Congratulations, you are officially a Future Coug!

You probably know this already, as you spent your time trying to narrow down the colleges you want to go to, but you are about to enter a four month process of defending the fact that you genuinely want to go to WSU to your friends and family. For me, this process was beyond irritating. People who have never set foot on the promised land that is campus, making assumptions about a place they have never been. Sure, they have probably heard stories or their parents were Cougs back in the day but everyone experiences it differently. Who is to say that just because we live in the middle of nowhere all we do is drink.

From a current Coug, let me tell you it’s not true unless you want it to be true. WSU is a party school if you want it to be. If you do not want it to be it won't be. Despite common legends, we do not always show up to class blacked out or can’t remember any of our years here. If you want that to be your experience, there won’t be anyone to stop you but that is the same as any college across the U.S.

If you want wild parties, trust me we have got that covered. Just take a quick walk or check Snapchat for a variety of opportunities but if you would rather not, then stay in. It’s simple. No one here will force you to drink until you pass out, but if you want a buddy to blackout with, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding one. This is probably the biggest misunderstanding about WSU. Just like anywhere else in life you will find your group and it is up to you to associate yourself with people that have similar values and habits to you.

Hopefully, you are beginning to understand what this school isn't about. But let me tell you what it is really like. Here, we are a community. It's true that “Cougs help Cougs” and “Once a Coug Always a Coug.” This is what I've learned to be actually true of WSU. The community here is like nothing else. Identifying yourself as a Coug means you will be in the airport in a foreign country and still hear a "Go Cougs" as you shuffle your boarding pass out of a stuffed bag.

Being a Coug means you yell at the top of your lungs every Cougar Football Saturday and get instantly suspicious when you see someone wearing purple (especially with gold) on campus. It means you are joining something bigger than yourself, with so much passion and a love for our home. There is nothing else like coming back home to WSU after some time away. It’s truly a magical and butterfly triggering experience, none of us would ever want to compromise.