Everything you learn during sylly week
Frats are nothing like they appear in movies
Anyone that says “syllabus week” or doesn’t know what sylly week is doesn’t get out enough. It’s the first week of classes, before the semester starts and life as we know it is over and professors give out far less work than they will the rest of year. Suffice to say, it’s the perfect time to go out and get “sylly”.
Moving in is a mess
Whether you’re moving into a dorm or an apartment, there is no mess and no stress like the ordeal that is moving in. From roommates showing up at the same time and clogging up the entire room with their families, to parents and students stressed and sad about being separated, moving in is hectic and awful. But once you’re settled in, it starts to feel like home.
Not all of your professors are chill
Everyone will tell you that it’s the first week of school, so you won’t have any work to do because all professors do is go over their syllabi. Unfortunately, that isn’t always true. Depending on how insane your professors are, you may be the (un)lucky friend stuck taking notes all week and doing homework while your other friends go out. No, it’s not fair. Yes, go out anyway.
There’s a reason to go out every day of the week
If you have an 8am, expect no sympathy. People will brag about going out, despite having early classes the next day. Think of it like this: you’re drinking away the sorrow that is an 8am class. If it’s a Monday night, you’re celebrating the beginning of the school year. If it’s a Tuesday, perhaps the survival of two whole days. On Wednesday, why not? And of course, Thursday is “Thirsty Thursday” …. You get the idea. Just make sure you go out at least once during the week. You’ll never have such perfect timing, and perfect weather, again.
Makeshift rain poncho: trash bag with head and arm holes
Frat row is frat land
Some colleges will say there’s a “frat row.” That’s not the case at Penn State. Fraternity Row does, in fact, exist; however it’s more of a “frat land” once you walk around. Pocket State will be your savior as you attempt to navigate the world of Greek life. The real surprise, however, is when you walk in. The frats may be the size of mansions, but their insides are nothing close to it. Beer cans litter the floors, everything smells disgusting and the bathrooms are almost too gross to use. For some reason, we go anyway.
You can spot the freshman from a mile away
Freshman seem to have giant red arrows pointing at them. Perhaps it’s as easy as a terribly bright convocation shirt or the Penn State lanyard around their necks, or maybe it’s the more subtle things, like how scared and clueless they seem when they walk around in their little herds. Either way, we know our freshman will grow to love Penn State with time. Until then, we’ll enjoy calling them out.
There’s no place like Penn State
Sylly week is one of the best weeks at Penn State, hands down. We finally come back to Happy Valley for another year at our favorite place. There’s so many reasons that Penn Staters bleed blue and white, and this is just one of many.