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| I got my sister to do the THON Diamond! |
Being out on your own for the first time can be
terrifying. No Mom and Dad waiting at home, no little siblings annoying you,
and no more snuggling up with the family pet. It can be very hard transitioning
from living at home to living at school.
Sure, you get your first real taste of freedom but in addition to that
is your first real taste of being an adult. You have to learn to take care of
all aspects of yourself. Planning when to do schoolwork, how to spend your
money, and remembering to clean your place can seem so overwhelming at first.
The bright side of all of this is that you find out what
you are capable of and where you belong. The new freedoms allow you to find
things that interest you. Whether it’s trying new things or meeting new people
you have the freedom to choose what you are going to do and who you are going
to be. It’s really worth it if you think about it!
Being at Penn State Berks gives students a leg up in my
opinion. The variety of clubs, people, and opportunities cater to almost every
type of person. Whether you love comic books or public speaking, there is an
activity for you do here on campus. Through whatever activity you choose, you
end up meeting people who share your interests. This can result in making some
of the best friends you’ll ever have. All that you have to do is be open to
doing things you enjoy.
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| Here I am at a Reading Royals game with Shannon (left). |
For me, I enjoy helping people any way that I can. This
led me to the groups Lion Ambassadors and THON. In Lion Ambassadors, I get to
meet prospective students and show them the campus. I get to tell them about the
opportunities here and talk about their interests. For THON, I serve as an executive to plan and
help with events for the club. I get to hang out with fun people and help a
great cause while doing it. I have met some of my favorite people in these
groups and I would not trade that for the world.
From my involvement, I have had the chance to gain some
awesome friends. From my friends I have had the chance to try new things. I met
my boyfriend in my first year here and he has helped me to discover things I
never thought I would like. From professional wrestling (WWE style) to every
concert we have attended, I have discovered new things about myself and have
found someone I will always be able to count on.
I have also met a few other people I know I can always
count on. I met my good friend Shannon through Lion Ambassadors and I can
always count on having fun and laughing until it hurts when she is around. I
met my suitemate Katie here as well and I can always count on her for a
friendly smile, thoughtful notes, and good style tips.
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| My cat loves Christmas so much he sleeps under the tree! |
All of these opportunities gave me the chance to find
things I like and the places I like to be. This is not limited to social events
though. Through the classes I took as electives and even from talking to
faculty and staff at Penn State Berks, I have found my declared major and even
more things about myself. I love to write, speak, and plan events. This is what
my Communication Arts and Sciences major offers. I have influenced my future
just from taking classes that I found interesting. Classes and professors have
played a huge role in my finding a place here. I can’t express enough how
grateful I am for this. The opportunities I have received led me to my
interests and what I would like to do for the rest of my life.
The moral to my story is to be open to trying new things.
Being out on your own can be the scariest thing you have faced, but by
following your interests it can turn out to be the best thing you’ve ever done.
Remember to keep an open mind, talk to people who share your interests, and
learn about things that you like to do. Although I miss my family and my cat at
times, I know that I am getting chances to do and learn about what I love here
and that makes it worth it.
Until next time,
Ali
