I'm a born and raised Alabama Southern Belle. I grew up playing in Alabama clay, floating down the Flint River, and cheering on Auburn's football team on Saturdays. And then it came time to look at colleges, and I fell in love with the Bulldog Family.

My father is a die-hard Auburn fan. Yikes! Imagine his dismay at finding out that not only was Auburn not my first choice but that I didn't even apply.

Huntsville High School takes its juniors and seniors to the UAH college fair every year. And that's where I spoke to all the college representatives. As a junior, I grabbed pamphlets from UAH, Tennessee, Auburn, and Mississippi State. And just by looking through the pamphlets, I was so attracted to MSU. But I knew I had to visit all the colleges first.

I got a personal tour of Auburn because I knew someone who went there. And it was beautiful, I took some high-quality pictures in front of Samford Hall and walked all around campus. But I couldn't see myself going there.

I was raised to cheer for the Tigers, but when I walked around with them it felt like I just wasn't meant to be one of them. So, I hesitated to apply and instead applied to Mississippi State. Then I found out that I made the correct choice.

I talked to Alumni, I went to preview day, and I did my fair share of online research. I fell in love. The campus was gorgeous. The students actually seemed to care about each other. The area was quaint and cozy. It felt like home.

Before visiting MSU, I had never been to Mississippi. It was incredibly new. I still don't know where everything is. A map is my best friend, what a typical freshman. But just like any movie about destiny, I felt like I was supposed to go there. Nothing but good things could come from going to MSU.

My dad understood that MSU was just the place for me. And he even told me about how he was familiar with the area because of his time in the Air Force. The fact that Alabama Crimson and Mississippi State Maroon are so similar was difficult to argue with, but I got him some swag that clearly says "We Ring True".

After going to orientation and getting everything figured out, I realized why I didn't fit in at Auburn. It's because I was a little bulldog pup running around with a pack of tigers. My tiger stripes were painted on. Kind of like that donkey in Egypt that was painted to look like a zebra. I was raised to believe I was something else. So, this little bulldog is happy to go to her doghouse in August. I'm proud to be part of the family.

Cover Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/bulldog-puppy-dog-animal-cute-pet-2144110/