By Emily Kohlman
I didn’t know exactly what would be flashing through my mind the moment my family left me with my new life ahead of me at Penn State. I wasn’t worried, though. I knew everything would be okay… except, you know, remembering how to do laundry correctly… or not getting lost walking to class…
The biggest fear of all that I had coming to Penn State was going to my very first Russian class. I had taken French in high school for four years, but I was registered to take Russian to fulfill my language requirement here at Penn State (I had always wanted to learn it). The trouble was, I could barely say “hello” in Russian -- and that was the extent of my Russian knowledge. I had heard horror stories about taking up a “difficult” language in college such as Russian, and I pictured only the very worst scenarios before I could actually walk into my 1:25 p.m. Russian class.
The biggest fear of all that I had coming to Penn State was going to my very first Russian class. I had taken French in high school for four years, but I was registered to take Russian to fulfill my language requirement here at Penn State (I had always wanted to learn it). The trouble was, I could barely say “hello” in Russian -- and that was the extent of my Russian knowledge. I had heard horror stories about taking up a “difficult” language in college such as Russian, and I pictured only the very worst scenarios before I could actually walk into my 1:25 p.m. Russian class.
First of all, I miraculously found the correct building (let alone the correct room). And I was not late. Actually, I was accidentally 15 minutes early. I guess it is better to think the time is earlier than later when you mess up your schedule for classes!
I walked into the classroom when I saw other students start to wander in, and I looked around me. There was an overwhelming majority of males, and they all looked so much older than I. This wasn’t making me feel particularly at ease, as you might imagine. The more I analyzed the situation, the more I realized that everyone was just as terrified as I. I took the initiative, then, to be that student who breaks the silence. I’m so glad I did that.
I started by asking the guy next to me why he was taking Russian, and pretty soon everyone was chiming in, telling other students their year at Penn State, their major and where Russian fit into their study plans. Thank goodness everyone was able to get that stuff off their chests because when our professor walked in, everyone immediately nervously swallowed and started fidgeting in their chairs.
Our professor was the kind of person you would think you would have as a Russian language professor, and she had an absolutely commanding presence. She began by greeting us ever so neutrally in Russian, taking attendance and asking us how we where doing -- in Russian. I was so anxious, but everything turned out to be just fine. My first Russian class seemed to go by in a heartbeat, which was a good thing, because I had it four days a week. By the second week, so many students had dropped the class. I must say, sticking it out was one of the best decisions I have made so far.
Before I get into the amazing experience that comes with totally free-falling out of your comfort zone, I want to mention something direly important for all incoming freshmen to be aware of: If you are taking a language class, order the required books ahead of time (check out ABE Books, Chegg and Amazon before the bookstore on campus for the greatest amount of savings). This may seem like a no-brainer, but when I arrived on campus almost a week early for orientation, older students told me to wait after “Sylly (Syllabus) Week” to pick up the books I really end up needing. This unspoken rule may pertain to large classes where the book turns out to be hardly beneficial, so you can forgo ordering it, thus saving tons of money. Let me tell you, if you are in an honors, language or any other small-type class, you should probably get your books and other materials ahead of time. Sometimes the Penn State Bookstore does not order enough copies of course materials for every student who picks up their materials once they get to campus at the beginning of the semester. This is what happened to me.
I planned on picking up the Russian workbook, online code and textbook pack at the bookstore after the first class when I realized I needed to get the materials immediately. When I got to the bookstore, I realized that unfortunately, they had not ordered enough copies for students. So there I was, already beside myself with anxiety at the thought of my Russian class, and I was without any materials.
I went up to my Russian professor after my next class, explaining my situation, not really knowing what to expect. Turns out, she was understanding, but explained that I would need to purchase the online code now (for a little more money, without the “free” code that came with the package). I did it, and at least now I was completely caught up with my homework, which alleviated so much of my stress.
So Russian went on, getting easier as I figured out the professor’s techniques. She valued hard work and dedication very highly, of course, and I was not looking to disappoint anyone. I put so much effort into this class that I ended up falling in love with the language, developing quite a knack for Russian.
This “knack” turned into an itch to minor in the language by the end of my fall semester, and progressed to wanderlust to study abroad in Russia by the early months of my spring semester. Now, after surviving oral and written proficiency exams, I am taking on a 10-credit load over 8 weeks this summer in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Talk about stepping out of the comfort zone! It’s truly amazing what you can discover about yourself by taking a leap into the unknown, and I highly recommend this to everyone. Take a class in a subject that interests you but may not be directly related to your current intended major. This is how you really discover who you are as a person.
