The rivalry between the University of Washington and WSU is old news, but it has yet to be discovered why some consider Huskies so much better than us.

Growing up on the West side of the state, I always felt like the minority when expressing my Cougar spirit. Every time someone would tell me that WSU sucked, I wanted to spit back a response proving them wrong. So, consider this the long-awaited comeback.

In my mind, there are three main reasons why UW supporters consider it to be a better school. All are less than convincing to any WSU student.

First, it confuses me why we are constantly put down because of our geographical location. Yes, we are in the middle of the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse, but that doesn’t mean we are less intelligent than those who live in the hustle and bustle of the big city of Seattle. Yes, the downtown location may attract a higher number of out-of-state students, but what it doesn’t provide is the secluded security that our homey town of Pullman bestows upon us.

Our close-knit community adds to the powerful bonds we build at WSU. It’s easy to be a Husky fan if you live on the West side, like being a fan of any other Seattle-based sports team. Association with the city equals association with the school. But it is more inconvenient to be a WSU fan because most of us didn’t grow up in Pullman. This is where true school loyalty and pride come into play.

Second is the misconception that we are an out-of-control party school. It is amazing that when a discussion regarding partying arises, our academic achievements are automatically forgotten.

I can’t imagine that alcohol consumption is any less on that side of the state or at any other public university for that matter. However, it seems alcohol is often the only thing that defines us as a university. It is sad this stereotype has been perpetuated by others and even by our own alumni.

Lastly is the issue of academics. There is no doubt that UW’s medical and law schools are very strong. But it seems like our academic accomplishments are never as highly recognized. Many don’t even realize how incredible our departments are.

For example, our communication college is one of the best in the nation, with a broadcast news department ranked fourth in the nation and a public relations sequence ranked first in the Northwest. We also have some of the top veterinary, agriculture and hospitality and business management schools in the nation. These are just a few of our many outstanding academic opportunities.

Why is it that we can’t be respected for the amazing school that we are? Instead, we are constantly being overshadowed by the accomplishments of UW.

The people who spread these misconceptions don’t understand what it’s like to be a Cougar. The pride and loyalty we have for our school is unlike any other.

Yes, we are all concentrated in a small community, and it does seem like we live thousands of miles from civilization sometimes. But when it comes down to it, what UW doesn’t have is the intense bond and loyalty that we build for our school and fellow Cougars everywhere.

So the next time you hear some UW fan spitting insults at WSU, feel free to enlighten them with why you love this school. It will surely leave them speechless.