What it's Like to be an Alum From the Most Hated School in the Country

I read an article circulating recently describing what it's like to go to the most hated school in the country. After reading it, I felt like my experience was vastly different from hers. I wanted to describe what it is like for Alabama alum to interact with those from a different alma mater.

Picture it: You’re at a work conference (yay full-time job offer!) after graduating, and the instructor asks people to introduce themselves. You know the drill: name, alma mater, fun fact about yourself. 

Guy #1: Hi, I'm Bob, I went to Purdue and I like fly fishing
Class: Cool, alright. 

Girl #2: Hi, I'm Sandy, and I went to BYU and I speak 3 languages.
Class: Man! I bet you got to ski a lot up there!

Me: Hi, I'm Kristina, I went to Alabama and (interruption)
Class: guttural groans*, I hate you! You shouldn't have even been allowed to play LSU again! And sheesh what y'all did to McCoy should have been an ejection. Gosh I hate y'all so much. 

“Nice to meet you, too”

This is just a taste of what it's like to be from the University of Alabama, “the most hated school in the country.” It’s having people all over the country personally hate you as soon as they meet you because of 100 talented young men who happen to play football at the same school you attended. It’s having strangers scoff at your college t-shirt in the grocery store because they are putting their hatred of Alabama on you like you were the one on the field.

However, it has not always been this way. Unlike the author of the aforementioned blog post, neither me, nor any of my friends went to Alabama for the football. Most of us went for academics. I went because my parents were adamantly supportive of a good education without incurring tons of student loans (and they were right). So, off I went to UA. Some of the people I met were interested in chemical engineering, speech pathology, nursing and business. You name it, students wanted to major in it. The students there were driven about their future, and all wanted those jobs that were so elusive due to the recession. Of course, we all went to the football games because tickets were $5, and we heard this Saban guy might actually help lead the team to a winning record. Our standards were low. We were the kids who grew up during the Shula era. The we-were-happy-to-be-bowl-eligible years.

But then, The Crimson Tide stared to succeed! We couldn't believe it! Game after game we thought “this would be the game that ends the streak.”  But when the voters announced Alabama would be going to the Rose Bowl (hello, destiny! "Remember the Rose Bowl, we'll win then!"), my dad was happier than I was.  This was because Alabama had been waiting DECADES to be this good. Half of the entire state was elated. Nobody was counting on this. They just kept winning, and we couldn't believe our eyes!  Especially after good ole Terrence Cody blocked that field goal against UT. Man, that was a great day to be a student at UA.  The whiff of entitlement that UA’s students and supporters are equated with now didn’t exist.  We were so proud of our leadership, our first Heisman Trophy winner, and the success those seniors were able to reap after their four years of growth.  Those boys were on the team when Alabama was not even considered a conversation piece by ESPN.

But what I remember most about my time in Tuscaloosa isn't the football. It's actually a tragedy. On April 27, 2011 a tornado tore through our little T-Town and left everyone devastated. Days before the storm, we were all just typical college students, trying to study for finals and get home to our friends and families. But after we saw the carnage and devastation from that tornado, many of us couldn't leave. I stayed behind for weeks and saw everyone come together to aid our hometown away from home in a beautiful way. Greeks, independents, atheists, and Christians all gathered together to help those who had lost everything, and I couldn't have been more proud to be from the State/University of Alabama. We typically worked from 8am (after the Red Cross told us our job sites) until sundown (since we were under martial law and had a strict curfew). It was exhausting and exhilarating. We cut down trees, collected food, passed out clothes to newly-homeless neighbors, and searched houses to make sure all the survivors were found. We all wanted to help, and when we came back to school that fall (and were reminded by the empty plots of land that used to stand with thriving neighborhoods), we felt that our city needed a win. And by golly, when Alabama went to the national championship in 2012, our community felt like it had life breathed into it again. Businesses wanted to come back, students wanted to join from all over, and faculty were proud to work at our school. Our school family was coming back to life with more strength than before.

