It feels like it was only yesterday when we were touring the University Park campus and immediately fell in love with Penn State. It was a freezing day but we loved yelling our first “WE ARE”…as instructed by our reverse walking Lion Ambassadors! Current students rushing around smiling and laughing and welcoming us to the campus. There was no doubt our daughter had made the right choice!
It feels like it was only yesterday when we were packing up to make the long drive from NY to deliver our only child to her destination. That was a really long drive, and we were all feeling different forms of nervous. This would be the first time my husband and I would be without our child. When we saw the sign for Penn State University we were all so excited! When we finished moving her into her dorm we hugged and cried. We knew she would flourish at Penn State…needless to say it was an even longer drive home!
It feels like yesterday we made our first visit to our daughter and attended our first football game! Wow, what an emotional experience. First, of course, to see Jacqueline…less than one month felt like an eternity! Second, to experience what she was experiencing, watching that Stripe-Out Game feeling the amazing energy from the student’s section…having her text us that she was in the “S Zone,” just fantastic!! Even if you are not a football fan you must go to a game. As the Blue Band played I had tears in my eyes, the school spirit is amazing. Of course that first visit we also went to the Creamery, YUM…and visited the Arboretum, beautiful. All the things we hoped for our child were coming true…a wonderful education, great new friends, tremendous school pride and more activities than you could ever wish for.
Fast forward and in a flash, her first year is about to be complete. I am so excited to return to pick my daughter up in less than two weeks. Part of me is sad for her that the year is over, although I’m sure she can’t wait to get a break, and part of me is sad for us that the year is over, although I can’t wait to have my daughter back in her room!!
We have all become part of the Penn State Family, I will miss it over the summer and I am sure Jacqueline will too. Time flies…when you love Penn State!
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Thank you for posting this letter - exactly how we felt when our daughter was a freshman. Every year it gets better and we will be very sad when she graduates next year. Hopefully our son continues the tradition. So much to...see more
There was no other school my daughter would attend but Penn State! As a family we have embraced everything Penn State. Living less than two hours from Main Campus, we have enjoyed many family experiences including football,...see more
We live in upstate New York, and our first trip to Penn State was for "Spend a Summer Day" in 2007 - when our daughter was in between her junior and senior years in high school. It was about the 12th college we had...see more
I too am a parent of a daughter named Jacqueline. We are also from New York. Tomorrow we will take that 5 hour drive ( up to 9 when you hit traffic) to watch her receive her degree in Communications. Penn State was the last...see more
Congratulations to each of you for supporting your students throughout their time at Penn State. Family support is so important for student success. Good luck to your students as the move on from Penn State and to those good...see more