Photo by: Oscar Herrera
Starting university is like starting a new chapter of life. It is very significant and can seem a little nerve-wracking at the beginning. But perhaps, getting to know your new home for the next few years and becoming well-familiarized with it can help you feel at ease and get you excited for your time ahead.
For all incoming Coogs, there is so much to know and learn about UH. It can be confusing where to really start from. But don’t you worry! Here is a fun UH Starter Pack that includes some things you should know about the University before you start your journey along with some fun tips.
On Fridays, We Wear Red!
Coogs take their cougar pride very seriously. It has become a tradition to flaunt that pride by wearing something red to campus on Fridays, which are also known as Cougar Red Fridays.
It is always a good idea to make sure you have something red in your wardrobe at all times, whether it be UH merch, a T-shirt, a pair of earrings, red shoes or even a red bow to accessorize your outfit. It’s such a happy feeling to see so many people on campus wearing red because it is a part of our identity as UH students. So be unapologetic and go all in with your red outfits, especially on Fridays!
Visit Cougar Grounds!
Located right next to the Hilton Hotel on campus, Cougar Grounds is a favorite stop for students and faculty all over campus. The UH student-run coffee shop is always brimming with chatter as people catch up over a cup of coffee or complete their assignments with a drink of their choice as their companion.
With so many different options of drinks along with monthly specials, Cougar Grounds is a must-visit place for all our incoming freshmen. It’s always a great idea to support local businesses, especially when it is led by our fellow Coogs!
Tip: You may want to keep an eye out for the iced matcha latte, which seems to be the popular choice of drink for a lot of students!
Coogs Love to Support Their Fellow Athletes!
Whose house? Coooooooogs House!
UH takes sports and athletics very seriously and is all about showing support for fellow team members. After the men’s basketball team made it to the Big 12 conference in the 2023-24 season, Cougar pride reached new heights.
The atmosphere of being present in an electrifying game is an experience worth having while you’re at UH. So make sure you grab your free student tickets to a UH game and be ready to make some unforgettable memories with your friends!
Tip: It may be a good idea to learn “The Cougar Fight Song” and familiarize yourself with some other game traditions.
UH Represents More Than 137 Countries
Did you know? UH is the second most ethnically diverse major research university in the entire nation!
This is a great opportunity to not only meet people from different cultural backgrounds but also help you feel like you belong in a community as vast as UH.
The Council for Cultural Activities is an organization at the University that promotes and celebrates different nationalities and cultures through events all around the year. There are also other independent student organizations formed by members of the same nationalities that you can be a part of while you’re at UH.
Tip: You can learn more about student organizations at GetInvolved.
Shasta is Not Only UH’s Mascot But A Lucky Charm
It is a long-held belief that rubbing the paws of the cougar statues in the Cullen Family Plaza brings good luck to people. Students usually rub Shasta’s paws before they have an important exam or before they attend an important UH game because they believe the results will be favorable for them.
Being aware of such traditions is like sharing an inside joke that only you and your friends get. And that is what makes it so fun because it instills a sense of belonging within each member of the University by keeping them bound through traditions like these.
UH is Ranked Among The Best Colleges of 2024
As a cougar, we also take pride in any titles and recognition the University receives. The Wall Street Journal recently listed UH as one of America’s Best Colleges of 2024 after taking into account a multitude of factors.
The Princeton Review also ranked UH as one of the Top 50 Best Value Public Universities. Besides this, UH is a tier-one research university and its entrepreneurship program ranks number one in the nation for five years consecutively now.
It’s always such a proud moment walking into campus while realizing how much the University has achieved over the years, especially when you’re about to start your journey as an incoming Coog.
Hopefully, by now, you learned something interesting about your new home and feel more prepared to start on this exciting adventure that lies ahead of you. While UH has such a rich history, these are just a few glimpses into what makes the University so special.
May you all have the best years of your life while you’re here at UH and leave this University with a degree of your choice, some lifelong friends, many cherishable memories and, of course, a happy heart filled with cougar pride. Welcome to the University of Houston! Go Coogs!
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