We are...

Penn State. That cheer that brings us all together. That cheer that we yelled on the airplane on the way home from New Orleans. That cheer that is yelled hundreds of times in a football game. That cheer that they teach you on your first day of freshman orientation. It's a cheer of community, of togetherness, of feeling like we all are one. And yet so simple. WE ARE PENN STATE. I mean, who could misunderstand that?

The past couple days I haven't felt like that. I've felt like an outsider, an intruder. You see, the past 4 years I spent my time at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College (...such a long name. We called it Behrend), which, with its 4500 students is much smaller than the 40,000 student strong Pennsylvania State University located in State College PA. Behrend's campus was fill of scientists, engineers, business students, and occasionally a creative writing major or two ;-). We talked about physics, finance, and snowboarding. We walked to class through 3 feet of snow and we drove to downtown Erie or harborcreek or the beach when we wanted to do something off campus. We walked downhill to class and uphill back from class, and had to sprint when we had two classes back-to-back on opposite ends of campus. We knew which direction was north. We were only supplied that famous Penn State creamery ice cream once a year. And yet, we were happy. And we yelled that cheer with utmost pride.

I haven't even BEGUN to experience what truly is the stereotypical "Penn State" experience. But I have gotten a taste. I have spent over $200 on a bus pass and spent a hour walking around campus to get an ice cream cone. I am planning on getting lost tomorrow morning when I try to find the lab I visited today. I have been told to avoid shopping either downtown or at Wal-Mart starting on Friday and ending at the end of football season. I won't be able to park my car in the parking lot at my apartment complex after Saturday because they don't have enough spots (hopefully after they run the parking lottery, I'll be able to park SOMEWHERE). I am not planning on ever using my car past Saturday to go anywhere in town because I will probably have to park as far away as I live. It's all very different, and to me it doesn't feel like Penn State. Behrend feels like Penn State.

Two of my ex Behrend classmates are now my grad school classmates, and the 3 of us explored campus yesterday after our orientation. We spent an hour looking at the bus schedule, walked around campus to find the buildings with our classes, and decided we wanted ice cream so walked to the almost opposite corner of campus to get some. With our campus maps in hand and often making sharp turns and pointing, we were obviously outsiders. We came up with one word to describe how we felt about this campus: intimidating. We are small town college students in a big town college. But we are Penn State. Right?

We'll figure it out. It will just take some time. In the meantime, I am very glad I have Chad and Nick here with me so we can be outsiders together. :-)

I am also not looking forward to when the entire student body gets here this weekend. Oh my goodness. That's a LOT of people coming into town at the same time. Remind me not to leave my apartment.