When I told people I was going to Penn State for college, 90% of the time there response was along the lines of "oh, you're gonna go crazy", or "#1 party school you're going to have a blast," and "The American Life" podcast is a very accurate portrayal of why people see this university in this way. Some of the content shocked me, some of it didn't surprise me at all, and a lot of it I found pretty entertaining.
Unfortunately, what was reported in the podcast did make Penn State students seem like a bunch of disrespectful idiots who don't let anything stop them from getting plastered and collecting stop signs, but go to any other large state school and you will encounter pretty much the same thing. During the podcast, the broadcaster and other adults said a few times that they would most likely be doing the same thing if they were our age. But why is there so much drinking in the first place? Well, if you drive about 30 minutes away from the campus you've reached the Amish, so students party as a way of relieving stress and having something to do.
What I found to be most memorable in the podcast was when a 50 year old woman walks up to a girl at a tailgate, and gives her an alcoholic drink for her 21st birthday. It just shows how much alcohol and tailgating is part of the Penn State atmosphere, not only in the eyes of students but older adults as well. Whether some are proud of it, and some find it disgraceful, we are a party school, theres no doubt about it.
My thoughts on Penn State still remained exactly the same after the podcast. I don't see why anyone would be proud of their school for being the #1 party school. We do party a lot, and do cross the line too when girls are seen pulling up their skirts and peeing on someones property, or neighborhood children wake up with an 18 year old passed out in their room. However, every big school will have their disgraceful party stories, but most students already know Penn State is far from simply a party school. We are a school that is #1 in job recruiting, and the school that created THON and raises millions of dollars every year for kids with cancer, and so much more. These facts should not be overlooked because they put Penn State in the positive light it truly deserves.
When I told people I was coming to Penn State they also had the same reaction. Too many people see Penn State as just a party school and not for the other awesome stuff that comes with it. Like you mentioned, THON is a big deal here; it is the biggest student run philanthropic organization in the world. Although many people in this area know what THON is, outside of this area, not many people have a clue. I didn't even know what it was until I actually got here. Instead of spreading the good news about Penn State people choose to see Penn State for the 'negative.' I don't blame people for thinking this way about Penn State because this is what the media sends out to the rest of the world.
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