Celebrating Dad

Image courtesy of Wikimedia

Thank goodness for Dads! What would we do without them? They’re the ones to say, “Yeah, sure” when Mom says, “NO.” Dads were the ones to teach us how to ride our bikes, pick us up when we came crashing down off of them, and gave us the courage to get back on again.

Father’s Day is this weekend and if there’s one thing you can do for Dad to show him your appreciation, you should do it! We’ve got some ideas for you:

If your dad isn’t a fan of shopping, he probably needs a little help when it comes to style. Ties are a little overdone so why don’t you get him something cooler to spice up his wardrobe. Urban Outfitters (Just a couple of blocks from Calder Commons) might seem a little too hip but they have some picks for dad that might surprise you! If dad’s a heavy metal rocker at heart this Metallica dad hat is the perfect gift. It even has ‘Dad’ in the name! Does he travel a lot for work or is he a camping fanatic? This Herschel Supply Co. Novel Weekender Duffel Bag is the perfect thing to shove all his flannels or suits in (depending on his destination). If you know where to look, the perfect gift for dad is right in front of you!

We’re pretty blessed living in Happy Valley with so much beautiful scenery around us. There are so many opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature. If dad fancies himself a bit of an outdoorsman then there’s no better place to spend Father’s Day than outdoors with him! Moshannon State Forest is 190,031 acres of beautiful land stretched across the Allegheny Plateau. Spend the weekend hiking, fishing, and kayaking with dad throughout the forest. The Moshannon Creek that flows through the forest is perfect for kayaking, fishing, boating, and hiking alongside it. If dad is the outdoorsman he believes himself to be then there’s no reason he won’t love this weekend excursion with his favorite child, right? Learn more about Moshannon State Forest and all it has to offer here.

Our fathers have done so much for us over the course of our lives that it would be downright wrong not to show a little appreciation on Father’s Day. Do you have any silly dad stories to share? Share them with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Memorial Day Festivities

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Memorial Day is a special holiday where we remember and celebrate the brave people who dedicated their lives to serving our country. Remembering their lives and honoring their memory is an yearly event for the United States. Usually day is marked with parades, barbecues, and other celebrations. This year is most certainly no exception.

If you want to really enjoy the holiday, you’ll have to head over to Boalsburg for their annual festival. They kick off the celebrations early with their annual parade taking place on Saturday, May 28th at 5 PM. Make sure you arrive early to secure yourself a prime viewing spot. See marching bands and lots of other performances as they march down Pine St., Boal Ave., Main St. and Wagner St. Memorial Day isn’t complete without a parade!

You’ll need some snacks to munch on at the parade so prepare them at your Calder Commons apartment before heading out for the festivities. These caramel pretzel bites from Two Sisters Crafting are the perfect patriotic parade snack!

In addition to the parade, the annual Memorial Day carnival will be happening throughout the entire Memorial Day weekend. Starting on May 26th, you can enjoy everything the carnival has to offer. Play a double card of Bingo for just a quarter if you’re feeling lucky. Head to the Midway to enjoy carnival rides and games. The first day of the carnival will be Wristband Night wherein wristbands can be purchased for $15 and allow you unlimited rides from 6 PM until 10 PM. Ride to your heart’s content for the whole night.

Don’t forget to stop and fuel up at the food tents and trucks before heading back out to ride those rides. BBQ chicken, hot sausage sandwiches, French fries, hamburgers and hotdogs are just a few of your options for carnival fuel.

Don’t forget to take a moment out of your celebrations to remember the men and women who died fighting for our country. To all the servicemen and women, thank you!

Earth Day in Happy Valley

46 years later and Earth Day is still leading by example by innovating ideas each and every year in order to move us forward towards a cleaner and healthier planet. While conservation efforts shouldn’t be confined to a single day out of the year, Earth Day is the main force behind the movement and tends to get the word out the best. We have to do what we can to preserve the planet we live on for the generations that will come after us but how do we go about it? 

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Around 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year to create the bags, bottles, and packages that we use every day. Almost none of this plastic is being recycled or reused so it sits in landfills. By reducing the amount of plastic we’re using, we can make a huge difference. Invest in one good water bottle that you can refill when you’re thirsty and a couple of canvas bags that you can use for all of your shopping needs.

