Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

I work at Penn State Lion Line!!!!!!!!!! and pride out it that's how i met my best friends work friends are who i hang out with every weekend. football events are huge!! other athletics not so much i personally like hockey as well. My last boyfriend was a loser but i didn't realize this until a year into dating him when he dumped me via facebook. but there are guys out there who are good, they're usually friends with my brother and therefore off limits. i am usually not awake 2 am on a tuesday but if i am im watching tv falling asleep. Greek life is important if you're in greek life otherwise not so much. you can go to the movies on saturday and that's about it.

athletic events are very popular. fraternities and sororities are very important.

Football is a very popular athletic event. People party every weekend especially during football weekends.

THON is far and away the biggest event students get involved with on all different levels. THON is a 46 hour "dance marathon" that takes place in February, and this year raised 6.6 million dollars for pediactric cancer research. IM sports are also a huge deal at Penn State and they have both competitive and "friendly" leagues. Other than basketball, Penn State sports are supported pretty well by the students. Volleyball and hockey games will usually draw a pretty good crowd. The bars are a huge scene for upper classmen and there are plenty to choose from. Even during the week you'll be able to find a good crowd at certain bars, and the specials are unreal. For underclassmen, there is always an apartment party going on somewhere. Greek life is pretty big, but with 40,000 students you'll find plenty of kids who aren't involved at all, and it's not necessary for social life. If you don't want to drink there are definitley things to do, but you will have to make more of an effort to find them. There is a small movie theatre on campus, and lots of concerts come to town. You can always go to the gym and find a pick up basketball game going on or go to the creamery for some ice cream.

THON. Not involved in any groups. Yes, some. Very popular especially football. Guest speakers are also very popular. Don't know about theater. Don't know much about the dating scene. Mostly high school. Studying, writing a paper, and surfing the net. Guarding the lion, parade, THON. Everyday. Not that important. Worked last weekend. go to a movie, activties at the HUB. Nothing

snowboard club has the best parties or used to snowboard club some people very popular not srue not sure dating? uh or just randomly hooking up random parties, and high school actually drinking thon, football season, movin on concert, arts fest is amazing prob on average 3 nights per week they suck make fun of drunk people and go out to eat

Greek life definitely makes the campus smaller. It is something to get involved with if you are feeling like the campus is too big for you. It assists in making friends ans filling social calendars. The athletics here, especially football, are incredible with team spirit. The tickets for football season sold out in less than an hour last year! Even if you are not a huge football fan it is still very social, and something that all are a part of. Thon is a huge part of Penn State. I recommend that anyone who goes here, gets involved in one way or another. I was on a committee this year, and it was the best experience I've ever had. To help so many people go through something that is our worst nightmare is something so special, its beyond words. If you are not interested in drinking, there are many movie theaters around as well and many people who are also interested in the same thing! It is known for being a party school, but if partying is not what you're into, you can find many other things to do as well.

- Athletic events are huge, especially football. However, the students body can be considered fair weathered fans. - The distinguished speakers series is a great event showcasing some very interesting active world wide figures. - I met my closest friends through intramural sports. - If I was awake at 2 am on a Tuesday I would probably be studying. Unless it was senior year...then I would have been walking home from a night out. - Traditions: Blue and White game: An absolute tailgating must Artsfest: One huge college party in the middle of the summer, just when you are getting the itch to come back. It's a tease. - I would say most people go out or party 2 times a week. - Frats and sororities are important, I didn't get involved in greek life, but a lot of ppl do. - Saturday night alternative events: Movies, bowling, HUB late night events, skiing, camping, swimming / lounging in the hot tub at the white building, attending a music or theatrical performance, and hanging out at a friends place. - Off campus, there's a lot of things to do. The State College area has a lot of outdoor activity opportunities: rock climbing, biking, hiking, swimming, boating, etc...

