Let me start by saying that if you are currently reading this as a freshman, pause for a few seconds and be thankful that you have over three years left in Happy Valley. At Penn State, the word “graduation” is not a popular one. After it, gone are the days of marathon study sessions inside Pattee Library, Thursday night socials, trips to Berkey Creamery, ordering Wings Over Happy Valley, and (gasp) swiping your student ID at Gate A of Beaver Stadium on Saturdays to enter a football game. Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, does anyone want to picture life away from Penn State football?

While I’ll probably say #NeverGraduate on Twitter at least 110,000 times during my senior year next fall and spring, I’ll look forward to coming back to Beaver Stadium as an alum.  Several students are probably thinking the exact same thing right now, and you can all get a head start on securing tickets for after graduation while still in school by joining the Student Nittany Lion Club.

The Student Nittany Lion Club is an extension of the Nittany Lion Club. Membership is a requirement in order to purchase non-student season tickets, and members also are given first priority on single game tickets. Full-time, current students can join now, by filling out this application along with a $25 membership fee. One point is earned for $25 in the SNLC as opposed to 1 point per every $50 dollars in the regular NLC.

Donations are directly put towards scholarship funding for student athletes, The Center for Penn State Sports Medicine, and the Morgan Academic Center for Student Athletes. Donations also get members a bi-monthly newsletter and invites to special events where students can meet peers interested in Penn State athletics.

While many of us are living on a budget and may not have $25 lying around, the Student Nittany Lion Club is an great thing to consider for anyone who thinks they will want tickets after they graduate. Another option to avoid the initial membership fee is to accumulate 40 Code Blue points en route to a free membership.