’s a place for everyone at Penn State, so don’t ever worry about finding yours. 

Stephanie Prohaska is a sophomore in Biomedical Engineering, and she is a Rover for WEPO '14!

Gymming

Happy summer everyone! My name is Ashlee Palm and I am a senior in Mechanical Engineering and a WEPO 2014 Mentor! Welcome to the best university there is! The decision to study engineering at Penn State and become part of our big Nittany Lion family is going to change your life -- and we are so happy that you’re coming here!

Like most things in college, it’s easy to let working out slip to the side in your new exciting life full of classes, new friends, Thon, and clubs. As a lover of all things that have to do with working out, I’m here to tell you about your options for working out on campus at Penn State!

Rec Hall: Rec Hall is a huge building next to the West Halls that has a cardio loft, weight room, indoor track, and gyms for pickup games. There are courts for various indoor sports here too. A few of the fitness classes are held in Rec. I go to Rec to use the cardio equipment and lift because it is huge, so there is always a machine open somewhere. Watch out during peak hours though; you may have to wait for a treadmill!

White Building: White Building is right behind the HUB (if you can find it through the construction!) and has a smaller gym area similar to Rec in the basement and some classrooms/gyms for fitness classes (we’ll get to these later). This is perfect if you live in South or Pollock because it is less than a five minute walk!

IM Building: The IM building is next to East Halls and was just remodeled and reopened in March of this year! While I have never been here, I’ve heard fantastic reviews and the pictures look amazing. Since it is so close to East, I imagine a lot of you will find a home here. It has classrooms for fitness classes, cardio equipment, and weights.

Fitness Classes: When in doubt, I can be found in Calorie Killer or Power Remix. Fitness classes are my favorite way to work out at school. Classes are taught by other students who show you a great time while you work up a sweat. Become a regular at some of these and you’ll even make friends with the instructors! We’ve got everything from yoga, to Calorie Killer (a HIIT class) to Zumba and cycling. There’s a class for everyone and they take place seven days a week from around 8 am to 8 pm.

Wondering how to join? Membership to all of this and more can be found at this website: http://www.athletics.psu.edu/fitness/membership.html. You can purchase a membership for the whole year and save a few dollars, or buy a semester at a time. If you ever need a workout buddy, let me know! I’m always willing to hit the gym with friends and blow off some steam from an exam or a whole day of studying! Working out is one of the best ways to relieve stress.

Can’t wait to see ya’ll in August! Have a beautiful summer and welcome to Penn State.

Ashlee Palm is a senior in Mechanical Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!

Taking Opportunities Outside of Your Comfort Zone

           Throughout my entire high school career, I had a plan for what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I was going to go to Penn State, get a teaching degree, move back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and become a high school math teacher at my alma mater.  It was my ultimate dream.

            Then slowly but surely, during my senior year of high school, my plan began to change. My high school calculus teacher convinced me to look into engineering, and I decided it was a profession worth pursuing. I went to Penn State, attended WEPO, and decided to major in Mechanical Engineering. By the end of my first year at college, I was completely happy with my altered plan.  I would graduate from Penn State with an engineering degree, move back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and get a job close to home with Westinghouse, or one of the other big engineering companies located in my area.

            At the beginning of my sophomore year, as I began looking for a summer internship, there was only one thing I was concerned about: staying close to home. I talked to every company who had offices in the Pittsburgh area with the hopes that one of them would give me an offer.  A few months later, I had gotten my wish, and had three options sitting on the table. I could spend the summer with PPG in Barberton, Ohio, with Shell Oil Company in New Orleans, Louisiana, or with Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

            I thought the decision would be easy. Obviously, I was going to choose Westinghouse. It was my dream job! I would only be working 30 minutes from my house, in the area where I spent my entire life growing up.  But when I looked at my choices from a career perspective, I found the offer with Shell would be a better opportunity. Sure, New Orleans was really far away, but Shell also had an office in Pittsburgh.  I decided to accept the internship with Shell, with the hope that after spending a summer with them in New Orleans, I could ask to spend the following summer at their office in Pittsburgh, if everything worked out. I reluctantly packed up my things and headed to New Orleans with the thought, “Well, it’s only three months.”

