When I opened my acceptance letter to Marshall University four years ago, I didn't know what to expect. Sure, I had visited campus and met a professor or two, but in hindsight I didn't know what it meant to be a student of Marshall University. As I apply to graduate schools and scholarships in this final year of my undergraduate study, I am reminded again and again why I love this university. Even as I apply to different programs and scholarships, this school will always hold a special place in my heart. Here are five reminders that you and I are indeed a part of the Herd.

5. The squirrels are always hiding in trash cans or scaling trees, ready to pounce.

Most everyone at Marshall is familiar with the strange behavior of the squirrels on campus. They hide in trash cans and catapult out at inopportune times. I've never actually been struck by a squirrel, but there have been close calls that have involved squeals and ducking. Mostly, like typical squirrels that eat acorns or discarded food left behind by students. I saw a squirrel haul a large chunk of bagel up a tree one time. The squirrels are completely unafraid of students and faculty alike. Last semester, our student newspaper, The Parthenon, reported that a freshman student caught and held a squirrel. Yeah, the squirrels are that infamous here.

4. You have or almost have been stuck in an elevator in Smith or Corbly Hall.

I would rather trudge up six flights of stairs than get trapped in an elevator at Smith Hall. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the elevators were older than our adjunct graduate assistant faculty. It is definitely a problem for our students who use wheelchairs or physically cannot walk up the stairs Thankfully, Marshall University's Office of Disability Services tries diligently to mediate any issues. I have found myself sprinting down the hallway at Corbly to get to class on time. I've been stuck in an elevator in Corbly a few times, and everyone in the English Department on the other side of the doors have been helpful and encouraging the whole time I was trapped. So f there are any donors out there, new elevators would be so appreciated (and tuition money, of course.)

3. You're always down for a milkshake from Frosttop and free appetizers from Fat Patty's.

One of the best features of Marshall's compact campus is the local food. Fat Patty's, one of the most popular restaurants for students to chow down, serves half-price appetizers in the evenings from 4pm-7pm. Hot Mozzarella sticks or fried pickle chips have soothed many hungry bellies. Frosttop is a rite of passage for students who aren't local to the area. It's a drive in restaurant with some of the best creamy milkshakes in town. Our local restaurants are a college student's dream. Even though there are a ton of fast food restaurants here, we have a Marshall University Student Sustainability Garden, so students and members of the Marshall Community can have freshly grown vegetables. Every Wednesday are market days, a booth with fresh produce from the garden is set up in the Memorial Student Center, where students can buy food. They also give a large portion to the Facing Hunger Foodbank.

2. Most, if not all, of the professors at Marshall University care that their students succeed in their academics and lives.

I really haven't had a professor that I didn't like. The professors at Marshall University care about their students and their well-being. I remember one of my favorite English professors, Dr. Schray, helped me track down my backpack full of textbooks that I had accidentally left sitting in the dining hall. Even the professors that seemed to be difficult or surly, just wanted the class to learn and know the material. I'd rather have a difficult professor who taught us the material and ensured that we understood it, than a superficial learning experience. Many of my professors in the English Department leave their office doors open and are available for discussion.

1. The Marshall University Community works together.

When Southern counties of West Virginia experienced a devastating flood just a week ago, MU student organizations, faculty members, religious organizations and athletic teams donated supplies to people who had lost everything. Teams of workers from Huntington and surrounding areas made trips to Greenbrier County, for example, to help with the clean-up effort. Many students live in the affected areas and volunteers from Marshall and all over West Virginia, for that matter, feel that it is their duty to help these people in need. Every fall, we circle around the large fountain the Student Center plaza, and remember those that lost their lives in the 1970 Marshall University plane crash. In addition, we also have Service Learning classes in which we serve our community through outreach with the local children's shelters or the food pantry. Our University also supports the local rape crisis center, CONTACT, through the Women's Studies Program.

Take Back the Night at Marshall University 2015.

Whether you're new to the Herd or have been a member of the Marshall University community for years, there is no place like it. We have our problems, but we keep trying to better the University for all students. I've become a more independent, educated person since I've been here. I think it's safe for me to assume that this is a common experience for the students at Marshall University. Graduate school is a year away and I have difficult decisions to make, but whatever I decide, Marshall University will forever remind me of a time in which I have grown into a smart young woman.