Indiana University of Pennsylvania: What to Expect
Zack Jordan from Pennsylvania moves to Indiana Pennsylvania for college, what to expect for the first few weeks of college.
When I was picking out schools to apply to my senior year, I didn’t think I would be writing this essay at IUP right now. IUP sort of felt right when it came to what I wanted at college. Before I left for college, I was nervous because I didn’t know anyone, but now I'm glad I came to IUP. Finding your passion, maturing into a working member of society, and enjoying every step through is what college is all about.
Finding your passion is one of the most important things about college. Whether that is following your childhood dream job or continuing a family legacy, IUP has a wide variety of majors to choose from. They have lots of professors that are extremely helpful and will answer any question you have. Professors are there to help you, so taking advantage of their knowledge and available resources will further your success. IUP has impressive labs, classrooms, and lecture halls which not only make going to class so much more intriguing but can help stunt your academic results immensely. IUP is helping me find my passion in exploratory stem. So far experiences with the professors have been pleasant. I’ve always gotten a positive response to any questions I’ve asked my professors and they’ve been super helpful.
Maturing into a working member of society is important for being self-dependent. Going to college is like pre-moving out, I have to learn to live on my own and be self-dependent. Some other important things I needed to learn to mature is a good work ethic. Prior to college, it was extremely important that I learned the skill of time management. Growing up my parents have always done so much for me, so being on my own was a very scary and new experience. I had to figure out what and when I should do necessary things. Some of those necessary things are doing laundry, eating, doing my homework, and studying. If I don’t fit all my necessities in my agenda, then the “tower” will collapse, which is why I need good balance in order to keep up with my academics and goals.
Lastly, you need to enjoy every step through your college experience. I was nervous when I didn't know anyone else going to the same school as me four and a half hours away. It was a roadblock to me at first, but now it's the least of my worries. I’ve made lots of friends so far at college and I’m glad they fell into my life. A key part in enjoying college is to stay positive about every step I take. I try my absolute best to keep the right mindset with my everyday life. I try to so as much as possible with my friends, so I have the best experience possible.
IUP is the perfect environment for me to mature into my adult self. Having fun and enjoying my college experience is an important aspect of my journey at IUP. Going out of my comfort zone to meet, live, and work with new people is a necessary building block to further me in my future educational paths post college. Setting up a career and learning to live on my own to figure out what works the best for me, and my future self can indubitably set up further successes that I might not have otherwise. Finding your passion, maturing into a working member of society, and enjoying every step through is what college is all about.
