Stanford is the best school in California, the US, and probably the world

What originally sold me to Stanford was the hundreds of palm trees lining Palm Drive, the smiling students with chests painted cheering on the football team, it was fountain hopping, and chilling on the oval.

Hell yeah I wanted to be one of the students just chilling at the happiest school in the nation.

Our university is the next best thing to paradise. Clear sunny skies, smart students who work hard but play harder, and a beautiful campus. People seriously do study for finals on green lawns with their bikinis on. We used to hop from fountain to fountain during the pre-drought era in California. Most days are insta-worthy and deserve the caption #paradise. But as I look back now, many little things beyond this perfect picture make Stanford truly unique.

Here’s why.

We are nerd nation

It’s no secret that most people who go to Stanford were nerds in high school. What’s unique is that Stanford students embrace that title. Being a nerd here simply means being passionate about something you deeply care about, and that’s cool. Your freshman roommate probably went to the 2012 Olympics while your neighbor works for NASA. Every freaking day, I am learning just how little I know and how amazingly smart yet humble my peers are. You get to constantly hear from people who have accomplished incredible things (winning a noble laureate?) talk. They usually sound like a kid talking about their favorite toy. It’s absolutely incredible to hear the enthusiasm and even cooler when they try to instill it in you. At Stanford, nothing is too crazy or beyond your reach. Kids here never stopped believing that they will change the world.

Everybody’s really chill

What’s most incredible about this place is how down to earth your friends are. There’s no place for stuffiness or pretentiousness here. You may find yourself thinking “OMG HOW IS THIS PERSON SO INCREDIBLE AND SO WELL ROUNDED AND MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK EASY” multiple times a day, everyday. But then you get to know said person and then become really good friends with them and realize “woah she’s actually like me and it’s not that easy and she’s also making shit up as she goes.” Don’t get me wrong, everyone here all have done some ridiculously insane stuff, but I’m talking about the realization that they fail like any other person and also have weird human quirks. Despite the fact that your dorm mate was a UNICEF ambassador who raised $1.8 million for tsunami relief, he still doesn’t quite know his alcohol limits. When you come back and find him puking on the floor after taking one too many shots, you realize we’re all just tryna get by.

There’s a really supportive vibe

Stanford embraces diversity and difference. It isn’t hard to be accepted here and you’ll find your niche. From the get-go, you have a freshman dorm that’s got your back. The awkward first week of school/no friends period doesn’t exist here. Instead, you get a table in the dining hall for your dorm to sit at every meal, so making friends is pretty much automatic. Events like Faces, Crossing the Line, and Spotlight allow you to form deeper and more meaningful relationships beyond just asking someone “what’s up”. Stanford gives you a chance to speak, and encourages you to listen to people’ s stories. Everyone here is so different, and you’ll be exposed to so many diverse opinions that you start to think smarter and wider. You’ll learn after any conversation you have, especially the ones about the meaning of life on the floor at 2am. It’s perfectly acceptable to wear sweats to class. On any occasion, people here like to look ridiculous and wear mis-matched patterns and neon tights, a.k.a rally. People here are silly and quirky. Don’t get me started on the band…Point is, we like being different here.

Stanford is FUN

This school is crazy. Go kiss someone when the clock strikes midnight at full moon on the Quad. Streak the library to liven up dead week. Get on the Caltrain drunk at 5am to “run” Bay to Breakers. Break in to the old chem building with friends. Frat Frat Frat. Dance for 24 hours to support a global movement towards health care equity. Cheer on our amazing football team or any sports team, we’ll probably win. Tan under palm trees on the lawn with your friends. Play sand volleyball pretty much any time of the year. Trust me, it’s most likely sunny and warm out.