By Heather Cass
Publications & Design Coordinator, Penn State Behrend

As a staff member who works at the college year round, I can tell you that the summer months are peaceful and serene.

At first.

But after a few weeks, the novelty of a great parking space wears off and you realize that no Bruno’s or Elements café (both close in summer) means no morning Starbucks and the empty pathways become a little too peaceful and campus starts to feel kind of lonely.

Summer is a nice reprieve, but it’s truly wonderful and exciting when students and faculty members return. Suffice to say we missed you.

We went out today in search of 10 signs that life has returned to normal on campus:

1. Foot traffic.The pathways around campus are full at class change (and 65% of students are looking at their digital devices while they walk. No judgment here — I’m the one you see walking around with my nose buried in my Kindle, but sometimes it’s nice to look around, too. We have a beautiful campus).

2. Nearly filled parking lots. (So much for always finding a spot in Reed. It’s OK, though. I don’t mind walking a little farther. It’s does a body good. Now, come February….)

3. A full house outside of Bruno’s and at nearly every student work station around campus.

4. Customers (and three registers open) at the book store.

BTW — that’s me up there in that photo. See that smile? It’s genuine. We’re all quite happy to have you back. See that notebook? I’m almost always carrying one because I never know when I’ll find a story. If you’ve got one to tell, stop me and chat me up.

5. Paws’ STARBUCKS is open again. STARBUCKS is open again. STARBUCKS is open again. STARBUCKS IS OPEN AGAIN.  (What? Me? Overcaffeinated? Maybe…because STARBUCKS IS OPEN AGAIN! Cue the angels singing).

6. Paws is scooping Berkey’s again. I scream…you scream…we all scream for ice cream, but you know what? They don’t sell it in the summer. (Doesn’t that just seem cruel?)

7. Student organizations are handing out free food (and other stuff). Fact: If you leave college without 4 Frisbees, 12 reusable shopping bags, 25 free T-shirts and 15 extra pounds, you didn’t do it right.

8. Bruno’s is open again, which means we can get our chicken wrap fix.

9. There are people in the library again….lots of them. (I guess this means I’ll have to start whispering in the library again).

10. Elements Café is open. You know they sell STARBUCKS coffee, right?

Welcome home, everyone! Looking forward to another great year!