It was a beautiful time. It made me proud of be a lifelong member of The University of Alabama. Nobody felt entitled for the football team to make it to the playoffs. Now, it seems that instead of students being elated when Alabama does well, they expect it. That's not the way it works. You cheer for your team, win or lose. You don't feel entitled to national championships or playoffs, and you certainly don't act like you were personally out there on the field blocking LSU's point after attempt (unless you're A'Shawn Robinson). It makes me sad to see how entitled Alabama's current student body is about Alabama football.

Football is not the end all-be all at the University of Alabama. Each student’s story here starts with the desire for higher education, an avenue for success and maturity, growth that leads to opportunities, and to celebrate the pride that exudes from a family that believes in their institution. Alabama is about much more than sports, especially football.  But of course, some of my greatest memories come from those fall Saturdays.  Where you exclaimed “Roll Tide Roll!” whether they won or lost, because gosh darn, you're an Alabama fan!

Out of the depths of despair, Tuscaloosa has risen through a unified desire for success.  Success requires hard work, team work, leadership, and perseverance.  Winning is a byproduct of the drive for success.  However, to summarize The University of Alabama with numbers (15, 12-0, etc..) based on one group of men is to miss the forest through the trees.  Alabama adds over +30,000 more testaments to its long-standing tradition for success every four years and has countless doctors, nurses, CEO’s, lawyers, entrepreneurs that proudly call Alabama their alum. To that, I say

Roll Tide

I Am Content: The Challenge

A few days ago a bridge that I take to work was closed for construction, forcing me to take an alternate route. This alternate route I found was one that forced me to drive by some of Fort Worth's homeless population. Instead of being scared to drive by them, I found myself just wanting to get out of the car and give them a hot meal or take them home to get them out of the cold. 

Then I caught myself buying frivolous items. A cute mug here, an adorable calendar there. Within a few days I realized that I could actually help these people that can't help themselves a lot more if I could be more disciplined in my spending.

And honestly, I was happy to leave it at that. (I know, what a terrible thought, but I wanted to be honest.) But then the Lord directed me in His word and to a few blogs that featured women doing something known as The Contentment Challenge. My first thought was, "good for them", and I had no intention of participating in it (because, I mean, my husband and I are moving to another apartment soon, and goodness knows I may need to buy some more throw pillows!). 

After a few days I realized that God had a different plan in store. He started pressing on my heart and forcing me to look around at all the silly little items that "I just had to have" . And you know what, those items didn't seem that necessary anymore when compared to being able to buy someone a warm meal, a blanket, a coat.

For quite a while I have felt my life would be wonderful if I could just have _____. Then I would get whatever it was and by the time it was in my hands, I would already be eyeing something else that would determine my life's happiness.

But it's time for that to stop.

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." | Philippians 4:12

So here it goes: for the next 3 months I will not be spending any money on items I want. I will still buy groceries, gifts for friends, and other necessities. But I will not be going into Target for milk and walking out $200.00 poorer. This challenge will start February 6, 2015 and will continue until May 6, 2015. Part of this goal is to teach me to be content whatever the circumstances, and part of it is to see how much more God can do with our income (and how much stuff I actually can live without). I have talked about this with my accountability partner and she will help me through this process, but just in case anyone else has felt this way, I wanted to encourage others to try The Contentment Challenge. For some it may be to not spend for 1 week, or maybe for 1 year. Whatever time frame it may be, God will show you amazing things. & I can't wait to see what all he teaches me in this process. (For the guidelines, check out Nancy Ray's post: The Contentment Challenge

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' Then the King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' " | Matthew 25: 37-40

I don't want to be at Heaven's gates and have to say to my Savior that I chose a cute candle over clothing His children. Or a Pottery Barn bedspread over feeding orphans. I want to be at Heaven's gates and hear "Well done, my good and faithful servant." I want to be faithful to what God has called me to do, and be a good steward of the gifts He has given. 

"but maybe not, not today, maybe You'll provide in other ways. & if that's the case...we'll give thanks to You with gratitude, for lessons learned in how to thirst for You"