Dispatches from a Freshmen: Sticking to the Challenge

Editor's Note: Here is the seventh in a series of dispatches from first-year Schreyer Honors College student Chris Perkins on his experiences getting used to college life.
The longer I'm here at Penn State, the more "firsts" I encounter, but I'll never forget my most recent first -- donating blood. While walking through the lobby of my building, I was persuaded to sign up by a notice that read, "Penn State - Michigan State Blood Donor Challenge." The challenge was to determine which university could collect the most amount of blood during the two weeks leading up to the Nov. 23 PSU-MSU football game. I've never liked needles, so the idea of having one in my vein for an extended period of time wasn't exactly appealing to me. As the time came closer, I became more and more nervous about the procedure. However, once my name was called and I finally got to the bed, I realized that I was in good hands.
For the full dispatch, visit http://www.scholars.psu.edu/news/dispatch/