What It's Like to Live In...State College, Pennsylvania

We're terrified of leaving NYC, so it's nice to hear that former New Yorker RavenTalon has found happiness even in a place that doesn't have 24-hour delis and cute rats. —Sparkitors

I am a teen who lives in Happy Valley, home of the Nittany Lion, State Patty's Day, Beaver Stadium, and America's Number One Party College. Yeah, it seems like our lives revolve around the university. The sad thing is—they do. So, here are some highlights of one of the least stressful towns in America!

Everyone is obsessed with college football. OK, I am not a State College native, so when I moved here, I was absolutely astounded by the football craze. Word of advice to visitors and future residents: If you are like me (completely clueless about college football), check the game schedule in the newspaper every weekend. If there's a game at Beaver Stadium, make sure you know what time it's happening so you can stay off campus and far, far away from Downtown State College. The traffic is simply unbelievable (for Central PA, that is) and the fans get pretty wacko.

School is challenging. The schools here are CRAZY good because of PSU. And the competition is waaay up there. Most kids have parents who work at the university, and everyone knows each other because their parents are coworkers or something. School itself isn't all too easy. The teachers seriously expect a lot from you. But they're really awesome, and I've been closer to my teachers here than in any other school I've been to.
It's diverse. You'll see people of every ethnicity here. It's simply amazing. Once more, it's due to good ol' Penn State. A lot of students here are from around the globe. Living in a place with such cultural diversity is just so much fun. You get to meet new people and learn new things. And since a lot of professors move around, the kids you'll meet have lived in lots of different places.
When we're not avoiding the stadium, we go to the mall. For fun, I like going to the mall or just walking around downtown. State College is chock full of different events and activities. Here, you'll never be bored! The BJC has concerts or something of that kind every weekend, so you're bound to find something you like.
Berkey Creamery has the best ice cream on Earth. They've got about 100 flavors, and the servings are HUGE! They have a gorgeous place to eat outside and the inside is cool, too. But, beware, the lines can be insanely long sometimes....
I don't live in a dorm. Okay, just to be clear, YES, the town I live in is called "State College," NO, I'm not joking, NO, I do not live in college. You wouldn't believe the number of weird looks (not to mention wacky questions) I get when I tell people I live in State College.
What I love about Happy Valley... I am city girl, born and raised in NYC. So, you can imagine, when I found out that we were moving from the "Big Apple" (I've always hated that name, because I don't feel that it describes New York very well....) to some town out in the middle of nowhere, I was positively crestfallen and wanted to go die in a hole. But, when I got here, I was actually really happy. State College is great because there's city, and there's suburbs. Drive out from town for a few minutes and you're greeted by sprawling golden cornfields and rolling hills dotted with grazing cattle. Drive for a little longer, and all of a sudden, the sun will be obscured by the thick green canopy of one of the many nearby state parks.
And in State College, the sky's the limit! There aren't many limitations here. Just follow your dreams.

That's all! Hope you come to visit me!

Would you thrive in a place like State College?

Related posts: What It's Like to Live In...