Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

I haven't had any distinct experiences. Whenever there are scenes/celebrations on campus I am never there in person. Someone who doesn't like sports and maybe someone who doesn't like socializing Comfortable clothes. Yes. A bunch of guys/girls from a sporting team. A few girls from a sorority gossiping A few kids studying while they eat A bunch of guys/girls being loud. "Outside Philly" or "Pittsburgh" Rich. No. Right. No.

I've been called a nigger a few times at parties. But I associate with everyone, race, religion, sexual orientation. I dont think anyone could really feel out of place here because since there are so many people, you can always find at least one person who is going your way. Students either look presentable (jeans a nice shirt) or they wear sweats- girls at least. Guys usually dress casual jeans or Khakis. Most Penn state students are from small towns 'right outside of Philly' or at least thats what they say- but from PA in general is where most students are from. You see people from all financial backgrounds- I cant really say what kind of financial background a person has because I could be completely wrong, but there is definately a wide range. Students dont talk about how much they earn but everyone expects to do well after Penn State.

You see a good diversity of students at Penn State, but not much mixing among groups. Depending on the student, some get somewhat dressed for class, atleast presentable (usually genes and a collared shirt, or a sweater.) Others then to wear sweatpants and a sweat shirt. Many students seem to be concerned with making a lot of money after graduation (who isn't?). In my experience, many people have started out in a very specific major and then decided to switch to something like business, a much broader major.

PSU is pretty accepting of all kinds of people (whether you look at race, religion, sexual orientation, and economic background). It's pretty easy to "fit in" with other students and classmates, mainly because every is so different. People from all over the country attend Penn State and everyone has a different story to tell, something unique they have experienced. Penn State is a diverse university, and while it's wrong to say everyone is happy-go-lucky and we're a big family, I think it's safe to say that safety is not something many people have to worry about (unless it's on a snow day, because Penn State absolutely refuses to cancel classes even if a blizzard hit us... I'm embellishing, but there is some truth in that).

One thing about Penn State that many notice and comment on is the fact that most of the students are white rich kids. I think that a lot of minorities may feel out of place someone like Penn State where there are so few students of color. Penn State tries to increase the minority groups and I'm not saying that they are not around, but in comparison to all the Caucasians,the number is few. Many students of different race seem to stick together at Penn State. The majority of student's wear either sweats and a sweatshirt to class and a small group of students like to get a little more dressed up- again, its strictly personal preference. A lot of students at Penn State are from either the Philadelphia or Pittsburgh area, though there are a lot from New York as well. It varies, but for the most part the students are from Pennsylvania.

Lots of students joke that Penn State students come from three places: Happy Valley, Pittsburgh, or "outside" Philly. Although the majority of students hail from PA and identify with one or the other side of the state, I've met people from areas as diverse as Texas and Hawaii. It's hard to break Penn State students into only four groups because it's such a large campus with so many different people with varying interests. At least one of the tables in the dining hall would consist of sorority girls, whose usual attire consists of a Northface fleece combined with black leggings and Uggs. This outfit is really popular among the sorority set and has spread to other parts of the campus. If you want to be sure to fit in with any group, you have to go no further than wearing any sort of PSU gear.

There are a wide number of groups on campus that can really spark the interest of any student. There are so many to choose from, and they make themselves so available to students through flyers and conversation that I can't think of any kind of student who could ever feel out of place at Penn State. Due to the often rainy and snowy weather in the happy valley, students often dress with the weather in mind. For girls, rain boots and Uggs are very popular, mainly because of their practicality. Generally students dress casually and comfortably to class, either in jeans or sweats. The students you'd encounter in a dining hall would all be friendly, talkative, and would most likely know each other. It's really amazing how many times you'll find that all your friends and acquaintances are in fact interconnected. The concept of "cliques" holds much less ground at Penn State than in highschool, or I would imagine, a smaller campus. Students are constantly interacting with each other; meeting new and interesting people is one of the most valuable experiences in college. Most Penn State students from PA are either from the Pittsburgh or Philadelphia area, while out-of-staters tend to come from Virginia, Maryland and New York. Although many of the students here are upper-middle class, it's very hard to generalize due to the campus's size. Students from all financial backgrounds come here to study. Political views and values vary greatly; there are students representative of all areas of the political spectrum, and many of them make an effort to be involved. Republican and Democratic clubs meet to debate, guest speakers are invited to give lectures about the world's political situation.

