Dear Penn State Seniors,
I can’t believe the time has come for us to enter our senior year. Where the **** has the time gone?
It seems like just yesterday we were freaking out, trying to make sure we got our football tickets for freshman year through Ticketmaster.
It seems like just yesterday we were tightly hugging and saying goodbye to our parents for the first time as little, innocent freshmen.
It seems like just yesterday we were entering the HUB for the first time in disbelief that the Starbucks line was actually that long.
It seems like just yesterday we were entering our first fraternity party, cringing in disbelief that girls actually wear 6-inch heels.
It seems like just yesterday we were pretending that graduation would never come. Well, that time is coming. In a few months, we will graduate from the greatest university in the world. We will be left with memories that will last a lifetime and with debt that we hope to erase as soon as possible.
So many memories have been made in just three years. We have one more chance to make the best of it. I don’t want to give you advice, but I’m going to. I’m sitting here just like you, thinking of all the things I need to fit into one final year.
Take a chance. Do something you haven’t done before. Maybe you will attend a sporting event that you haven’t gone to before. Men’s volleyball games are fun to watch. Also, if you haven’t been to a baseball game, go. Medlar Field is beautiful.
Make a new friend. This might sound silly since we all have our friends already. But, take the time to meet people you haven’t had a chance to meet. It might be a lost freshman that needs guidance. It might be a sophomore in a gen-ed you need to fulfill. It might be a junior that is standing behind you at the Ohio State game. You never know who you will meet, but I assure you, everyone at this place bleeds Blue and White. We are all united by the pride we have for this school. Making another friend won’t be so bad. She might be your bridesmaid one day or he might be your groom.
Go to the football games. This one is self-explanatory. If you have season tickets, use them. Even if you don’t, try to get to at least one game. Don’t just tailgate your day away. Tailgate in moderation, but don’t overdo it. Instead, take advantage of the football season at hand. Beaver Stadium is one of the best collegiate stadiums in the NCAA. Franklin has put together a great recruiting class and the seniors have put their all into restoring this football program. The Nittany Lions put on a show every Saturday they are home, and they need our support.
Throw up in class. I don’t actually mean this. Yes I do. Just because you have class at 9 a.m., doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go out with your friends for a margarita at Mad Mex. Take advantage of the bars in State College. The prices are so reasonable compared to what you will be paying in the “real world." That trashcan from the Phryst might make for a bad hangover, but it will make for some good stories, too.
GO TO THON. If you have never made it to THON weekend, go this year. It’s a life-changing experience that you need to encounter as a student.
Take all the pictures and more. I know I want as many pictures to share with my children and grandchildren. You should want to do the same. Beaver Stadium is beautiful, snap a pic. Old Main is a landmark, take a pic. It’s snowing? Take an obligatory pic of the scenery.
Soak in every second. The greatest four, maybe five, years are coming to a halt. Don’t take any moment for granted. College is supposed to be the greatest time of you life, especially considering you go to Penn State.
Before you know it, you will be shedding a tear walking across the stage receiving your diploma. Until then, make the best of the last year you have in University Park. You will probably never be in the same place with all these people ever again.
With Nittany Love,
A fellow classmate
