Having been heavily involved in student government and a plethora of other activities and student organizations, combined with the few visits I had made to University Park (UP), I thought that my transition to UP would be a smooth one; little did I realize just how hard it would be.
I arrived in the spring of 2009 having left my newly acquired friends back at the PSU Altoona campus, with no academic adviser, living about 2 miles off campus, while also experiencing the everyday academic problems that face an entering junior and the primary issues facing a freshman in adjusting to a new atmosphere. I quickly realized that this would be a more difficult semester then I had anticipated.
The following semester proved far better as I joined The Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, and worked hard to find ways in which I could address the issue of student transitioning through Penn State’s unique system. I have come to understand that this university works in bursts with student transitioning being the hot topic to address right now. As a student whose transitioning experience was by no means a pleasant one I urge all of you who are about to undergo this process to pay special attention to the advice that will be given to you by faculty, staff, administrators, and students. Getting acquainted to State College and the size of University Park is not easy, but more importantly the opportunities that are available for students to take advantage of are immense. DO NOT WASTE THEM!
Coming from a commonwealth campus is an amazing way (and I think the best way) to enter the Penn State system and spending two years at your campus allows you to build strong friendships with faculty members and students while giving you unique opportunities to excel in leadership and academics. When making the transition to University Park, therefore, you have a wonderful opportunity to take full advantage of the opportunities available here just as you did at your campus. Some of these include joining the Schreyer Honors College (which you must apply for at the end of your sophomore year) or getting involved in some great student organizations that have strong voices on campus and will give you opportune chances to develop your leadership skills or address issues that you are passionate about. Some of these opportunities can be found in The Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, the University Park Undergraduate Association, THON, the Collegian, Agora: A Liberal Arts Magazine, and many many more. Each of these organizations provide you chances to make great friends and work towards a cause that you enjoy doing.
Transitioning to UP can be a great experience and making friends and keeping your grades up are important contributors to that experience. The administration and student leaders have come together to put together the April 10th Link U.P. event that is designed to give you all the information that you need to have a great transitioning experience. As a student leader, it has been my experience that often times we ignore these events because we think we can do it on our own. While I do believe that every student has the potential to succeed on their own, you can do so much faster if you take some time to listen to all the great information that you will receive and all the important people you will meet, who at a moments notice will go out of their way to help you with this process.
The best advice I can give you as a student is to get involved and get involved fast; this will broaden your scope and allow you to make more friends who share your interest and with whom you can unwind. Meet your faculty members teaching the classes that interest you the most because those are the people that will recognize your passions and help you get to where you want to go. And finally talk to your adviser, meet with them, tell them about yourself, and ask them about the academic opportunities that you can pursue within your college: things like study abroad, internships, awards and scholarships are all available if you ask about them. Every college at this university has some amazing things you can get involved in, apply for, and succeed at, but these things will only be possible if you take that initiative. The vehicle of Penn State success is driven by the motivated students at this university, and in order to drive you need your license. Please take the time to explore your college, learn about the amazing opportunities available, get involved with organizations and I guarantee that there is no better experience than the one you will have received at Penn State.
I wish you all the best in this process and please don’t hesitate to email me (raouda@psu.edu) if you have any questions, concerns, or just ways in which you can be involved around campus and engage in opportunities that will help you succeed in your first semester at University Park.
We had a great afternoon meeting transfer students as part of the Link UP events today. Thanks especially to our UP student panelists, who echoed a lot of Mo’s excellent advice above. And transfer students: we look forward seeing you in Fall 2010 or 2011!
Mo, you speak in a compelling way about the challenges students face when they transition to University Park. My hope is that some of the students participating in LinkUP will join the discussion on the blog and that this discussion will be the beginning of a community of support for students as they make this transition.
Mo, that was a great piece! I echo your sentiments that getting involved is the best way to get acclimated. University Park can be a daunting place to some students, but through involvement and participation in the various student activities the size of this place shrinks rapidly. I hope all the students transitioning to UP take full advantage of the Link U.P. event and waste no time getting involved when they arrive at University Park!