Going to college may seem like you’ve got everything figured out, but it also makes it easy to realize you haven’t. 

For Alivia Peterson, that realization didn’t come through a single moment. It unfolded slowly, somewhere between leaving behind a high school version of herself that felt certain, and stepping into a college experience that challenged everything she thought she knew.

In high school, Peterson was the kind of student who stayed busy in every sense of the word. Her schedule was filled with musical theater, track and field, and instruments, all of which built toward her 4.4 grade-point-average and clear sense of identity rooted in achievement.

Then she arrived at Penn State, and that identity quickly began to slip.

“I knew it would be different,” Peterson said. “But I didn’t realize how much I would lose who I thought I was.”

As a first-generation college student, the transition came with added uncertainties. While her siblings had gone to college, her parents had not, and navigating a place as large and complex as Penn State felt unfamiliar in ways she hadn’t anticipated.

What once felt structured began to feel overwhelming. The habits that carried her through high school no longer worked in the same way, and the independence of college demanded more discipline than she had expected.

“I came in thinking I didn’t have to do the most,” she said. “And then I realized very quickly that I did.”

Her freshman year became a period of adjustment — not just academically, but personally. Peterson found herself questioning where she fit, what she wanted to do, and whether the path she had chosen was actually meant for her.

“If you’re out of alignment with something that isn’t for you, you’ll definitely feel that,” she said.

It wasn’t until the end of her sophomore year that things began to shift. By then, Peterson had started to ask herself a different kind of question, which would ultimately guide her forward.

“I realized I kept going back to, ‘Why are people the way they are?’”

At the time, Peterson was pursuing kinesiology, originally finding athletic training as a way to stay connected to sports. But as she observed track and field through her coursework — and through her own personal life — she began to notice something deeper than the physical performance.

She started paying attention to the mental side of athletics.

“It’s important to look at not just what the person does in their role,” Peterson said, “but also what’s going on behind it.”

That shift in perspective led her toward counseling psychology. While many kinesiology students were deeply immersed in sports culture, Peterson realized she didn’t fully identify with that mentality.

“A lot of kinesiology majors are diehard sports fans,” she said. “I was not that person.”

Still, her interest in sports didn’t disappear; it simply evolved. Rather than focusing on the body, Peterson found interest in the internal struggles athletes face — from pressure and anxiety to the loss of identity that can follow injury.

That understanding was personal.

“I got injured in my senior year of high school, and I completely lost hope,” she said. “It was really hard to instill hope again.”

What began as an interest in sports psychology eventually expanded into something broader. Peterson found herself drawn to counseling psychology, where the focus extends beyond performance and into a person’s background, relationships, and overall well-being.

“Counseling looks at who you are as a person and your background,” she said, “and how that might change who you are and impact your life.”

Choosing that path wasn’t without doubt, especially when others questioned the practicality of a psychology degree.

“A lot of people said, ‘Don’t be a psych major, there’s nothing you can do with it,’” Peterson said. “But I knew what I wanted.”

As she leaned into that decision, Peterson also began to figure out what she needed to succeed at Penn State. Working as an Administrative Assistant at the Schreyer Institute played a key role in that process, helping her with professional development.

“I started navigating my studying habits and everything I needed to help me excel,” she said. “And I learned not to always put myself in atmospheres I don’t need.”

That sense of intentionality carried into her involvement on campus.

Peterson’s role as a peer adviser became one of the most impactful experiences of her college career. It was the first position she pursued when she began actively seeking opportunities, and it quickly became a space where she could both grow and give back.

“It was my first step in the door,” she said.

Through peer advising, Peterson found a way to support students navigating the same uncertainties she once faced. The role allowed her to build connections, develop professionally, and better understand the importance of community.

“Having a good community is the key to seeking out support,” she said.

That belief was reinforced through her work off campus as a behavioral health technician in applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA), where she worked with children on the autism spectrum. The experience challenged her to approach each client with patience and empathy, recognizing their full potential.

“In ABA, you have to look at the client as completely capable,” she said. “What seems unreachable is attainable.”

Her work in research further deepened her perspective. In a lab focused on analyzing parent-child interactions, Peterson spent time coding videos and observing behavioral patterns, gaining insight into how family dynamics shape development.

“It made me realize how important parenting is,” she said, “and how it fosters an environment for your kids to feel safe.”

That realization influenced her long-term goals.

“I want to have a positive impact on both parents and children,” she said.

Now, Peterson plans to pursue graduate school and eventually earn a doctoral degree in psychology to become a counseling psychologist. While her path ahead is still uncertain, Peterson has learned to embrace that uncertainty rather than fear it.

“The fact that the future is unknown excites me,” she said. “I’m walking by faith and letting my steps plan out how they’re supposed to.”

Her faith plays a central role in that mindset, shaping the way she approaches both her future and her work with others.

It has also reshaped how she defines success.

“Penn State has shown me that success is not only the outwardly presenting things,” Peterson said. “Success is making an impact on others.”

That shift reflects the broader transformation she’s experienced since arriving on campus. What once centered on achievement has evolved into something more meaningful — connection, empathy, and the ability to help others navigate their own challenges.

“I always like to lead with empathy,” she said. “I want people to feel heard, seen, and valid in their experiences.”

For Peterson, that mission is personal.

“I really want to foster hope in other people,” she said, “and allow them to know that they can overcome the battles they’re facing.”

And for students still trying to find their place at Penn State — especially those navigating the experience as first-generation college students — her advice is simple.

“Please do not be too hard on yourself,” she said. “The opportunities are going to come. Things will ultimately work out. Follow your interests. Follow where your heart lies,” Peterson said. “There will be people who tell you it’s not the best decision, but you know best.”

In a place as big as Penn State, it can take time to figure out where you belong.

For Peterson, that process wasn’t immediate or easy. But through uncertainty, exploration, and growth, she found something more lasting than the identity she arrived with. She found purpose.

“Take it day by day,” she said. “It goes by quick.”