Despite the 81-61 loss to Duke in the Final Four in Indianapolis this past Saturday, I feel no less proud to call myself a Spartan than I did the moment we beat Louisville and got the chance to advance. While it's easy to feel bitter or let down after a loss, if you take a second to step back and realize all of the wonderful things about this school and this campus, suddenly all of those little inconveniences don't seem like the end of the world after all.
Here are some “Victories" for MSU:
1. It might be freezing, but take a second to look around at how beautiful campus is, even when it's frozen over:
2. We made it to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament, didn't we? When no one thought we could do it, we proved to them, once again, never to underestimate the Spartans. And not to mention, we've got some the country's most amazing coaches. I mean, talk about a dream team.
3. Not only is our campus beautiful, but some of our classrooms and cafeterias look like something out of a movie. Not only do we have these great features on our campus, we also excel in academics. Just as an example, we have the second best hospitality business program in the country, behind Cornell University.
4. It's such a big school that you can get involved in so many different clubs, groups, opportunities, etc. and find a community of people you fit in with. There are more than 700 student organizations to choose from! Whether you decide to join Greek life or not, you're guaranteed to make lifelong friends in a place with so many friendly and diverse people.
5. East Lansing. You'd be shocked at the charm this little college town has and at the fact that you miss it so much when you leave it, even for a weekend. It's nice to have a world that seems to exist purely for college students, and when you see a child or a family, you feel like they're in the wrong place, and then you remember that people actually do live in East Lansing, too. And why shouldn't they? It's adorable.
6. With such a big school, you really get a great opportunity to reach out to the large number of alumni who, of course, love helping out a fellow Spartan. Take advantage of the connections you can make at a school as special as MSU, where people take such great pride in having attended.
7. The food. I know it's easy to get tired of Leo's Coney Island or Buffalo Wild Wings, but seriously, East Lansing has some great hidden gems in the food department. You just have to know where to look for them. And if you're lucky, you might even find that some have karaoke.
I could go on and on about all the things that make this school so great, but what ultimately makes your college experience is, well, you and the people you choose to surround yourself with. Make the best out of your years here, because while you may find yourself often taking it for granted, you're going to miss EL some day.
Enjoy it while it lasts. And remember, every day is a good day to be a Spartan.