A major disadvantage at PSU is the lack of race diversity. The majority of students walking around campus are White, and many of which I've met have previously attended some several thousand dollar a year private high school. Most students are from within Pennsylvania (generally Philadelphia or Pittsburgh are). As a Hispanic New Yorker, my initial reaction to the PSU demographic was intimidation. I quickly learned that there is a place for everyone at PSU. There is no doubt that the minority population needs to increase,however, I can safely say race issues are not a big problem.

I think most religious, LGBT, and other groups such as these are accepted or more commonly, left alone. I have never observed racism or any other type of prejudice that was openly expressed. There are so many small communities of students that make up Penn State and they often just stick together. I don’t think it’s possible for any student to feel ENTIRELY out of place at PSU because he/she is bound to find SOMEONE that speaks his/her native language, has the same likes and dislikes, etc. It is possible, however, for someone to feel somewhat out of place. For example, I think that African Americans might feel out of place on this campus because not only are the students predominantly white, but the town of State College is as well. Students here do not dress up for class. Sweatpants are a staple, and PSU apparel is worn, on average, three times a week. The only time you see a student dressed up during class hours is if he/she has A) an interview, or B) a presentation to deliver. Most PSU students are from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, or Maryland. But our athletes are from all across the country and we also have many international students.

As I mentioned in the stereotypes prompt, Penn State is expected to be, and is in fact, a primarily white campus. While there are many racial groups on campus, they are somewhat independent of the masses. When I was a freshman, I lived in supplemental housing where 8 girls were thrown into a study lounge. Without privacy I got to know my room mates very well. Two were African American, well, one was a "white" black girl and the other was 'ghetto fabulous," to be politically correct. I also had a Hispanic room mate and an international student from the United Arab Emirates. These girls all had totally unique experiences, they talked about racism to each other often, but despite some confrontations they were very happy. Each joined cultural clubs and made friends of their own race easily, yet still kept my friendship over the years. It seems like students of different races are able to interact, but it is limited. We are always drawn to what's comfortable and for some people, telling a tall, feisty black girl to stop listening to hip hop at 3 am is not comfortable.

There is a lot of diversity within Penn State's student body. You can probably find someone from just about every country in the world without much effort. However, the chances of you actually becoming good friends with them are pretty slim, the ethnic groups like to pretty much stick together. It is certainly not uncommon to see people from different backgrounds hanging out, but it is more common to see them together. The campus is definitely not racist at all; it probably just has a lot to do with language barriers and personal comfort zones. Besides the diversity of ethnicities, there are people from all sorts of backgrounds. We have obviously rich kids, obviously not rich kids, kids that make it hard to tell, sorority girls, frat boys, nerds, jocks, and ultra friendly kids just to name a few. Chances are you'll find your niche right away. Again, Penn State definitely has a community that fits your needs, guaranteed. You make it what you want it to be. Much of the student body is from Pennsylvania. However, I wouldn't say most as I have probably met at least one person from every state, and like I mentioned, it doesn't take a whole lot of searching to find someone from a different country. As for what to wear on campus, pretty much anything goes. I've seen kids who wear nothing but sweat pants and hoodies, and girls who wear heals every day (I'm not quite sure how they do it, we have a very hilly campus). In general, jeans and a t-shirt is pretty acceptable. There isn't a whole lot that can go wrong with that ensemble. You will see girls in Uggz throughout the entire school year. Those are a pretty standard staple as well. Many of the guys do make fun of them, but that really doesn't seem to be bothersome to them.

