Living in Supplemental Housing

Housing assignments are out, and I am sure you all are excited/ anxious to know where and with whom you will be living with for the next year. Adjusting and adapting to a roommate can be difficult. Adjusting and adapting to SEVEN roommates seems like the impossible!

My freshman year I was assigned to supplemental housing, where I lived with SEVEN other girls! Supplemental housing is where groups of four to eight students live together in a converted lounge due to the combination of the lack of housing available on campus and the vast amount of students who opt for on campus housing. Students are usually assigned this type of housing if they accept their offer of admissions late. For example, I accepted my offer two days before decision day, whereas some of my roommates accepted their offer a month prior to decision day.

If you are assigned to supplemental housing, there is no need to freak out—ok I did a little, but it all turned out ok! If you are absolutely opposed to the idea of living in supplemental, there are ways to try to get out of it, but no guarantees. Here are a few ways to get out of supplemental housing:

       1.      Use the Room Exchange Board:

You will be notified when the room exchange board opens. The exchange board is accessed through Elion. Here, you can request to switch rooms with other people who have also put their room on the exchange board. The person who is currently assigned to the room you have requested must accept your exchange request in order for you to make the switch. Unfortunately, no one wanted to switch into a room that had eight people assigned to it, so I was unsuccessful with the Room Exchange Board.

       2.      Supplemental Housing is Panned to be Temporary:

 The University will send out emails with the opportunity to move into a different dorm when rooms become available, I received this email at the end of the first semester. I was given the opportunity to move out of supplemental housing. However, I decided to stay in it the rest of the year because I became so comfortable with my room and I did not want to go through the hassle of readjusting halfway through my freshman year. Two of my roommates did move out, so there were only six girls in my room for the second semester.

On the surface, supplemental housing seems terrible and scary, but it’s not. Although it was a difficult adjustment, I found it to be a great experience. Living with so many people made me open to others’ ideas. Here are some tips if you do end up living in supplemental:

       1.      Make a Room Contract: Establish this from the beginning. Items that can be on the contract include the lights out time, cleaning regiment, visitor rules, etc.

       2.      Talk it Out: If you have any discrepancies, have a room meeting to inform your roommates about what bothers you. If the problem cannot be solved amongst yourselves, reach out to your RA.

       3.      Do Not Study in Your Room: Everyone has their own study habits, and when there are eight people in the room, it can get kind of distracting. Loud music, TV playing, roommates talking. These are all not good if you want to be an efficient and effective studier. I always studied in the Commons, the HUB, the Pollock Computer Lab, and Kunkle Lounge. Then, when I came back to my room, I was able to relax.

       4.      Be Outgoing: Whether it’s with your roommates or complete strangers, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Everyone is very welcoming and can’t wait to meet a new face!

Below are some pictures of my supplemental room, which was in Pollock Halls. Even though there were eight sets of furniture in the room, I was still able to make my own space, as seen below. My room even had a locker room where our wardrobes and mini fridges were located.

Every supplemental room is different. So if you are in supplemental, your room may not look exactly like mine did. Some have lofted beds while others do not; it all depends on the number of students living in the room and the size of the room.

Here is some more information Penn State gives about supplemental housing:

http://www.housing.psu.edu/housing/housing/supplemental-housing.cfm

Alyssa Mangano is a sophomore in Architectural Engineering, and she is a Rover for WEPO ’14!

Getting Involved at Penn State

It’s super easy and it’s a great way to meet people!

Coming into college as a freshman is definitely one of the most exciting times of your life. It’s probably the first time you’re going to be living on your own and with that comes a whole new sense of freedom, right up there with getting your driver’s license. With that said, I know that it can also be a little scary and a big part of that is that you might be coming in knowing no one at all. I am writing to reassure you that there is no reason at all to be nervous about making friends! Getting involved will help you meet a lot of different people who share some of the same interests as you.

