Tradition

For the longest time, I've been trying to grasp what about Michigan that I love. Why did I decide to transfer to Michigan? What about the school made me want to go there? Why would I leave a place where I had established a group of friends and was extremely comfortable with the academics. What was I missing?

I get asked why I transferred all the time. Almost as quick as I am to admit that I transferred to the U, people swiftly ask me why I made the move. It's always been hard for me to explain. To understand why I moved on, they would have to understand me. They would have to get into my brain. They would have to know my values. They would have to know me.

I guess the first thing I talk about is sports. Perhaps because it the thing I can talk most about. This is almost a self defense mechanism because I really hate talking about myself. I would much rather talk about the place that I worked hard to get to. Also, Michigan sports are easy for everyone to relate to. Almost everyone I know goes to football games, many people go to hockey games and basketball games as well. You can make an instant connection with any Michigan student by mentioning the sports.

That's not the thing I cherish though. As much as Michigan sports need to win, success isn't what drives the athletic program. It's not what drives the school. What drives the school and what I love about and the reason I transferred to Michigan is the tradition. This is what was severely lacking at Case.

Oh and let me wax poetic about my youth. When I watched all the college students going batshit crazy, I thought it was the sports that I wanted to enjoy. Actually, it was the spirit that they had. The experience they shared. The love that was being built within them. I felt it all radiating within me when I first stepped on campus as a student.

Now I may get down on certain aspects of the school such as the difficulty of the academics or the lack of study space, but I never get down on the school. Actually, I am always happy when I'm at Michigan. The chant goes "it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine." That chant was made because it is entirely true. I always feel a sense of joy and pride when I'm around campus, and it's not uncommon for me to show my love for the school by wearing Michigan paraphernalia. Perhaps devotion is a more suitable term.

Another question I get is "what do you think of Michigan?" I laugh when I hear this question. It is probably the worst question I've ever heard in fact. There are a lot of decisions that I've made that I've second guessed, but never for a minute have I second guessed coming to Michigan. I did apply to a lot of schools and certainly thought some schools were more desirable. I look back and think, "wow I really lucked out." Hindsight is 20-20 and I couldn't see myself anywhere else.

I am really sad that I am soon to be entering my last semester of college. I am very happy that I get the chance to spend another semester at my school. I'm going to be cherishing every minute of it. I'm going to experience feelings of longing and desire. I'm going to want to hold on with everything I've got, but at the end, it will be the end. It will be time to move on to greener pastures as they say (yes, pun was intended).

That's not everything though. I've met a lot of good people over my time here. I don't want to waste these relationships. I want to spend time with the people who made me feel at home when I was new. I want to get to know people better. I want to meet new people. It's my last semester; I might not have regrets about going to Michigan, but I don't want to have any regrets as I'm leaving.

Thank you for reading.