Happy Sylly Week, Penn Staters!

With the sun still out in Happy Valley and the air still warm, the first few weeks of the fall semester always provide students with a taste of the best State College, Pennsylvania, has to offer. So, what better time to get back into the swing of Onward State’s draft series?

A new year means fresh faces on this prestigious beat. Senior (yikes) Jamie Lynch, sophomore Brian Kriley, and junior Holden Mostofsky are the terrific trio that will be making the selections this season.

Without further ado, take a look at the full draft board for the best things about returning to Penn State.

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

Jamie Lynch

I was blessed with the first overall pick in my first-ever draft. For me, the selection was clear. Football season is far and away the best part about returning to school.

Maybe I should be embarrassed to admit this, but during my freshman year, I would take a walk to Beaver Stadium each day of the week leading up to kickoff because I was so damn excited. Nothing beats a tailgate beer, hanging out with friends, family, and alumni, and watching the Nittany Lions.

For my second pick, I chose the Cafe 210 Patio. Although I only just turned 21 in May, sitting outside at Cafe on a sunny afternoon has quickly become one of my favorite pastimes; Arts Fest was truly life-altering.

In the third round, I decided to go with HUB Lawn. Few things scream “college” more than a giant grassy field filled with students playing frisbee and hanging out. You’ll notice that most of my picks are dependent on good weather, so shoutout to Holden with his choice at 2.1.

In the fourth round, I took random concerts. Why is Shaq coming? Why did Flo Rida perform in the HUB? I like to imagine that Neeli Bendapudi is in charge of scheduling these artists, and I find that funny.

With 5.1, I went with Bald Eagle State Park. Chilling with friends, going for a swim, or even tubing are top-tier ways to close out the summer and make memories. 

My favorite pick of the draft is the smell of cow manure, which I snagged in the Mr. Irrelevant spot. This may be a “hear me out,” but the scent of farm animals that occasionally wafts through State College just makes me feel some sort of way. It may not smell like chocolate chip cookies or a new car, but to me, it smells like home.

Brian Kriley

After watching football come off the board at 1.1, I had to pivot from my original planned first-round selection. I decided to go with “seeing friends” because most of the picks in this draft become fun when you’re doing them with friends you haven’t seen since the spring semester.

My second-round selection was also an easy choice. A major part of why you’re able to have so much fun during Sylly Week is because your classes haven’t ramped up yet, giving you more free time that you won’t have later in the semester. My fellow draft beat members slandered my pick of “moving into a new apartment/dorm”; however, I stand by this pick. Moving into a new space gives you the freedom to decorate or do with it as you please, while also allowing you to meet new roommates and neighbors.

In the fourth round, I chose “having people you know in your classes” because having a friend in the trenches with you sets you up for a good semester rather than one you dread.

My fifth pick piggybacks off of my first one, but “meeting back up with your club” is a great time to see familiar faces and be productive outside of class. My final selection was a no-brainer: Creamery ice cream is awesome, and you can’t get it anywhere else.

Holden Mostofsky

For my first pick, I decided to go with one of the most popular outdoor bars, Doggie’s Pub, and it, of course, goes better with warm weather, which was an obvious next pick for me.

My third pick followed the theme of bar activities with the crawl, a great way to spend the first Saturday after classes with your friends.

In the fourth round, I took a turn choosing to go back to a favorite restaurant. Who doesn’t miss their favorite food spot downtown? I know many people look forward to going to a restaurant they missed while gone. After a long summer of craving Benny Leones, I’m always happy to get a slice.

I went with learning that you have an easy professor/class in round five. Having a simple class frees up time for other activities outside of schoolwork, like clubs, seeing friends, and organizations, and may even allow more time to study harder for a different class that requires a heavier workload.

I finished with Pickle’s Patio, and I was surprised it hadn’t been taken yet. It’s always great to see people enjoying the outdoors, and Pickle’s is a great social environment to do so.