Far above the golden valley, glorious to view. Stands our noble alma mater, towering toward the blue… The start to what I always thought would be my alma mater. Growing up I heard this song numerous times, at home games in Allen Fieldhouse, after a big win, at my brother’s college visit, at my college visit and just whenever one of us felt like singing it. I knew the words to the University of Kansas alma mater before I even entered middle school and I thought that would totally come in handy when I was at freshman orientation for the class of 2023. But things change, and as some of you may know, I will not be at that orientation. Instead, I will be in the evil Hilton Coliseum for my orientation. This of course means I will be attending Iowa State University in the fall rather then the presumed University of Kansas. Which is a shock to many including myself.

I never thought I would be going to ISU until I visited. Once I was there and saw the early childhood education program I knew that was the perfect program for me. They had everything I asked for; it almost felt like a trap, and if it is a trap then I fell for it. So, after visiting, I had a lot of thinking to do. I already knew I loved Kansas. It was where I felt comfortable. I knew I would thrive at Kansas when it came to sports but their early childhood program lacked what I wanted, which led me to the hardest decision of my life, to attend ISU instead of KU.

KU, the college I wore across my chest at least once a week, the college I would scream at the TV for, the college my mom and dad went to and, most importantly, the college in my blood. However, it was also the college I wasn’t going to anymore. I suddenly wasn’t certain of anything in my life. It took a lot of growing and a lot of tears but now I know what I am certain about.

I am certain college is about education and going to ISU is the right choice for my educational needs, transferring is always an option, my family of KU fans still loves me, I am not going to ISU for anyone but myself, my kids WILL be Jayhawk fans (none of that yellow and red in my house) and I am most certain I am only a cyclone for now but a Jayhawk forever. ….Lift the chorus ever onward, Crimson and the blue. Hail to thee, our alma mater, hail to old KU.