Today marks one year since I became a member of the West Virginia University community. I was a nervous freshman, more than 500 miles away from home, and I didn’t know a single person. Entering a university with over 25,000 students was quite an overwhelming experience.
Today marks one year since I became a member of the West Virginia University community.
I was a nervous freshman, more than 500 miles away from home, and I didn’t know a single person.
Entering a university with over 25,000 students was quite an overwhelming experience.
West Virginia stands out from many other universities across the nation due to its strong athletic culture. At our University, athletics serve as the driving force that unifies everyone.
While sports also bond students at other institutions, my conversations with family and friends, including my brother who studies at the University of Georgia, have shown me that it’s nowhere near the same at West Virginia.
It serves as a means for people to connect with new acquaintances and reconnect with old friends.
It’s not merely the success of our athletic programs that distinguishes us, but rather the collective sense of community.
During my inaugural football game last season against Villanova, I experienced my first West Virginia sporting event.
I had never felt such excitement in my life.
The atmosphere, with 60,000 fans donned in gold filling Milan Puskar Stadium on a Saturday afternoon, the stadium vibrating as the match commenced, and the famed first-down chant, made my debut football game exceed all my expectations.
The enthusiasm of West Virginia fans surpassed what I had anticipated prior to the game.
I found it amusing that, even though everyone knew West Virginia would triumph over the Wildcats, it didn’t deter anyone from attending. The stadium was filled to the brim 20 minutes before kickoff.
That moment was truly special for me.
While I understood the significance of football to the University, I discovered so much more about the institution during the game.
It was wonderful to witness so many individuals from diverse backgrounds unite for a common goal.
This experience highlighted to me the uniqueness of being part of the Mountaineer family.
Now a sophomore, a year since my initial journey as a Mountaineer, I eagerly anticipate welcoming a new cohort of students into the WVU family, just as I experienced, and hope they gain similar insights to what I did last year.
The new members of the West Virginia community will bring a necessary excitement for our school. It marks a new chapter for our football team, making it an ideal time for a fresh wave of students to commence their journey at the University.
Everyone within the Mountaineer family stands to gain from the enthusiasm that these new students will generate in the stadiums this coming year.
While some returning students might have lost their enthusiasm over the years, Mountaineer Nation can be assured that thousands of new students will arrive with renewed passion this season.
It’s crucial that as the freshmen acclimate to college life, they are warmly welcomed and embraced.
This year, it will be the excitement, the traditions, and the community that propel the Mountaineers to greatness.
