Arizona State University
Hallmarks and Quirks
Things I'm Good At:
- Military friendliness. I'm a top G.I. Jobs school for 2015.
- Solar power. I've got 61,203 solar panels, pumping out 15.3 million watts. Now that's brilliantly powerful.
- Bicycles. Okay, any kind of physical fitness, really. You need a Lululemon card to join here. If you're a swimmer, you can do it all year long. If you're a runner, you can do it all year long. If you're a climber, I've got mountains that aren't going anywhere any time soon. You get the idea.
- The Lightrail. It'll take you downtown to see the Phoenix Suns and to the Arizona State Fair, where you can have deep fried anything and see the livestock show…oh, yeah, and to other campuses that have classes and stuff.
- Mary Lou Fulton Teacher's college—a great college, a great degree, and all the warm fuzzies you get from teaching kids.
- W.P. Carey School of Business. Unfortunately, it's not run by Drew Carey, but at least the price is right for this degree.
My Top 5 Must-Haves:
- A bike. Nope, bikes aren't nerdy here. There are over 17,000 bicycles on my campuses. It only rains like three days out of the year here, and my campus is big. Like, really big. Not to brag or anything.
- A positive attitude. People on my campuses are downright cheerful. If you're not armed with a smile, you're going to be smiled at until you smile back. Take your self-deprecating sadness to Salem, Oregon if you'd rather be miserable.
- Sunscreen. Yeah, skin cancer happens. We know that now. Here at ASU, you'll be walking all over me—literally. Even though classes end in May, it still gets over 100 degrees (not kidding). Hats, umbrellas, your birthday suit…whatever keeps you cool.
- Computer. Or better yet, a laptop. Even better yet, a tablet, or the new gadget that hasn't even come out yet. I'm high-tech, okay? You'll look weird in class with a pen and paper.
- A bestie. I have an honors college, a teacher's college, a nursing school, and a business school. There's always something going on. I have 1,100 clubs and organizations, so there's no excuse to stay in your room and study all day, every day. If you don't have friends, I'll find them for you. I have an excellent student support program and freshmen orientation. There's no escaping the social scene here.
Why You Might Have Heard of Me:
- I'm a great value. Not only was I ranked one of the "Best Value" colleges, but I have also been recognized as churning out some of the best-qualified graduates in the nation. I give out a great education at a bargain price.
- "A" Mountain.
No, not a mountain—"A" Mountain. Yes, it's a big, giant mountain with an "A" on it, smack dab in the middle of the university, and it's totally for the sake of tradition. Each year, freshmen hike "A" Mountain and whitewash the "A" to signal the start of a new year. Duh. Doesn't everybody do that?
- Cacti. I've got pipe cactus all over the place—6,500 organ pipes, to be exact. Just down the road is the Desert Botanic Gardens, too. You can see more cactus—if that's what floats your proverbial boat (it never rains here). They also have cool concerts, nature hikes, and a theater there.
On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...
I'm probably tailgating for the ASU football game. This is a regular occurrence. We tailgate hard here at ASU. Who doesn't like roasting wieners and burgers before roasting in an outdoor stadium? Don't worry, once you've drank enough, um…water, you barely even notice the heat.
Favorite Hangouts:
- Mill Avenue. If you eat, drink, dance, or enjoy people-watching, Mill Avenue is the place to be. Most students can be found hanging out here any time of the day or night. Clubs, restaurants, shopping, businesses—it's all here. All you have to do is eeny-meeny-miney-mo where to go.
- Tempe Town Lake/Tempe Beach Park. Own a set of rollerblades or a slobbery dog? Or perhaps a blanket? If so, this is the place to be—studying, jogging, or rowing down the murky depths of Tempe's man-made lake. There are like two lakes in the entire state of Arizona, so of course they hand-made one just for me.
- Gammage Auditorium. If you're bent on seeing Wicked or The Phantom of the Opera, I've got your ticket for the hottest theater in the state. Off Broadway performances here are stunning, to say the least, and it's just a sashay away from my dorms and classrooms. Release your inner theater nut and say hidey-ho to my symphonies, plays, and all other types of drama performances.
- Sun Devil Stadium. Yup. Sparky lives here. The Sun Devil football season is crazy town. This open-air stadium gets all kinds of shirtless, face-painted diehards out in the searing-hot weather to cheer on the Devils. There's tailgating, camaraderie, and lots of partying going on around these here parts.
Quirks:
- I'm cosmopolitan. I have students from over 150 countries enrolled in me. Maybe it's the weather, or maybe it's the people (or the proximity to California), but I'm culturally diverse and proud.
- I'm bookishly cute. Psst—I have seven libraries. Yup, count 'em, seven. Don't say that too loud, though. I don't want my party reputation to get tarnished. Whatever you're studying, you can do it hardcore (quietly) at one of my libraries.
- Sparky was a Disney creation. That's right, Sparky the Sun Devil was created by a Disney Studios animator in 1946. In 2013, I got back together with Disney to re-vamp his look, but everyone hated it. Old Sparky was brought back shortly after.
Famous Alumni:
- David Spade
- Jimmy Kimmel
- Pat Tilman
- Kate Spade
- Al Michaels