Ah U of I... Home of the domesticated squirrel and functional alcoholism, and perhaps even functionally domesticated alcoholic squirrels if they get into KAM's dumpsters. Where we celebrate our mediocre sports by congregating at the bars at ungodly early hours and forget the fact we even have a liver. Where class is never cancelled, even when taking a single step outside will turn you into an Illini-cicle. Where we are routinely told every day that we are destined for an eternity of hell by the 'preachers' on the quad. But dammit, we love it all, and here are 45 signs that show you probably do too.
1. You find yourself singing along to the songs played on the Altgeld Bells during the day
2. You not only wear orange better than all of your friends, but it is a fashion staple in your closet
3. You love and appreciate Espresso Royale
4. You try to explain Block to all your friends and family back at home but just can’t.
“It’s where we drink and party at 8am at the bars while a football game is going on that we aren’t actually attending but rooting for…”
5. You have mastered both the art of parallel parking and defensive driving around campus
6. You can sense when it is recruitment season because there is a tense aura around campus
7. Wine night at Cly's is a mandatory part of your week, but also a very deadly one
8. U of I’s number one specialty is drunk food
9. It’s not actually raining unless you see every single sorority girl wearing their matching sorority rain jackets
10. Only school where you can see a drunk chicken and a group of lumber jacks
11. When you hear The Other Guys are coming to sing to your chapter, you are beyond excited
12. When you got a t-shirt that says, "I got my Krabs at Kams" while toasting your Krab Race win with endless Blue Guys
13. When you say you go to U of I, all your family’s friends congratulate you like you got into an Ivy League
14. You crawl into a ball and die a little when midterms roll around every semester
15. After a stressful week, “Let’s go to Lion!” is the best thing you will ever hear come out of your friends mouth
16. Quad Day is always way over 100 degrees, even when it really isn’t
17. You go to Quad Day for the free icees and the water polo boys in their ever so tiny speedos
18. The idea of jumping in front of a bus so that they’ll have to pay your tuition has crossed your mind at least once
19. You’ve had a class in Foellinger with over 700 people at least once in your college career
20. You lived at Bromley your freshman year and felt like it was the best decision you ever made as a freshman. Scratch that, the only good decision you made, period
21. You hear your friend is from FAR/PAR and realize you actually can’t be friends because its just way. Too. Far.
22. You’ve been to the ARC outdoor pool and felt like you’re on vacation
23. You’ve stumbled into Fat Sandwich or Antonios and given your soul away after a drunken night at the bars
24. You’ve spent multiple all-nighters holed up on the fourth floor of Grainger
25. You go to Dallas and Co. every Halloween and are still amazed by their costumes and decor covering every inch of the store
26. You’ve gone to a football game and been apart of the Block I card designs
27. You have a common disdain for ISU students even though you have no actual reason to hate on them
28. You can't wait for Barn Dance season to come around so you get to see Loretta and eat her famous Chex Mix
29. You've ever been yelled at for sneaking out at Barndance from the barn to the actual Farm Lake
30. You try to explain to your friends at other colleges that Sunday is the only day we don’t go out
31. You are asked what your mascot is and proudly declare, "The Chief!"
32. You are absolutely too excited for Drag Night at C Street
33. You spend way too much time at Club UGL during finals and forget what day it is, or even if it is day or night
34. You religiously get up at 6:00 A.M. with all your friends to start Unofficial off the right way
35. You’ve been on the 22 N or the 22 S late at night and heard the bus drivers singing and making jokes over the speaker system
36. You can’t wait to be a senior and finally get to move into the Senior House
37. You have witnessed the crazy cougars dancing on the poles at Joe’s on Mom’s Weekend
38. You feel accomplished when you finally earn your "Mug Club Card"
39. You live for 80 cent sushi pieces at Ko Fusion
40. Senior block is something you will always cherish after you graduate
41. You can’t wait for it to be Autumn because it is by far the most beautiful time on campus without a doubt
42. "MNJ" is an acronym that can either make or break the rest of your week
43. You step back and realize you go to the best Big Ten school and the number one party school in America
44. Alma will always be number one in your heart
45. You never want to graduate….ever
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