I’ve had my mind set on WKU since I was young. Fifth grade, to be exact.

Our class took a field trip to see a show at Hardin Planetarium and as a little elementary schooler, all that was on my mind was not being in school.

That changed once we got to campus. I remember being in awe as we rode through the streets passing by campus buildings before finally arriving at the planetarium. All throughout the show, one thought stood out from the rest: I will be a student here.

Back then I couldn’t tell you why, but now as an actual student, I could go on and on about the reasons why I chose WKU.

The gorgeous campus 

My mom, stepmom, and I took a tour of the campus my junior year of high school, and as a non-student, I got to see how beautiful and appealing it was. 

From the Big Red statue outside of Augenstein Alumni Center to the Colonnades and Centennial Mall, it seemed like this campus had it all.

Now, as an actual student, I get to walk through campus every day and see all these amazing places, taking in the environment. This being my first fall on campus, I love seeing all the trees, the colorful leaves on the ground, and the overall fall aesthetic around campus.

The food 

This was bound to come up. 

From Chick-fil-A, Papa John’s, Steak n Shake and RedZone in the food court at DSU to DaVinci’s in Snell Hall (along with many more food options), WKU has outdone itself when it comes to places for students to eat at and I have definitely taken advantage of it all.

Let me note, I did not choose WKU because of the food options, I count it as a plus for learning about it afterwards… okay maybe it had a little influence.

Academics

I’m an English major and one thing I considered before accepting my invitation to WKU were the different types of programs the department offered. From teaching English as a secondary language to professional writing, a lot was offered. However, the concentration I had in mind for a while was creative writing.

As a writer and author, choosing creative writing as my main concentration was only right.

Other than majors and minors, one other thing I considered was the different organizations and clubs on campus. As I was scrolling through the list, there were several clubs that caught my eye like the English Club and the Queer Student Union.

I can’t wait to get involved in more student organizations to get the full college experience!

Sense of home 

Ever since that fifth-grade field trip, I always thought and hoped that WKU would become my home. Now that I’m actually here, I can and will consider WKU my home for the next four years.

Growing up, it was hard for me to find a feeling or sense of home, but touring the campus or even just driving by it I felt like I was where I belonged.

It’s hard to explain it but it’s one of those things where you just know for sure. 

The students, faculty, atmosphere and positivity that emanates here makes WKU feel like my home.

The community

One thing I noticed when I first got on campus and as classes started was that everyone here is so nice and pleasant.

I wasn’t surprised either. When I visited the campus during high school, everyone I came in contact with was welcoming and delightful.

They were excited about me thinking of coming to WKU and ecstatic to tell me more about the culture and overall experience.

It’s not just the students or faculty that have that sense of community either. Outside of campus, I’ve seen lots of residents show their Hilltopper pride by returning to the Hill for homecoming, watching the football games and waving the ever-so-great red towel.

The community, not just on campus but off-campus as well, heavily influenced my decision to join WKU’s student body.

Commentary writer DJ Stover can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DeJayeJJ.