Aarrghh: Say it loud and say it proud

Sitting in front of Christenbury Gym one day waiting for the bus to come, I couldn't help but overhear someone nearby talking on the phone. Part of this was because this person was talking extremely loudly, but as I heard her listing off her grievances, she was late in the morning, forgot to bring a bubble sheet for a test and several other unfortunate events. Understandably so, she was having a bad day, but then she proceeded to talk about how she hated ECU and didn't see the point of coming to this school. It saddens me to think this, but I am sure she is not alone in this opinion.

I have to admit that when I was a senior in high school and I was applying for colleges, ECU was not my top choice. I had attended a very competitive high school near downtown Raleigh. It is a magnet school and one of the only ones in Wake County that kept their eight period days instead of switching over to block scheduling. I remember that everyone would start taking AP courses as early as sophomore year. By junior year, most people who wanted to be in the top 25 percent of the class would have to be enrolled in at least three to four AP courses. Of course, the top choices at my high school were UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University. I remember the day that I didn't get into UNC Chapel Hill. Devastated as I was because my seemingly "do no wrong" older brother had just gotten accepted into UNC Chapel Hill's pharmacy school, I finally decided on ECU as my next choice.

And after a few great years at ECU, I have to say, I could not picture myself anywhere else.

There is so much to do at this school, but you cannot be an inactive couch potato. Becoming active on our university's campus can really build Pirate Pride. Nothing feels better than doing something beneficial, which can often be fun and build lasting friendships, for something you love.

Choose an organization to participate in throughout your school years. This can be an academic club like the English Club or the Math Education Club. It can also be a service club and there are plenty to get involved with on campus, encompassing many areas like building homes with Habitat for Humanity or creating activity nights for children in the Pediatrics Department of Pitt Memorial Hospital with Pirate Pals. Your organization of choice can even be one of our many choices in ECU's Greek life.

Take advantage of some of the things that the Student Union has to offer. Movies are shown periodically as previews to college students for a free price with your OneCard before they are shown in theaters. Just a couple of movies that have been shown in the past as previews over the years have been "Disturbia" with Shia LaBeouf and "Bodies of Lies" starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russel Crowe. I remember these movie experiences being like no other because you are surrounded by your peers. I'll never forget the perfect comic relief that was given in the thriller "Disturbia" when someone yelled out as Shia LaBeouf was trying to escape a psycho, "Run, white boy, run!"

Do something small like going to football games. ECU football has exploded over the years and the tailgating at ECU, while it may not be as large as those in schools like Ohio State, is definitely full of spirit and school pride.

I am so thankful that the Tar Heel school put me on a waiting list because I am proud to be a Pirate. There is no other school that I would rather attend.

By participating in activities and organizations around campus, you will realize how amazing your Alma Mater is. Being an active student at your university can make your college years some of the best memories of your life. Let's go Pirates!

This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.