If you want to get involved with some sports, the first thing you need to know is that there are club sports and intramural sports (aside from the official school teams). The next thing you need to know is that the level of intensity varies. Club sports are typically a lot more involved, with practices during the week and games, matches, meets, etc... against other schools’ club teams. The time commitment and level of intensity vary with each sport. If you think you might be interested in a club sport, I encourage you to look into it here: http://sites.psu.edu/clubsports/

Intramural Soccer

Intramural sports are a little (actually a lot) more laid back. IM sports are only as intense as you want to make them. There aren’t any practices (unless your team decides to get them together) and it’s not the end of the world if you miss a game because you have a lot of homework that night. For a list of sports for each season and sign up information, visit the Rec Sports website: http://www.athletics.psu.edu/recsports/
Here’s some advice: sign up on the first day you can because spots fill up fast!

Both of these levels of sports are a lot of fun, depending on what’s best for you. The only way to find out is to give them a try!

Engineers Without Border, Penn State Chapter

Aside from sports, there are a TON of clubs and organizations out there. There is literally one for everyone. I mean everyone. Are you interested in cycling? There’s a club for that. Do you LOVE Harry Potter? Yup, there’s a club for that too! I’d recommend joining at least one engineering club or professional organization to meet some fellow engineering students, but definitely don’t be afraid to branch out and join a club just because it sounds fun! THON (The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon) is a huge part of Penn State. It is the world’s largest student-run philanthropy and there are a lot of different ways to get involved with it (committees, orgs, and most clubs contribute as well). Here’s the link to a complete list of all of the student organizations at Penn State: http://www.clubs.psu.edu/

An involvement fair is held at the beginning of each semester at the HUB. This fall, the student organizations fair will be held on August 25, 26, and 27. The club sports fair will be on August 25 and 26. If you’re interested in Greek life, a fair is being held on August 28.

Brittany Bolmer is a junior in Civil Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!

Buying Books under Budget

Hi ladies!

My name is Sarah Cosgrove, and I am a senior in Bioengineering.

As classes are approaching, students are starting to panic about what books to buy while staying in budget. After going through this for 6+ times I have figured out how to make this frustrating and stressful process easier. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you start to prepare for your college career.

How to find out what books you need:

Log onto Elion

Go to the drop down menu on the top and expand Schedule

Choose Student Schedule

Select the semester you would like to buy books for

Click on the tab that says Buy Books

Click on the top square to select all

Click the button Confirm Selections

Click on Submit (don’t worry this will NOT purchase the books)

Your course materials for that semester will open up

Do not buy your books before you go to the first day of class!

Most teachers will state on their syllabus “textbook is required.” However, I have had teachers who on the first day of class will say that the book is only recommended for those who need additional reading to learn the material sufficiently. Another situation is where assigned homework problems are not even from the textbook, rather made-up by the professor. Personally, I had a math class where I bought the textbook, but never ended up using it because all of the assigned homework problems were made-up by my instructor. So the lesson to be learned is wait to buy your books until you hear what your professor has to say about them!

Avoid the Student Bookstore at all costs.

Buying any science or math textbook at the Student Bookstore (downtown or at the HUB) will easily cost a couple hundred dollars, even if used. When the semester is over and you go back to sell your books you only get a fraction of what you paid for them just a few months ago. I highly recommend using the website Chegg.com, where you can rent or buy used books at a much lower cost. Rent books only when you know you will not refer to them in a later class. For example, Math 140/ Math 141, Chem 110/Chem 112, as well as Chem 210/Chem 212 will use the same textbook if a new edition doesn’t come out in between. Some professors will even tell you that older editions of a textbook will be sufficient for their class.

Other resources to find textbooks are groups on Facebook, such as the Textbook Exchange group for Penn State or “Class of 20—” groups. Fellow Penn Staters will post used textbooks that they are willing to sell at a lower cost. This is a good resource for those who are good at bargaining for a better price!

Getting away without buying books all together

Davey Library is a great resource for us engineers whose books are mostly science and math related. At Davey Library a student is able to rent out not only textbooks, but also student manuals with just presenting their student I.D. card. The only downside to this option is that you are not able to take the books out of the library. There are however, photocopy machines available to use. Other textbooks can be found at the libraries around campus, just ask a librarian and they will be sure to be of help! Also collaborate with your fellow engineering buddies and share books. This is an excellent way to cut down on costs.

 


Sarah Cosgrove is a senior in Bioengineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!

