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Life > Experiences

My Unpopular Opinions About Penn State

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

Senior is full of first of lasts and feeling sentimental with every step you take. How did we get here so quick?

When I moved into my Penn State freshman dorm in 2020, COVID-19 was still running the world and everyone kept their distance from one another. Now, we have to fight and cram for a spot in Beaver Stadium to watch the Nittany Lions and scream the lyrics to “Mo Bamba” in the student section.

Football at penn state- kannapell
Original photo by Caroline Kannapell

As a senior this year, I feel as though I have a duty to share some unpopular opinions I’ve generated through my experiences at Penn State.

I don’t have many, but maybe these will save you from unwanted experiences during your four years.

Bar crawls are not worth it

Since I recently turned 21, I have only participated in one bar crawl. This was the Back to School Crawl around downtown State College at the end of August. For me, one was enough.

Trust me, one is enough.

First, I waited in line for four hours at Doggie’s Pub.

Yup, you heard me. Four hours.

You may be wondering, why didn’t you just leave and go somewhere else?

Considering that my friends and I got into line at 10 a.m., almost two hours before it opened, we did not think it would be that bad.

We were also waiting for so long that we decided it was not worth leaving, especially since we would most likely have to wait the same amount as everyone else.

We ended up getting in around 3 p.m. to massive crowds and sweaty bodies. It was gross.

We only ended up going to four bars, and I think there were about 12-13 in total. If you don’t buy a line-leap (the price you pay to skip the line at the bar) you will spend the majority of your day in line.

This was exactly what happened with us, and it made the bar crawl an unenjoyable experience.

The white building is terrifying

I went to work out at the White Building one day last semester because it was close to my next class, and I have not returned since. Never have I ever felt so uncomfortable in a setting.

First off, the gym is located in the basement, which leaves me with little to no motivation and gives me nothing but blank white walls to stare at while gasping for air on the treadmill.

On top of the jail-like aesthetic, the my school bag got locked inside a locker for over an hour and needed help from multiple employees help to fetch it out.

After this occurence, I decided the White building was not for me, and that it was time to find a new gym.

I could think of more hot takes about Penn State, however, it is hard because I love this school and am so grateful to have spent the past four years here. The atmosphere is electric, and the school spirit motivates me to become a better person everyday.

Now that I’m thinking about it, maybe I should re-title this article to “My Love Letter to Penn State.”

Emily Gladu is a recent graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Advertising/ PR and certificate in Business. During her free time, you will find Emily cheering on the Philadelphia sports teams or catching a flight to her next adventure! She loves to keep up with the latest fashion trends & discover new music.