Forget Sunday scaries — “senior scaries” are the new trend now. We seniors have been through the ringer in the past few weeks with classes being moved online for the remainder of the semester, graduation being postponed and moved to a virtual ceremony. Basically, we’re just missing out on all the “lasts” in the spring semester. Yes, all of this is incredibly heart-wrenching, but the class of 2020 can get through it.
In case you were looking for any ounce of hope during this time, let’s relive some of the best moments of our time at Penn State over the last three (and a half) years or so.
Ohio State Whiteout 2016
This game was, without a doubt, probably the highlight of anyone’s college career. How can you beat a nighttime whiteout game against our rival, Ohio State, with an incredible win pulled out in the fourth quarter. The adrenaline of being smushed in the stands beside your best friends of two or three months and rushing onto the field with almost the entire student body is incomparable. This set the scene for how the rest of your time at Penn State would turn out — the intense football games, the sense of community in the stands and forming bonds with friends for life.
Clown Riots
Let’s not forget another standout moment from our freshman year: the clown riots. Fall 2016 definitely had a lot of tricks up its sleeve, and this night in particular was far from normal. Just remembering sitting in your dorm room in East or Pollock hearing screams outside from people storming the streets chasing after essentially nothing, but joining in the fun on campus. Again, no matter how strange and abnormal this night was, it brought about that sense of community, again, that was felt among the class of 2020.
Arts Fest
While Arts Fest is considered a State College community event, it brings all Penn Staters back for a reunion of sorts. Who would’ve thought that an arts festival would prompt thousands of people to flock back to central Pennsylvania? It’s incredible to think that a weekend-long event draws people back to hang out with their lifelong friends in the middle of the summer, and can even create a tradition for years to come. It definitely goes without saying that this summer’s Arts Fest — if it is safe for people to travel by then — will be one for the books.
First Picture at the Shrine or Old Main
Two of the most iconic and picturesque spots on campus are the Lion Shrine and Old Main. On every tour you went on before officially committing to Penn State, your guides definitely suggested getting pictures at both throughout your time on campus. Just think back to that first time you and your roommates, best friends, sorority sisters, fraternity brothers or even family members ventured to the west side of campus to pose next to the shrine and how excited you were to get that picture to look back on for years to come. On the other hand, look back through your camera roll and discover the pictures you’ve taken of Old Main on your walk to class, the library, from campus to downtown, in any season or just because you wanted to, and cherish those moments. We also can’t forget any random Old Main photoshoots in the warmer weather “just because.” These are pictures that will last a lifetime and provide stories to tell for ages.
Bar Life Downtown
Ah, the State College bars. How could we ever forget about them. There’s no doubt you (hopefully) remember your first time entering a bar downtown — more than likely it was the Phyrst on your birthday. The excitement of walking down the stairs and getting your picture taken with the green Phyrst hat and immediately heading to the bar to order a drink was probably the peak of your college career. From there, the options for bars were limitless. That feeling of walking into Champs and ordering your first Dirty Sprite, or heading over to Pman to be handed a Mind Eraser or even waiting in line at the Basement on a Thursday to order endless $2 teas are some of the best moments of your life. Don’t worry, though, the State College bars aren’t going anywhere, so there’s plenty of time to make a visit back when it’s safe to travel.
Final Spring Semester
Now, here we are in our final semester as undergraduates. While it may not be ending the way we anticipated, it still started off with high hopes and excitement. We were able to experience our last sylly week, sorority and fraternity recruitment, THON weekend, State Patty’s and ended with spring break. Even though some things were cut short or left out, we had so much fun in the first half that will leave us with memories for life.
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