“Roll alooongggg, you BG warri- ” O-H!… I-O!… What?”

Walking from class to class every day, I sometimes wonder if I’ve spontaneously teleported to Columbus. I probably see five Ohio State sweatshirts for every one Bowling Green sweatshirt. Saturday evening, as I was driving down South Main Street, something that’s been bothering me (and a lot of others I know) lately, came to a head. I noticed the Pagliai’s sign. It read, “PAGLIAI’S Pizza. GO BUCKS! GO FALCONS!”

That’s right, “Go Bucks!” was on the line above “Go Falcons!” This may be one small sign, but it’s truly indicative of the pride problem we have at the University.

I know plenty of people who regularly leave BG football games early (or don’t attend at all) to make sure they’re in front of the TV in time to catch every precious second of OSU undoubtedly wiping the floor with yet another team. (Big surprise, right?) Newsflash: Sure, they’re a great team, but you don’t go to OSU! You’re a Falcon! It’s a lot easier to be a fan of a team that never loses, but OSU’s doing just fine without you.

If you wanted to be a Buckeye, you should have gone to OSU. You’re a Falcon. Accept it. Be proud. Have you ever seen alumni at a University event? Every one of them is dressed head-to-foot in orange and brown. We’re talking orange suit jackets and bright orange, shiny stilettos (no joke, I saw some at the Sebo Center dedication on Saturday).

Not proud? Find a way to be proud.

Despite this OSU parasite on our campus, there are still so many of us who absolutely bleed orange and brown. For some of us, it runs in the family. But, for most of us, it’s because we’ve found a way to love this place.

Here are only a handful of examples: Successful alumni of the University donate millions of dollars to make this place better for us because it impacted them. Our student athletes spend so much time training and practicing (not to mention studying), and they don’t fight to win for themselves, they ‘fight for BGSU.’ There are four people every year who run around dressed as Freddie and Frieda in all kinds of weather, at all hours, to encourage University pride at a multitude of events. The six individuals who make up SICSIC devote three years of their college experience masked and coverall-ed to promote University spirit. Two words: Dance Marathon. Ten people: Homecoming court. Those ten people have put in a ridiculous amount of time, commitment and University pride to create positive change for future Falcons. Have you ever heard President Ribeau speak at an event?

If you’re not proud to be a Falcon, check out our representation – not to mention faculty and staff, tour guides, orientation leaders, Greek life, resident advisors, BSU, UAO, student government and so many more who have found a reason to love the University, a reason to be proud and a way to give back and make it even better.

Maybe you’re from Columbus and you grew up watching the Bucks on TV every weekend. That’s cool. Maybe you’ll always be a Buckeye at heart. Okay, fine. But if you go here, you go to BGSU. So, for the love of all things orange and brown, find something to be proud of and be a Falcon first.

Lizzie Keller is a junior majoring in biology.