Making Friends

One of the many transitions that you will face when going to college is leaving all of your high school friends and having to make new friends. While that can seem very overwhelming, making friends isn't as hard as it seems! A great part of being a freshman is that everyone is in the same boat as you - they all want to make friends too. Here are some great places to find friendships that will last you throughout your years in Happy Valley:

Your dorm floor

Making friends with the people living on your floor is one of the best things you can do freshman year! Not only is it convenient to have neighbors to borrow things from when you’re desperate (clothes, curling iron, laundry detergent… you name it!) but it's also nice to come back from a long day of classes to a floor full of friendly faces. Another great perk is always having volunteers to go get food with you! One of my favorite things about my freshman year was my floor. We still all keep in touch and are planning a reunion next semester! So, in order to start off the year right, leave your door open the first few days so that people can pop in and say hi. And don’t feel weird knocking on people's doors to introduce yourself… remember, you're all in the same boat! They want to meet you too.

Your classes

While you may not meet your closest friends in your classes, it's definitely a good idea to make some connections and exchange some phone numbers. It really comes in handy when it's late on a Sunday night and you still can't get that one math problem on your homework due tomorrow, or when you can't remember which day your English proposal is due! You also may find that you have more in common them than you thought - I met a girl in my math class last semester and we found out that we also had 2 other classes together! We started sitting together in those classes and it made boring lectures much more bearable.

Clubs and activities

Penn State has so many clubs and student organizations to offer. My best advice to you is go to the involvement fair! The involvement fair this year is Monday, August 22nd from 11:00am to 4:00pm outside on the HUB lawn. Last year at the involvement fair I found Volé, a dance organization, and I absolutely love it. I've made a lot of friends with girls who have something in common with me - a love for dance! There are also club and IM sports, THON committees and organizations, and a variety of awesome clubs. Don't be afraid to try something new and get involved!

WEPO or WEP Wednesdays

What better place to make friends than at a gathering of women who are also Penn State engineering majors?! WEP is truly a wonderful program and it has encouraged, reassured, and supported me throughout my freshman year. I have also made some pretty amazing friends! It’s nice to have a group of girls who are going through the same tough classes and exams that you are. You are each other’s cheerleaders!

As you make new friends and find your place here at Penn State, don’t forget that you always have your high school friends. Facetime them, text them, Snapchat them… just keep in touch! They miss you just as much as you miss them.

Sarah Geckle is a sophomore majoring in Biomedical Engineering and is a Rover for WEPO'16!