            A little over a year later, I am currently spending my second summer in New Orleans, not

because I had to, but because I chose to.  Last summer was an eye opening experience! I did so many new and exciting things I would have never done had I decided to stay in Pennsylvania. I spent two nights on an offshore oil platform, ate crawfish at a crawfish boil, and held a baby alligator on a swamp tour. The experience I was dreading simply because it was different, ended up changing my entire perspective on life. I realized that I should be taking advantage of the opportunities in front of me, even if they lead me to places I never expected to go.  I was given the opportunity to travel to China for Penn State at the end of this past semester, which was another fantastic experience (check out fellow WEPO Lead, Mimi Overbaugh’s blog for more details)!  I honestly think, that without taking that first chance, and taking the small step outside of my comfort zone to New Orleans, I may have turned down the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Shanghai.

            My advice to you is to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone! As an engineer at Penn State, you will be given a myriad of opportunities, and I highly suggest you take advantage of them.  Study abroad, take that internship across the country, go on a co-op during the fall or spring semester. Don’t be afraid to do the things that scare you. You’ll never know if you like something if you never try it! Take it from me: the high school girl who thought she had it all figured out.  I was probably the last person who wanted to travel the country, let alone the world! I was perfectly content on spending my entire life in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, never exploring the other things around me. However, after only a few unique and exciting experiences, my entire prospective has changed, and I could not be happier that it did.  Eventually, I think that I would like to end up back in Pittsburgh, but I have an entire lifetime to figure that out.  While I’m young, I’d like to travel, see the world, and allow my engineering career to take me wherever it may! As Ernest Hemingway once said, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”  So, as you begin your career at Penn State, try to step out of your comfort zone, and take advantage of those opportunities which will make your journey unforgettable.  Trust me, you won’t regret it. 

Katie Ciccaglione is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and she is the Professional Development Lead for WEPO '14! 

Fun and Free Things to Do at Penn State

What’s every college student’s favorite word? …FREE!! Free food, free admission, free stuff – whatever it is, we all can appreciate the wonderfulness of freebies. Your wallet might take a hit with all those expensive textbooks, but there are some things you can do at Penn State that won’t cost a cent.

You might have already heard from campus tours or orientations about Late Night at the HUB. It happens every weekend and is hosted by the Penn State club SPA (Student Programming Association). There are games, crafts, and sometimes a balloon artist will be there to make you a fun little hat. I still have a couple crafts on my desk from going to Late Night with my friends. Don’t feel like dropping ten bucks to see a movie? No problem! There are always one or two movies showing at Late Night, most of which are only a couple months old. This is definitely a freebie worth taking advantage of.

SPA also brings many performers and speakers to Penn State. Just recently, Damon John from Shark Tank came and spoke, Michael Ian Black did some stand up, and American Authors performed. Some artists that I’ve seen with my friends are One Republic, Nick Offerman, and Keenan Thompson. I’ve also seen some people that I hadn’t heard of before but really enjoyed, such as comedian Bo Burnham, the sketch comedy group Harvard Sailing Team, and hypnotist Sailesh. (I was actually one of the people who got called up to be hypnotized and it was quite an interesting experience – you can ask my friends if you don’t believe me haha.)  I had some really great times with my friends at these events and the best part was that it was completely free! That’s right – I saw One Republic for free. I think that’s pretty awesome.

There are also a few other free events that happen around campus all throughout the year. No Refund Theater produces plays and other productions for free admission at the Forum building on weekends. The new ice rink sometimes has free skate times for Penn State students. On special occasions, such as Founder’s Day, there are free concerts, free food, free prizes, and free games happening at the HUB or Old Main Lawn. I've even experienced free prizes and giveaways at Redifer Dining Commons too.

So whenever you’re low on funds and still wanna have something fun to do, there’s always something happening on campus. And if you know where to look, you might find something that won’t have you reaching for your wallet.

Erika Arrojado is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!

How to Deal with Homesickness

Hi ladies! My name is Julia Selden, I’m a sophomore majoring in chemical engineering, and I’m a Rover for WEPO 2014! When I was in your shoes one short year ago, my anticipation for Penn State was through the roof. I couldn’t wait to have a roommate that wasn’t my sister, become part of activities that Penn State has to offer, and more than anything I couldn’t wait to leave home and become more independent. The adjustment from living at home and at school can be a little shaky during your first year though, and you probably will get homesick. There’s so much change going on in your lives that it’s hard to get accustomed to. Thankfully you women are not alone! Everyone battles homesickness at some point, but the level of homesickness varies from person to person and it could happen at any moment throughout either semester. Homesickness hit me like a brick during my second semester and I originally had no idea what to do to cope with it. These are what helped me during my first year, and I hope they can be of some help to you too!

