11 Things I Wish I Knew As Penn State Freshman

The transition into freshman year can be tough, but never fear! Smeal Student Mentors is here with the 11 things we wish we knew when we were in your shoes so you don't make the same mistakes we did.

1. Link your Penn State webmail to your personal email.

You can set up your webmail to forward all the emails to your personal email that you already use. This allows for an easy “one stop shop” when you’re checking emails and you won’t miss any important emails from your professors. Make sure you correspond with faculty and staff by using your Penn State email account.

2. Hold off on buying textbooks.

Most professors put their textbooks on reserve in library so you can go there and check them out for two hours. And sometimes textbooks aren’t required for a class. It’s best to rent books when you can, or try to find them on Amazon.

3. Study abroad.

Study abroad isn't for everyone, but most students regret not studying abroad if they choose not to. If you're at all interested, let your adviser know as soon as possible so she/he can help you schedule accordingly.

4. Utilize the Schedule Planner on Elion.

Elion has an interactive schedule planner that allows you to plug in the classes you want to take and generates sample schedules for you.

5. Each semester Penn State allocates 110 pages for printing anywhere on campus.

You can buy additional pages with LionCash whenever you run out.

6. Meal Points are accepted everywhere on campus.

Don’t spend them all in one place, but Meal Points are accepted everywhere on campus including the HUB Starbucks, Beaver Stadium, the BJC, the Creamery and Pegula all accept Meal Points so you don’t have to carry cash or a credit card around with you.

7. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT try to get on the Cata bus through the back door.

Everyone will not only pin you as a freshman right away, but you'll also get yelled at by the bus driver.

8. Download the Cata Bus App.

It may not be the most reliable (don’t be surprised if you watch the bus pass you by on your way to the stop even if the app shows that bus is still 3 stops away), but it does give you a good idea of where the Loops are so you can hitch a ride to class.

9. Download the PSU Dining Hall App.

What better way to gain the Freshman 15 than using an app that shows you what food there is to eat at the campus dining halls that you can open up without even having to get out of bed and walk there? You'll still have to walk to get the food, but at least you won't be running all over campus searching for a West Cookie. (Hint: West Cookies are in the West dining commons)

10. Download the PSU Fitness app.

This app shows you everything from fitness class schedules to the current attendance at each of the fitness centers on campus. And if you’re planning on working out in the afternoon you should plan to schedule time to wait in line.

11. AND FINALLY... Take advantage of Smeal Student Mentors!

We love to help and that's what we're here for! We were in your shoes once too, but now we've got some experience and wisdom under our belts that we're more than happy to pass along to you. Just ask!