I don't think any person could feel out of place at Penn State unless they really wanted to. Sure, there are still kids who are racist/prejudiced, but what college campus doesn't deal with students like that? You can go to class in whatever you want. I've seen kids in pajamas and bathrobes, girls in dresses and high heels, fishnet stockings, Ugg boots, sweatshirts and sweatpants, tie-dyes, pinks, or head to toe black. You can speak in whatever language you would like. I love walking to classes and hearing Spanish, Russian, Chinese (and I am completely jealous...I have an excruciating time learning other languages). You can be a Democrat, Republican, or a Green Party supporter (though I know many who opt out of politics). Go join a frat or sorority if it suits you (just don't be surprised at the stereotypes that follow). At Penn State, you can be whoever you are and still fit right in. Growing up in Erie, PA, my worldview of other individuals was a bit narrow. My parents were raised in Erie, my entire extended family lives there (a fact I really love), and most of my friends' parents greet me with, "You act just like your dad when you were his age!" Coming here, I got to meet people with backgrounds utterly different than mine, who lived and studied in foreign countries, who were raised by a single parent or two mothers. I got to get out of the bubble I was raised in and was exposed to people who I never would have met in other circumstances.

PSU is not the best place to try to hold on to your conservative morals, just an FYI. You WILL be confronted by extremely liberal students and professors who have no problem shoving their left-wing ideals down your throat in less than modest ways. Come with an open mind, but a much stronger will. There are many racial, religious and LGBT organizations on campus and you will hear some bitching and moaning from all of them. Ha, what do students wear? 20,000 girls in black spandex pants, north face jackets and UGG boots. Woo hoo for individuality.

At my old university I could definitely define myself as a minority student. I'm an adopted Asian American and I've never felt I identify with a specific race. PSU does have a diverse community; there is a great multicultural community with advisers and events to acknowledge and inform the community about diversity. I honestly don't think that anyone could possibly feel out of place here; there's something for everyone. Each race is represented, from Asian groups to African American fraternities to Latin American dance clubs. Fashion on campus, well, there's no limit to what people wear. From the traditional jeans and PSU sweatshirt to dress clothing, everything is really represented. I remember one kid who even wore a chicken mask around! The dining hall never seemed like it does in "Mean Girls". Even though there will always be those people who feel comfortable with those who are most like them (including race and clothing), I never really noticed specific people only siting with "their" group or "stereotype". I'd say if there were four different tables, they wouldn't be based on racial differences, but interest differences; for instances, club water polo might sit at one table, while a sorority might sit together. There's so many different people that tables could change every day. There are tons of different interests and people come from all over. Three of my housemates are from out of state, and one of them is from Miami! I'm assuming the majority are from PA but that's a big area. From tiny towns to Pittsburg and Philly, PSU is home to tons of different people. And as for financial differences, I guess I just don't talk about it much with my friends. Most people I know are from middle class families, but that might be because it's the biggest financial class. The political scene here is great. We have a great student run newspaper, active political groups like Student Democrats, and a very active student government. Political views vary just as much as the student body.

The student body here at PSU is extremely diverse. Since we are such a well established and world renown university we draw students from all corners of not only the United States but also around the world. It is not unusual to see a great mixture of cultures walking the sidewalks and roaming the halls, which is really nice, because knowing is understanding, and with such a diverse body, it's easy to learn about other cultures. It's not unusual to be sitting beside a student in class from a neighboring hometown in Pennsylvania and on the other side, someone is from California, or Japan.

Penn State probably even has a group for reality TV fans. No joke. We take our groups very serious. We have one of the largest Intramural Sports Leagues, which is as competitive as some Division 3 schools. As far as groups on campus, I believe the Hub sums them all up. Our student center, the Hub-Robeson center, holds events and activities for all groups that want representation or even a place to hang out on Saturday night (Late Night Penn State, Club Hub!). The majority of students are from Pennsylvania, along with Ohio and New Jersey. You'll find a couple from New York and some New England states, and then from there is pretty random. You can always point out the kids from Staten Island and New Jersey though. They tend to stick out a little bit when a good amount of the students are your typical hunters who love the Steelers or Eagles. Most students rock some sweats and t-shirt to class. You always have the over-achiever students who wear suits everyday, we must have all missed the memo for a career fair everyday.