Hi, my name is Melanie and I have never liked football.

I was asked many an uncomforting question about my choice of major and choice of clothing last year as a freshman entering the sorority world as an art major with a closet full of quirky things. However, the worst question I was forced to answer was:

"Why are you at UGA if you don't even like football?"

I can't believe people ask this question. I thought they were joking. They weren't. Any time Georgia football would come up in a conversation (which was often I mean c'mon), people would always be surprised and often disgusted by the fact that I had very little interest in the topic of discussion.

I was born into a displaced family. My dad is from Australia and my mom is from the North and I grew up in the South. High school football games were fun. I enjoyed cheering for something bigger than myself, taking pride in something about my school, but I mostly went to games to hang out with my friends. I liked the atmosphere.

I knew coming into the state school environment I'd have to get used to a lot of things revolving around pride in our football team. I didn't know that our team would be so successful, and in turn, that my ignorance of what was actually going on would be frowned upon.

I am not the girl that skips all of the games and pretends the team doesn't exist, and I'm also not the girl who goes to the games and complains the whole time about not wanting to be there. I just know and meet people who are so fired up about football they could cry. That just isn't me.

I am so happy that they are passionate about football. I really am. But I don't get mad when they don't match my excitement about my passions. There's an infamous gallery show coming to the Georgia Museum in a few weeks. I don't expect my friends to get as excited as me. I'm really ok with that.

So, let me just pass this info along to the odds and ends here at UGA or really any student at a big football school who do not love the game. You're normal. Nothing is wrong with you. Don't let people make you feel like a psycho. UGA has so so so much more to offer than football. Finding passions here is only tricky because there are so many amazing things to pursue. Don't freak out about football just because the bulk of the campus does, and you don't want to get side eye from those who are hella hype about the team.

I mean, go ahead and yell go dawgs and cheer at football games just so no one physically harms you, but don't let people who think you are crazy get to you. Following the trends is physically exhausting and makes you boring. Go chase after your passions. That's what college is about.