It’s me, Jeanine, again! So I was thinking about what to
write for my blog post, because it’s been a crazy, fun, stressful, wonderful
semester so far, and I decided that I wanted to give you guys the ABC’s of Penn
State Berks. What’s that mean you ask? Well, I’m going to take you through the
alphabet and give you little tidbits of information and helpful hints I’ve
learned along my 7 semester journey through the wonderful world of Penn State!
I hope you enjoy!
A is for
Acronyms! You’re thinking acronyms,
why do they matter in college? Well, here at Berks we have RAs, LAs, SGA, CAB,
PM, IM, MM, OLs, LUC, BSCC, SAF, CSF, SPL, PSC, BCC, MPR…. And I could honestly
keep going! Make sure that you learn all about these abbreviations because a
lot of them are really cool things to get involved with on campus, clubs you
might know about, and places you should probably visit!
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| Started
at the creamery… |
B is for Berkey Creamery Ice Cream! Think you
need to go to University Park for Creamery Ice Cream? Nope. Housing and Food
Services has pints shipped right to campus and on sale in Tully’s! Availability
varies, but it’s always a great treat for anyone!
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| ... now it's here! |
C is for C.A.B.! C.A.B. is the campus activities
board on campus. Their primary goal is bringing fun, interactive events to
campus that students love! They love to hear new, exciting ideas and are always
looking for a few good cabbies to help with events! Check them out Mondays at
1:30 p.m. in PSC 3! (Remember, what I said about Acronyms, yet?!)
D is for
Degree Audit! What’s a degree audit?
It’s your handy guide to graduation that is available via eLion at any time.
Learn to read these ASAP and make sure you meet with your advisor every
semester about them! There’s no better feeling in the world than seeing all the
little + signs on them… that means it’s graduation time!
E is for eLion! eLion is your online portal to
paying your bill, scheduling classes, finding your advisor information, seeing
your financial aid package, finding your degree audit and more! You can access
eLion at www.eLion.psu.edu.
F is for
Financial Aid! College is expensive,
but Financial Aid on campus is a great resource to visit and communicate with!
They are easy to work with and super helpful! They can even help you fill out
your FAFSA!
G is for Graduation! College is the best four
(or five) years of your life, but graduation is the goal to aim for! Work hard
and enjoy every second of college, because I promise it goes by in the blink of
an eye… says the girl with one semester left!
 |
|
My home this year… we’re all Step
Brothers fans so this sign
is fitting!
|
H is for
Housing! Want to live on campus?
Great! Berks has 2 housing options… The Woods and The Village! About 805 people
live on campus so spaces fill up quickly! If you want to live on campus, accept
your offer and request a contract FAST! Living on campus has been so fantastic
for me! I’ve gotten more involved and met so many friends through the Res Halls
on campus!
I is for Imagine it then do it! That sounds strange, right? Wrong! If you want to
see something on campus, whether it’s a club, different food at Tully’s, or a
campus event… imagine it, plan it out, then find a way to do it! If you get
involved on campus and let you voice be heard there are tons of faculty and
staff willing to help make your dreams a reality!
J is for
Jitters! So this J is a double
whammy (not just because it’s my favorite letter of the alphabet but because it
works in two ways!) The first Jitters I’m talking about are those butterflies
you have in your stomach thinking about coming to college, the exam you need to
take, or what you want to do afterwards! All of these jitters are perfectly
normal and, hey, guess what? Other people feel that way, too! Don’t be afraid
to talk to someone about it! Jitters #2 is my pride and joy on campus- our
Coffeehouse Series we have in Tully’s! 4 to 5 times a semester we have acoustic
acts, spoken word artists, bands and open mic nights happen and students can
come for free! (Bonus… you get cookies and coffee for FREE!) Make sure to check
them out!
K is for
Kindness! You probably think that’s
lame, but give me a second! Here at Berks every student I have meet has been respectful
of others beliefs, ideas, and goals. Students are helpful and always looking
for ways to give back! We do tons of community service (Camp Out for Hunger,
P.A.L. Thanksgiving, Reading Enrichment, and more) and love it! What makes
Berks great is that everyone cares!
L is for
Lion Ambassadors! Lion Ambassadors
are the students who are selected and volunteer their time to help the
admissions office out! We give tours, we help at Open Houses, and we assist
with Alumni events or anything else that pops up and needs coverage! I’m lucky
enough to be the president of this group and, honestly, I couldn’t be luckier!
