Now that I have been at college for a few weeks and am almost halfway done with my first semester, I want to tell the truth over the stereotypes of West Virginia University and of the state itself. I also want to say what I have learned by being an out of state student.
Are West Virginians die hard football fans? The answer to that is yes. You either bleed blue and gold with the Mountaineers or you feel green with Marshall. Either way you need to be supporting one of these two teams and be a die hard football fan. So the football fan assumption is true.
Pepperoni rolls. They love pepperoni rolls. Even I can say they have become my new favorite food. They are a perfect blend of pepperoni, cheese and anything else you want. The reason for their creation lies in the roots of West Virginia. Back when everyone was in the coal mines, people need a food that could store easily. These days everyone eats them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have even grabbed multiple in one day before. The fact that they all eat pepperoni rolls, true.
Don't call the state "western Virginia". They go nuts over this. We are our own state, and the better one at that. West Virginia split in the civil war to pledge to the union. But in the last 100 or so years, West Virginia has carved its own Identity. If you want blue grass and blue collar, you want West Virginia. They get upset of you think they are from Virginia. True.
The University parties all the time. Yeah ok, we are the number two party school in the nation but... we party just the same as every other school. Parties are a way to blow off steam after a long week of testing and after a football win. But not everyone goes to WVU to party. The university has their place in academics too. The journalism program is number one in the nation and their engineering program is up toward the top too. So don't think the people who go to WVU are dumb and want to party all the time. The assumption that everyone parties all the time, false.
The inbreeding stereotype. Everyone has heard the jokes like "if I break up with my girlfriend is she still my sister" and they imply that there is incest all over West Virginia, but according to research, there are no significant levels of in-breeding in the state. In fact, West Virginia has stricter laws in that department than Virginia and Vermont. Maybe the stereotype should change states. In-breeding myth: false.
All states have their own stereotypes and stories. I'm sure a lot of them are true while the same number are false. But all in all the lifestyle that is here is perfect for me.
