Thankful for Penn State Berks

"If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily." 

– Gerald Good

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s the hap- happiest season of all! With the holiday break drawing even closer and closer to this moment, and the temperature dropping faster than a college student’s level of sleep during finals week, it’s clear to see…the holidays are almost here! Many people start to feel sentimental this season. There is just something special about this time of year.  I especially like the holiday season because it seems that everyone is more thankful for what they have. For those of you that celebrate Thanksgiving, you realize how thankful you are for food when the turkey burns, and how thankful you are for family when everyone leaves and you’re stuck cleaning up and doing dishes after family dinner. Following shortly after (for those of you who celebrate them) are the celebrations of Hanukkah, and Christmas, and all of the festivities that go along with them.

Because Christmas is drawing closer and closer to us, I’d like to take the time to explain one of the things I am thankful for, and that is Penn State Berks. I am thankful not only to have the opportunity to get a higher level education, especially one as prestigious as Pennsylvania State University (University Park or Berks- they’re all awesome!), but to have the experiences and lessons that are included in this package deal.

To start off, you never know what you will learn from a period of time or experience until that moment when the lesson hits you. I never realized how many things I would learn, not only about Psychology, Communication 260, or Intro to Algebra,  but also about myself, others, and life. I could go on and on listing an outline of the information I learned from each class I’ve taken, but let’s be honest here… If one of those classes doesn’t have something to do with your major or current profession, you most likely wouldn’t be an inclined to see a detailed outline…

Cody and I at THON Skate!

I’ve learned that there is a simply joy in doing your best to help others. You never know when something you think to be tiny or insignificant can turn someone’s day around. Likewise, you never know when a few cents or dollars can change a young child’s life. Although I’m not a member of Berks THON, I’m grateful to have had opportunities (through others that are members) to become involved and do my part to help support and aid their activities. I’m still able to try to make a difference as a nonmember. Between ice skating to raise money, and using my love of photography to take pictures of children posing with Santa and the Nittany Lion, you learn that helping others and giving back is fun! (With a little over 70 days until THON, the excitement is building to see the final total that Berks and Penn State as a whole can raise to fight Pediatric cancer!)

Lion Ambassadors!

I’ve learned things about myself that will be helpful in deciding my path for the future. Through my involvement in many clubs, especially Lion Ambassadors, I get a plethora of experience meeting and interacting with new people. You meet so many people during open houses that you have to be sociable and able to network with people. This is something that I’ve learned I really enjoy and love. Meeting new people is so exciting, and I really enjoy the opportunity to interact with those around me. Because of the experiences that further my communication and social skills, I know that Communication is the right major for me to focus on, to be the best at what makes me happy. Because of Berks not only have I decided on what I think I would like to do in life, I also have the resources to learn this trade!

My awesome boyfriend Cody and I, 
at his Men's Volleyball Tournament!
It was awesome and they played great!

I’ve learned that your friends can be your most helpful support group that you have. (Other than your family of course!) Not only that but, as cliché as this sounds, your significant other can be more supportive to you than you realize. Between my family, my fantastic friends, and absolutely wonderful boyfriend Cody, when life gets a little bit hectic, (we’re student leaders, it’s not an uncommon occurrence) all of those wonderful people help calm me down. This past weekend a lot of my friends, my boyfriend, and I attended Berk’s 2013 semi-formal dance, titled “A Night with Gatsby!” It was a dance designed around the roaring 1920’s! It was a long process to attend meetings, decide on details, and put it into place, but the wonderful Jeanine Snow (a fellow ‘Pride of Lions Blogger’) was our wonderful semi-formal committee head chair and got the job done. AWESOME job Jeanine! It was a blast and I loved it.  As I was dancing with everyone, I looked around and saw everyone having a swingin’ time! They were laughing and smiling and I realized how fortunate I was to have all of them in my life.

Just some of my fantastic friends with me at Semi-formal!

My best friend Abhar and I having an awesome time at Semi-formal!

Overall, there is always a lesson to be learned, if you just take the time to notice it. The world is a blank canvas waiting for your life to fill the page with the wonderful, and sometimes not so wonderful, lessons you’ve learned from people, events, places and opportunities. Even finals.

- Katie