I have 36 peers always in my corner and helping me when I need it! I definitely
suggest trying to be a Lion Ambassador! If you want more info sign up at Club Rush
or contact me through the clubs page on the Berks website!
M is for
Multi-cultural! Penn State Berks is
a diverse place! We have over 41 international students, clubs, and
organizations dedicated to celebrating diversity, and campus events that will transport
you to a different culture! You can also study abroad to be really transported
there.
N is for
New Student Orientation Part 2! NSO2
(acronym!) is my favorite thing about Berks. The first 2 weekends and week you
are at Berks, OLs will help you get adjusted by giving you the coolest, most
jam packed experience of your life! You will get to know faculty, students,
upperclassmen and more! Get ready for non-stop fun!
O is for
Opportunities! There is a wealth of
opportunities at Penn State Berks! Whether it’s becoming a student leader,
getting your dream internship, or making a difference in the community and the
world, you can find it all at Penn State Berks!
P is for
Professors and Pro-Staff! Penn State
Berks has some on the best, brightest, and most caring professors and
professional staff in the world. Everyone learns your name and cares about your
education! You can do research with professors, go to conferences, and find a
mentor! It’s all about making connections that last and they love to!
Q is for Quaint!: Quaint (a): attractively
unusual or old-fashioned! Even though Penn State Berks is constantly adding to
our campus, there is a quaint feel as soon as you step onto the campus. We are
a family here and it shows through the second you step on campus! We put
education and peers first, which is sometimes rare to see.
R is for
Research! Interested in a field of
study and want to do more? Faculty members are always looking for students to
help with research or to help students conduct their own! We are a research
based institution and it shows! You get hands on research experience in every
major and you learn the right way to do it! What could be better?
S is for
Student Government Association! Afraid
your voice won’t be heard? Have no fear SGA is here! SGA is the voice of the
students at Berks. They work on anything from smoking policy changes, helping
gets clubs funding, and working with administrators to make sure that things
are fair for students and that they are constantly a priority. SGA also works
to make sure ideas are heard and developed! Want to get involved? Come to
meetings in Gaige 246 Wednesdays at 1:10pm!
T is for
THON! THON is the largest student
run philanthropy in the world and it’s all For The Kids! THON is a 46 hour no
sitting, no sleeping dance marathon that happens at the BJC in State College in
February! Berks has their own org that raises money and awareness for the fight
against pediatric cancer! Want to get involved? Meetings are Wednesday nights
at 9:15pm in the MPR!
U is for
Umbrellas! Let’s face it, you are
living in Reading, PA… it rains here! Bring an umbrella (ladies, bring the
cutest rain boots you can find) and stay dry! If you would rather get wet,
that’s cool, too! Life is about learning to dance in the rain, not waiting for
the storm to pass… I just like to do this more with an umbrella in hand.
V is for
Victorious! Ask us about our
champion varsity sport teams! Go ahead, I dare ya!
W is for Where did my 4 years go? I can’t say it
enough… take every opportunity, face every single challenge, find your voice,
discuss your beliefs, make friends, try new things, get involved, do things you
never thought possible because this is YOUR life and Berks is YOUR home… make
the most of every single second. I did
and my life has been changed because of it!
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|
Running
around crazy during
Orientation Training… see, things
happen you never thought would!
|
X is for eXcitement! Okay, so I couldn’t find a
good x word but hear me out! College is the most exciting time of your life and
here at Berks isn’t any exception! I’ve traveled to conferences, made lifelong
friends, helped plan concerts, ran an entire Orientation, and done things I
never thought I could do! There’s always adventures to be had and things to do
on campus or in the area so do it! It’s an exciting time!
Y is for
Your Time! For the first time in
your life, it’s all about you! Do what you love, what makes you happy, what you
think is right, and find yourself! It’s your time so live it up!
Z is for Zen! College is stressful! Classes,
extracurricular, the cute boy you like but don’t have the guts to tell… we have
all have stresses! Find your inner peace and what makes you happy! I like
walking to the labyrinth late at night or listening to music or cuddling with
my pillow pet! Whatever relaxes you, do it and do it often! You need to be
ready to go live life to the fullest!
Well, now you know my ABCs of Penn State Berks… next time
maybe you can help me add some more!
- Jeanine
