Editor's Note: This is the first in an occasional series about what it's like to report various stories in the Collegian. This blog re-establishes an series started by former editor-in-chief Devon Lash in 2007.

Covering an event as big as Penn State's Homecoming is no small feat. Covering it in the snow and frigid temperatures is even more of a difficult task. Collegian reporters Somer Wiggins, Caitlin Sellers and Samantha Kramer spent the much of their weekends with notebooks clenched in chilly fingertips to cover the Homecoming festivities.

I caught up with Somer (sophomore-journalism) and Caitlin (sophomore-English) once they had time to thaw out and got some information about reporting the events:

Both reporters said they -- like the rest of State College's residents -- were completely unprepared to brave the elements for the weekend. Cold fingertips were the biggest complaint. Writing in a notebook with gloves on is nearly impossible. Notebooks were soaked and pens weren't writing well; apologizing to sources for taking so long to get the pen to write became commonplace.

Overall, they summed up the event with a few words -- cold, hectic and stressful. But they also call it a portrayal of teamwork they're proud of. Each reporter had to rely on her fellow beat partners to compile information and get all the details necessary for interesting, well-sourced stories. And, in the end, they did just that.

--Post by Rossilynne

--Photo by Chloe Elmer