I have no idea what the most popular group is on campus, I would guess the football team? Lots of people on that. I am not involved in any groups at all. Some students leave their dorm doors open; they are pretty stupid and have things stolen from them. Football games basically shut down the university, very popular. Guest speakers generally sell out, depending on the speaker. Theater, I have no idea. The dating "scene" is all right I suppose. There are a lot of people, so there is a large pool to choose from. I know my closest friends from home or they are people I have worked with or had class with. If I'm awake at 2am (and I always am) I am sitting and listening to music while perusing the internet. THON happens every year, it is retarded. People party almost all of the time. I think at any given time in the week someone is partying. Fraternities and sororities are generally excuses for people to drink alcohol and have sex. Some are more professional though. Last weekend I laid in bed all day because I was sick. On a Saturday night I can do plenty of things that do not involve drinking; the school sponsors a "late night", there are movie theater, bowling alleys, friends' apartments. Lots to do. Off campus I shop, eat, spend time with friends and go to movies.

THON! Football! THON morale committee- a bunch of enthusiastic, fun-loving kids who like to have a good time and voluntarily raise money for the cause. Yes. Football-very, basketball-moderately, others-not really Depends who it is. Not popular I have a boyfriend for a year so I'm not sure. Freshman year in dorms, class and through THON Studying THON, homecoming A LOT VERY went home ANYTHING EVERYTHING- eat, drink, party, shop, movies

the most popular groups are frats/sororities. A group im involved in would be THON communications- we basically promote THON which is a dance marathon to raise money for childhood cancer. Some students leave their doors open in dorms, theres always one or two rooms. The biggest athletic event here is Football, it pretty much shuts down the entire state of PA. people come from all over to tailgate and go to games. Guest speakers are always really popular here. A lot of people date, a lot of people hookup too . This past weekend I stayed in because I had 3 exams this week so i really needed to study, and It was a canning weekend so there wasnt really anything that interesting going on.

PSU's groups and clubs are all popular to different people. Whether it be the football team (which is the most popular hands down), THON, Blue and White Society, Boxing Club, Honor Fraternities, or etc, you'll find that each has a good name and reputation to it. I myself am mostly involved in the PSU Boxing Team. It's a great way to interact with different people who you see develop and get better at skills that you all have in common. It is also a great feeling to be around others who share the same pride as you do. Students do tend to leave their dorm room doors open because it is a safe evironment. The athletic events are very popular. Fans from around the state and even the country come to watch some of the events that occur. The dating scene is nice. People are social to each other and open for relationshps.

Football and Thon are probably the biggest activities on campus. Saturday's in the fall are dominated by football games. Theater and guest speakers and movies are offered but they are usually never a huge deal to most students. I think it depends on the student, but most of my friends drink 3-4 nights a week. If you don't want to drink, there is "LateNite Penn State" but I've heard it is not very fun and you'd rather stay at home then go there.

Penn State has so many clubs and organizations, it's very easy to meet people with similar interests (whether you're looking for a friend or a soulmate). Not only that, but Penn State also offers tons of opportunities for guest speakers, ranging from many topics, including politics, editing, and religion. I think it's great that the university gives easy access to things that interest each and every student. That includes Late Night Penn State, where students can go participate in various SAFE activities at the HUB, including Salsa dancing, board games, painting, or just watching a movie.

Athletic events are Penn State are pretty popular, especially football. Football season might be the craziest time of the academic year because students here are absolutely crazy about the football team and tailgating is definitely a popular Saturday activity. The dating scene is not bad here. There's a huge variety of bars to go to here and Greek life is extremely popular as well so some prefer the frat parties. Girls get dressed up looking for guys and guys do exactly the same thing. People party here pretty often and pretty hard. No matter what, there are always going to be people in the bars having a drink although the crowd tends to be thicker on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. If you don't want to drink on say a Saturday night thats not a problem. There are a few theaters downtown that students could go to and there is also a bowling alley a couple minutes drive away.

THON is by far the most popular event on campus during the spring semester. There are numerous ways to get involved, either through committees planning the event, or teams fundraising for it. PSU students are proud of having the largest student philanthropy event in the world and getting to dance in THON is one of the highest honors anyone can receive. The fall semester revolves around football and during home weekends State College becomes the third largest city in PA. Everyone wants to have tickets, but those students who miss the games can have just as much fun tailgating outside Beaver stadium. There isn't much of a dating scene at Penn State- people seem to be into serious relationships or random hookups, there isn't much middle ground. I met my closest friends because they lived on the same hall as me freshman year, butI've met great people through the organizations I'm involved in. In fact, last weekend my THON team, Springfield THON, held a social that was decade themed. Everyone had to wear something from a different decade and costumes ranged from the fiftys to robots from the future.

