Still proud to be a tiger!

You may have heard, my tigers lost on Wednesday. Lost may not be the best word to describe what happened in that game... we were obliterated. I think it was a record breaking high score for a bowl game and not because of Clemson. It was a very sad night for the tigers.

Very fitting. 

As hard as it was for me to watch my team self-destruct, it was even harder for me to deal with the aftermath. Unfortunately, since it was such a huge loss and a national bowl game, the whole country witnessed our implosion. Including all of those super classy gamecocks that I'm surrounded by. It was hard to see all of the horrible comments about my team on facebook and every where else (especially since I'm not sure how this game even affected the gamecocks but that's another rant for another time). People seem to expect us to be embarrassed for being tigers or think that we will give up on our team after that horrible loss. What people don't seem to realize is that Clemson is soooo much more than our football program. Yes, that is a huge part of Clemson but it will never make or break our school spirit.

To me, Clemson is...

my alma mater

a top 25 public university in the country

solid orange

where the tigers play

where I received my top of the line education

where I grew into the person that I am today

Tiger Town Tavern on a friday night

Bid day on bowman field

where I met the love of my life

about pride

searching for the perfect shade of orange all year round

waking up at 6 a.m. to tailgate for a noon game

first friday

running down the hill

homecoming floats on bowman field

Mac's diner

the cadence count

tiger paws

home to clemson blue cheese and ice cream

sundresses and bowties on gameday

purple and orange sunsets over Lake Hartwell

Howard's rock

in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains

listening to the bells in Tillman on your way to class
home to the band that shakes the southland

the botanical gardens in the spring

home to Death Valley

tailgating in the fraternity quad

a feeling that you can't explain to an outsider

traditions

a family

All of these things make up Clemson. Many relate to football but have absolutely nothing to do with winning or losing. That is why I proudly wear my orange and purple in a town full of garnet and I will do so until the day I die. Go Tigers!