When I see people wearing OSU hats or shirts, most of the time no words have to be spoken. I started thinking about orange and what it means. Is orange a particularly pretty color? No. Yet we all find it beautiful. Is it a popular color? Fashion right now has a lot of orange in it, but normally, it isnt. Is it a powerful color? It is eye catching, but not really considered powerful. So why in the world do I and other faithful love it so much? The color is a symbol. It is all we remember of our Oklahoma State.

To us it not only symbolizes eons of national championships, but also 3-7 seasons. It is Theta Pond, it is Greek Row, it is the Union. It is Barry Sanders, Eddie Sutton, Mike Gundy, Pat Jones, Big Country, Henry Iba and Rashaun Woods. It is meeting your friends at Joes, the Hideaway or the DOG. It is illegal dorm parties. It is Pistol Pete. It is the Waving Song or the Alma Mater. Its IFC. Its Bedlam 01 in Norman and broken roses. Its Garth and Cross Canadian and Boland. It is The Walk, it is tailgating. It is that girl you always wanted to ask out but never did. Its the guy you always wish would have. Its date parties and pre-parties. Its the swan. House decks and hot chocolate and pomping and signs that say Do not watch Arc!

It is late night Pizza Shuttle runs. It is no air conditioning in the dorm or getting tickets from campus police. Its the Sirloin Stockade steer floating in Theta Pond. It is signing up for a 4 hour class at 7:30 in the morning as a freshman. It is DUIs and MIPs and learning to never do that again. It is Bedlam. Its FIJI, DELT, SNAKE, THETA, PI PHI, AGR. It is heart breaks and leaving friends. It is showing our recruits how much we appreciate them, it is feeling disappointed when some choose to go elsewhere, or the elation of them deciding to come to OSU and join our family. It is Thursday nights. Its planes, Colorado, snow and memories that burn in all hearts that wear the Orange and Black. Its Stout, Classroom, Ag Hall, Bennett, and Kerr-Drummond. Its an orange fountain; its finals week. Its meeting a kid thats parents knew your parents while they were here.

We cant talk about our feelings for our school without going into stories that would make peoples eyes glaze over and bring a tear to some. Its hard to explain to people that the reason we wear orange isn't because of sports or 7 National Football Championships. It isn't because of any one thing or even 100 things. Orange is pride in all things OSU. Be they good things or bad things, they are all part of why I love OSU. When I see people wearing OSU hats or shirts, most of the time no words have to be spoken. Just
a nod or a smile and we both know that orange is something special. A lifetime of friends, fond memories, hurts and joy that we all have and will keep for an eternity~ One day our kids will hear and then they will see and then theirs will hear about the times as they are and were~ All the while the chimes will sing the fight song, hearts will flutter and folks will feel a great sense of belonging. Fans children will sit on parents shoulders with arms waving to Bullet racing out of the West end zone and the commentators voice saying, With 9:08 remaining in the first half; Here Comes Bullet! When you pass a car with Pete peering out of an Orange Star, you know that they know that you know; Its letting go, holding on, and forever remembering why we were/are at the best college in America.

Rewind; remember cool autumn air walking to class and passing friends, exs, lovers, and the rush you feel every time you go back; A lump in a throat, a bitter-sweet graduation in a cap and gown; A desire to stay forever.

Although we are gone, we are still there-

Author Unknown

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I still wish I had a OSU diploma, but yes. This is OSU.