I discovered how to combine my passions into a career path that will totally fulfill me. I am now double-majoring in broadcast journalism and international politics and minoring (maybe majoring) in Russian. The experiences in which I have allowed myself to be open led me to this path, and I could not be more excited to pursue even more wonderful opportunities through Penn State and through everything else life throws my way.
No matter how terrified you might be of a class or of a professor, make the best of it. Embrace the awkwardness -- that’s what freshman year is all about, and I promise you will not regret putting yourself out there.
I walked into the classroom when I saw other students start to wander in, and I looked around me. There was an overwhelming majority of males, and they all looked so much older than I. This wasn’t making me feel particularly at ease, as you might imagine. The more I analyzed the situation, the more I realized that everyone was just as terrified as I. I took the initiative, then, to be that student who breaks the silence. I’m so glad I did that.
I started by asking the guy next to me why he was taking Russian, and pretty soon everyone was chiming in, telling other students their year at Penn State, their major and where Russian fit into their study plans. Thank goodness everyone was able to get that stuff off their chests because when our professor walked in, everyone immediately nervously swallowed and started fidgeting in their chairs.
Our professor was the kind of person you would think you would have as a Russian language professor, and she had an absolutely commanding presence. She began by greeting us ever so neutrally in Russian, taking attendance and asking us how we where doing -- in Russian. I was so anxious, but everything turned out to be just fine. My first Russian class seemed to go by in a heartbeat, which was a good thing, because I had it four days a week. By the second week, so many students had dropped the class. I must say, sticking it out was one of the best decisions I have made so far.
Before I get into the amazing experience that comes with totally free-falling out of your comfort zone, I want to mention something direly important for all incoming freshmen to be aware of: If you are taking a language class, order the required books ahead of time (check out ABE Books, Chegg and Amazon before the bookstore on campus for the greatest amount of savings). This may seem like a no-brainer, but when I arrived on campus almost a week early for orientation, older students told me to wait after “Sylly (Syllabus) Week” to pick up the books I really end up needing. This unspoken rule may pertain to large classes where the book turns out to be hardly beneficial, so you can forgo ordering it, thus saving tons of money. Let me tell you, if you are in an honors, language or any other small-type class, you should probably get your books and other materials ahead of time. Sometimes the Penn State Bookstore does not order enough copies of course materials for every student who picks up their materials once they get to campus at the beginning of the semester. This is what happened to me.
I planned on picking up the Russian workbook, online code and textbook pack at the bookstore after the first class when I realized I needed to get the materials immediately. When I got to the bookstore, I realized that unfortunately, they had not ordered enough copies for students. So there I was, already beside myself with anxiety at the thought of my Russian class, and I was without any materials.
I went up to my Russian professor after my next class, explaining my situation, not really knowing what to expect. Turns out, she was understanding, but explained that I would need to purchase the online code now (for a little more money, without the “free” code that came with the package). I did it, and at least now I was completely caught up with my homework, which alleviated so much of my stress.
So Russian went on, getting easier as I figured out the professor’s techniques. She valued hard work and dedication very highly, of course, and I was not looking to disappoint anyone. I put so much effort into this class that I ended up falling in love with the language, developing quite a knack for Russian.
This “knack” turned into an itch to minor in the language by the end of my fall semester, and progressed to wanderlust to study abroad in Russia by the early months of my spring semester. Now, after surviving oral and written proficiency exams, I am taking on a 10-credit load over 8 weeks this summer in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Talk about stepping out of the comfort zone! It’s truly amazing what you can discover about yourself by taking a leap into the unknown, and I highly recommend this to everyone. Take a class in a subject that interests you but may not be directly related to your current intended major. This is how you really discover who you are as a person.
I discovered how to combine my passions into a career path that will totally fulfill me. I am now double-majoring in broadcast journalism and international politics and minoring (maybe majoring) in Russian. The experiences in which I have allowed myself to be open led me to this path, and I could not be more excited to pursue even more wonderful opportunities through Penn State and through everything else life throws my way.
No matter how terrified you might be of a class or of a professor, make the best of it. Embrace the awkwardness -- that’s what freshman year is all about, and I promise you will not regret putting yourself out there.