Welcome! So glad you're here.
"Dear Penn Freshmen" is a collection of letters written by Penn upperclassmen addressing their freshman year selves about things they wish they knew in their first year. This project is the brainchild of Adam Grant’s 2016 Organizational Behavior class, is back in 2024 with a wave of fresh letters written by current Penn seniors. Thank you to Lauren McCann (W’16) for founding DPF, to Adam Grant for his endless generosity, and to all the DPF teams who have continued this initiative!
These notes are filled with advice, anecdotes, and random thoughts in hopes that our experiences will make readers' first year at Penn just a tad bit easier. Freshmen, rest assured - feeling lonely, dropping pre-med, or not 'going Greek' doesn't mean the world is ending. Along the way, we hope our words will inspire a renewed environment built on curiosity, kindness, and humility and prioritize laughter, health, and the little things.
Seniors: if you're looking to pay it forward with some wonderful advice, this is the perfect platform for you.
Freshmen: read on, and let us know what you think. Freshman year can be tough. Trust us, we've been there. But we want to help. Let us know how we can.
With Love,
Annabelle and Catherine (Dear Penn Freshmen 2024)
In collaboration between The Signal x Class Board 2024