My First White Out Game!

Hello again everyone! It’s Ali again!

(Almost) All of us together

This weekend I had the most amazing experience and I could not wait to share it with you guys! I got to attend the Ohio State game, which also happened to be my first white out! I have to say, I love good football and I love Penn State, so the combination of this intense game made the trip up to University Park totally worth it.

I had the chance to go to the game with some of my favorite people and spent the day downtown shopping for more Penn State gear. (I am pretty sure every Penn Stater can agree that you can never have enough.) I got the chance to eat at Are You Hungry, a sandwich shop with the most creative and calorie-loaded but delicious, sandwiches I have ever eaten.  I highly recommend this place if you find yourself craving a big meal in State College. Your taste buds will thank you.

Laney on the Mural

I also had the chance to visit the mural. If you have yet to do this, I am telling you now, it is a sight to see. It was amazing to see one of Berks Benefitting THON’s kids on the wall. Laney is an inspiration to anyone who hears her story. It was o heartwarming to see her honored in such a way.

I love these two!

For those of you who have not seen the game, let’s just say the double overtime and electrified student section made the atmosphere of Beaver Stadium almost overwhelming.  I have never cheered so hard in my life. Between the free pom-poms, the Blue Band, and the Nittany Lion crowd surfing, it was definitely a night to remember.  I can only imagine how those watching it on TV felt. I used my pom-pom as a stress ball. It ended up so crumpled it was almost unrecognizable by the end of the game.

I was so worried before Penn State scored their first touchdown, but before I knew it, the stadium erupted with cheers and I was being thrown in the air in celebration of the first points PSU put on the board. I had a fantastic view of the sea of white while in the air. What better way to celebrate than that? Somewhere between the PSU chants and signing “Sweet Caroline” at the top of our lungs, Penn State lost.

Pre-game

Although the original shock of the loss hit us all hard, the gathering and linking of arms to sing the Alma Mater brightened our spirits. The football team sang with us to end our night. In that moment, I realized that what made being a Penn Stater so important to me was being demonstrated in front of my eyes. It was truly an awesome experience. I look forward to the next game and the spirit that only my fellow Penn Staters can understand.

Until Next Time,

Ali

Welcome back! Katie Zambanini!

Hi everyone! My name is Katarina, but you can call me “Katie”! Some people actually call me “Simba”, which is somewhat of an inside joke with my orientation team, Royal Blue.  (For orientation, students are broken into different color teams, such as: Royal Blue, Green Machines, Smooth Orange Operators, Yellow Fellows, etc. you get the idea!)  Well the Royal Blue orientation leaders used me in our team chant, and I represented Simba from the Lion King. The music from the beginning of the movie played, and our team captain actually lifted me up, after another team member drew on my forehead with blue paint, like Rafiki does with Simba in the movie.

As a junior at Berks, I am studying Communication Arts and Sciences. Words have always been fascinating to me! Along with that I am also pursuing two minors, Professional Writing and Psychology. I’m also halfway done completing my Public Relations Minor! I really believe that knowledge is power, so you can never have enough of it!

I am Chair of Workers for the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and interact with the “Cabbies”. Cabbies are the members of CAB that come to meetings and volunteer to work at the events that we organize for the students. I work with an executive board of five lovely ladies!

Giving tours over the summer during my Internship with the Admissions Office was amazing, and I get to continue that through my involvement with the Lion Ambassadors (LA). In this organization I am involved with the Historian committee, which I ran last year. I also seem to have fallen into the role as “Official Lion Ambassador Photographer”!

I was recently given the honor of Assistant Canning Captain for the Berks Benefiting THON chapter, which means the world to me. After losing someone very special to cancer my senior year of High School, any way I be involved with THON is time well spent for me. Along with Assistant Canning Captain I also get to do the photography for THON too, while being involved with both the Family Relations and Public Relations committees! #OrangeTeam!

This semester is my first semester ever being a Peer Mentor to a First Year Seminar of about twenty-five students. The class is taught by Dr. Paul Esqueda, the Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. It has been absolutely amazing so far and I am really enjoying teaching! I adore my students!

