This summer session, incoming freshmen seem confident and excited about the Penn State adventures in their future, though they may take different paths to those experiences.

"I have high expectations because everyone says it's so much fun. It'll be the best four years of my life," said Julie Berger, enrolled in the Learning Edge Academic Program with her roommate, Carley Goldman.

Goldman agreed that the outlook for Penn State life is sunny, and she has no doubts that it will be a valuable experience.

"It's a really good school and has a really good reputation. Everyone who goes here is really enthusiastic about it," said Goldman (freshman-health and human development).

She moved into Atherton Hall, a residence hall for all LEAP students, along with Berger (freshman-communications) on Sunday.

Both students are from the Philadelphia area.

Berger said she initially did not want to come to Penn State early, but changed her mind as move-in day approached.

"I realized it's so worth it. I can't imagine starting in fall. I get a head start," she said.

New students not enrolled in LEAP said they too expect a good time in Happy Valley.

"The second I visited, I knew I wanted to go here," Tyler Joseph (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said.

However, Joseph, along with roommate Brett Brenner (freshman-liberal arts), decided to forego LEAP, claiming it seemed useless.

"We were signed up for LEAP, then we talked to people from last year and we figured out we didn't want to be in it," Brenner said.

They chuckled, saying they heard LEAP was "stupid."

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Brenner and Joseph, also both from outside of Philadelphia, moved Sunday into Heister Hall, a residence hall of all non-LEAP students.

"Yeah, we don't need to be walked to class," he said. "We have class 11-2 everyday, so it shouldn't be too bad."

All four freshmen agreed that they were ready to move on from their high school backgrounds and make new memories at Penn State. They said they didn't expect that high school was as good as it gets, and they were prepared for Penn State revelry and traditions -- and classes.

The freshmen said they are ready for the workload, realizing the subject matter will be tougher than high school.

"I'm expecting them to be easier than fall classes. But I'm gonna have to work. I can't just coast through it," Berger said.

Berger and Goldman noted that it doesn't entirely feel like they are at college yet, and summer session has more of a summer camp feel, a kind of transient limbo between high school and college. They think that their "real friendships" will develop in the fall.

"I feel like the first week is kind of overwhelming and awkward, and everyone is trying to act like they know what is going on," Goldman said, looking at Berger for confirmation with a flicker of worry in her eyes. She nodded in agreement.

But Berger said the general feelings of being a freshman on the brink of a Penn State journey are happiness and contentment; with smiles on their faces and confident but slightly hesitant voices, the girls confirmed this to be true.

"It's comfortable," Berger said. "Even though we're new, it doesn't feel like I'm in a foreign country. I feel like I can be here and be happy."