When I was a freshman at UAB, I remember thinking there was no way I was going to be able to find my way around Birmingham. I grew up in what felt like the smallest town in America, so being plopped right in the middle of the city made me feel like I was in a whole new world. However, after a few weeks I slowly started learning my way around campus and, eventually, the whole city. On my collegiate journey to find out who I was (and where the hell I was), I also found myself becoming a part of the UAB culture. Everyone figures it out, eventually, and at their own pace. Every campus has little quirks and qualities about it that only the people who go there get to find out. UAB is no different.

Here are some things that you can probably relate to if you go to, or have gone to, the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

1. You know that the best time to eat at the Commons is Thursday nights because fried chicken and french toast.
2. If you were lucky enough to experience the magnificence that was Fire Claws, you know that they were truly a blessing from God, Himself. RIP, old friends.
3. You now get your chicken finger fix at WOW, but it's still not the same. However, the new bar they’re adding will almost make up for it.
4. You learned early on that the best time to go to Starbucks is before classes get out. If you wait, well, may the odds be ever in your favor.
5. Medusa is not a myth at UAB. She roams the second floor of the library, and she’s always ready to verbally attack her next victim. For your own safety, keep your mouth shut and don’t look her in the eyes.
6. When you’re up for a challenge, you know you can cheat the overnight guest rules in the dorms by staying out past 3 a.m.
7. You, or someone you know, started out as pre-med, but is now a business major.
8. Parking is an obvious problem, and you don’t understand why they built another dorm instead of another parking deck. #salty.
9. You feel like you need a hard hat walking around campus because no matter where you look, there is some sort of construction going on.
10. You never wear your good shoes to campus after it rains, and you steer clear of the swamp lands in between Heritage and the Rec for about a week, to be safe.
11. You rely more on the people with hammocks than the weather predicting groundhog to tell you when spring is actually coming.
12. Chicago may be the official Windy City, but walking across campus during winter you quickly find out that Birmingham has to be a very close second.
13. You have become so used to the sound of sirens and helicopters that you don’t hear them anymore.
14. You firmly believe that the initiation process of becoming a true UAB student is almost getting hit by a car or being approached by a homeless person on the way to class.
15. You have heard the urban legend about how if you get hit by a car then your tuition gets paid for. You have also secretly wondered to yourself if you would rather stick your leg out there to test the theory, or apply for student loans.
16. You are sure that jay walking from between the parked cars by the chemistry building to get to the library is the best shortcut, and is worth risking your life for.
17. You have taken or have considered taking the music appreciation class about The Beatles -- just because it's The Beatles.
18. Al’s is your favorite go-to spot after a long night of turning up. There’s nothing better than a baker or some chicken fingers and cheese fries.
19. If you have ever parked on the roof of the UBOB around sunset, you have been taken aback by how beautiful our campus really is.
20. You laughed in everyone's face when our basketball team ruined their NCAA brackets.
21. You felt personally victimized by Ray Watts after he took away our football team, but you also felt a true sense of pride and community when we all stood up and spoke out against his decision. #FreeUAB.
22. You might have cried a little when you found out that football was coming back and our hard work and determination actually paid off.

It doesn’t take long to realize how wonderful the University of Alabama at Birmingham is. Sure, it may not be perfect, but for most of us it's just enough. It's home. Whether you’ve been going to UAB for only a semester, or have long since graduated, everyone knows that it’s always a great day to be a Blazer. Ever faithful. Ever loyal.