There are just some things that most Salem State students know all too well. Sometimes they're good, sometimes they're bad. Regardless, they all make us feel some type of way. Here are 10 things that will make any Salem State student feel some type of way.

1. Halloween

Halloween is not a one-day ordeal for Salem, MA. Halloween starts October 1 and ends November 1. Halloween is truly a unique experience here in every sense of the word. Halloween brings out the weirdest of people, but also the most fun events in this town. Salem State students learn to be ready for absolutely anything during this time of year.

2. Bagel World

No matter how long the wait, Bagel World is always worth it. Salem State students love Bagel World. If we get the opportunity, we're going because it's just so delicious and affordable. Bagel World is the way to any of our hearts.

3. Registration Woes

Registration never goes smoothly. Something always goes awry, and students just learn to except it. Sometimes there's nothing else you can do but roll with the punches.

4. Student Involvement

Our student involvement is pretty on-point for a school with a large commuter population. There's tons of student groups and clubs on campus. We have anything from sports to event planning to student government to sci-fi and fantasy. If you have an interest, we probably have a club for it.

5. Parking During Inclement Weather

It's a nightmare. O'Keefe parking lot turns into a legitimate lake when it rains hard enough. There have been a few poor unfortunate cars lost to lake O'Keefe. Likewise, Salem is quick on parking bans in snow. If you're parked on the streets during a parking ban, you can be sure you'll get towed.

6. The LGBTQ+ Community

Salem State is quite inclusive to those in the LGBTQ+ community. We have an extremely active Alliance, an annual drag show, continuous brave space trainings happening, and options for gender-inclusive housing. There's always work to be done to better our inclusion, but we're a pretty queer-friendly campus all around.

7. The Fitness Center

There are two types of people on campus: those who love the gym and use it often, and those who know how rocking our fitness center is and feel guilty for not using it. It's hard to pass up the new fitness center. It's all new equipment and facilities, it's hard not to want to use it, even if you're not a gym rat. But the walk back up the hill on the way back is pretty brutal.

8. Food on Campus

Every school is known for having bad food. Unfortunately, our food really takes the cake. Everybody has an opinion on our dining halls, and typically it's not a positive one. Luckily, the deli, salad bar, and cereal are pretty reliable. Hopefully you won't get food poisoning while you're here!

9. The Importance of Your Clippercard

Here at Salem State our student IDs are called Clippercards. They're not just an ID, they're our ticket to campus. Your Clippercard is how you get into your residence hall, swipe your meal plan, pay for printing, get into events, reserve study spaces, and sometimes even how you unlock your own room.

10. Viking Pride

All in all, even though we complain about a lot, we're proud to be students here. We know we're not just being handed a degree, we're working hard for it. Most of us come from middle and lower class families, so going to college is a big deal, and we're proud of our school.