Michigan State University
About Me
Intro
"Spartans! Ready your breakfast and eat hearty, for tonight…we dine in hell!"
Yeah. That's right. The movie 300. From the mouth of King Leonidas to the ears of millions. Well, more like 300, actually. Because that's the name of the…yeah, you get it. (Did you know Leonidas himself once paid us a visit?)
When you hear the word "Spartan," that movie is probably what you think of. But let me tell you what the real Spartans—my Spartans—think of.
Honor. Bravery. Will. Burgerama and The Midnight Screams. "Little Giants" and Final Fours. Top-ranked programs in education, industrial psychology, and nuclear physics. Izzo and Dantonio. Little brother all grown up.
If this is the first time you're hearing about me, then probably none of that makes sense. But when you step foot onto my green (from head to toe) campus, it will. It becomes part of your DNA. It's in the clean air you breathe on Shaw Lane and the ice cream you eat at the MSU Dairy Store. It's there from academic orientation to academic graduation.
Honor. Bravery. Will. That's what I'm about. That is Michigan State University.
Name
Spartans
Hometown
Just two hours east of Michigan's renowned west coast and two hours west of Motown sits the greenest, most nature-friendly city in all the land: East Lansing. Okay, fine, I may smell like a farm occasionally. When you're the nation's first land-grant university (that's a big deal, by the way), you tend to accept it.
Birthdate
February 12, 1855
Body Type
Fit and hot. Down-to-earth and humble, but confident when it counts. I mean, c'mon, I'm the Spartan.
Alright, straight up though, I'm the seventh-largest university in the country. I weigh in at about 50,000 total students, but it's all muscle. So if that scares you, turn around now. I won't judge. Just know that you're turning your back on one of the most culturally diverse schools in the world. Seriously, if you haven't made friends with an international student on your first day, you're doing it wrong.
Current Living Situation
Like most universities, you pretty much have to live on campus your first year. Trust me, it's for your own good. How else are you going to make friends?
Well, actually, there are tons of ways, but this is the easiest.
Pick and choose as you please: single, double; go in blind, go in with a friend; community bathrooms, oh-please-don't-look-at-me bathrooms (a.k.a. non-community bathrooms); all-boys, all-girls. Whatever you want, I've got you covered.
During your second year, most students still choose to live in the dorms, but you don't have to. There are plenty of apartment options available all over East Lansing.
Stay closer to campus and crash at Cedar Village. Your party life will thank you. If you want to stay close to the nightlife, there are almost too many options along and right off Grand River. Or, for the classy blokes and birds, cross the railroad tracks and head off campus to the quiet suburb of Okemos. It's pretty nice up there.
Basically everyone lives off campus at some point, so it's not a big deal. Plus, the CATA bus system literally runs all the time, so being late for class—or a date—isn't really a worry. Or keep your car around. I don't mind. Just make sure you park in a legit spot, because handing out tickets hurts me as much as it hurts you. Promise.
Relationship Status
Our rival is the snobby elitist forty-five minutes east in Ann Arbor, the Michigan Wolverines.
Here's the thing. They don't even consider us their "real" rivals, which is fine. They can think what they want. I mean, we're not the ones planting a spear in the ground against a team that, allegedly, "doesn't matter."
Maybe you've heard of the term "Little Brother." In 2007, after beating us seven straight times in football (it was a weird time for me; I was going through a thing), Michigan running back Mike Hart made fun of us during a press conference, calling us "little brother." In response, head Mark Dantonio calmly sat there and simply stated, "Pride comes before the fall." Burn.
We've been the mitten's premier college football team ever since. 2014 Rose Bowl champions, in fact.
When I say this is a rivalry, I mean it. They don't like us, and we don't like them. Well, only in sports. We're cool off the field when it comes to research and changing the world. We know what matters.
Here's the thing about people from the state of Michigan: You either bleed blue, or bleed green. That's it. I mean, you may also bleed Notre Dame gold, but whatever.
Religion
There's no religious affiliation here, but I want to stress that I'm one of the most culturally diverse schools in the world. You'll encounter someone of every creed, color, and faith by lunch. I love myself for that.
Politics
I'm pretty liberal in general, but there's a time and place to voice all political views. I love debate. I hate bullies.
You should apply to me if...
you want to "be the change you want to see in the world," to quote Gandhi. A lot of our alumni have accomplished some pretty great things.
Also, apply if you don't mind a Michigan winter. And if you love football, basketball, and hockey, or if you're too busy joining and starting clubs to care about football, basketball, and hockey.
Website
http://www.msu.edu/