Sam Houston State University is a unique campus. It is located in Huntsville, Texas, which is known as a major prison town. On top of this, the first president of Texas' home sits across the street from SHSU. There is a spirit here that you just can't understand if you are not either a SHSU Alumni or current student. Here are twelve things only Bearkats will understand:

1. If you are a Bearkat, you'll understand slamming on your brakes on Sam Houston Ave. to save a chicken's life.

Honestly, the chickens run this place.

2. Oh, death row is a couple of blocks from campus? No big deal.

We can hear death row's roll call alarm from campus and from our dorms. Huntsville is a well-known prison town, so well-known that Merle Haggard dedicated a song to us. You can listen to the song here: Merle Haggard - "Huntsville"

3. You know that we despise Lumberjacks.

Our rivalry runs deep. Remember Old Main?

4. And speaking of the Lumberjacks, the Battle of the Piney Woods is probably the most anticipated event of the year.

And we like to win, so we usually do.

5. Each building on campus has a different floor level you enter on.

Seriously. When I first moved here, it took me the longest time to realize that every building has a mind of its own. For example, Academic Building 4 enters from the first floor on one side, and the second floor on the other. Blame the hills because so many buildings on campus are like this.

6. Squirrels. Squirrels everywhere.

We have memorial services for them because they are basically family.

7. Leg day... all day, every day.

Who needs to go to the gym with the workout we get everyday when walking to class?

8. You understand what a huge population explosion we have had in the last few years.

You know things are getting crazy when freshmen have to live in a hotel that the school rents out. SHSU is ranked as one of the fastest growing universities in the United States.

9. And because of this growth, there is literally construction everywhere you look.

EVERYWHERE. Along with this construction comes the sad realization that in ten years time, the university you know and love will be completely different.

10. As a new freshman, you probably had absolutely no idea what the "mall area" was.

Bearkats know that the mall area is essentially the heart of campus. This is where you can find people eating, hanging out with friends, and promoting their clubs and organizations.

11. If you are a Bearkat, you know that no one knows what a Bearkat is.

So, just to clarify, we had to put up a new statue in front of the coliseum.

12. We have a giant statue of our namesake sitting on one of the busiest highways in the U.S.

Sam Houston is not just our namesake, he's our hero. When we see this statue as we are driving down I-45, we know that we are home.

13. And finally, if you're a Bearkat you know that you'll always cherish your college years.

Once a Bearkat, always a Bearkat.