My first experience with Southern Miss was when I was roughly 8 years old. I went to a football game and all I remember is being extremely high up and lots of people yelling "To The Top!" or "Tater Tot" as my niece thought at the time. Honestly, I wish I could say I that I loved Southern Miss from that point on, but that wasn't the case. When thinking about college, Southern Miss was always a last resort for me, that is until USM became the only college in Mississippi with an Athletic Training degree program. Well, that settled it, I was going to the college that was way too close to home, one that I really never wanted to attend. So, maybe I didn't go to my dream school, but I wouldn't want to attend any other college besides The University of Southern Mississippi.

After attending Black and Gold day and then later taking a tour of USM, my mind was put at ease. I had ridden past Southern Miss's campus countless times, but I never expected it to be as beautiful as it is. Southern Miss is one square mile of absolute southern charm. There have been days where I've been walking to class and have just been overwhelmed at just how truly wonderful my campus is. In my second semester at Southern, the third floor of the library became a favorite place of mine, because of the view I had of the campus. From the rose garden, to the fountains, or even just the way the light shines through the trees, its easy to find beauty here at USM.

While having a beautiful campus is a great thing, what really makes Southern Miss special, is the community. Southern Miss is so diverse and it is full of so many wonderful people. I feel at home here, because there's always a smiling face or a helping hand. USM is a community of leaders, of students who work together to make Southern and the Hattiesburg community a better place. There are so many opportunities to get involved in big ways or small ones, there is no room for exclusion here at USM, it's just not in our vocabulary. Southern Miss is full of hard working people, ones who refuse to give up, because we don't give up here.

The University of Southern Mississippi is tradition. It's the Eagle Walk, The Pride of Mississippi, chanting SMTTT until your voice is gone. Southern Miss is Friday Night at the Fountain and singing the fight song. USM is coming together in times of tragedy and showing everyone that we know what it means to be a family here. Southern is bleeding black and gold and sorta mumbling every word to the Alma Mater and then yelling "hallowed halls" at the end. It's painting the Eagle Walk and maybe, just maybe leaving your hand print even when you aren't supposed to. Being a student of the University of Southern Mississippi means giving it your all to leave Southern better than you found it and waking up one day and realizing that when you leave Southern Miss, you'll be better than when it found you.

Maybe I'm a little (or a lot) biased, but I can confidently say that Southern Miss is the second happiest place on earth. The parking might be rough and the fresh may be sketch, but I'll bleed black and gold until I die and I will never stop saying Southern Miss To The Top!