Being a student means sitting through lectures after lecture for professors who have never heard the phrase ‘Brevity is the soul of wit.’ That equals a lot of notes and a lot of paper being used up. Opt instead to take your notes digitally. Digital notes are much easier to keep organized and you won’t have to worry about not being able to read your own sloppy handwriting the night before that big exam. Evernote and Microsoft OneNote are great options and even offer iOS and Android applications. Keeping digital notes can save reams of paper each year.

Penn State knows the importance of preserving the earth so, they’ve lined up a ton of activities and events to spread the word and the knowledge this week.

Tuesday, April 19th you can step in and catch the Penn State Sustainable Technology Exposition from 1-3. Check out alternative vehicles that could one day be taking to the streets on the HUB lawn. Later in the evening, make sure you head to Freeman Auditorium to see the Glacial Balance film. This Friday, on Earth Day itself, the Alumni Hall will have the pleasure of hosting Jeff Corwin, the famous animal and nature conservationist. Don’t miss out on these great opportunities this week.

Earth Week is bigger and better than ever but it’s easy to make a difference if you start small.

How are you planning on making a difference for Earth Week? Share your tips with us on Facebook and Twitter.

St. Patty's Adventures

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Two months already under our belt in 2016! Time has been flying past us! Thankfully, we’ve got the luck of the Irish on our side this month with St. Patrick’s Day coming up soon. With the crackdown we’ve been seeing in recent years on the annual State Paddy’s celebrations, the student-created drinking holiday could look pretty different this year. We’ve rounded up some events and alternatives that could keep you entertained and hopefully out of trouble. While these events will require a little bit of traveling to attend, they’re worth it for the lack of events we’ll probably find in State College.

Pittsburgh was recently voted the number one place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the whole country! If you’re feeling up to traveling it’s definitely worth the trip. Pittsburgh is about a 2 hour drive away from Calder Commons Apartments. This year the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will fall on Saturday March 12th. In attendance of the parade, you’ll find tons of floats from Pittsburgh groups, marching bands, Irish dance troupes, celebrities like the Pirate Parrot, the Bishop and the Mayor and tons more. The parade begins on the Boulevard of the Allies and continues up Grant Street. The parade kicks off at 10 AM so make sure you arrive early to secure yourself a prime spot for viewing. For more information about the parade check here.

If you’re uninterested in parades but very interested in beer and breakfast foods, Carson City Saloon will be hosting a Kegs and Eggs event the morning of the parade. From 8 AM until 10 AM, they will have a tasty breakfast bar available for free as well as 1.50 green drafts.

Following the parade, don’t flee the city just yet. Starting at 2 PM head to nearby Market Square for the Irish Fair in the Square. During and after the parade you can stop in for beer specials throughout the square. Peruse through the street vendors to find some Irish knick knacks to take home with you. You’ll even be able to purchase the official t-shirt of the parade at the market so you’ll have something to remember the festivities by. On top of the wares and tasty food that you’ll find, you’re in for an extra treat: a free concert! Local Irish inspired band, The Bastard Bearded Irishmen will be performing from 2 until 3 in the square followed by local country band The Stickers from 3:30 to 5. With all of the fabulous restaurants located in Market Square, you’ll definitely find something tasty to fuel you up for more partying later. To see more information on the Irish Fair in the Square check here.

It doesn’t matter if you’re Irish or not, everyone can appreciate the culture and traditions of this green holiday. Like they say, everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! Will you make the trip to the best place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the country this month?

Valentine's Day for Broke College Students

Valentine’s Day can be a stressful holiday whether you have a date or not. If you don’t have a date, you have to worry about finding one and if you have one, you have to stress about what you should do on your date. It can be particularly stressful if you’re living on a college kid’s budget. How can you take your date out somewhere fancy and fabulous when you’re eating mac n’ cheese and instant noodles for dinner? Here are some easy dates that don’t require breaking open your piggy bank.

For the price of a delicious dinner, you can have your meal as well as a comedy show. Experience Love and Laughter, the dinner comedy show at the Wise Cracker’s Comedy Club. Saturday February 13th, you can laugh the night away with you date while you munch on some delicious food. They say nothing bonds people together quite like laughter does. For those 21 and older, there will also be a cash bar available which can help those laughs flow a little easier. Reservations are recommended so call early to make sure there’s a spot for you and your date. The Wise Cracker’s Comedy Club is only a 7 minute drive away from Calder Commons Apartments, so you won’t have far to travel with your date for laughs.

