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What all first-year students should know: Advice and tips from student tour guides
We share a few things that a half-dozen student tour guides wish they had known when they first arrived at Penn.
Finally, it’s almost here. Four seasons’ worth of clothes are crammed into boxes and bags, water bottles and laptops are adorned with brand-new stickers with Penn themes, and pictures of high school pals, household pets, and goofy siblings are framed and prepared for shipping. With all they need for a smooth college start, first-year students and their families are getting ready for Move-In.
However, a team of Penn student tour guides has one more thing to offer these nearly first-year students: some practical guidance. Since these guides are the greatest at introducing prospective and existing students to Penn’s campus, Penn Today has enlisted six of them to offer some tips they wish they had known when they first started at Penn. Here are some suggestions for prospective first-years to bring to campus on their first day, ranging from time management techniques to guidance on living in the dorm.
Davis, Joyce
Philadelphia-born rising fourth-year neuroscience major at the School of Arts & Sciences
Because University City and Center City are so diverse, don’t be scared to tour the entire Philadelphia area, advises Davis. Therefore, Reading Terminal Market is there if you’d like a quick bite to eat. You can find a place to escape the bustle of the city by going behind the Museum of Art.
Davis felt that her major was so credit-heavy that she would have to stay in Philadelphia, so she wishes she had known about the various options for studying abroad when she first started at Penn. However, as part of the Health and the Healthcare System in Chile course, she discovered Penn Global Seminars and will travel to Chile in January.
Her favorite spots to hang out on campus are Huntsman Hall, the Wharton Academic Research Building, and the College Houses’ sky lounges, which she claims “are definitely the most relaxing locations to simply relax, as they include small, comfortable booths where you may observe the Center City skyline if you’d like.”
Ciccotelli Dom
A rising sophomore from Parsippany, New Jersey, majoring in biochemistry at the School of Arts & Sciences
A rising sophomore from Birmingham, Alabama, majoring in psychology at the School of Arts & Sciences
Yi suggests that new pupils “try to do too much.” There are numerous activities available to you when you first arrive on campus, so make the most of them all. And if you’re a little anxious because you might not know anyone, venture outside of your comfort zone and take solace in the knowledge that no one else knows anyone else.
She also offers some suggestions for resolving disputes and living with roommates: “Try to establish a few ground rules when you first move in, such as cleanliness, whether they host a lot of guests, whether there is food in the room, and other things that you know will irritate you,” she advises. “If something is bothering you, discuss it with them right away because if you keep it to yourself, it will only accumulate and get worse over time.” Pennsylvania University
My favorite spot on campus is the BioPond, which Yi describes as an “escape from the city area” and is situated in James G. Kaskey Memorial Park. Although there is a lot of greenery and environment on campus overall, the BioPond is somewhat isolated. It’s great to sit there and watch the fish and turtles.
Off-campus suggestions include the Clark Park Farmers Market, Center City and Old City thrift stores, and KPOT, a Korean BBQ joint in South Philadelphia. Pennsylvania University
Laubacher, Megan
incoming fourth-year nursing student from Rochester, New York, in the School of Nursing
Assuming that the person must become their lifelong best friend, Laubacher advises incoming first-years not to place too much pressure on themselves to meet their best friend within the first week of college. “While that may occur for certain individuals, it is not the case for the majority of people,” she states. Pennsylvania University
According to her, many of her friends made their closest pals during their second or third years at university, while some of her friends became best friends with a roommate or hallmate right away. The best thing about Penn is that, in spite of its seeming size, you can connect with a lot of people there, which makes Penn feel small. I wouldn’t have it any other way because I have friends from all different backgrounds on campus, including my dance group, Kite and Key, the School of Nursing, and even just random friends of friends who I became close to.
She also exhorts everyone to seize every chance on campus while being mindful of their boundaries.
“Try every opportunity, see what works for you, and learn to say no when an opportunity isn’t the best fit for you. Don’t be hard on yourself if you can’t do everything.” Pennsylvania University
My favorite location on the campus tour is “Locust Walk,” particularly during the summer when the sun is perfectly peering through the blossoming trees.
My favorite class is “Health Care Reform and the Affordable Care Act” with Ezekiel Emmanuel. It was the best class I’ve ever taken, even though I took it as a random course in my first year. Because of it, I even decided to minor in health services management.
Akiba Peyton
According to Akiba, the secret to a successful first year is to start practicing time management skills early.
He notes that most high school students have highly scheduled days and says, “Time management is something that you’re going to have to learn how to do eventually, especially if it wasn’t necessarily a skill that you’d had in high school.” “You have to learn how to balance all of this extra free time in college.” He has found that playing sprint football has improved his time management and given his week more structure. Pennsylvania University
Additionally, Akiba advises first-year students to spend their first few weeks on campus interacting with as many other students as possible. “You never know who you might meet or what friendships might result from knocking on doors and leaving your door open.”
“Definitely athletics” is my favorite location on the school tour. As a student-athlete, I enjoy letting potential students know how they may participate. Even though Penn Park is a stunning location, you can still see the Amtrak passing by and the bustle of downtown Philadelphia across the river. It’s really awesome.
Tiwari Anika
incoming fourth-year biology major from Saratoga, California’s School of Arts & Sciences
According to Tiwari, it’s beneficial to remind yourself that your identity extends beyond your academic accomplishments.
“We often become very engrossed in school and how we connect our academic performance to our identity,” she explains. “Even when I’m failing or recovering from a failure, I’ve come to realize that if I’m facing an academic setback, it means that I’m going through a lot of personal growth,” she says. “That is something I wish I had known sooner.”
Additionally, she exhorts everyone to take advantage of this moment in their lives to “do something that feels crazy” and step outside of their comfort zones. Pennsylvania University
“I had never done anything like that before, but I tried out for a sketch comedy troupe,” she explains. “I don’t think I’m the funniest person in the world, but it has definitely made me braver and more tolerant of awkward, strange, or humorous situations.”
“Wilcaf,” the student-run café in Williams Hall, is the favorite spot to hang out. I enjoy going there to acquire matcha.
Talking about student government at Houston Hall was my favorite part of the campus trip. My tours are generally the last ones there because I talk about it so much.
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