As a kid, I always heard stories about West Virginia University. It was that crazy party school where the students constantly sang “Country Roads” and burned couches after football games. Although I must admit there is some truth to that statement, WVU is a lot more than just a party school.
After telling people that I chose to attend WVU, they always HAD to add some sort of negative comment to the conversation.
- “Yikes, that’s such a party school.”
- “Be sure to do your homework and attend classes, it’s easy to get distracted with all the parties at WVU.”
- “Good luck at WVU, it’s fairly easy to flunk out there.”
Where were all of these people when my classmates announced that they were going to Penn State, University of Alabama, or Ohio University? They congratulated my classmates on getting into these great schools, and talked about how hard my classmates must have worked.
Don’t get me wrong, these students did have high grades and worked their asses off to get into these schools, and I am I am in no way diminishing their accomplishments. However, these classmates are also attending party schools.
As WVU’s party school rank begins to decline, its reputation has remained. At rising party schools, the party scene has yet to stain reputations.
If the party reputation was truly indicative of how successful WVU students are, then why are there so many accomplished alumni? A simple Google search for “West Virginia University alumni” will show just a small portion of our many graduates’ accomplishments.
Say what you want about WVU, but it’s given me amazing opportunities that I wouldn’t have had anywhere else. There are over 460 student organizations, and WVU always has volunteer and travel opportunities. I’m currently preparing for a six-day trip to Boston through the Public Relations Student Society of America, an opportunity that I wouldn’t have had at just any other school. I have professors who genuinely care about my success and will stop at nothing to help students, and many of them have pointed me in the right direction when I had concerns that were beyond their expertise.
As cheesy as it sounds, WVU is my home. In high school, I had a bit of trouble fitting in and making friends, as do a lot of people. However, I’ve met so many genuine people at WVU who I connect with and have a lot in common. When I go home, I feel a bit trapped and uncomfortable; at WVU, I feel as if there is an entire world of opportunity ahead of me.
WVU is an important part of who I am, and I am not a “partier.” I am strong, ambitious, and hard-working, and I am WVU.