If you’d prefer that someone else express your love for you, you can hire a singing telegram to embarrass both you and your loved one at their place of employment, at home or wherever else they might be that day. This weekend (12,13,14) you can hire a Singing Valentine Sweetheart Serenade for $35 and call it a (Valentine’s) day. A singing quartet will show up at your loved one’s door with a box of chocolates in hand and they’ll be able to take a photo with the quartet. If embarrassing your loved ones is your style, this is the Valentine’s Day treat for you.

For those rap enthusiasts looking for love, Fetty Wap’s Welcome to the Zoo tour is coming to the Bryce Jordan Center Saturday February 13th, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The Welcome to the Zoo tour will also feature opening act Post Malone to warm you up before the main act takes the stage. PSU students will receive $10 off their tickets when showing a valid school ID. So if you’d like to show your date to a great evening of music and fun, snag your tickets early so they don’t sell out!

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a stressful holiday just because you’re living on the budget of a college student. You can still treat your loved one to a fun evening out.

What are your Valentine’s Day plans? Tell us on Facebook and Twitter.

Upcoming January Events

Classes are kicking back off come Monday morning. Are you prepared? If you’re not looking forward to classes starting, there are still plenty of other things to look forward this month. A brand new year brings with it new activities and events and we’ve been keeping an eye out so you don’t have to miss out on any of them.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

The fun starts tonight! Even though last Friday was actually the first Friday of the month, it’s being celebrated tonight. First Friday kicks off at 5 PM and lasts until 9 tonight. Enjoy local artists read poetry and perform live music. Peruse the shops and booths and find some gifts for yourself (or others). Head to the restaurants for some delicious food and some amazing deals. Keep an eye out for Richard Benninghoff who will be roaming about performing magic! Don’t blink or you might miss it. Find more out about tonight’s First Friday event here.

Also taking place tonight is the 2016 Winter Jam at the Bryce Jordan Center. No tickets are required, just pay $10 at the door to enter. Country Artists “For King and Country” and Matthew West will be performing tonight starting at 6:45. Don’t miss out on this awesome show!

January 17th marks the Nittany Lady Lions’ 10th annual Pink Zone basketball game. The game honors survivors of breast cancer and those kindhearted individuals who care for them. Come see Bryce Jordan Center filled to the brim and cheer on the Lady Lions as they take on Michigan. See more about the game here.

On January 21st, get into the swing of things with swing dancing lessons! Learn the ins and outs and ups and downs of swing dancing at the Municipal Building at 7 PM. Whether you’re a beginner or a little more experienced, Fraleigh Dance Company can help you. Afterwards, stick around for a social dance! Find out more here.

Just because the weather has taken a turn for the coldest, doesn’t mean you have to sit at home alone! There are tons of things happening this month to keep you happy and entertained all month long.


What are you most excited for this month?

Your State College Holiday Shopping Guide

The holiday season is upon us which also means that it’s the time to start shopping for gifts. No matter what holiday you celebrate (besides Festivus) you probably have to exchange presents with friends and family members. Have you started your shopping yet? You better get on it! These local stores and businesses have just what you need to check your list off.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Urban Outfitters has some awesome gifts this year that are perfect for everyone on your list. Do you have a techie friend who never puts their phone down? These texting gloves are the perfect accessory. They come in a bunch of colors to fit everyone’s tastes. Shutterbug friend? Print out some of their best Instagram snaps and wrap them up with these awesome firefly clip string lights. They can display their talented photos in their room for all to see.

Have your parents been bugging you for a nice Penn State sweatshirt? The Nittany Outlet has exactly what you need. We love this long sleeve spirit shirt for its loose fit. This embroidered quarter-zip pullover sweatshirt is great for just about anyone in this cold weather. You know your mom’s going to ask you for a mug so why not get her the best one? This Penn State Mom mug is just what you need to make her smile. Find these and plenty more on the Nittany Outlet site and in the store.

Everybody loves candy and chocolates. Sweet Tooth Bakery & Cafe has the right stuff to bring home to the family. With their state of the art technology you can give your relatives a very personalized gift with a printed image on chocolate. So break out those embarrassing school photos of your siblings to print out on chocolate. You can also bring home a number of Penn State themed creations for your family to snack on. When all else fails, cookies are always good. Check out their website for a full menu.


There are plenty of places around State College with the perfect things to get your holiday shopping done. Your family and friends will be pleased to unwrap any of these gifts. Have you gotten your holiday shopping yet or haven’t you started yet?