If you went to college now…

[OuiRPSU]

My wife, also a Penn State grad, and I were just discussing our time at PSU in the mid-to-late 80s. We had completely different experiences: she was very studious, joined a service sorority, had a steady boyfriend, and didn’t party much. I, on the other hand, rarely if ever went to class, had tons of friends (guys and gals), and partied A LOT.

She said that if she could go back and do it again, she would have more of a social life. I, on the other hand, said if I could do it over now, I would go to class. We’ve been happily married for 30 years, so apparently opposites do attract.

Anyway, with the benefit of hindsight, what would you do differently? And don’t say everything!!

 

[BobPSU92]

I’d do everything differently, but I’d never make it.

 

[psuro]

My wife, also a Penn State grad, and I were just discussing our time at PSU in the mid-to-late 80s. We had completely different experiences: she was very studious, joined a service sorority, had a steady boyfriend, and didn’t party much. I, on the other hand, rarely if ever went to class, had tons of friends (guys and gals), and partied A LOT.

She said that if she could go back and do it again, she would have more of a social life. I, on the other hand, said if I could do it over now, I would go to class. We’ve been happily married for 30 years, so apparently opposites do attract.

Anyway, with the benefit of hindsight, what would you do differently?

Everything.

 

[Midnighter]

My wife, also a Penn State grad, and I were just discussing our time at PSU in the mid-to-late 80s. We had completely different experiences: she was very studious, joined a service sorority, had a steady boyfriend, and didn’t party much. I, on the other hand, rarely if ever went to class, had tons of friends (guys and gals), and partied A LOT.

She said that if she could go back and do it again, she would have more of a social life. I, on the other hand, said if I could do it over now, I would go to class. We’ve been happily married for 30 years, so apparently opposites do attract.

Anyway, with the benefit of hindsight, what would you do differently? And don’t say everything!!

Go to class more often, join more clubs, be more active socially, quit waiting for college to be over, study abroad, etc.

 

[PSUAXE70]

Took mechanical engineering classes. If I did it over I would have spent the first summer on campus and moved out of sequence where all the same classes were smaller and seemingly easier. I finished in four years but had 8am classes for four years and had to cram the 144 credits into the 12 trimesters.

 

[Roar More]

I couldn't afford to go now. I paid $435 a quarter for room, board and tuition.

 

[RyanSnyder]

Honestly, don't think I'd change much in regard to Penn State.

I was always gonna go to Penn State, but there is a part of me that I wished I went to a city school those years. I grew up outside Linglestown, which is outside of Harrisburg. I've never really lived in a city.

I know long-term, I would probably hate it. But there is part of me that would've liked to have gotten that experience for a handful of years. Just something different from what I've experienced my entire life, which is suburbs and State College. Living in Philly or DC or Pittsburgh or wherever between 18-24ish, that's the time to live that experience if you're going to do it.

I've been to Austin a few times. Being a student at Texas would be so incredibly fun. A really fun school in a really fun town. Makes me always wonder what that kind of experience would be like.

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

Study harder so I could become a marine biologist!!

 

[OuiRPSU]

Study harder so I could become a marine biologist!!

You don’t want to be a marine biologist. You want to be an architect. Or, at least pretend to be one.

 

[OuiRPSU]

Honestly, don't think I'd change much in regard to Penn State.

I was always gonna go to Penn State, but there is a part of me that I wished I went to a city school those years. I grew up outside Linglestown, which is outside of Harrisburg. I've never really lived in a city.

I know long-term, I would probably hate it. But there is part of me that would've liked to have gotten that experience for a handful of years. Just something different from what I've experienced my entire life, which is suburbs and State College. Living in Philly or DC or Pittsburgh or wherever between 18-24ish, that's the time to live that experience if you're going to do it.

I've been to Austin a few times. Being a student at Texas would be so incredibly fun. A really fun school in a really fun town. Makes me always wonder what that kind of experience would be like.

Interesting take. I applied and was accepted to like a dozen schools, but never had a doubt about attending Penn State. I am very confident, however, that I would’ve had the same experiences no matter where I went.

 

[Classof09]

You don’t want to be a marine biologist. You want to be an architect. Or, at least pretend to be one.

City Planner. Be like Steven Koren!

 

[PhillyBillyReprise]

I first matriculated at 17. My fist three years my average was 2.0 and never on probation. I was the type of student who cut class if:
It was precipitating.
It was sunny
It was over 65
It was under 55
It was Monday morning.
It was Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.

