Spring break has come and gone and you're back at your second week at good ol' Purdue in even better West Lafayette.  You came back from sunny Florida, warm Texas or maybe just your out-of-state home where your mother spoiled you with homemade comfort food. And now, the depression of being on campus has set back in. Well, I’m here to tell you why you should be ecstatic about being back in Indiana. 

Reason 1: There’s a town called Santa Claus. No joke, it exists and receives over half a million Christmas letters during the holiday season. Does your home state have a Santa Claus as a town? So, if you’re feeling blue about being in the Hoosier state, look no further than the thought of Santa Claus, Indiana to make you merry.

Reason 2: The one and only Orville Redenbacher was born in Indiana. Brazil, Indiana, to be exact. His dedication to creating the perfect popcorn resulted in the famous brand that is known and loved everywhere. Even more reason to be proud of this gem of a man is that he attended Purdue, where he studied agronomy. To make him even more cool, he was a member of our very own Greek community; he was a brother in Alpha Gamma Rho. If that doesn’t make you proud to be a Boilermaker, then shame on you. 

Reason 3: Lafayette is home to Indiana’s oldest bar, The Knickerbocker Saloon, founded in 1835 as the Cherry Bar. It's right next door to Purdue and West Lafayette. Imagine being a student when the first bar opened? Must have been quite a party with plenty of booze flowing. Mark Twain, Al Capone and our own Neil Armstrong have all step foot in this bar. Maybe if you’re 21 years old and go, you’ll be come famous, too. Aren’t you glad you attend Purdue?

Reason 4: Grand Prix. It’s so close, you can almost taste it in all of it’s glory. This week combines bonding between the Greek community, student organizations and the community as a whole while raising money for scholarships. What gets better than that? It’s, by far, the best way to end the year and get this: it’s only a couple of weeks away. Excitement about being back at Purdue, restored.

So, there you have it folks. Purdue University and Indiana aren't as lame or miserable as you may believe. Slap on a smile and be proud to be a Boilermaker—it could be way worse, you could be in Alaska.