Allow me to gush.

I may have written about it once or a thousand times, but... I'm a huge Auburn fan. And I'm not just talking about the football team, although I keep a navy-and-orange shaker on me at all times on Fall Saturdays. I'm a huge, obnoxious fan of Auburn, AL and Auburn University.

I grew up on the other side. As a child, I donned tiny University of Alabama cheerleader uniforms and as a teenager I dreamed of wearing the real thing. Somewhere along the way, though, a dear friend took me to an Auburn game. I know it's corny, but... it was love at first sight. The pristine lawn at Samford Hall, the electricity in the air, the "family reunions" that come with every passing "Hey, War Eagle!," Jordan-Hare Stadium and the eagle's flight (*chills*)... I just knew. Before the game was over, I knew. I visited First Baptist Opelika that weekend, and I mean it when I say that I knew that's where the Lord wanted me to be.

A couple of years later, I started my freshman year at Auburn. I rushed the absolute best sorority on Auburn's campus, and I loved every minute of walking through the beautiful campus to class (minus the actual class part). Every pep rally, football game, chapter meeting, all-nighter in RBD, late-night run to Sonic with friends, and student organization came with a surplus of beautiful memories. Coffee with Malorie at Taylor's Bakery, lunch with Blake at Big Blue Bagel, frisbee on Samford Lawn with Lee and Alisa, church at FBCO with Drew and Daniel... The people that I still consider my best friends today are the people I met at Auburn.

There is no bad time of year in Auburn; it's like Never Land. In fall, the air is crisp and the energy's high. In winter, Christmas lights line the trees down College Street, adding whimsical charm. With spring comes a burst of color on Samford Lawn and the perfect weather for frisbee golf on campus. And in summer, the nights are long and the parking's easy (which, in a college town, is a HUGE plus). I rode my bike to class almost everyday, and I would literally get a little high off my love for this perfect town (the word 'town' here is key; I currently live in a 'city' and it is no walk in the park).

All this affection is brought on by one simple thing: my cousin was accepted to Auburn today. Like me, she grew up in crimson and white. I can't tell you how excited I am, partly because I can't wait to watch her journey and partly because I'm so jealous I can barely stand it. AK, I know that you'll love it, I know that the Lord will bless your time there as much as He blessed mine, and I know that you'll leave AU with the same obsession I have... because that's what Auburn does to people.

And with that, War Eagle!