What does San Diego State University  mean to you? Think about it! 

You can probably tell that I'm a die hard, 100 percent, to the grave "Aztec For Life" -- that is, if you've read or even skimmed through any of my other articles. Being an Aztec is something that I am extremely proud of and I'm definitely not afraid to show. It's not because I'm trying to show off how great my experience has been, it's because I want it to motivate others to have an experience that's worth their time!

So, what does SDSU mean to me? Let me just introduce you to a few reasons.

Remember back to freshman orientation when we were told to get involved? I mean, we only heard it about 250 times from all the presenters, ambassadors, and assistant deans, but their reasoning behind it was all true. They said that students who made a connection to the university had higher chances of returning their second year, and finding your niche on campus would make a university of over 30,000 students seem like a small community. This small, but heavily promoted advice gave me a deeper meaning of SDSU. SDSU is not only about the academics, but with over 300 student clubs and organizations, we're bound to find something that we truly like. With that, we build connections, friendships, networking opportunities and so on and so forth. 

The amount of leadership roles that are offered on campus are endless! The university was not lying when they said that leadership started there. One way that I took on a leadership role at SDSU was by becoming an SDSU Ambassador. Yes, we're those people that wear the red polos and walk backward while occasionally getting in your way as you make your way to class. We don't do this intentionally, so sorry! This organization has allowed me to show my love for SDSU and even more, it has allowed me to share what SDSU means to me with prospective students and their families.  

While giving campus tours, I usually get a question or two about why I chose SDSU and why I love this campus, and what it means to me. As much as I want to answer this question, I usually tell my participants to hold onto it until the end of the tour because by the time I'm done giving them an entertaining tour, they'll realize what being an Aztec means to me.  

For me, being an Aztec doesn't just mean that I'm a student. It means that I have a place to call home despite the fact that I'm miles away from my family. It means that I have a place to socialize and interact with people with common interests. It means that I'm getting a quality education from professors that are available when needed. It means that I go to a university with a basketball program that made it to the sweet 16. It means that I can be an orientation leader and impact freshmen's lives. It means that I can be a brother of a fraternity and a proud member of Greek life. But most importantly, SDSU means that I have a place where I can be myself and feel like an individual and not just another student amongst a population of thousands of students. 

SDSU has been the center for many of my experiences and journeys as a young adult, and I couldn't be any happier with that fact. Now, you tell me, what does San Diego State University mean to you?