As a second-semester sophomore, I feel like I’ve earned the right to dish out my judgments about TCU (mostly the parking and dining situations). At this point, complaining about those things feels like a rite of passage. But every gripe deserves a counterbalance, and for every time I’ve circled the lot one too many times or stared at a dining hall menu in disappointment, there are just as many moments that remind me why I love being here. So, in the interest of fairness — and maybe a little school spirit — here are all my favorite things about Texas Christian University.
- How people smile at each other
Literally, I cannot stop talking about this. The main reason I fell in love with TCU during my tour was the students and the way they would raise the Frog hand and smile at me as I strolled around campus with a very sweet upperclassman who was showing me around. I instantly felt so welcomed. As many of us did, I also considered going to SMU. But the one stark difference (although I realize now there are many more) was the friendliness of the student population. Touring Southern Methodist, I got my fair share of glares and side-eyes. After that fiasco, I thought for sure TCU wouldn’t be any better. I mean, it’s only 45 minutes away. How different could the people really be? But man, am I glad I was wrong. I was greeted so nicely by nearly everyone we passed, and I felt like random students were genuinely excited to see incoming students touring their school.
- The squirrels
I feel like this one is pretty obvious. I haven’t been to many other college campuses outside of when I was a high school senior touring, so I don’t really have any other squirrel populations to compare ours to. But I am not kidding when I say they are the funniest (and kinda friendly) animals ever. I am able to find joy when I’m walking to class at 7:45 a.m. in 28-degree weather and see a few squirrels chasing each other up and down trees and through the Commons. TCU is even aware of our amazing squirrel population, and last year, the university allowed us to donate a few bucks to name a squirrel. While this was a brilliant way to raise money, I do wish there had been a way for us to know which squirrel was actually ours. Anyways, props to TCU for having such an amazing squirrel community.
- The people
Coming from Southern California, I’ve definitely noticed the difference between the South and any other region of the U.S, particularly the West. The communities here are so tight-knit and friendly. I’ve loved getting to see different groups on campus and feeling welcomed in each one. This is partly due to the smaller population of TCU itself, but I also think it’s the people who choose to come here. Some (me included) may arrive with a grudge against being super school-spirited or “cringey” (think High School Musical vibes), but I quickly realized that no one cares. You can be as gung-ho about TCU as you want, and people will match that energy.
Overall, I am so thankful to be able to attend such an amazing university with such wonderful people. I sincerely encourage high school seniors to consider applying or at least coming in for a tour to see how great the school is for themselves.