In 1910 Bowling Green State University was established as the Bowling Green State Normal School. In 1914 the school opened it doors as a teacher-training institution and held their first classes that year. But it wasn't until 1915 that the first two buildings--now University Hall and Williams Hall--were ready for use. Students enrolled that year totaled 304, with a faculty of 21. The university is now home to over twenty thousand students every year. The city surrounding the campus is what makes this place feel home but finding a home on campus is why people love this place so much. Everyone chooses BGSU because they are going to get the best education in their area of interest. The campus is full of unique features and organizations that make people fall in love with this campus.

1. New and old campus

Bowling Green State University's old campus consists of University Hall, Williams Hall, Moseley Hall, Hannah Hall, McFall Center, Shatzel Hall and the first part of Eppler Center. Founders, the Administration Building, West and South Hall were added on later. Old campus is a reminder of how far the university has come since 1910 and is one the most open areas on campus. Many students partake in reading on the lawn and holding social events.

New campus consists of pretty much everything beyond Eppler Center and all of the new dorms. Bowling Green has 2 newer dorms, Falcon Heights and Centennial. Falcon Heights was also the name of temporary structures in the post World War 2 era. Which consisted of 40 trailers to house male and married students in 1945.

2. The squirrels

Lets be honest, have you seen a white squirrel anywhere else than in BG? I mean, I know they exist elsewhere but the ones in Bowling Green, Ohio are unique to us. They're also not afraid of us which makes some people think that they can just feed them whenever, but remember that they are still wild animals. Our squirrels are black, white, and brown but most importantly they are and always will be The BG Squirrels.

3. Downtown life

You may think that a college towns downtown life is like every college towns downtown. But you're wrong, really wrong. Not all colleges are fortunate enough to have a lively downtown area so close to campus. Students can walk downtown in less than 15 minutes, depending on where their dorm is or where they live off campus, and have a night of fun with the ability to walk home. Now that's not to say they every student indulges in the night life here but when they do then they're in for a good time. Bowling Greens downtown is full of places to visit during the day and every year the city holds many events on Main Street. The Black Swamp Arts Festival and The Main Street Car Show are just a few events held every year.

4. Hockey

Bowling Green, Ohio was voted the 42nd best city for hockey fans. I personally think that's a bit low but when you think about all the other huge college towns 42nd isn't bad. The hockey atmosphere at BGSU is absolutely unreal! The fans, the season ticket holders, the student section, and the ice box goers all make the Madhouse on Mercer the place to be October through March. Hockey at BGSU is like stepping into a whole new world, the excitement you will experience in the Slater Ice Arena is unlike anything you'll experience while at BGSU. The BG hockey team was home to Dan Bylsma, the Pittsburg Penguins coach from 2008-2014 and now the Buffalo Sabers coach. And most recently was the home of Andrew Hammond who was signed as a free agent in 2013 with the Ottawa Senators.

5. The university seal

In 1914 the Normal School's Seal was designed with four different parts, the mountain range, the brilliant sun, the bundle of 17 arrows representing Ohio's rank in the Union, and the sheaf of wheat to signify the great agricultural industry of the state. Then in 1958 the Seal was redesigned to include the buckeye, the state tree and the carnation, the state flower.

The Seal traditions are as follows: if you stand on the seal at midnight and kiss your sweetheart you will soon be married, if you and your sweetheart hold hand and walk around the seal on opposite sides, you will soon break up. The most known tradition is that if you pass on the right of the Seal you will do well on your next test. If you pass on the left you will fail your next tests.

6. The cemetery

The cemetery was founded in 1873, years before the college was ever built. The college was eventually built around the cemetery, making it the center of campus and the biggest part of campus. Thousands of students walk by the cemetery every single day but not many enter this place of rest. So many loved ones, so many soldiers in one place surrounded by beating hearts and a lively student atmosphere but no one enters this place to even walk around. But if you're brave enough, I encourage you go in there and walk around, look at the headstones, and sit on a bench. The years on the headstones will surprise you, make you sad, happy, and just think about life in general. Some are large, some small, and some very small but the cemetery is beautiful and clean and a great place to get a peace of mind.

7. Student life

BGSU has nearly 350 registered organizations for students to get involved with! From academic organizations, political, and Fraternity and Sorority life, BGSU has it all. One of the best ways to get involved while at BGSU is to join an organization. Many organizations have service opportunities, community involvement, travel opportunities, social and academic opportunities. Organizations are the best way to find your place in the campus community, give back and sometimes even make life time friends. Fraternity and Sorority life are some of the biggest organizations on campus, as well as service fraternities, and it's in these organizations you will find a home away from home. Being involved on campus helped me survive college, helped me get out of my shell, and not a day goes by that I do not thank those organizations for 5 years of good times.

8. The ghosts

Alice is the most well-known ghost on the campus. She is said to haunt both of the theaters in University Hall. But who Alice is remains a mystery. Some say she was an actress playing the role of Desdemona and was killed by a falling object during a performance. Other stories say that she was a former theater student who was killed in a car crash while returning to the university to collect her award for Actress of the Year. The superstition is that Alice must officially be invited to all performances by the stage manager alone on the stage after the final dress rehearsal. There is also usually a seat left for her at each performance. Some of the old sorority houses were also home to their share of ghosts. It is said the some of the old sorority houses were also haunted, but they were sadly torn down along with the fraternity houses and rebuilt behind the Carillon dorm.

9. The mascots

Freddie and Frieda are the cutest mascots around and they are our beloved birds! Freddie Falcon was born in 1950 all thanks to members of the Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity. The idea was to create school spirit at BGSU athletic events. On January 16th, 1950 at the BGSU vs. Ohio University basketball game Freddie made his debut and was introduced to the community. Then on February 25th, 1966 Frieda Falcon was introduced as Mrs. Freddie Falcon and was actually a male cheerleader in disguise. Frieda re-emerged in 1980 as Freddie's little sister and sidekick.

10. SIC SIC

SIC SIC was created October 5th, 1946 at 12:45 a.m. seated in the dark room of BGSU's President Frank J. Prout's office. Six young men had received a secret letter earlier that day which told them to meet in the President's office at 12:45 a.m. and to destroy the letter as soon as they had read and memorized it. President Prout went through the yearbook and handpicked the six men who would become the original "secret six." They decided the new spirit organization would consist of two sophomores, two juniors and two seniors. The meaning of the name still remains a secret, with only members and its alumni knowing what it stands for. Every year, each new member must pick a mask that hasn't been used in the past, making every single one of them more original than the last

11. Dance Marathon at BGSU

Bowling Green was one of the first five colleges to introduce Dance Marathon to it's campus. It's been 22 years since Dance Marathon came to BGSU and it's been a full 22 years of nothing but absolute miracles. Dance Marathon is one of the biggest STUDENT RUN organizations on campus! There are many ways to get involved, you can dance, bike, be a moraler, be on a core committee, or be on the steering team! DM is one of the things that makes BG unique not because it's student run, but because it was a part of the original five.