As I go into my senior year one of my favorite aspects of the University of Maine is that we are a giant family of black bears. Yes, we are not a ginormous school but we are big enough where you see someone new (and meet someone new) every day. Yet you also see at least one person, every day, who you know whether you're best friends, teammates, hall-mates or you just have a class together.

I have visited friends at other schools where everyone has their groups of friends but don't talk to anyone else. I couldn't imagine a life like that. I go to the Union for lunch and talk to athletes, theatre people and even the staff that work there.

And everyone talks back.

You walk down the mall and see puppies and people and stop and make a new friend. It's not very often that you find someone who wants to be left completely alone. People smile and wave.

My sophomore year I hurt my ankle pretty bad and was on crutches for 3 weeks in February. Anyone who knows Maine knows that campus is literally a sheet of ice and it was a terrible time. On multiple occasions, complete strangers that I did not know went out of their way to help me - whether it was carrying my food at the dining hall or catching me when I slipped on the ice. Everyone tried to help.

Everyone cares.

Even when something terrible happens to our community we all come together and support one another. I have never seen so many people come together when something bad happens. Our family is one of a kind.

The support doesn't just happen in a negative situation though...

Our black bear community supports everyone, whether it be the athletes before a big game, a sorority or fraternity philanthropy event or even just someone struggling in a class.

We come together.

We work together.

And we support and help each other.

I have never been happier and prouder to be part of a college family. I know that when I graduate I will always have my black bear family and will always be a black bear.