Drexel University is a very odd school. For all of the flak that it gets from its students, myself included, over controversies, from the price of textbooks at the bookstore to the freshman meal plan to the housing system, I feel as though the school often doesn’t get enough credit.

Obviously, I’m only speaking for myself here based off my own experiences, but I’ve never felt that the student body at Drexel has shown particular enthusiasm about being Dragons. I’ve had a few friends where the extent of our very brief friendships was just discussing the many issues that we have with Drexel as a school. The level of school spirit here has just always seemed to be on the lower side of the spectrum.

Now again, I want to stress that this is just coming from my experiences. I have many friends that enjoy being at Drexel and who talk about the positives of the school, but I’d be lying if I said that they were the majority. And this is something that has held my interest pretty much since my first term as a student here because it’s kind of a phenomenon to me.

I can think of a good number of helpful resources that are available to students at Drexel: the DAC, Drexel shuttle, Drexel Writing Center, Math Resource Center, W.W. Hagerty Library, locations like the Quad and Lancaster Walk where students can study and hang out, the co-op program, knowledgeable and genuinely kind professors, helpful advisors and student organizations. There are definitely a few significant things that I am forgetting, but I think you get the picture. All of the things I listed do each have their own individual problems that can be improved upon, but for the most part they improve the general quality of life at Drexel.

Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s inaccurate to say that many students do not use many of these resources for various reasons. Back when I had actual math classes in freshman year, I never made a trip to the Math Resource Center, which was a mistake looking back on it. I also never really spent time at the old Quad or sat around near Lancaster Walk, as I was perfectly content to just enjoy whatever entertainment and comfort Kelly Hall could offer me.

I never went to the Drexel Writing Center to get help with my writing until last term, and while that was because I already felt pretty confident in my own writing, I still would have benefitted from making some trips there for certain assignments. Also, the Drexel shuttle is something that I use almost daily now since I live at Stiles Hall in Center City, but prior to last term I’d only ridden the shuttle two or three times in total. University City provided a large enough variety of activities that I never found the need to travel to Center City, and if I did, I would just take the subway.

This example of great resources existing but seldom being used throughout the years is one that I can apply to many things Drexel supplies to its students. However, just because a resource isn’t used often doesn’t mean it should be totally ignored.

It just seems that there is such a heavy focus on negative aspects as opposed to positive ones. Yes, it is more fun to bash the negative aspects and make memes of John A. Fry for our entertainment, but at the same time, I would like to see more positive feedback about the good things the school does…even though it does do many things to make us suffer on a weekly — and sometimes daily — basis.

And I’m not at all absolved from this matter. A good number of articles that I’ve written have been bashing Drexel for one thing or another, and while I do think that the points I raised were fair criticisms, it doesn’t change the fact that I too have said very little in favor of the university. Of course we shouldn’t start singing the praises of Drexel University without reason, but everyone involved with the school could benefit from more of an upbeat spirit. That starts with us students, as we’re the heart and soul of this university, whether we want to be or not.