Living in E-House (Engineering House)

E-House, or McKee Hall as it’s actually called, is the Special Living Option (SLO) for engineering students in West. As an engineer who’s about to live there for the 4^th year in a row, I can tell you that it’s great. The building is on the corner of N Burrowes Street and Curtin Road and faces the Lion Shrine and Rec Hall. Even though the dorm is called Engineering House, students with other majors sometimes live there, too, if they switch while still living there or if there’s nowhere else to put them. Students who are in the colleges of Earth & Mineral Science and IST can also occasionally live in E-House.

The main thing about E-House is that it’s kind of like a club. There are monthly house meetings that everyone has to attend (or e-mail the president with a valid excuse and then take a make-up quiz), occasional floor meetings, events that give you points, and committees to be on. The points are what matter the most. In years past, every student living in E-House has had to obtain 3 academic points and 3 social points per semester in order to be eligible for a housing contract to live in McKee again the next year. It’s easy, but make sure you get the points early since the deadlines are usually in October and March. There are also some students who don’t live in McKee that want to who need to meet all of the requirements; they’re called associate members. This means that if you applied and didn’t get in (or if you didn’t even know there was a special application process), you can still try to live there in the spring semester (if any spots open up) or your sophomore year. The best part of the system is that it makes it really easy to study abroad or intern/co-op for a semester. So long as you get the points the semester before you leave, you’re guaranteed housing in McKee when you come back.

McKee Hall is a co-ed dorm, meaning that both guys and girls live there. Five of the six floors in the building have dorm rooms. Floors B and 4 are only for guys, while floors 1, 2, and 3 are for guys and girls. One weird thing is since McKee used to be an all guy’s dorm building, all of the bathrooms have urinals and straight razor deposits. My advice is to just pretend they’re not there. Most freshmen women will live on the third floor, but some will end up on the second and first floors. Freshmen guys are usually on B-level (that’s what we call floor B). The side of the hall that the girl’s dorms are on alternate from floor to floor, so if you need to use the bathroom but yours is closed, DO NOT go straight down. On the first floor, girls are on the north side, second floor is south side, and third floor is north side again.

There are a few lounges in E-House. The two main ones are A-Level lounge and the Piano lounge. The A-Level lounge, as its name says, is on A-Level (floor A, the very bottom-most floor). It has vending machines, a ping-pong table, a pool table, couches, tables, and a large TV. Your first RA floor meeting will probably occur here. The Piano lounge is the other main lounge. It is on the first floor and is called the Piano lounge because there is a piano there. It also has couches and tables and a white board. There is a stairwell that goes between the two lounges, but it’s not used very often. There is a small lounge on B-Level that has tables, chairs, and a chalkboard, but it is windowless and has poor ventilation. There is a lounge that is the entrance to the laundry room on A-Level that has tables, chairs, and a TV. The last “lounge” isn’t really a lounge. It used to be called the Half Moon Desk because there was a semi-circular desk that was attached to the wall, but it was remodeled last year and a permanent name hasn’t been picked yet. It may be referred to as the study nook, the study bar, or the old Half Moon Desk area. It’s right beside the front doors and the Piano lounge.

The best thing about McKee is that you’ll never have to struggle through homework or exam stress alone. Since (pretty much) everyone is an engineering student, there will always be someone to study with or an upperclassman to ask for help. We’ve all been through the physics and math and chemistry (and econ and English) classes, so don’t be afraid to ask around if anyone remembers how to do those things. If you’re not sure who to ask about engineering related topics, going to an RA, someone on the executive board, your E-House mentor, or a WEPO mentor is your best bet. If you have housing questions, you should ask John Norris, the Upper West housing coordinator (whose office is on A-Level in McKee) or an RA. I hope you enjoy your time in E-house. It’s a great place to live!

Chloe Nagle is a senior in Aerospace Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!

I’m A Broke College Student, and I Need CASH NOW

How many incoming freshman have had a part time job throughout high school or during the summers?  Probably most of you.   Although we’ve all had to suffer from that slightly painful minimum wage mark, having a part time job was great for extra cash.  No more asking Mom and Dad for money just to go to the movies, it’s great!!  But what about when you get to college??!  Being in college welcomes in a whole new set of expenses, on top of a whole new workload!  A part-time job is certainly something to consider, and is absolutely doable throughout the school year.  You just need to be smart about it, and I am here to help you!