The most widely joined organization is definitely THON. Students put forth so much effort, planning, and hard work to help make THON a success. It's amazing how much students are inspired by the possibility to potentially change the lives of young cancer patients, and how this inspiration makes THON preparations so much fun. Students have a great time planning and participating in THON events, while also meeting a wide variety of different people. Dorm life is definitely a great opportunity to meet fellow students, and as long as students aren't shy and take the initiative to make new friends, they can form friendships that last throughout their entire Penn State career. I met my best friend last year after I sauntered in through her open door to ask her if she'd mind helping me with a photography assignment. Athletic events are extremely popular. The football games are soo much fun, and there's really nothing like yelling "we are penn state" in such a large stadium. All of Penn State campus changes on football weekends, with people visiting and tailgating, and overall having a great time in the spirit of the game. Guest speakers are definitely here quite often; I saw Elie Weisel earlier this year, and also saw Paul Rusesabagina speak last week. These guest speakers are highly inspiring and motivational, and it's great to see how students are so influenced by what these speakers have to say. Concerts and theater are also popular- I'm seeing Bela Fleck on Saturday, I saw Will Ferrel on Monday, and my friend and I are buying tickets soon for the Russian ballet. The dating scene is pretty exciting, constantly meeting new people at parties, in classes, and just on campus makes dating easy and a lot of fun. People party generally every weekend, and sometimes on weekdays should students' workloads allow them. About 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of Penn State students are either part of a fraternity or sorority, and these can be a lot of fun, however the remaining 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} are certainly not devoid of a social life. It really depends on the personal preferences of each student; the Penn State experience is incredibly fun either way. Should students not want to drink, there are a huge variety of other things to do; shows, concerts, movies, even movie/activity nights in the dorms.

There are so many clubs at PSU. Every semester there is an involvement fair, where students walk around a huge hall and get quickly acquainted with many of our most prominent organizations. A student can join a club about Harry Potter, take their step to another level with academic clubs like Penn State Marketing Association (PSMA), or help Rescue Childhood in their efforts to change the world.I'll never forget a Penn State Lion Scout tour guide telling me 4 years ago, "If you like it, chances are Penn State will have a club for it!" Although I am not a part of the Greek organization, I have many friends who are. The stereotypes on Greek life won't change from school to school, but there is one thing that makes PSU Greek life different; The Penn State Dance Marathon, which is primarily run by Penn State Greek life, is the world's largest student-run philanthropic event. The dance marathon invites every student at PSU to get involved in committees to raise millions of dollars for children with Cancer; Yes, I said millions, over 4 million just in the 2006-2007 school year alone! If that's not something to be proud of, then I don't know what is. Social Life at PSU is the least disappointing experiences at PSU. We have been dubbed the #1 party school in the nation for a reason. As a freshman or sophomore you can count on several fraternities (acquiring mansions off campus) throwing decent parties every weekend. If you don't like crowds, begging for beer, or the occasional frisky frat boy, there's always apartment/house parties to attend. Once you turn 21 it's bars, bars, and more bars. Seniors tend to complain about money more often than others because we don't have 2 good party nights a week, we have at least 4! When money runs low students can always turn to the school. PSU offers fun late night activities such as, free concerts, discounted concerts and comedy shows in the Bryce Jordan Center(recently Will Farrell and the Funny Or Die tour came to PSU), discounted theater performances (including Broadway musicals), and much more.