I earned a “C” in G Sci 20

I figured out that I was at the bottom of the class or the Bird Cage if you remember that humor publication.

As you can tell, I am a real genius.

So my senior year, I went to class and read the assignments. I made the Dean’s Team. Job hunting was frustrating. Finally found a job in government and had a rewarding career. I enjoyed Penn State but wish I had been a little more mature.

 

[OuiRPSU]

City Planner. Be like Steven Koren!

Yeah, but he became so disillusioned that he had to join the Van Buren Boys.

 

[OuiRPSU]

I first matriculated at 17. My fist three years my average was 2.0 and never on probation. I was the type of student who cut class if:
It was precipitating.
It was sunny
It was over 65
It was under 55
It was Monday morning.
It was Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.

I earned a “C” in G Sci 20

I figured out that I was at the bottom of the class or the Bird Cage if you remember that humor publication.

As you can tell, I am a real genius.

So my senior year, I went to class and read the assignments. I made the Dean’s Team. Job hunting was frustrating. Finally found a job in government and had a rewarding career. I enjoyed Penn State but wish I had been a little more mature.

You sound a lot like me. I realized second semester of my freshman year that if I busted my butt (by the way, does anyone realize if you type in the word a s s it automatically posts three asterisks instead?) for a week or so during finals I could maintain decent grades, which allowed me to coast and party the rest of the semester. I felt like I had discovered a loophole and never understood why nobody else took this approach.

Then I grew up.

 

[Classof09]

Yeah, but he became so disillusioned that he had to join the Buchanan Boys.

Van Buren boys. But I get the joke.

 

[OuiRPSU]

Van Buren boys. But I get the joke.

Thanks and corrected. I knew that didn’t sound right!

BTW, was Martin Van Buren Dutch, like Todd Gak?

 

[Tom McAndrew]

My wife, also a Penn State grad, and I were just discussing our time at PSU in the mid-to-late 80s. We had completely different experiences: she was very studious, joined a service sorority, had a steady boyfriend, and didn’t party much. I, on the other hand, rarely if ever went to class, had tons of friends (guys and gals), and partied A LOT.

so how did you two meet? Sounds as though you had little in common other than attending the same university.

 

[OuiRPSU]

so how did you two meet? Sounds as though you had little in common other than attending the same university.

Thanks for asking, Tom. We grew up in adjacent towns in northern New Jersey, had mutual friends, but didn’t meet (ironically in a dive bar ) until after we both had graduated from Penn State. By then, I had grown up considerably and it turned out we actually had a ton in common even though we had very different undergraduate experiences.

 

[rudedude]

Delete

 

[LionJim]

Cutting out 90% of my drinking would be a good start.

 

[psuro]

Go to class more often, join more clubs, be more active socially, quit waiting for college to be over, study abroad, etc.

You should try to study a lot of broads. Not just a broad.

 

[Woodpecker]

I would be better looking, more athletic, and wealthier so that I could have a social life.

 

[Classof09]

Would’ve been more social and gone to more sporting events - hockey, wrestling, WVB.

And would have camped at Paternoville too.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Cutting out 90% of my drinking would be a good start.

but think of all the fun, and headaches, and ... you would have missed.

 

[LionJim]

but think of all the fun, and headaches, and ... ignominy you would have missed.

Fixed.

 

[Bison13]

Academically I would’ve taken one less class per semester and tried to catch up during intercession or one of the summer sessions. Taking 18 credits a semester in engineering and trying to have a social life and be an athlete it was not possible to do all of it the right way. I was at least smart enough to get rid of the athletic part first but try to hard to maintain the social part.

Plus as mentioned earlier taking smaller courses and getting some different engineering professors than a couple of the jerks I had would have been nice.

 

[leinbacker]

If I had it to do over there I likely don’t go to PSU. Even with the max PHEAA grant, the cost to benefit just isn’t there.

 

[Connorpozlee]

I’m pretty content with where I am in life so I guess it all worked out fine.

 

[RyanSnyder]

Interesting take. I applied and was accepted to like a dozen schools, but never had a doubt about attending Penn State. I am very confident, however, that I would’ve had the same experiences no matter where I went.

Yeah, same. Penn State was the only school I really wanted to go to. I had friends who attended Penn, Pitt and Georgetown though and I had a blast visiting them. Then I had PSU friends who moved to NYC, Philly, etc. I just think looking back, living in a fun city in your early 20s is a good time to get that experience. I've been in State College since 2006, so I feel like I missed out there sometimes. Love State College, of course, but when all your friends move away, it's not quite as fun as it was.

