10 Things to do Before You Start School at Penn State
Starting college is a big step towards your future. The upperclassmen at Penn State have been where you are now. They are here to help, but if you haven’t been able to talk to an upperclassman at Penn State before you start school, these tips are sure to help! Good luck future Nittany Lions!
1. Talk to your roommate(s).
Figure out who’s going to bring the coffee maker, who’s going to bring the printer, and other scenarios along those lines. Also, ask if they’re a night person, what their class schedule is like, and if they like to have guests over or not. It makes things so much easier if you set ground rules BEFORE you start school. It’s also so much easier if you figure out who’s bringing what so move-in day goes smoothly!
2. Do your textbook research.
…BUT don’t buy them just yet! Figure out what your required textbooks are (you can do this by looking up your professors online), and look the books up on the PSU Online bookstore to get a total estimate about your book cost. Wait until your first week of school before purchasing the books because your professor may change things or tell you you don’t need to buy them all. Doing your research can help you feel better prepared and can also save you major bucks! Once you know exactly what you need, check out awesome student discounted websites such as this one!
3. VISIT! (duh)
Once you have your fall schedule, head to campus for a day. Walk around and figure out where your classes are and how long it will take you to get to each one. Penn State is a HUGE campus, but you can get anywhere in 15 minutes if you hurry (and everyone at Penn State walks extremely fast – we all have somewhere to be).
4. Get Spotify Premium.
With your PSU email you can get Spotify Premium for only $4.99 a month (half the prince of regular premium)! This will be super useful for those long nights at the library and those bus rides on the WHOOP where you don’t want to listen to others/don’t want to deal with ads.
5. Buy your season football passes.
Passes go on sale mid/late June! It’s a lot cheaper to buy the student season pass than it is to buy a student ticket for every game, plus they go right onto your ID so you’ll never lose them! (Tip – if you didn’t buy them in the summer, no sweat! Students are always selling their tickets on the student exchange website and their ticket will go straight onto your ID once you buy it from them!)
6. Make a schedule.
Life can get pretty hectic, especially when you’re adjusting to college life, so make a schedule before you get to school, then adjust from there. Base everything around your classes and library time. Set aside a certain day to do laundry, call your mom, and days to go to the gym or try a new club.
7. Reach out to upperclassmen.
Before you start school in the fall at Penn State, there are upperclassmen that actually call you to answer any questions that you may have – take advantage of that! Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help, that’s what they’re there for. If you know any upperclassmen at PSU, text them and ask if they made a packing list/what to expect. I did and it helped make my transition so much smoother! Thank you upperclassmen!
8. Buy the basics.
Get pens, pencils, highlighters, notebooks, but leave it at the basics. Don’t overdo it because every class is different. Some classes you’ll strictly take notes on your computer, while others have a no computer policy and you need to write by hand. Doing this will, again, save you major bucks.
9. Do your “Frat Land” research.
Penn State doesn’t have Greek Row, it has the infamous Frat Land. The houses are huge, spaced out, and can sometimes get confusing so download the MyPennState App that will help you navigate through Frat Land so you aren’t stumbling around at 1 a.m. in your Jeffrey’s lost as all get out. Download it now and start exploring!
10. Go dorm shopping! (Again, duh…)
It’s best to get all your dorm supplies before you start school and move in. Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Urban outfitters have everything from shower caddies to candles to bedding. Bed Bath and Beyond provides an in-depth check list that will keep you on track and makes sure that you aren’t forgetting anything!
Have any other tips for Penn State freshman, comment them below! If you enjoyed the article, be sure to share it.
Featured photo source: onwardstate.com, blog.pennlive.com