Along with my involvement in the Peer Mentor Program I am the current president of our Residence Hall Council. This is a club that acts as a liaison for the students to the offices of Residence Life and Housing & Food Services. In this club I get to work with my executive board of three marvelous men and myself.

I sit on a number of committees, including Student Activities Fund, Homecoming, and Camp Out For Hunger. It keeps life interesting!

When I’m not in class studying the art of rhetoric, learning how to write a press release, or interpreting the timbre and rhythm of music (all of which I do during my classes this semester). I have a lot of hobbies for my scarce amount of free time.

One of my favorite hobbies is photography. I feel the most comfortable behind the lens of a camera! You can view my work at this link: www.facebook.com/SmilesbyKi 

Some other things I enjoy doing include reading fictional books, blogging, and spending time with those that I care about the most.

Speaking of those that I care about move, I’m very excited that a few weeks ago my boyfriend and I celebrated our one year anniversary! Last year, when I first started to write for this blog, my introduction post explained that he had just recently asked me out. Time really does fly! I can’t believe it’s been over a year since he and I started dating. Overall, he is the one that keeps me sane, and life would be unbearable without him!

Overall life at Berks is pretty awesome! It can get a little busy, but it makes life interesting! I’m learning so many new things, not to mention I have so many experiences to put on my resume! I am so excited to write more posts for you all, but this is where I leave you for the first one! I will finish this post with a quote that I hope you will reflect on.

 “Wherever you go, go with your whole heart.”

This is exactly what I intend to do with my time at Berks.

Katarina Zambanini

Welcome! Diana Rodriquez!

HEY THERE PEEPS! My name is Diana Rodriguez and I’m so excited to get to know you all! This is my first blog ever, but hey! You always have to start somewhere, right?

To give you a little insight about me, I am a sophomore majoring in Early Childhood Education here at Penn State Berks. I was born in the lovely island called the Dominican Republic located it the Caribbean and moved to the United States when I was fourteen years old. I first moved to Manhattan and did all four years of high school there. After graduating, I moved to Reading, PA and Oh Boy! It was the best decision that my parents could’ve made!  Are you wondering why? Well, the answer is easy, Penn State Berks!

At Berks I’ve finally found my second home and I’ve met so many wonderful people along the way. People with the same interests as me like Anime, drawing, and The Walking Dead. I just love how diverse Penn State Berks is and it really gives you the opportunity to get to know people from different cultures and backgrounds. Isn’t that lovely? As of now, I am a proud Lion Ambassador, Orientation Leader, and member of the Latino unity Club and hopefully I’ll be joining more clubs on campus in the near future!  

Hope we’ll have a great time together!

Lots of Love,

Diana

Welcome! Melissa Reyes!

Hello. Hola. Oi. Buongiorno. My name is Melissa Reyes and this is the first time I have ever written a blog. Ha-ha. Let’s see where this journey takes us. I am a student majoring in Biology at Penn State Berks.

How did I happen to land at Berks you might ask? Well it all started when I moved to Pennsylvania at the age of eight. I was born in Manhattan, New York, but grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, and ever since, the love for Penn State was planted in my family. It grew into a beautiful garden. Both my brother and I came to Penn State Berks after graduating high school. I can definitely say that was the best decision I made so far because I am currently in love with life. Penn State Berks has helped me come out of my shy shell, which I was hiding in all throughout high school.

Oh boy what a ride it has been, from getting involved with the Latino Unity Club my freshman year, to becoming a Lion Ambassador my junior year. I was able to meet so many awesome people and even study abroad in the Dominican Republic and get my Spanish on. Studying Abroad was a life changing experience because it helped me realize that the medical field is where I would like to pursue my career.

I was able to volunteer at three different hospitals and see how blessed we are here in the United States, because in the Dominican Republic many times supplies run out and the hospital staff have to quickly run to the nearest pharmacy to get the materials they need. My goal is to be able to become a doctor in order to help those in need, not only in the United States, but around the world. I feel it is important not to think that we are unable to make a change in the world because, just like it says in the Bible, “I can do all through Christ who strengthens me” (Phillipians 4:13).