I've lived in the dorms all four years and have rarely seen students keep their door open. I don't think they're unfriendly. I would say that after, for example, three classes and a shift at work they just want to close the door on the world, take a rest, and focus on what they need to get done. I certainly do. If I'm awake at 2am during the week (and I ALWAYS am) I could be finishing a novel for class, checking course schedules for the third time that day, reading a gossip site, or filling out a survey (haha). But I also might be at the diner or Dunkin Donuts with my friends, watching a movie in someone's room, or chatting on the phone with a friend from home. Personally, I drink two or three times a week. I think the average Penn State student goes out more than that though. I think if your schedule and commitments permit it, then why not? You can socialize, spend time with friends and maybe even network a little. If I don't go out drinking my Saturday nights are spent at the HUB movie or sometimes the game night (although I prefer having a game night in a smaller setting). I also regularly attend many of the theater programs at Penn State. My favorite is the Friday and Saturday night NRT (No Refund Theater) shows in Forum. It's a student run and funded organization that learns a new play every weekend. The performance is free and typically a bare bones production but always entertaining. Outlaws is another fun theater club that produces student written plays every week. You don't even have to be a theater major to be in either organization. If I dind't have a huge lack of theatrical talent I would be involved in both programs.

The social life here at Penn State is amazing, and Greek Life is popular, though not overwhelming to the rest of the campus. I came to Penn State for six weeks during the summer before the beginning of my freshman fall semester. “Freshman Summer” gave me the opportunity to get a few credits knocked out of the way, learn my way around, and meet friends. When 40,000 students arrived that fall, though, I felt lost. I ended up going to a meeting about sororities, rushed, and pledged Kappa Alpha Theta. It was the single best decision I have made in college. My closest friends are in my sorority and it forced me to get involved with philanthropies and other activities PSU has to offer. If you are in a frat or sorority, you are in the heart of Penn State’s social life. PSU students, both guys and girls, dress up when they go out at night. Girls wear dresses or jeans and heels, while guys wear polos and loafers. The way we look when we go out at night and the way we look for class…it’s night and day (ha). Students in fraternities and sororities are labeled as having money, but this isn’t entirely true. Something that most PSU students do before they go out is “pregame,” which is taking multiple shots or having multiple drinks in their dorm, frat, or apartment. The purpose of this for the 21+ is so that they do not have to spend as much money on drinks at the bars, and the purpose of pregaming for the underagers is to loosen up a bit before the night out, I guess. I don’t really know. It’s just something we do. This pregaming concept has inspired Penn State students to come up with even more cocky phrases than we already have (yes, we have quite a few) such as “PS we pregame like U party.” Tuesdays are big bar nights, Greeks go to Beta on Wednesdays, and Thursday through Saturday, anywhere has potential. There are a few clubs, or “clubs,” as none of them will give you an NYC vibe, but they’re still fun if you like to dance. The bars are dominated by seniors and juniors who have turned 21. In general, State College is strict with IDs, although there is one bar that I believe would not be in business if not for the underagers they let in with their laughable fake IDs, hungry for a taste of the bar scene. Frat parties are usually too crowded and too hot, but absolutely glorious when you’re a freshman or sophomore. “Natty Light” is the beer served and on lucky nights, a bag of “Franz” will be slapped and students will chug the wine, one after the other…and only now, as a junior, do I understand why I got so many colds freshman year.

The social life at Penn State is amazing for some, but too overwhelming for others. It is a huge campus. There are almost 40,000 kids in University Park and that's a lot of strangers. While it is very scary at first, students tend to find their niches in athletics, academics, and organizations quickly. There are hundreds of clubs to join, Greek life, IM and Club sports, free movies on weekends, tutoring centers, and dozens of guest speakers every week. Getting involved is very easy with so many opportunities, but it's intimidation at the same time. Once you're involved, however, meeting people is so easy because you are in direct contact with people who have the same interests as you do.

