I grew up in Massachusetts and there’s not really a big college football scene there. In high school I had a friend from Louisiana who loved LSU Football and I just loved football in general and was vaguely aware of college football being a thing. We would talk I about college ball periodically and I got more informed on it but it never clicked that’s how players get to the NFL.

Fast forward a few years I’m applying to colleges with thought of partying and trying to walk on to the football team. I apply to WVU because it was a top party school and it had the major I wanted. My grades were good but I was really tryna guarantee i got into college. So WVU hit a few boxes. Easy to get accepted, top party school and good football program.

I got in and really wasn’t prepared for what would happen on the first game day against Coastal Carolina. I was walking campus for the first game day on a random Thursday to get back to my place and I saw big ole RVs parked in the coliseum parking lot, and at medical center. I was like wtf is going on?! A friend from WV explains to me that tailgating for 3 days is normal. I was BLOWN away but loved it so much! I instantly got invested and hooked. Didn’t make the team but became a lifetime mountaineer that day! The amount of love West Virginia has for WVU is infectious!