1) Maintaining contact with your parents/guardians

I feel as though this helped me more than anything during my first year. Your parents know you just as well as you do, probably even better than you know yourself. They know how you cope with stress. They wouldn’t have let you come to Penn State if they didn’t think you weren’t ready to deal with leaving home. And don’t forget; it might be hard for you to adjust, but they’re feeling the same way as you are. (They just have to maintain the strong parent image to make you feel better.) No, you don’t have to contact them every day, but I would suggest at least once a week to touch base. Whether it’s by text, phone call, email, Facebook, Instagram #tbt’s, Skype, pigeon carrier, whatever your heart desires. They are always there to help you, and in November you’ll be right back at home.
Maybe you’re not extremely close with your parents though. If that’s the case, find someone else that is like a parent to you and reach out to them. Or maybe even become closer with your parents! College is all about change, you know.

      2) Get involved!
Everyone is always preaching “Join a club! You’ll make great friends there and it will get your mind off of school work!!” Lucky for you this statement is extremely accurate. From personal experience, joining a club not only gives you a little boost socially, but you’ll forget about wanting to be home so badly because of all the fun you’ll be having! Penn State has over 1000 organizations and clubs that any student can join! It’s super easy to find something that you enjoy to get your mind off of home.

3) Go to sporting events!

If there’s one thing I feel that helped me avoid homesickness during my first semester it was because of the football games, which is one thing that lacked second semester. The atmosphere at football games or any sporting event is enough to release stress, keep you busy, and have a good time. Plus, who doesn’t want to stare at attractive men in athletic wear for a long time ;)

4) Cry (but only if you want to) 

Yes, it is 100% okay to cry. Everyone does it. No one is going to judge you for crying because all you want to do is be at home watching your favorite TV show and eating your favorite home cooked meal.

5) Come to a WEPO Lead, Mentor, or Rover :)

WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU!!! Anytime, anywhere, for whatever reason. We’ve been in your shoes before. We know how hard it is to deal with missing your bed, your family, and real food, but we’re here to make your lives easier. 

Julia Selden is a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering, and she is a Rover for WEPO '14!

Staying Healthy at School

Hey ladies! This year is going to be a whirlwind of excitement and you're not going to want to miss a single second. That means you need to keep yourself up and running on all cylinders, so here's some of the key ingredients to staying healthy at school:

1. Sleep: I put this one first because it the one you'll most likely ignore. But don't! Those 8 hours (or 6....or 4) are the important because they fuel you for the next day. Even when the semester gets busy with projects and exams, don't forget to give your noggin the rest it deserves.  Plus don't you want to be as happy as the little baby?

2. Exercise: Whether you are training for the Mt. Nittany half marathon or more of a Zumba kind of girl, there is always some way to get active around Penn State. Grab a friend and get a gym membership, go for a run through the trails at the Arburetum, sign up for the Thon 5k or the ColorRun, join a club sport or IM  team...the possibilities are endless. And if you need a running partner or one more player in a game of soccer or ultimate Frisbee, hit me up, I'd love to join!

3. Healthy eating: Or at least trying... :) The dining halls are great, but with creamery ice cream always

available it can be hard to convince yourself to squeeze in some veggies too. Whether you're a health conscious eater or not, fueling your body up with good food will keep you doing your best in classes and in all your other adventures around campus, too.

P.S. If you have dietary restrictions or want more info about dining hall eating, keep your eyes peeled for future blog topics!

4. Keep everything in moderation: This is really the key to it all. Keeping yourself healthy doesn't have to take extra energy, just a little prioritizing. Keeping a good balance of exercise, sleep, and nutritious food in your crazy schedule will pay off when you have the energy to do your best. Take care of yourself first, and then you'll be able to take care of everything that comes your way.

BUT If you do get sick at school (and it happens to most of us sooner or later) there's plenty of help around. University Helath Services (UHS) is right on campus. Beyond the typical medical checkup, they also have resources for depression, sleep disorders, and many other physical or mental ailments. If UHS isn't able to help, there are several pharmacies around town and a hospital nearby for more serious cases. If you're worried about missing class because you're sick, just email your professor (before the class you are missing) and have a trusty friend hand in any homework due or take notes for you. Then get back in bed, drink some OJ, call your mentor if you need anything, and focus on getting better :)

I always call my mom first (of course), but if you need to see a doctor or get medication,

Here's to a happy, healthy freshman year! Cheers, and see you in August!

Rachel Perini is a junior in Mechanical Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!