Whether you are meeting for the inevitable group project, grabbing Starbucks on the way to class or generally avoiding life’s responsibilities, the HUB is a staple in any Penn Stater’s time at University Park. Some of us, however, become a little bit too fond of the Green Roof or the comfy chairs until we might as well plaster a “I’ll be in the HUB” sticker across our foreheads. Unsure of where you fall on the spectrum of “normal student” to “hub rat?” Here are the top 15 warning signs that you have officially embraced the hub lifestyle.
1. You never have to worry about leftover meal points because you eat (at a minimum) one meal per day in the glory that is the food court.
You will neither admit nor deny to living off $11 salads and Chick-fil-A French-fries. You will, however, suggest that it is possible.
2. You have a special, unspoken connection with the rest of HUB rats yet are highly uncomfortable when you see them outside of your late night study (procrastination) sessions.
You just love making awkward eye contact with Kevin the engineer who carries the green backpack and only wears black. Why are we straying from our natural habitat?
3. Your friends know exactly where to find you during the hours of 12 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Even your mother who lives four hours away knows where to find you. If nothing else, at least you’re consistent.
4. You strategically pick your chairs and table based on the number and location of available outlets.
Contrary to popular opinion, there is an appropriate chair to table to group size to outlet ratio.
5. You’ve had multiple existential crises on the Green Roof after midnight.
You have changed your major, rescheduled all of your classes, researched plane tickets to Timbuktu and then considered jumping off the high school musical stairs all in one night. College is fun!!
6. You have fallen down the high school musical stairs at least once.
Given the amount of times you walk up and down that wooden death trap in one day, it was bound to happen at some point.
7. 95% of your best Snapchat stories involve the people sitting at the table next to you.
You are a pro at sneaking pictures of studious nerds, videoing the weirdo eating soup with a fork and putting filters on the hot guys. Whatever it takes to get on the PSU snap story, right?
8. You don’t have to tell the Baristas your name when you make your regular 9 p.m. Starbucks run.
Before you can even order your Grande, Iced, Sugar-Free, Vanilla Latte with Soy Milk, they have your name written on the side of your cup. God bless.
9. You haven’t set foot in a library in weeks.
What is this magical place you speak of?
10. You backpack is now a certified HUB survival pack filled with all the essentials: excessive snacks, extension cords, extra headphones and tissues.
Sure, you look a little bit like Mary Poppins now, but it’ll be worth it when you are six hours into studying for exams and have a bag chocolate covered pretzels to cry into.
11. You aren’t above throwing massive shade when someone dares to take your favorite table.
THAT IS YOUR SPACE. IT IS SACRED.
12. You can’t stand the HUB when it gets crowded.
Look at those amateurs disrupting your peace and quiet, please.
13. You sleep in the blue chairs on the second floor more often than in your own bed.
Power naps make the world go round.
14. You have complied a list of the best times to go get food to avoid waiting in line.
Honestly, this is one of the more successful things you’ve done with your life this semester, maybe even ever.
15. You have come up with really creative ways to procrastinate with friends.
Stacking empty coffee cups, eating breadsticks at midnight, listening to Christmas music, snap chatting the friend sitting right next to you, going on “adventures” to the water fountain, the list could go on and on.
And a bonus for the truest of the true HUB rats:
16. You don’t consider the HUB a building anymore. It’s a lifestyle.
Good luck trying to get rid of us.