The biggest event on campus outside of football is definitely THON. THON is short for Dance Marathon, the biggest student run philanthropy group in the nation. It is a huge event to raise money for kids with cancer through the Four Diamonds Organization. I am not personally involved, but I have gone every year to support it. Celebrities come to show support for not only the cancer patients, but the dancers who sacrifice their feet and sanity for a weekend. There are a lot of different groups involved with THON, so just finding one of those that suits what you're looking for is probably not too difficult. Along with THON, a must go to event is Paternoville, an event that started my freshman year. The students make a tent city the week before a big game to ensure good seating. JoePa, the football players, and the community businesses jump right into the action as well. Even if you don't camp out, it is something every student has to experience at least through a walk through. I'm personally involved in Young Americans for Freedom, a student run group dedicated to spreading conservatism throughout campus. We bring in speakers, do campus activism, and hold recruiting events. We also go to CPAC every year, which is funded by the university. The dating scene is pretty relaxed, especially the first few years. There's a lot of "hooking up" after parties and stuff, but I see a lot of couples walking around campus too. For instance, my best friend dates pretty casually - she hasn't had a steady boyfriend here, but she never needs to be dateless. I on the other hand, have been dating my now fiance since the first couple months of freshman year. It all depends on personal preference. The dorms are a great place to meet people. Since the residence halls get really hot in the first few months of the fall semester, it is not uncommon for every door in the hall to be wide open. I met my best friend because she lived next door to me freshman year and we have arranged to be in the same hall every year since then. Groups are a great place to meet people as well. Chances are that many of the people in a group you're interested in have the same interests as you. A great majority of my friends come from YAF and ACF.

The biggest PSU student activity is THON, the Penn State Dance Marathon. It is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, and raises money to help families fight pediatric cancer. Last year alone, THON managed to raise 5.2 million dollars. The fundraising year is capped off with a 46-hour dance marathon, where dancers don't sleep or sit for the entire time. When I came to Penn State, I had never heard about THON before, but I knew I wanted to be a part of something like that. Currently, I am THON Chair for my organization, which means I do a lot of the planning and coordinating of our fundraising year. I also communicate with our THON family, which is the main reason I took the position I am in right now. Each year, organizations "adopt" these families to stay in touch, visit, and help them through these tremendously difficult times in their lives. Thankfully, our THON child has been in remission for quite some time, but they keep coming back to THON to stay in touch with the spirit of the organization. I don't think anyone stops coming back, even those families who have lost a loved one due to this incurable disease. Every family that can comes to the Dance Marathon, and it’s inspiring to see the real reason that everyone is so involved with THON and this cause. I have heard a lot of people say they don't like THON because "of the people that are in it (all Greek life participates)" or "it’s just something to put on a resume." Maybe it is true for some people. Maybe there are too many Greeks (although the sororities and fraternities raise huge amounts of money and dress up to play with the kids all weekend) and maybe some people do it for selfish reasons. However, I know a lot of wonderful people who participate in this because of what it stands for, who it helps, and for all those smiling faces during that one, amazing weekend.

There are 1,000's of organizations on campus. Anyone who has 10 friends with a common interest can start their own club. So expect to find a bonzai club, a Harry Potter club (they actually dress up like the characters and play quidditch and stuff) and a yan xin qigong club (whatever the heck that is). Freshman dorms are the most open, if you live in a dorm after that there is a good chance you won't know the name of the person living next door to you. I met my closest friends freshman year in the dorms, we lived on the same floor, went to our first college parties together, looked into clubs together etc. The second best way to meet people is to join an organization - if you're a freshman in high school, you might want to start reading the list now - if you're a senior in high school, you might make it through the "A's" by the time you go home for winter break in your first year. Dating at Penn State is probably the worst thing I have ever witnessed. (luckily I'm still in a relationship with a high school sweet heart so I don't have to go through the crap that my friends do) But, it seems as though one night stands are common place, guys take a different girl home each night, and dating is taboo. It's not the place to find Mr. RIght, but you're almost guaranteed a Mr. Right Now. And don't think that because of the somewhat negative response I gave to "40,000 of your closest friends" that Penn State is too big for you. Once you find a good group of friends it really is an amazing time!

