1. The views.

I'm about to be a junior at Virginia Tech (TBH how did that happen? I feel super old RN), and I can honestly say that one of my very favorite things about Virginia Tech is all the beautiful sights on campus. I love the Agriculture Quad; it is one of my favorite spots on campus, and sometimes I go there when I want to be alone or to just sit and read by myself. Two other obvious spots are the Pylons and Burrus. When I'm walking around campus, I find myself looking around and thinking: Wow, I am so lucky to go to a school that is so beautiful. Honestly, Virginia Tech takes my breath away on the daily, and I am so #blessed that I am part of such a gorgeous community.

2. The residential college at West Ambler Johnston.

My freshman year of college, I was randomly assigned to this residence hall called West AJ, which we like to call WAJ. I can honestly say that this fluke is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. My first year in West AJ, I met some of my very best friends. I found a hall full of people who became my support system and became my family. I was also incredibly thankful for my RA my freshman year, Jen. She became a good friend of mine and inspired me to apply to be an RA in West AJ for my sophomore year. Honestly, West AJ really brought me out of my shell, and there are so many people in the building that are promoting amazing ideas and projects, and it is just so incredible to be a part of a community that is always learning, growing and thriving. I am so thankful to be surrounded by so many passionate people who are willing and excited about sharing the things they care about. I really feel like the residence hall I live in is a home full of people I like to call family rather than just a dorm I spent my first year of college living in before I decided to become and RA.

3. Being an RA.

Living in West AJ led me to become an RA (also in WAJ #represent) and I can honestly say that this has been the most rewarding, challenging, emotional and exciting things I have ever done. Looking back at my first year as an RA, I realized that it was an absolute roller coaster and there were times that I totally fucked up, but I was also learning. There are so many things that I learned about my residents and myself that have completely changed my perspective. I feel like becoming an RA has helped me grow immensely. But the job wasn't the only thing that helped me grow — my bosses and coworkers really encouraged me to think critically about the world around me and make sure that when I spoke I chose my words carefully and when I wanted to help someone that I helped them to the best of my ability. I have found, in my life, that it is extraordinarily hard for me to take criticism from people, but I found a group of people who have been able to constructively make me a better person, and for that I am grateful. Besides my coworkers and boss, I am very grateful for my friendship with my residents. I remember someone telling me: Your residents will need you, but you'll be surprised by how much you need them too. I didn't think that I was going to need my residents, but I have been pleasantly surprised by how much time I do spend with them. There have been times where I have leaned on my residents and they have leaned on me, and I'm so grateful to have had that opportunity and because of it I have made some very close friends.

4. Pi Beta Phi.

I went through formal recruitment last semester as a sophomore, and I absolutely love my sorority. When I was a freshman, I didn't think that I would ever get into Greek life, and it was because I had some very narrow-minded preconceived notions of what I thought Greek life was actually like. And we all know what I'm talking about, because we've probably all seen a college-esque movie where there is a raging frat or a superficial sorority that paints a poor and frankly insulting picture of what Greek life is like. So, when I decided to go through recruitment, I told myself that I was really going to put myself out there and then go with the chapter that I thought best fit my personality and lifestyle. I couldn't be happier in Pi Beta Phi. I have met some of the best people I know through my sorority, and I am so thankful to have them in my life. And sometimes I think, What if I had gone to another school? and I realize that I might not even be in Greek life at a different school, and even if I was, I might not have been in Pi Beta Phi. I just feel very lucky to have found a chapter full of women who are strong and supportive and fully embrace what it means to be a Hokie. I'm just so glad that Virginia Tech has already given me some of the best friendships I have ever had, and I still have two more years until I graduate.

5. Hokie spirit.

Another thing about Virginia Tech that amazes me is the school spirit, and if I'm being honest, the school spirit is what helped me decide to go to Tech. When I was a senior in high school, I was trying to decide where I wanted to go to college, and I had a couple of universities to choose from. Virginia Tech was obviously in the mix, but I wasn't quite sure I could see myself there. I visited Tech and talked to some alumni, and that's what got me hooked. Besides reason number one, the views, Virginia Tech alumni are legitimately some of the best people to talk to if you're thinking about going to Tech. Men and women who had graduated from Tech years before were convincing me that their experience at Virginia Tech was one of the best experiences they have ever had, and I believed them. But even then, I didn't really have a full grasp on the extent of Virginia Tech spirit. When I got to Tech, I realized just how tight-knit our community is. There is nothing quite like football in Blacksburg and jumping to "Enter Sandman" with thousands of other people. It is something that cannot be done justice through words — you just have to experience it yourself. There is something magical about the passion that Hokies have for Virginia Tech, and it is something that I am proud to be a part of, and I cannot imagine being anywhere else or on any other college campus.

6. April in Hokieland.

Another thing about Virginia Tech that hits me right in the feels is basically the whole month of April. Between April 16th, 3.2 for 32, Relay for Life and the Big Event, there is a lot going on and there is a lot to be thankful for. My freshman year I stood out in front of Burrus on the drill field at midnight for the 32 victims of the Virginia Tech shooting, and it was one of the most humbling moments of my life. I felt a magnitude of honor and pride to be a Hokie. Again, it was an experience that cannot be put accurately into words. The whole month of April just makes me proud to be a Hokie because there are so many of us giving back to the community in such amazing ways. We have one of the biggest collegiate relays, and that is something that I am very proud of because cancer has impacted my life in many ways and has even taken a loved one from my family. The Big Event is another thing is something that I am proud of because we are serving not just the Virginia Tech community, but the communities around us that we are sharing. April in general is just such a big part of Ut Prosim, and I have been changed so much by embodying Ut Prosim in my life as a Hokie and in my life as a human being. Virginia Tech has taught me so much about giving back to my community and giving back to myself.

7. Coming home.

I think the biggest reason I love being a Hokie is that I now consider Virginia Tech home. It is so weird to think that home can be split into two different places in your heart. I love coming back to my hometown and seeing my parents, and it is always such a relief to come home and touch base with them. There is nothing quite like seeing your mom and dad for the first time in four months and just feeling a very strong sense of relief. On the other hand, there is nothing like coming back to Virginia Tech. I am lucky to call Virginia Tech home because it is a place that I feel inspired, supported and loved and it is also a place where I feel like I can grow. My heart just fits so perfectly into this community and into this university, and it is impossible for me to believe that I should have ended up anywhere but Blacksburg.