 

[ApexLion]

Actually had this opportunity. Went to grad school and truly loved it at PSU. Saw theater, hung out with professors, played golf every Monday morning with some Japanese students who bet on everything, bars with my bartender friends, met on the Hub Lawn with my undergrad students in my GA section, Sunday game night at the Allen Room upstairs, had a pt job and worked with some theater arts majors who were funny as hell, also tutored 2 football players —- basically worked hard and played hard as a more mature person.

 

[LionJim]

I’m pretty content with where I am in life so I guess it all worked out fine.

I am extremely content with my life. I’m secure in retirement and I loved my job. I still work on mathematics every day, substantial stuff but not original, and this brings me great joy. I suppose part of being an old man is that you look back and wish that you had worked harder and had been a better person. It took me forever to grow up and I was a bad friend for the longest time.

Yeats:
Things said or done long years ago,
Or things that I did not do or say
But thought that I might say or do,
Weigh me down, and not a day
But something is recalled,
My conscience or my vanity appalled.

 

[MontereyLion]

My last year at Penn State I attended the Summer term. It was 10 week terms back then. If I were to redo anything I would go to every Summer term. Everything was better. No lines anywhere. Profs and classes were easier. And best of all was the Summer time eye candy.

 

[LionJim]

My last year at Penn State I attended the Summer term. It was 10 week terms back then. If I were to redo anything I would go to every Summer term. Everything was better. No lines anywhere. Profs and classes were easier. And best of all was the Summer time eye candy.

Such a simple life hack, and 90% of us never gave it any thought.

 

[OuiRPSU]

Such a simple life hack, and 90% of us never gave it any thought.

I certainly didn’t but, if I had to do it over, would absolutely consider doing at least one summer session.

 

[OuiRPSU]

Actually had this opportunity. Went to grad school and truly loved it at PSU. Saw theater, hung out with professors, played golf every Monday morning with some Japanese students who bet on everything, bars with my bartender friends, met on the Hub Lawn with my undergrad students in my GA section, Sunday game night at the Allen Room upstairs, had a pt job and worked with some theater arts majors who were funny as hell, also tutored 2 football players —- basically worked hard and played hard as a more mature person.

Amazing what can happen in just a few short years. I went from skating by at PSU to grad school at Duke where I studied and worked my a** off. And loved it!

 

[OuiRPSU]

Yeah, same. Penn State was the only school I really wanted to go to. I had friends who attended Penn, Pitt and Georgetown though and I had a blast visiting them. Then I had PSU friends who moved to NYC, Philly, etc. I just think looking back, living in a fun city in your early 20s is a good time to get that experience. I've been in State College since 2006, so I feel like I missed out there sometimes. Love State College, of course, but when all your friends move away, it's not quite as fun as it was.

I was never a city person and having grown up right outside NYC, I was pretty much over the city thing by my late teens (although we did have our share of good times in the city).

Re: your friends leaving town: as Thomas Wolfe said, “You can’t go home again.”

 

[BobPSU92]

.

 

[BobPSU92]

Academically I would’ve taken one less class per semester and tried to catch up during intercession or one of the summer sessions. Taking 18 credits a semester in engineering and trying to have a social life and be an athlete it was not possible to do all of it the right way. I was at least smart enough to get rid of the athletic part first but try to hard to maintain the social part.

Plus as mentioned earlier taking smaller courses and getting some different engineering professors than a couple of the jerks I had would have been nice.

An engineer and an athlete? Is this a joke? What are you, Superman?

I hate myself just a little more.

 

[Connorpozlee]

My last year at Penn State I attended the Summer term. It was 10 week terms back then. If I were to redo anything I would go to every Summer term. Everything was better. No lines anywhere. Profs and classes were easier. And best of all was the Summer time eye candy.

Summer classes were the best. Professors didn’t want to be there any more than the students so they cut out all the ******** and just gave you what you needed.

 

[hohmadw1978]

Summer classes were the best. Professors didn’t want to be there any more than the students so they cut out all the ******** and just gave you what you needed.

Totally agree. Went during the summer of 1975 after changing majors and was able to take 13 credits comfortably which included Physics 203 (Optics) and Math 100 (Differential Equations). Made the Dean's list after making the Dean's list the previous Spring Semester.

When I started back in the fall, my advisor called me into his office. Was very nervous but he called me in to let me know that I earned one of two academic scholarships in the department which paid 50% of my tuition the rest of my remaining time of the main campus.

To this day, I make a donation to the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences every year to the general scholarship fund.