Whether you helped out completing your FAFSA (props to you!) or had Mom/Dad fill it all out (guilty :)), there is one item you should definitely be looking for: Federal Work Study. 

What is a work-study?

A work-study is a part-time job through the university that full or part time students have throughout the school year.  Students are awarded a work-study based upon their financial need.  If you are selected for a work-study, it will be listed on your Student Aid Summary on Elion (elion.psu.edu).  

The difference between a work-study and a regular part-time job is that you are paid by the Federal Government instead of directly by your employer.  On your Student Aid Summary, a value is listed that is the maximum amount you can earn through the work-study per semester.  This means that once you’ve reached the limit you are no longer allowed to work.  The number of hours that you can work in total will depend on exactly how much you are allotted for your work-study.  Generally you can work 10-15 hours per week.

How do I get a work-study job?

One great thing about work-study jobs is that the job search is incredibly simple!  Here’s how to go about it:

1.      Log onto Elion→Financial→Work-Study Job Search

2.      Enter the campus that you will be attending, click Submit, and you will see this window

3.      Search available work-study positions by selecting different college/admin areas.  DON’T limit yourself to only the College of Engineering!  Having experience within the College of Engineering would be great, especially as a freshman, but make sure you look at all opportunities available for work-study students.  You can get a job pretty much anywhere on campus that you would like.  You can do anything from being a Lab Assistant in physics to a manager for the Men’s Volleyball team!

4.      Once you’ve found a few that interest you, apply!  All positions are provided with a name and number to contact for employment.  Remember to call during business hours if possible.

Why choose a work-study?

Here are a couple reasons why I believe work-study jobs are the best part-time job options for college students!

1.      Wage. Work-study students are paid quite well.  Starting in Fall 2014, the wage for work study students will be $9.50/hr.  Remember, you can only work until you have reached your earning limit for the semester, so you should keep that in mind when scheduling your hours throughout the semester.

2.      You will get hired.  Some jobs are for work study students only, while other positions take both work study and non-work study students.  Work study student only positions are almost always available.  You’ll find ads for ‘work study students wanted’ all throughout the HUB, Osmond building, etc.  Other jobs that hire both sets of students are generally more apt to hire work study students because they are paid through the Federal Government instead of the university.  This is great news for work study students!  If you are willing to put in a small amount of time and effort into the job search, you will find a job.

3.      Considerate employers.  All work study positions are through the university, which means that there is an 8hr/day maximum, and a 20hr/week maximum for all full-time students.  Every work study employer understands the responsibilities of a full-time student, so there will not be unrealistic expectations; they recognize that you are a student first.  In fact, in many work study positions, there is no minimum amount of hours.  You can work as you are able to and can effectively balance work and school.

4.      Awesome jobs.  If you happen to go to the gyms on campus, you’ll see a desk attendant who swipes each gym-goer’s ID as they enter.  If you go to the Fitness Loft, that desk attendant might be me!  That’s right; my work study job is at one of the gyms on campus.  I either swipe entrants into the gym, or work at the sales desk selling merchandise and memberships.  And best of all, I’m allowed to do my homework during work.  This certainly isn’t the case for every job, but many work study positions are more relaxed and flexible, allowing you to easily integrate a job into your schedule.

Interested in a work study, but it’s not listed on your Student Aid Summary?

No worries, you still have a chance!  You need to contact the Shields Building (conveniently located next to East Halls) and go to the Student Aid Office.  Let them know that you are interested, they will review your eligibility, and you will receive one if there are any positions available.

So to wrap this up, anybody who has a Federal Work-Study or anyone considering a part-time job while at school should absolutely look into work-study jobs.  It’s a great way to keep cash on hand at school without sacrificing your grades.  I’m hoping that I have covered everything, but if there any questions at all on the work study application process I would be happy to answer them!  Simply shoot me an email at jns225@psu.edu.  Hope everyone is enjoying summer!!  Can’t wait to see you all in Happy Valley!

Jessica Smith is a junior in Architectural Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!