A Lesson on Old Main

Old Main is arguably the most recognizable landmark at Penn State. Its bells chime across campus, and a fun fact about them is that if you happen to hear them on the weekend, instead of playing the Westminster Quarters like every other bell tower, Old Main spices it up and plays 'Hail to the Lion'.

While we're on the topic, I'll give you a quick history lesson on Old Main, and if you're not in to that kind of thing, skip down a paragraph or two.

Old Main was completed way back when in 1863 and was constructed of limestone that was mined from the land right in front of it, which is so metal. That's like going into a forest, picking up sticks, and building a 4 story log cabin. One of my favorite stories about its construction is that one of the mules that helped carry the limestone to the building site was affectionately called 'Old Coaly'. He was such a good worker that Penn State actually bought him after the construction was over, and kept him around campus to do odds and ends jobs. Old Coaly was so popular with the students and staff that following his death, his bones were preserved and can still be seen in the HUB today!

Respect your elders

Anyway, the original building survived until the 1920's when it was deemed structurally unsound, razed to the ground, and rebuilt from its own limestone ashes into the building it is today.

In addition to being a beautiful piece of Penn State history, Old Main also has a huge lawn that is a pretty sweet impromptu hang out spot. This week I met up with a small group of friends and played a round of pick up soccer on the lawn. In the two hours we spent there, I saw a hula hooping contest, a dance practice, some guys throwing around a football, and, most importantly, A DOG.

If you're looking for something casual to do on a week night that you won't regret the next morning, go check out Old Main! Every time I've passed by there since playing soccer, I've noticed something going on. There have been random activities like Frisbee, even croquet one time, and those playing have always been super friendly and inviting. It's an awesome way to make new friends and more often than not, there is a dog there just waiting to be petted.

Old Main's lawn is like a build your own experience, I'd even go so far as to say it's an experience just waiting to happen, and for that I give it 7 preserved horse bones out of 10.

Pictures courtesy of Penn State

Yours Truly Visits the IM Building

The IM Building is a gift from above. Out of a crippling fear of the freshman 15 and a desire to not be wasting the money I spent on a gym membership, I paid this beautiful building a lengthy visit this week.

For those of you who have not been, for the most part it has a sleek and aesthetically pleasing interior, but my favorite part is that there is a huge inexplicable fan parked in the ceiling, gently circulating above the ellipticals and free weights.

What is your purpose, Big Fan?

If you're someone like me who is moderately athletic, but is not a gym rat, it's a little intimidating at first. Some pro tips: don't forget to bring your PSU ID with you because that is how you swipe in and gain entrance to the gym. Also, if you don't know where the locker rooms are or how to use a certain equipment, just wait, watch somebody, and then act like you know what you're doing. But anyway, the facility is very well maintained and all the gym-goers I saw were as friendly as you'd expect a sweaty person lifting double their body weight on a leg press to be.

I myself have never really been fond of lifting weights, although I would like to take a second to appreciate all the options the building provides for those that do. They have a nice set up so if you're ever in the mood to pump some iron, the IM building's got your back.

Stacks on stacks on stacks... of weights

It also has a sweet running track that is elevated and circles around the various parts of the gym. In my time there running (okay let's be real, lightly jogging) around the track, I watched bits of a basketball game, a guy walking around the track on his hands, a swing dancing class, some old dudes playing racquetball (which I totally want to play next time, continually whipping a ball against the wall seems like it would do wonders for stress management), and a dedicated girl who was still practicing volleyball by herself when I left.

Even though I've never been a person who habitually goes to the gym, something about the atmosphere of the building was motivating. I found myself just walking laps around the track trying to justify staying instead of going home and doing the homework I knew I was avoiding. I guess what I'm trying to say is even if you are someone who hates gyms and gym culture, give it a shot. It has an inclusive energy and there's really nothing to lose in just visiting to see it for yourself.

Something else that I thought was cute was the name of the building itself. The IM Building. I know it stands for Intramural Building, but bear with me here for this bad pun:

IM Building... I AM Building

It's endearing to think that the building is calling itself a building, but it also reminds me of the Penn State motto: WE ARE. Get it? WE ARE... IM... I AM. Get it??? There's something there, I'm not even completely sure where I'm going with it, but it's there.

Anyway, the IM Building was a very positive experience for me. I would totally recommend giving it a visit and seeing for yourself if you have the time.

If I had to rate this wonderful building (and you know I will), I would give it 9 handstanding musclemen out of 10

Pictures courtesy of Penn State

An Age Old Rivalry

First off, I promise that this blog is not going to become a running record of the 2016 Penn State football season. But, to be fair, when two major rivals play for the first time in 16 years you just have to write about it.

