- We follow traditions religiously. Take the Freshman Orientation Square Dance, for example. According to Marquette Magazine, the dance has been running for over thirty years and is rumored to be where students will meet their first love. Don’t forget Cobeen Cookie Nights! Since 2009, Cobeen Hall has been “half-baking” over 900 chocolate chip cookies each Monday and Thursday to satisfy the sweet tooths of students.
- We have street smarts. Living in Milwaukee has made us more aware of the urban lifestyle. Hannah Negus-Cottew, a freshman in the School of Engineering, states, “I’ve grown up a lot and am not as sheltered. It’s been a change, but a much needed one.” Living in Milwaukee has also made students notice problems they never realize existed. Milwaukee’s education system, poverty and homelessness are just a few areas of the city students see need of in improvement. Which leads us to…
- We volunteer. 80 percent of students who graduate are involved in community service. Education majors are known for service learning, a program that ties the academics of the classroom to the applications in the city. The famous Hunger Clean-Up involves over 2,000 students and the 2013 team projects over $40,000 to combat homelessness. The Campus Ministry program incorporates faith into their service projects. The Marquette Action Program (MAP) spans across America assisting in various areas. There is even an international branch of M.A.P. headed to Ecuador in January 2013.
- We know how to spend money on tuition. The average tuition is $43,664. By the time the Class of 2016 graduates (assuming no inflation, scholarships, or financial), the bill will be a whopping $174,656. You could buy 2,030 Vera Bradley tote bags or 873 North Face Denali’s. Speaking of these brands…
- We know how to dress alike. This goes mostly for the girls. Although the handbook does not mention a dress code, the unspoken uniform is a pair of leggings, Ugg Boots, and a North Face jacket. Throw in a Vera Bradley ID case and you could end up on Marquette’s Best Dressed List along with the other 4,000 female students.
- We are the best fans at the Bradley Center. Sure, the Bradley Center hosts many events. The Bucks and Admirals games, Wisconsin’s basketball and hockey team, compete here. Various concerts (Justin Bieber – Oct. 21!) are also at this location. But no one, not even the twelve-year old Beliebers are as loyal as fans to the Golden Eagles. Have you ever seen Bucks fans in green and red striped overalls? Yeah, me neither.
- We know how to Pinterest. A study published by topcollegesonline.org posted last month that Marquette University has 1,208 Pinterest-ers. This puts Marquette at fifth place, demonstrating how creative and crafty our student body is. From personal experience, it’s safe to say that Pinterest has the power to suck hours away from your day, procrastinating your studies even further. I’m sure this is why Marquette got fifth place because surely the schools ranked above us do not devote as much time to their schoolwork (take that, LSU!).
- We know how to worship. Only at a Catholic institution would I see a guy pray before he ate his lunch. Every student takes at least two theology courses. Sunday morning Mass at Gesu is fuller than my Church at home. Still not buying the whole religion thing? How many other college students can go to Mass on Tuesday evenings in a medieval church? Zero. That’s right. The Joan of Arc Chapel is the only medieval church in the Western Hemisphere.
- We compete in uncanny ways. The intramurals at Marquette have your average soccer and volleyball teams. But if you loathed the traditional P.E. classes in high school, try a new one like futsal, innertube water polo, or bag toss. Here’s a link for more info if you are interested: http://www.marquette.edu/recsports/intramural.shtml
- We know how to represent. On a typical day, a stroll through campus will confirm how much school spirit exists on campus. Over half of the student body is donning Marquette apparel any given day. Kathleen Schneider, a junior in the College of Health Sciences has accumulated over twenty Marquette clothing articles. Why so much school spirit? Trust me, it’s not the affordability. Maybe students wear so much blue and yellow because they’re proud. Proud of our gorgeous campus. Proud of our Pinterest-ing abilities. Proud of our basketball team. Proud we made the right choice.
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