College Addictions

No, I don't mean the drug kind. I'm talking about things that outside of the Penn State community, or even just your friend group, would seem ridiculous. Honestly, we're all arranging our schedules around something but for me and my friends, wow there are a lot.

Football: My friends and I camp out before games just to get the best seats in Joe's house. To my parents and high school friends this seems crazy, especially that game when they shut it down due to snow...but to me, this is life, I'm close to action, and that tricky ESPN camera. I know almost every player, not just by number, but by face, game stats, personal lives, and I heavily follow recruiting. But if you didn't like this, you wouldn't go to Penn State.

Blue Guy: Just something my friend Kirsten learned about in high school as the manager of her wrestling team. It's a Kool Aid mix in that comes in a tub in the Blue Raspberry Lemonade variety, and it is a college kid's savior. This thing gets me through hangovers, late nights, and big exams.

The Price is Right: My roommate and I used to run back to room after our classes ended to catch The Price is Right (I know, not as good with Drew Carey) but this show is the shizzle.

Checking Dining Commons Menus: It's almost a game to find the Dining Hall with the best food for the night, or at least the most appetizing.

Glee: Theater kids unite, awesome songs, hot boys,'nough said.

Fratmusic.com It's guaranteed to be playing in my room before I go out at night and always has the newest and best music along with ones you forgot about but love to dance to. I am actually banned from this website from Monday through Thursday afternoon as I will try to start partying too early with this music!

Coloring: Do you have writers block on that 10 page paper? I'm sure you do, but all you need is a Disney Princess coloring book and a box of 120 crayons from Crayola, all your worries will melt away.

Seriously, try explaining these to Mom and Dad on that call you give them once a month. Or don't. They might cut you off!

Sugarland vs B.o.B. and Travie McCoy

Anyone who knows me knows about my extreme differences in my taste in music. I love Broadway musicals, pop, rock, rap, and country. Luckily the Bryce Jordan Center gets a pretty good mix of artists, and of course, Penn State gets to see some pretty awesome acts every year. August 31, B.o.B of Airplanes fame and Travie McCoy, former Gym Class Hero, will grace the stage and then three days later, Sugarland will be in town and I luckily have tickets to both.

I know when I go to a concert my anxiety is usually on what I will wear. I'm a baby fashionista, without the funds to pay for a designer wardrobe and the energy to be constantly in style, when in the sight of celebs, I want to look my best.

But how the heck can I go from hip hop princess to country girl in three days? Simple! I'm just going to be myself!


top by Wilster: You can buy it on ebay!, jeggings by Gap, shoes by Steve Madden

For me, I want to look cute, this music is all about parties and driving with the top down, so why not flaunt the end of summer with an off the should top, jeggings, and wedges? Because as Travie McCoy says, "We are young, we are free, stay up late, we don't sleep, got our friends, got the night. We'll be alright."

Then, on Friday night, it'll be time to get down country style and show that, I may be from the boonies, but I still have style!

Sugarland has always been my heart sick music, when I feel in love, or feel like I've been hurt, the lead singers voice can soothe me, no matter what my mood might be.

September 3, All I Want To Do (oo oo oo oo) is Jam to you Sugarland!


Tops by Abercrombie and Fitch, Jean shorts by Hollister, Boots by Tony Lama

I'll be rolling full on country style for these musicians, and you can never go down with a button down and classic cowboy boots!

I hope some of you guys scored tickets to these concerts, if so what are you wearing?

To My High School Self

I came to college as an only child thrown into a pool of people I didn't know. Not one person from my high school had decided to go to my college. Sure there were two other people at Penn State who had graduated ahead of me, but I had never talked to them, and the one other person I knew was a senior, and she would only be there for first semester. I don't have any siblings or older friends who really explained college and the collegiate lifestyle to me, I went in blind. But, because of this, I have truly evolved into a new person and have realized that I now know thins I wish I had known in high school.

To my high school self:

Be Yourself! I know you grew up with the people you graduated with, and allowing yourself to be who you really are would rock the boat and that may be uncomfortable for a bit, just trust me, you will be so much happier.

Girl, you have to study! I know facebook is calling, trust me, do I ever, and so are those free on demand movies we get from the cable but seriously, school comes first. You don't know how much these study skills will come into play further down the road, and college midterms and finals are so much easier if you already are in the groove. And those classes will probably be easier because you may know the information from high school!

Do your best! You may not be the most athletic, the best artist, or an award winning singer, but honey that does not mean you don't have to try. Enjoy participating in these opportunities now, it's a whole lot harder to fit everything in in college. Sure, you can join an IM team or audition for a play, but the time commitments are a lot more but you might have to be an art major to take that photography class and a club team travels, all over the place, like you have time for that, the horse and an 18 credit course load.

Appreciate your parents. Yes, I know, they get horribly annoying but you won't get to see them much in the next four years, let alone the rest of your life. In college and in life, they can be both a blessing and a curse. In college, there's no one to cook your dinner for you, ask you what you could desire, or do that never ending mountain of laundry. You can have the most awesome friends in the world but no one will ever love you as unconditionally and without pause as your parents. And just so you know, sometimes that phone call to mom is going to be the only thing to push you through a 10 page paper, a naked roommate, or your freshman 15, plus she might even wire you some money just for making contact!

Take every opportunity possible. Remember that awesome trip to Mexico your high school ran junior year? And they needed one more person? What was two weeks? In college, it's a little hard to jaunt off to Mexico for two weeks, you have to apply for a program and take classes, not to mention all the tests, papers, football, and friends waiting for you when you get back on campus.

Have fun now. This is your life! Live it!