Jeanine’s Declassified College Survival Guide: Res. Hall & Welcome Week Edition
As I enter my Senior year here at Penn State Berks and I think about being a first-year student, the first thing I think about, besides how old I am, is definitely all the tips and tricks I’ve learned about what to pack for the residence halls and how to calm those first day jitters (yes, I still get them at the start of every school year)! Since I think some of this stuff might be pretty useful, I thought I’d share!
What to Bring to the Residence Halls:
Okay, first of all, remember when you toured the campus? Remember how big the residence halls were? You definitely don’t need to load up that Uhaul truck or five cars! Most of you will be sharing a res. hall with another student, so before move-in day, make contact with them (yes, it is okay to creep on their Facebook … we’ve all done it)! Make sure you decide who will bring the TV, if you can set up that video game system you are dying to bring, and if you plan on sharing food or going out shopping together. Girls, let’s be honest, you probably sort of want to know what the room is going to look like color-scheme wise, so don’t be afraid to send your new roomie (and hopefully insta BFF) some pictures, or talk about colors you like, etc.! You’ll quickly learn that less is MORE like I did, and you’ll see that Berks loves to give you free “swag” as we like to call it! You are going to accumulate lots of stuff so be prepared!
Now let’s talk about some stuff you should definitely bring! Here’s my handy shopping list:
1. XL twin comforter & sheets … I recommend something like this that I found at Target! Everything matches and it’s a pretty good deal! Don’t forget your pillows either! 5 pieces for the price isn’t bad!
2. Laundry supplies! You’re going to need a basket, detergent, dryer sheets … the whole nine yards! Fun suggestion: get a laundry basket with wheels … best $16 investment I’ve ever made!
3. Hangers!! Everyone has a closet on campus so utilize it! Bring hangers to save space in your drawers! They even sell fun colored ones at Target! (P.S. I love Target so I’m a bit biased)
4. Clothes–make sure you bring clothes and a variety of them. Hoodies are a good idea even though it might seem like summer still! Also, jeans and dress clothes are a good idea! You never know when a presentation is going to pop up! But remember, don’t over pack!
5. Laptop/Computer and all the necessities that come with! Make sure you buy an Ethernet cable (mine is hot pink so you can have fun with it), a flashdrive (I found this one and love it!),
head phones in case you watch a movie or need to do homework (Spanish class sometimes makes you listen to lessons), and anything else you can think of! Getting an external hard drive is a good idea! I wouldn’t worry about a printer ... the library is awesome for printing!
6. Decorations for your room! Every college student secretly wants a little bit of home or comfort in your room! I suggest bringing pictures and picture frames, that pillow pet you think you might be too cool for now (believe me, most of us have one on campus … I have two … no shame), lights, posters, etc. If you aren’t sure if you can have it, check with your RA before hanging it! If you don’t have posters don’t worry, Residence Hall Council sponsors a HUGE poster sale on campus … you can stock up then!
7. School supplies! Yes, you have classes, so stock up on pens, pencils, binders, notebooks, folders, etc! Whatever you like using will typically work for classes. Some professors may require certain things but you can always make a Target run or stop by the bookstore on campus to get hooked up!
8. Planner!!! Okay, biggest tip I can give you … BUY A PLANNER! You will thank me later! You might not be that busy right away but you are going to want to be able to keep track of those due dates and also the cool club events going on!
9. Shower Supplies! Bathrobe, shower caddy, shampoo, conditioner, body wash/soap, towels, face wash, whatever is going to make you squeaky clean! Girls–don’t forget all your beauty supplies and girl stuff!
10. Banking stuff, stationery supplies, insurance cards, etc.! You are basically an adult … you’ll need it all … I swear!
11. Alarm clocks! Yes, our phones are wonderful for setting alarms, but let’s be honest, they could die, break, or backfire. Bring an alarm clock just to be safe!
12. Music and Movies! I know personally music is my absolute favorite thing in the ENTIRE world. Make sure you have all your favorites with you on your computer, phone, or iPod! Bring your DVD or blue ray collection, too! Spontaneous movie nights always happen!
14. A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND OPEN MIND! It sounds cliché but this whole experience is going to be what you make of it! Put yourself out there and meet people! Make friends and memories because coming from this senior, I can PROMISE you that time flies! Make the most of it from the very first second!
There’s plenty more to bring so check out this awesome link from Berks Housing & Food Services: http://www.welcomeweek.psu.edu/WelcomeWeek/Berks/What-to-Pack.cfm
So now that we covered some of the major things to bring to campus, let’s focus on curing those jitters! Coming to a completely new place is terrifying … no sugar coating needed, but it’s also exhilarating! You are making the biggest step in your life and pursuing your dreams as you become independent! The butterflies are normal … heck, if you didn’t have them I’d think you were crazy!
