Dear high school seniors, ‘Cuse is for you

Dear high school seniors,

It’s that time, I know. Deep breaths in, deep breaths out. This year December isn’t so much about the holidays and the latest electronics because the best present you’re getting is your Syracuse University acceptance letter (or acceptance confetti-filled email).

As your acceptances start to roll in, you need to take time to go through each school and make those horrible pros and cons lists. Lucky for you, that’s where I come in to make your life a little easier when you get to Syracuse. Believe it or not, I was once a high school senior doing this same thing about a year ago.

So what exactly makes Syracuse the place to be, you may ask, and what made me choose it as my home for the next 4 years?

The first thing I tell people when they ask why I love it so much is that it has an incomparable community feeling. Syracuse is not just a school, nor is it just a place to live. It’s a home, and the people surrounding you are what make it that way. I’ve never seen one group of people so passionate of their colors, so proud of their name, so caring for their neighbors. The medium sized campus creates the perfect place for a buzzing environment but also allows people to feel like they are connected to everyone else. There’s a reason why we’re the Syracuse Orange and not the Syracuse Oranges. We all come together as one.

The Syracuse student section cheer on the Orange Syracuse’s in second half action at the Carrier Dome. Dennis Nett/The Post-Standard

It’s common to hear around campus that Syracuse is a “work-hard, play-hard” environment, and that’s exactly what sums it up. We work hard and put dedication into classes on the weekdays, and play harder on the weekends when it comes time to celebrate our accomplishments (which at Syracuse, there are many).

The rankings show how well-rounded we are. Top in programs like communications, business, engineering, and architecture, while also placing #6 funnest school, #8 party school (#1 not too long ago!), and basically everything else you can think of.  Syracuse has everything you need.

No matter what you’re into, Syracuse has something for you. With over 300 clubs and sports teams at any level you’re looking for, the opportunities are endless. Art, music, video games, animals, volunteer work, you name, we’ve got it. If you want to be sure you find your niche, there’s a multitude of fraternities and sororities waiting for you at recruitment in the spring of your freshman year.

Coming together as one in the impressive Carrier Dome

It’s impossible not to mention the beautiful campus. All year round it is stunning to look at and live in. The lack of streets through the main area of campus keeps it peaceful when it needs to be and the close-knit distances make it less of a hassle especially in the winter months. And yes, even in foot on top of foot of snow, Syracuse is still pleasing to the eye.

That being said, don’t let the weather scare you. It may be a wintery mess and extremely daunting, but it’s easy to look past when the rest of the school is so great.

Choosing your college is one of the most important decisions of your life and though it isn’t permanent, you always want to try to get it right on the first try. Syracuse University is what I expected and more, and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Take my word for it, you’ll love it here.

All the best on your upcoming decision,

Happy Syracuse Freshman