Welcome back to Happy Valley!

With students back on campus, Onward State’s draft series is as well. If you’re new here, every couple of weeks, a group of four Onward State staffers get together and snake draft our favorite things about Penn State in a certain category. We’ve done seasonal drafts, building drafts, and more.

We’re back to celebrate the beginning of the new school year with a Syllabus Week/return to State College draft. Unfortunately, a tragic loss has occurred. Our beloved Matt Brown, the glizzy king, has graduated. His absence on the draft beat is heartbreaking, and while no one can replace him, we are very excited to bring on sophomore Ben Rosenbaum in our fourth roster spot.

Without further ado, take a look at the full draft board.

Now, let’s hear from each captain to hear them explain their picks.

Team Mikey

With the first pick in this draft, I picked “seeing friends.” It is, in my mind, the absolute best part about coming back to school. It’s also particularly bittersweet at this time as I do my first draft without Matt Brown, whom we all miss dearly. Every other pick on this list is fun because you’re doing it with your friends who you haven’t seen for a while.

After Aidan scooped up two of the outdoor bar patios with back-to-back picks, I decided to get Pickle’s Patio so Aidan couldn’t get a third. I then also picked no homework/studying, which is another reason Sylly Week is so awesome.

I rounded out my draft with swimming at local lakes, a popular activity in the waning weeks of summer, late sunsets, which is one of the best parts about the weather this time of year, and “Be a Part from the Start,” the pep rally held for freshmen every year.

Team Aidan

With my first two picks, I decided to go with the theme of outdoor bars selecting Doggie’s Pub and Cafe 210 West. Although the younger folks may not agree with these selections, soon they will learn. My round three selection followed my team’s theme as I chose the back-to-school bar crawl. This is a day that upperclassmen always look forward to, but I will unfortunately not be in attendance this year.

In round four, I went in a different direction and chose finding out who is in your class. More often than not, you’ll know someone in your class and if it’s one of your good friends then you’re set for the semester. For the next round, I selected moving into a new place because the feeling of living in a brand new air-conditioned apartment after living in a hot old house for two years is amazing. I rounded out the draft with seeing parents at school, because who doesn’t love parents?

Team Michael

With my first pick, I went with having Creamery ice cream for the first time of the year. Pair that with my second pick, the warm weather, and you have a 1-2 combo unlike any other. You can enjoy your ice cream outside without fearing you’ll have hypothermia by the time you eat the last spoonful, it’s awesome. Aside from being able to enjoy ice cream, the warmth also allows you to take walks, sit outside, play Spikeball, frisbee, or any other game comfortably.

With my third-round pick, I took the return of soccer at Penn State. Jeffery Field is a great place to be when the weather is still warm, and with two teams that know how to get the crowd going, it’s hard not to love coming back to campus soccer. One thing you might see at a soccer game is Penn State gear, which I selected fourth. Seeing everyone around campus with the Nittany Lion proudly on their chest truly signifies returning to school unlike anything else.

In the fifth round, I took the first club meeting of the year, whatever that club may be. You get to see some friends again, while also getting back on track with experiences outside of the classroom. In the last round, I got the steal of the draft and selected finding out your professor doesn’t take attendance. Personally, I go to class either way, but I know a lot of people who find out their professor has no attendance policy, and never show up again. It’s a big weight off the shoulders knowing you can miss a class and be ok.

Team Ben

With the fourth overall pick, I went with decorating a new apartment/dorm. I always like decorating because I get to personalize the bland area to how I want it to be. Nothing screams “home” more than the official Penn State football season poster, some jerseys of my favorite players from my favorite teams back home, and of course, photos of friends and family.

For my next pick, going back to the IM Building was the clear choice. The IM Building is personally one of my favorite buildings on campus. From getting a workout in, playing soccer and basketball, and the protein shakes, IM is a spot that is missed when away from campus, and always a good place to revisit when coming back to school.

For my third-round pick, I chose syllabus quizzes. Syllabus quizzes are not only a great way to get introduced to the class but also to get a feel for how easy/hard your professor will be. The assignment itself is pretty much a free A to start the grade book, as long as you read it carefully. Getting started strong is a key component to a successful semester, and there’s no better way to do that than starting with an A already.

My fourth-round pick was a no-brainer: returning to your favorite downtown restaurants. I can only go so long without the buffalo fried chicken sandwich from the Corner Room. The first bite of your favorite meal after a whole summer waiting is one of the best parts of coming back to school. As well as the Corner Room, being from Connecticut, it’s a decent hike to the nearest Sheetz or Raising Cane’s, unfortunately.

For round five, I went with HUB Spikeball. Playing Spikeball on the HUB at the center of campus with your friends after not seeing them for a while is an absolutely great way to be welcomed back. Blast some of your favorite songs, have fun, and hang out while enjoying the nice weather while you still can.

My final pick in the draft was restarting IM Sports. IM Sports are one of my favorite things about Penn State and one of my favorite activities to get involved in. Regardless of what sport you sign up for, it’s always a ton of fun to be outside back at school with your friends.