I think because there are so many people on campus with so many different interests, there is no one group that is more popular than another. Greek life is big here, but so are club sports and theater groups. Right now I'm involved with THON in the OPPerations committee and even though I knew a few people going in, I've met so many more. Most of the people in my committee didn't know each other before our first meeting. I met my captain, Joe, for the first time at a football tailgate! Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to live on campus, but when I came to visit friends, dorm doors would always be open, people talking from down the hall, listening to music. Sports are definitely big here, but so are other events. All of the guest lit. speakers I've gone to see have had packed lecture rooms and there are two theaters downtown so I'd think that we have a very busy theater community. So, the dating scene. Hahaha. There are tons of people, it's not hard to meet someone who you're interested in. Between different groups you join or places you go, there's tons of people to meet. I know people on the cross country team who have recently started dating. Meeting people in your classes is really easy too. And then, there's the bars. There's an abundance of people that you can just strike up a conversation with who you can start hanging out with, especially if you go to the same places a lot. I met my closest friends from living with them and being introduced by friends I had known from high school. Networking (and no, not business networking) is a great thing about big schools. There's an endless (ok, not literally) number of people to meet here. I'm definitely a night-owl so a lot of times I'm watching movies or talking with my roommates late at night. On weekends if you don't want to party, there's tons of things to do. There's a movie theater right downtown, bowling, the mall and Penn State offers activities at the HUB like movies and pool. Every year we have big events like THON and the Blue and White game; homecoming is big and so is St. Patty's day. Drinking on weekends is very usual, but like I said before it's not the only possibility. Personally, I love to eat so it's always fun to try out different places downtown. Last weekend I had to be up early Saturday for LSAT stuff that the university was offering so I stayed in and just hung out with some of my roommates.

If I were to be awake at 2am on a Tuesday, you could bet that I am studying or writing a paper. The same applies for most other students at PSU. Normally throughout the week most students keep their noses in books, trying to get all of their work done before the weekend hits, because no one likes to do school work on weekends.

Social Life is what makes Penn State thrive. I have already mentioned most of our leading groups on campus. Thon offers a great opportunity for kids to get involved with people they have never met. You could even apply to be a "dancer" who dances for 48 hours straight. There are many elements in Thon like canning, weekly meetings, athlete hour, fundraisers, competitions, etc. I am not your typical Penn State student. I came from Chicago on an wrestling scholarship. The athlete world here is very much "clicky". Most tend to stay in this world, and vary rarely venture out. It's a shame. They party with the same teams week in and week out and rarely see what else is out there. This might be due to how hard it is for a guy to get into Frat's, if your not pledging and you don't know someone, your out. Pledges will stand at the door and make you wait in a line 50 people deep claiming they are full. Next thing you know, a group of 10 girls dressed in mini skirts when it's 15 degrees out come stumbling in on their stiletto's, and are let right in. There has also been a lot of fights between the Frat world and the Athletes. I met my closest friends through wrestling. It is kind of hard to not become best friends when you spend every second of your college life together. I have also made a lot of friends through classes. Summer school is one of the best times to be up at school. You have all the benefits of Penn State with half the people, and the weather is beautiful. I typically would stay here in the summer and train for wrestling. My day would consist of class from 9-12, workout, go to the pool, stroll home for a quick shower, fire up the grill, blast some music, and start pre-gaming. Arts Fest is the best time of the year. The downtown campus streets are shutdown and covered in aspiring artists selling anything from paintings to furniture. But, you know why we all come for: the Parties. If I am awake at 2am on a Tuesday it would be because I am on my way home from the Gaff and Darkhorse after enjoying $5 pitchers of Rum and Coke. Hopefully, I didn't risk drinking Tantos Demise, a crazy concoction at the Darkhorse, that has proven to ruin my night. Saturday night for the crowd that doesn't drink usually includes the movies, pool halls, prime gaming time, or the Hub offers late night Penn State. It shows movies and holds dances, raffles, prizes, and others entertainment throughout the night.

Football team--obviously. greek life is big here, but not necessary to make friends. i'm not in a sorority but still have many friends in greek life. PSMA is big for people majoring in marketing. my roommate is in a business frat. THON committees are huge. many people are part of the Morale committee, where each person is assigned to one dancer and must encourage and support them for 46 hours during the weekend. We never left our dorm door open but I know some students do. Football games are the most popular...basketball is not as popular but still attended. Speakers are somewhat popular but performers are very popular. I met some of my closest friends from my freshmen dorm, some through other friends and some through classes. Arts Fest and State Patties Day are big drinking events in the spring and summer. People party on average 3 times a week.