The rivalry I'm talking about is of course between PSU (Go State!) and the University of Pittsburgh (Boo!). After consulting Wikipedia, I found that the first game between the two was way back in 1893. For those of you keeping track, that is 123 years ago!

As you can imagine, this rivalry has had plenty of time to fester. However, in those 123 years, our teams have only played each other 97 times. Out of these games, there have been 4 ties, (including two 0-0 ties in 1920 and 1921 because apparently nobody knew how to play football) and out of the remaining 93 games Penn State has won 50. Take that Pittsburgh!

The reason why we haven't played one another every year is because in the 90's our schools drifted apart like high school friendships after joining different football conferences. Penn State entered the Big Ten and Pittsburgh joined the Big East.

I was aware of the scope and history of this rivalry going into the game. In the week prior, I had also picked up on the fact that most Penn State fans were not particularly fond of Pitt, but considering that my twin sister goes to school there, I did not personally despise the college, which brings me to my next point.

My reason for excitement for this football game was not just a personal investment in a century old conflict (of course I wanted Penn State to win!). I was also concerned with the fact that I was going to see my twin sister for the first time in 4 weeks! For those of you without a twin, which I'm assuming is most people reading this post, it is an extreme adjustment to go from sharing every aspect of your life with someone to occasionally Skyping when your free times miraculously align.

I finally got to see Gabby in the stadium before the game started, and after the game following Penn State's heartbreaking 3 point loss to Pitt.

Even though our schools are rivals and she talked some trash, we both know that blood is thicker than water.

I guess if there is a lesson to learn or an experience to be related through this post, it's that relationships in college are what you make of them. If you truly care about someone in your life, they will always be a part of yours.

Finally, it's time for everybody's favorite part: the rating scale!

Losing to your college's rival team: 3 footballs out of 10
Reuniting with a family member after a long time apart: 10 warm fuzzy feelings out of 10

Photo credits in order of appearance:

Andy Moursund

Olivia Dowd

Beaver Stadium AKA You and Your 107,281 Best Friends

Hey everybody and welcome to the show! This week I had the opportunity to go to PSU's opening home football game where our very own Nittany Lions squared off against the Kent State Flashes!

Flashes are birds?

Kent State must have realized that they were doomed from the moment they saw the sheer amount of tailgaters surrounding the stadium. I never realized how big of a deal tailgating was until I saw the intramural fields across the road from East Campus already packed with people and flying flags by 9 AM. The game wasn't even scheduled to kick off until 3:30, so if you have ever wondered how committed Penn State fans are, on a scale from 1 to One Direction fans, Penn Staters are the fans still going to 1D concerts after Zayn left.

Anyway, when the time finally came to get ready for the game, all I could feel was an overwhelming sense excitement. I am lucky enough to be a part of the Blue Band, so my gameday experience does differ a bit from that of other fans. I also get a more behind the scenes look into Beaver Stadium. Every home football game the band parades down University Drive and enters the stadium via tunnel on the South side, and after passing by an enormous crowd of people, I found myself standing in the bowels of the stadium.

Mind you, this was my very first time ever being inside Beaver. This stadium has a carrying capacity of 107,282 people which is an insane amount of people when you think about it. To put it in perspective, a full Beaver Stadium has more people in it than the entire country of Aruba. MORE PEOPLE THAN AN ENTIRE COUNTRY. Aruba's population count as of 2015 was right around 104,000 recorded citizens. And there I was, in the tunnel, looking out at a wall of white shirts filling the Northern section of the stadium. It was more than a little intimidating.

On this particular Saturday, Beaver was not filled to capacity but still pulled in an impressive crowd of around 95,000 people. The game kicked off at 3:30 following a rousing pregame performance by the Penn State Blue Band, and I could bore you with a play by play analysis of the game, but all you really need to know is that we won 33-13, and that Joey Julius had THE most brutal block of all time on an important ball return by Kent State.

Joey Julius' impression of a brick wall

Although football is an important aspect of going to Beaver Stadium, what I was more impressed by was the atmosphere. There's nothing like being packed in like sardines with thousands of other people who are all synchronously invested in the game. Even now I can't describe the feeling.

The only bad things that I can think of are just minor inconveniences such as pricy foods and a redefining of personal boundaries. You get nice and cozy with the people sitting next to you by the end of the game.

In the end, I give the Penn State Gameday Experience 9 footballs out of 10. I think that even if you don't particularly like football, it is definitely worth it to make your way to a home football game if only for the view and atmosphere inside the stadium. 

Image courtesy of Kent State University
Video courtesy of Big Ten Network