# How do you feel about your alma mater? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 8, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199 "2012-02-08T15:47:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/21 "2012-02-09T01:40:41Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > San Diego State University: stinking cesspit of bureaucratic ineptitude. > > Could say a lot more, but that basically covers it. University of Pittsburgh: stinking cesspit of bureaucratic ineptitude – now with moral high ground that we aren’t Penn State! Almost 3 years. I will say it gave me my future husband, although I probably would have met him in the same way anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/22 "2012-02-09T01:44:45Z")
UC San Diego 2003. I think I got a good quality education, but I was unhappy there and it seemed like so was everybody else. I was also accepted to Santa Cruz and Berkeley, and I wonder if I would have fit in better at either of those universities. However, I had a great experience in my study abroad program my junior year. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/23 "2012-02-09T01:47:49Z")
I went to a great, small, liberal arts college. Love it. Went to a highly ranked large law school. Appreciate the education I got, but no warm feelings about the school. The administration made clear that spending three years there (and a boatload of money) didn’t earn us a voice in any decisions. Their right to take that view, but it has cost them my support on the annual fund drive. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/24 "2012-02-09T01:50:46Z")
Notre Dame. I don’t think it would be possible for me to care less. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/25 "2012-02-09T02:15:39Z")
Great small liberal arts college–not quite an Ivy but darn close (yes, I know, technically the Ivy League is just a conference for athletic competition). Liked it–probably loved it at the time, but now that I’m underemployed, and over educated, and a few years out from contact with more than a handful of people–like it is the right word. I’m glad that I went to a school which is unlikely to ever have a major sports scandal–because it’s small and much less well known than most of the schools which have major scandals–as well as because it doesn’t care as much about sports as certain other schools do. Since then I’ve failed to get a Master’s Degree at a Big Ten University-bad fit, and really, people who are going to grad school to prolong undergrad and avoid the Real World need to not do that. I dislike that school, although my problems were mostly not its fault. And I successfully got a Master’s Degree from a school I have a hard time having strong feelings about–I just wasn’t as involved with people on campus apart from class, so I didn’t bond with folk in the same way. And, well, because I’m me, I’m not really using that degree, so what’s the point? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/26 "2012-02-09T02:44:08Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Just to clarify - alma mater is the university you went to, right? I was wondering about that too. I thought it might be where I went to school. > [@Candyman74](#): > > If that’s the case - utterly ambivalent. It was a place I went, but that’s it. Ditto. I got my degrees there. Other than that, I don’t give it any thought. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/27 "2012-02-09T03:01:07Z")
I count the university my high school was associated with as my alma mater. I love that one, and I’m proud to be part of it. The other universities I’ve been… meh. I’d say the one I have the least attachment is the one where I am currently, UGA. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/28 "2012-02-09T04:55:00Z")
I chose “loathe”, though it causes paroxysms of guilt to admit that. But it’s the closest one to true - I was miserable in college, and thrilled the day I graduated and never had to go back. That was in 2004, and the strength of my feelings may have abated somewhat the further I’ve gotten from it, though when I think too much about it it returns full force. So yeah, I guess “loathe.” Ironically, I _have_ contributed money to the alumni fund, albeit only $5. That was on the (perhaps misguided) principle that, love it or hate it, the damned place is on my resume, so I may as well do the bare minimum to improve its rankings. But all the literature and magazines they send me go straight to the trash. Also, for what it’s worth, I loved my study abroad program (which was not affiliated with my college) and, if it’s not stretching the definition of “alma mater”(?), I maintain very fond feelings for one of my high schools, and more or less indifference for the other. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/29 "2012-02-09T05:15:18Z")
Univerisity of Michigan ('99). Go Blue! (I voted “love.”) ---
**Author:** ![I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Made_French_Toast_For_You)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/30 "2012-02-09T05:38:12Z")
Another “love” for the University of Michigan (2006). Honestly, I don’t think I’ve met someone who went to UofM and felt anything less than good about it. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/31 "2012-02-09T08:28:58Z")
Well, we don’t have college sports, fundraising or alumni organizations here, so my connection to my school (Haifa University) ended as soon as I graduated. Still, it was a nice enough place: a decent student body, some world-class professors (among a few total losers), pleasant campus. They were supportive when I came back to school four years after I left without graduating, which they didn’t have to be. Also, I met my wife there, which has to count for something. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/32 "2012-02-09T12:13:23Z")
University of New Hampshire, 1999. I’ve always liked it. Now that I’m working there I like it even more. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/33 "2012-02-09T13:20:40Z")
In Australia it largely is of no significance at all. Nearly everyone at work has at least one degree but there are only a handful that I know which university they graduated from. Usually it only comes up in conversation apropos of something else. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/34 "2012-02-09T14:44:23Z")
Ball State University, 1979. My upper-level education career consisted of four high schools (one per year :rolleyes: ) and two colleges, so no real urge to care one way or the other. I got a decent education and had some good times at BSU, but I’ve been back only twice since I graduated and I live only about an hour away from campus. Once was job-related to attend a seminar, and the other was when my niece moved in (lived in my old dorm complex!). ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/35 "2012-02-09T14:49:02Z")
Western Michigan, 2005 - I liked it and met some great people. My problems are with my own decisions; I got a liberal arts degree, and it’s somewhat limiting professionally. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/36 "2012-02-09T14:49:05Z")
University of Nebraska. Nice place, but hamstrung by a conservative state government when I was there. They got booted out of the AAU last year, and for good reason. Maybe that’s a wakeup call, maybe not. Still like it, though. I use the library a lot, and they do have a lot of offerings for the greater community. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/37 "2012-02-09T14:56:19Z")
My undergraduate years were spent at UGA, and I consider that institution my alma mater even though I did my postgrad work at Georgia State. And, warts and all, I love UGA. I moved back to Athens from Atlanta about 28 years ago and have commuted from here to there almost that entire time. Why? Because I love Athens. And the school is the heart of the city. So, I voted love. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/38 "2012-02-09T16:42:51Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > My undergraduate years were spent at UGA, and I consider that institution my alma mater even though I did my postgrad work at Georgia State. And, warts and all, I love UGA. I moved back to Athens from Atlanta about 28 years ago and have commuted from here to there almost that entire time. Why? Because I love Athens. And the school is the heart of the city. > > So, I voted love. You and I are opposites, it seems, because I really don’t like Athens. And I don’t like it that the school plays such an important role in the city. The more I think of UGA, the more I compare it to UF, and UF wins my (scant) love over UGA. Granted, this was not the case when I was studying at UF. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/39 "2012-02-09T16:48:09Z")
Northwestern '99. I had a great time in college, and I always sort of like hearing about Northwestern researchers in the news whenever that occasionally happens. I don’t feel personally identified with the school or anything, though. I mean, if I heard about some major NU football scandal, I wouldn’t feel it was any kind of personal reflection on me or my time there. (Of course, my attitude towards the NU football team was mostly, “oh, we have a football team?”) ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199/40 "2012-02-09T16:49:49Z")
I could say something nasty about Gators but I won’t. \ The place is so different than the bland suburbia where I grew up. And the campus is absolutely lovely, and the trees and buildings are nice as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-feel-about-your-alma-mater/612199.md?page=3)