Living in the valley my entire life I am sorry to say Cal State Northridge was always the butt of the joke right behind Pierce College. No one took going to CSUN seriously. It was where you went when your parents wanted you close to home, it was the safety school you applied to just so you didn’t end up at a CC, it was the last minute choice because your FAFSA fell through and you couldn’t afford the out of state school you wanted to go to. For me, it was the first one. My parent’s wanted me close to home so CSUN was the obvious choice. I came into the school with every misconception possible. So as a kid who grew up near CSUN my whole life, hear me out as to why I have come to realize CSUN is actually an amazing school.

The Professors: A really cool thing about Cal State, Northridge is that our professors also teach at other schools like LMU and USC. What this means is that we are getting the same education as the students at those schools for a fraction of the cost.

Tuition: Speaking of cost…the tuition at CSUN is unbeatable compared to the other comparable universities in the area. Matadors pay substantially less money for arguably the same education meaning while we may be broke college students...it could be worse.

Location: Northridge may not seem like a premier location but in the grand scheme of things we have it pretty good. We are central to almost anywhere. We have easy accessibility to all major freeways and are pretty much in the center of where everyone wants to be. It is the same distance for us to go to Agoura as it is to Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Simi Valley is a quick trip on a freeway, Woodland Hills is down the street, and we have options for how we want to get to the beach.

It is Close to Home: Speaking of location…being close to home in college is EXTREMELY underrated. There is nothing better than living on your own near school and having that independence but knowing you can drive home for a home cooked meal or to get your laundry done or just because you miss your parents (or your dog, it’s the dog let’s be honest).

Greek Life: This is a big one. People are always hating on CSUN Greek Life. The people not in Greek life at CSUN bash it for the hazing incidents of a few groups. To that I say: as we have seen time and time again and as you all put on the spotlight of your Facebook timelines: WE CANNOT JUDGE AN ENITRE CULTURE BY A FEW BAD PEOPLE. I am just going to leave that there. As for the people in Greek life at CSUN we often compare ourselves to big schools like USC and UCSB and their Greek systems. What everyone needs to realize though is CSUN Greek life is unique and unlike any other. Because Greek life at CSUN is not as big as other school’s our community is more close knit. The CSUN Greek community is more of a unit and a family as a whole than at other schools. We all for the most part know one another and feel responsible for their well being. At a bigger school it would be hard to say you know everyone in the Greek community, at CSUN it is much more likely and that is something we should not take for granted; it is a wonderful opportunity.

Diversity: At CSUN we have one of the most diverse college campuses in the country. That is something we should be so proud of. It is what allows for the unique and riveting discussions we have in our classes. It gives us perspectives on issues and views we wouldn’t have thought of otherwise and that other schools are not receiving because they do not have the range of cultures, races, and ethnicities we have at CSUN. Our education is enriched because of the diversity of our campus.

And last but not least…Jobs: I saved this for last because this is what it all comes down to right? This is why we are at school in the first place. Well, let me tell you. If you work your butt off, if you try, where you go to school will play a minuscule if not entirely insignificant role in the job you possess after college. It is the people who chase their dreams that obtain them. It is the people who complain that because they go to CSUN they are not going to go anywhere. I know plenty of successful people in my life who I view as role models who went to CSUN and are extremely successful. Put yourself out there, you can do it. CSUN will give you the tools, look for them and take the opportunity when it presents itself.

Yes, I know, I know. But we don’t have the football team and classes are so hard to register for and some of my professors aren’t even actual professors. To that I say…I see your point, but there are bigger issues in the world. Going to CSUN does not mean you can’t tailgate somewhere else. Look at it as now you get the experience of the tailgate without paying the tuition. Classes may be hard to get but unfortunately it is like that at almost any school. No system is perfect. I am not making excuses for CSUN because honestly I agree that they need to slow the roll on admissions but at least the teachers are pretty good about giving permission codes. There is a way. And as for the last one, I think we can all build a bridge and get over that one. Don’t even bring up parking…we live in LA; it's practically a requirement to have terrible parking.