I LOVE my school, and, while this list doesn't even begin to cover everything about it, I wanted to share some of the most amazing things, things that many people that aren't involved or keep up with the school don't know about. They range from the service dogs we see every day to the amazing fanbase that supports us from all across the state and the country. Hopefully, this list helps give some students a better picture of what the University of Kentucky has to offer besides what they show you on the tour. The University of Kentucky is my home away from home and I can't wait for other people to see what makes it so great.
BBN
BBN stands for Big Blue Nation and is the name for the fan base that roots for our school. So many people have told me that one of the most obnoxious fan bases in history is UK Basketball, and I completely believe them. There is so much passion behind every cheer, chant, and song for UK.
CATurdays
CATurdays are football game days. Even though games can last upwards of 4 hours I would still get to Kroger Field (formerly Commonwealth Stadium) at 8 am for a 6 pm game. Since UK football doesn't have the best record, CATurdays are typically filled with tailgating and celebrating and just enjoying the day. Now, since we're a football school apparently the days are so much sweeter when they end with a win.
The eRUPPtion Zone
The eRUPPtion zone is the main student section during basketball games. We have to stand the whole time (except during half time) and we're considered the 6th man on the court. It's so great to stand there and be so close to the action especially since we're practically on the floor.
SAB (Student Activities Board)
Even before I joined the Student Activities Board I attended as many events as I could because almost every single one interested me. Since I joined this past November this group has become more like my family than I ever could have imagined. I met one of my best friends and I can't wait to see where this group takes me in the future. (BTW that's me in the middle of the staircase with the brown hair and black dress).
Singing "My Old Kentucky Home" after games
Every time the whole stadium or arena would sing My Old Kentucky Home together I would get chills. It's so satisfying to hear everyone sing together and enjoy the community around them.
Our residence halls
The caption on this picture was, "Our residents are living the suite life" and we truly are living sweet in our residence halls. We are fortunate enough to live in our own rooms when on campus, and I honestly think that having my own room made the transition to college immensely easier. I love my roommate to death but we're both insanely busy and now have almost opposite schedules so being able to come in from work at 4 in the morning and not have to worry about waking her up because I turned the light on to change is so nice. And, sometimes, I just need time to be by myself and being able to shut the door is an amazing perk.
Service dogs on campus
There are SO many dogs around campus just hanging out and living their best life. Since the whole point that the dogs are on campus is to socialize them we get to pet them and play with them all the time. My best friend is a sitter for the program and so I get to have the dogs in my room all the time. It's so amazing to see the dogs in class just snoozing all day long in classes, and honestly, it makes me feel better every time I see them.
William T. Young Library
William T. Young Library, affectionately nicknamed Willy T., is the flagship library on our campus that is also home to 7 other libraries that are equally as amazing. Willy T. is home to the largest Starbucks in Kentucky and 5 floors of study space. On the fifth floor, there are quilts from around Kentucky hanging on the wall dating back to The Civil War. It's an amazing atmosphere that is incredibly conducive to studying for your classes. It's also an amazing spot to go sledding during the winter months.
The @UKLibraries Twitter account
On the note of talking about libraries, @UKLibraries is one of the funniest accounts on Twitter regardless of it being a promo page for a library. I strongly believe that everyone should follow it even if you don't have any affiliation with UK because it will become a daily source of laughter for you. They posted this picture along with 3 others showing our flagship library traveling the world with the caption, " I can't believe that a year ago I was studying abroad"
Our beautiful campus
Many times when a campus is set in the middle of an at least semi-metropolitan city, the campus is cramped and there is little to no green space. I am so glad that I am able to school that has a sprawling campus while at the same time being extremely close to a downtown city center.
