6 \\ Thursday, January 30, 2014
The Daily Cougar
OPINION
EDITOR James Wang EMAIL
opinion@thedailycougar.com
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/opinion
Tell me about a time when you felt
COUGAR PRIDE
ABOUT
STUDENT
Editor’s Note: “Tell me about a time when…” was created by senior staff columnist and print journalism junior Kelly Schafler with the hope of forming a more active and connected student body. On a campus this big and diverse, it’s easy to sometimes feel insignificant. Everyone has a story, and we want to hear them. Once a month, a new prompt will be issued to the student body. One student and one staff member of The Daily Cougar will be chosen to be featured in this monthly column. Thanks to those who have submitted stories and who may submit stories.
Storming the field with Cougar Pride My name is Ramon Ruiz IV, and I am currently a second-year student at the UH Graduate College of Social Work. I attended UH for undergrad and graduated with my bachelor’s Ramon degree in psyRuiz chology in Fall 2009. The greatest memory of school pride I have from UH took place during my last semester of undergrad on the evening of September 26, 2009. On this particular night the UH football team was facing Texas Tech
University in a highly anticipated game televised on ESPN, and in front of a record crowd at Robertson Stadium. I remember walking into the stadium that night and feeling the buzz of excitement in the air. It felt as if Robertson Stadium was the only place anyone in Houston needed to be that Saturday night. At the time, UH was undefeated and another victory meant the team increasing its national ranking and maintaining its perfect record. The game was packed full of rowdy students, alumni, and fans sporting their Cougar colors in a sea of red. The game was competitive and close the entire time, but
toward the end of the fourth quarter Texas Tech took the lead, and it seemed like an undefeated record was in jeopardy. With four minutes remaining, UH losing 28-23, and the offense backed deep in its own territory the Cougar Pride was in full effect and loud as it had been all evening. Case Keenum, as he had done so many times before, and continued to do so after this night, led UH on an epic drive that ended with Keenum calling his own number and running a quarterback draw for a touchdown. The UH defense then tenaciously held off Texas Tech’s last efforts to recapture the lead and secured the win.
STAFF
With time running out and a victory on the cusp, it felt as if the stadium was erupting into complete pandemonium. Once the final second ran off the clock, thousands of Cougar supporters including myself stormed the field and celebrated with the players and coaches. We chanted and yelled together in what seemed to be an inconceivable dream where everything had transpired better than expected. Leaving the stadium that night I was proud as ever to be part of the Cougar Pride, and knew it was a night I would never forget. Ramon Ruiz IV, Graduate Student at the Graduate College of Social Work
NEXT MONTH
From new transfer to proud Cougar There hasn’t been a definitive moment that I’ve felt pride for UH, but that’s only because every moment spent here is an immense point of pride for me. Having transferred in from Cara a small, private Smith university, I’ve had the unique opportunity of greatly appreciating every advantage that UH students experience on a daily basis. It’s the little things, really, that keep me mindful of how lucky we are to be at an institution like
this. Not every university has a sprawling bookstore filled with Nike and Under Armour apparel — internationally recognizable brands representing an internationally recognized university. Few campuses offer their students such a vast array of dining options — and by that, I mean more than a dining hall. At my former university, our student newspaper made getting an on-campus Chick-Fil-A a front-page story for multiple issues. It was the university’s first fast-food restaurant on campus, and everybody was crazy about it. Food may seem like an inconsequential part of the college experience, but from a person
THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD Channler K. Hill Natalie Harms WEB EDITOR Jenae Sitzes NEWS EDITOR Amanda Hilow SPORTS EDITOR Christopher Shelton LIFE & ARTS EDITOR Monica Tso PHOTO EDITOR Fernando Castaldi OPINION EDITOR James Wang ASSISTANT EDITORS Laura Gillespie, Nora Olabi, Justin Tijerina, Andrew Valderas EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANAGING EDITOR
who’s seen both sides of the spectrum, I can assure you that it’s an important part of campus life. Not every student can go home during Christmas break and tell their family, and anyone who’ll listen, that they’re attending a university that boasts some of the nation’s best programs in entrepreneurship, business, communications, the hospitality industry and more. Not every student’s university is recognizable by people from Florida, New York or nearly any place in the country. Our campus is friendly, lively and urban. It’s indisputably cool, and UH is worth bragging about to our friends at UT and A&M who
STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250
seem to forget that we’re ranked equally in Tier One research status. We’ve got a university that meets and exceeds their standards, and it goes without saying that our locale pretty much crushes a lot of what College Station or Austin have to offer. We’re the heart and fuel of the fastest-growing city in the nation. To reiterate myself, there hasn’t really been a single moment that stands out to me in terms of school pride — each moment I spend at this university is something that I’m incredibly proud of.
It’s time to submit your story for a chance to be featured in next month’s edition of The Daily Cougar. Submissions should be between 300 and 400 words and may be submitted by email to opinion@ thedailycougar.com Remember, keep it clean Coogs.
FEBRUARY’S PROMPT Tell me about a time when you felt Texas pride.
Cara Smith, Communications junior and senior staff opinion columnist
words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing. GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must
be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.