Anyway, here are some tips for how to get over that nervousness…
5 Ways to Get Over Those Butterflies:
1. Attend New Student Orientation (NSO) 2 & Welcome Week Events: Orientation might sound lame but it totally isn’t! I met the majority of my best friends through Orientation weekend or the actual program! GO! You are going to make friends and memories that will last a lifetime!
2. Remember, everyone else needs to make friends, too! Sure you might have the high school sweethearts who came to school together or the best friends who couldn’t bear to be apart, but typically other people want to meet friends just as badly as you do! Put yourself out there!
3. Get involved on the Facebook page! There’s tons of eager freshmen waiting to meet you and chat with you!
4. Don’t be afraid of upperclassmen! We don’t bite and we love taking first-year students under our wing to show them the ropes of Berks. We’re a huge family here, so don’t forget that! RAs, OLs, and Peer Mentors are your friends! Sometimes we might have to be the bad guy but that’s not our goal! Be our friends … we like you … that’s why we do these jobs
8. Planner!!! Okay, biggest tip I can give you … BUY A PLANNER! You will thank me later! You might not be that busy right away but you are going to want to be able to keep track of those due dates and also the cool club events going on!
9. Shower Supplies! Bathrobe, shower caddy, shampoo, conditioner, body wash/soap, towels, face wash, whatever is going to make you squeaky clean! Girls–don’t forget all your beauty supplies and girl stuff!
10. Banking stuff, stationery supplies, insurance cards, etc.! You are basically an adult … you’ll need it all … I swear!
11. Alarm clocks! Yes, our phones are wonderful for setting alarms, but let’s be honest, they could die, break, or backfire. Bring an alarm clock just to be safe!
12. Music and Movies! I know personally music is my absolute favorite thing in the ENTIRE world. Make sure you have all your favorites with you on your computer, phone, or iPod! Bring your DVD or blue ray collection, too! Spontaneous movie nights always happen!
13. Penn State Swag! We have A LOT OF PRIDE! Stock up on PSU gear. Need more? Stop by the bookstore! Phil & Kristen can get you all the gear you need!
14. A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND OPEN MIND! It sounds cliché but this whole experience is going to be what you make of it! Put yourself out there and meet people! Make friends and memories because coming from this senior, I can PROMISE you that time flies! Make the most of it from the very first second!
There’s plenty more to bring so check out this awesome link from Berks Housing & Food Services: http://www.welcomeweek.psu.edu/WelcomeWeek/Berks/What-to-Pack.cfm
So now that we covered some of the major things to bring to campus, let’s focus on curing those jitters! Coming to a completely new place is terrifying … no sugar coating needed, but it’s also exhilarating! You are making the biggest step in your life and pursuing your dreams as you become independent! The butterflies are normal … heck, if you didn’t have them I’d think you were crazy!
Anyway, here are some tips for how to get over that nervousness…
5 Ways to Get Over Those Butterflies:
1. Attend New Student Orientation (NSO) 2 & Welcome Week Events: Orientation might sound lame but it totally isn’t! I met the majority of my best friends through Orientation weekend or the actual program! GO! You are going to make friends and memories that will last a lifetime!
2. Remember, everyone else needs to make friends, too! Sure you might have the high school sweethearts who came to school together or the best friends who couldn’t bear to be apart, but typically other people want to meet friends just as badly as you do! Put yourself out there!
3. Get involved on the Facebook page! There’s tons of eager freshmen waiting to meet you and chat with you!
4. Don’t be afraid of upperclassmen! We don’t bite and we love taking first-year students under our wing to show them the ropes of Berks. We’re a huge family here, so don’t forget that! RAs, OLs, and Peer Mentors are your friends! Sometimes we might have to be the bad guy but that’s not our goal! Be our friends … we like you … that’s why we do these jobs
5. Join a club (or five)! Go to Club Rush (8/25 or 9/4) and sign up to do something. You are going to meet friends quicker if you don’t hide with that pillow pet I told you it was okay to bring under the cute XL twin size comforter you just got!
So, that’s it! Be yourself and have fun! College is the best time of your life (so far)! Step out of your comfort zone and do amazing things! Everything happens for a reason and you get to call Penn State Berks your home for some reason that will make sense soon enough! I can’t wait to see you all in the fall! I’ll be the girl in pink running around like crazy during NSO 2… which you are all going to!
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