How to Get to Know the People You Live With

College is a whole new ball game, which may seem scary. But everyone is floating in the same boat. Many of the people you meet in your Residence hall will have come to Penn State not knowing anyone else living in that hall. Everyone wants to get comfortable where they are living so be the person to make some plans! The first step is to leave your door open as much as possible in the first few weeks. Other people will feel more comfortable walking in as they pass your room to say hello.  

One of the first nights living in my new room, the resident assistants took everyone in the hall to go get dinner. It was such a positive experience for me so be sure to attend this! Maybe is seems corny or overwhelming, but hanging out with your floor so soon definitely breaks the ice. Try to have lunch and dinner with people in your hallway or people in your classes. Sometimes it is nice to have a quiet meal by yourself, but use the first week to get to know the people around you. Also, do not be afraid to walk up to a group of people headed to dinner and ask to join. Larger groups might seem intimidating but chances are, all those people just met too!

Another way to get to know the people you live with is to play games like “Apple to Apples.” I also recommend bringing a deck of cards. You could even let the RA know that you want to have a game night, and she could help organize your function. Inviting people over will make them feel more comfortable to stop and talk to you later on.

It is totally okay to be nervous about how you are going to meet new people in college. But we have all been there and survived to tell the tale. The girls I lived with on my floor first year have become some of my very best friends in college.  What is really cool is that we all ate dinner together that first week of school. The first step is simply introducing yourself.

By: Katie Yannarell 

Finding Your Own “Place”

In high school, I was the type of person that loved to be involved in everything: sports, debate team, student council, pep club, key club – you name it.  However, going into college, I hoped that I would find my real, unique passion, a cause I could work towards everyday.  It was like I was putting this pressure on myself to do something great.  So many of my friends at other schools and my new friends at Penn State already seemed to know their “place.”  I just didn’t.

One day, I followed a link to the Lala, an online magazine meant to empower college girls with style, spirit, and substance.  It focuses on publishing articles that go deeper than ones you normally see, like “Why Blondes Have More Fun.”

Once I read that first article, I was hooked.  I began reading everything on the website from tech and innovation to style and perspective stories.  These were college girls like me writing with such confident and inspiring voices.  After any bad day, I got lost in the Lala for hours and left with more motivation than ever to be an empowered woman.

Around this time, I learned how much I loved to write in my own style.  No more of this high school standard five paragraphs stuff.  I could write about what I felt passionate about.  Being involved with WEPO and the Society of Women Engineers, along with reading more and more articles from the Lala, made me realize that how strongly I felt about empowering women.  When I did things to promote this cause, I felt like I was doing something meaningful.  This is what then inspired me to apply to be a contributing editor for the Lala.  And I got it!

College is all about giving new things a try – things you could never have imagined doing/accomplishing.  There are so many opportunities at Penn State (how many times have you heard that?!) and beyond that spending time on something you are not passionate about is a waste of your time and talents.  You do not need to know exactly what you want.  Just do what gives you peace and happiness.  It is as simple as that!  If you love animals, find the closest animal shelter to volunteer at.  If you love cooking, join the cooking club.  Pursue anything and everything!  Be an advocate for what you believe in.

Once you take the first step, more and more things seem to fall into place.  A feeling of fulfillment in finding your “place” is great. It is a safe-haven.  But half of the fun is working your way there!

Katie Yannarell is a sophomore majoring in BioMedical Engineering and is a Rover for WEPO'15!