So whenever I am not working on my career goals or visiting my family members (my mom is one of eighteen), you could probably find me at church. Apart from my studies, learning about Jesus is one of my passions. At Church I not only learn about God, but I am also learning how to play the guitar, and direct the youth group meetings. It was at church that I met my prince, Emmanuel, and have fallen more in love each day. He has taught me that even when things get difficult I should never give up on my dreams and I am very thankful for him.

So when life gives us lemons, let’s go ahead and make some refreshing lemonade. Life has so many beautiful things to offer.

Melissa

Welcome! Justin Smith!

Hello readers!

My name is Justin Smith and I am a Sophomore Kinesiology major. I am from Long Beach Island, New Jersey, so the beach is definitely my stomping grounds. My favorite color is purple and I love to play basketball and video games during my free time (when I have time that is).

I am heavily involved on campus here at Berks. I am a Lion Ambassador and a peer mentor because I LOVE to talk to people. I am always open to meeting new people and I cant wait to make some new friends through blogging. I just wanted to introduce myself a little bit and I hope you all love what I have to say throughout the semester. 

Enjoy everybody!!!

Justin

Welcome! Caroline Kunisky!

Hi everyone, my name is Caroline Kunisky and I am a sophomore here at Penn State Berks. My major is Hospitality Management, in order to pursue my dream job as a Wedding Planner. I am highly involved on campus, I am the Secretary of the Dance Team, a member of the Hotel Restaurant Society, Lion Ambassadors, Orientation Leaders, THON, and now I am a blogger! Which makes me so excited to see what else is in store for this semester.

My sister, Maria, me and my mom
supporting our favorite team.

So let’s start from the very beginning. I grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with the most supportive and lovely family I could ever ask for. My family includes, my parents, Michael and Leslie, my older sister, Maria, and my little West Highland Terrier, Biscuit. Maria and I grew up going to the dance studio every day after school for our entire lives. And we would not want it any other way. At dance, my sister was in the class above me, but nothing stopped me from getting to where she was. I don’t think Maria ever knew how much I truly looked up to her at the studio. I always wanted to be a ballerina like her. My sister is now 22 years old, and is finishing her last year at West Chester University in order to become a Special Needs teacher. It’s crazy to think that she is going to be graduating in the spring! I cannot wait until I see my number one fan cross the stage as I bawl my eyes out. I am tremendously proud to call her my sister, let alone my best friend.

Not only are my sister and I extremely close but, my family in general is. Our favorite thing to do as a family is to travel. We love to explore places we have never been to. In the past couple of years our big trips included London, Paris, Italy, St. Maartens, Cayman Islands and of course, trips in the United States as well. I absolutely loved seeing the Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum and Big Ben, as well as swimming with dolphins and stingrays in the Caribbean. It is memories like these that I’ll never forget.

Without my family introducing me to Penn State, I probably would not know much about it. I decided to go to Penn State Berks because I grew up going to all of the football games and basketball games with my parents and sister at Happy Valley. I was the little girl that wore cheerleading outfits to every game, dreamed about becoming a Lionette, and could eat an entire dish of Peachy Paterno ice cream at the Creamery. Ever since, I knew that this place had my heart.

Dance Team of 2013-2014 at a
Competition after winning 3rd place.

I am so thankful that I decided to be a Nittany Lion when I chose my school. Ever since I arrived, I’ve never been happier. I enjoy all of my challenging courses, I enjoy learning more about my major every day in class, and most of all I enjoy the people I have met. The Dance Team is full of all of my best friends, we are basically a big happy family. I mean nothing can be better than dancing with your best friends and having the time of your life. Being a part of Lion Ambassadors has made me love my school even more, I truly look up to each and every fellow Lion Ambassador. HRS Club has made me fall in love with my major all over again. And Orientation Leaders has made me realize why I decided to come to this school with such pride. Nothing in the world could make me happier, and I am so proud to call myself a Nittany Lion.

Until next time Penn Staters!

Caroline Kunisky