Let’s be honest, if being a Hokie was just about wearing orange and maroon, we’d all be exhausted from constantly defending our fashion choices. (Yes, my shirt is burnt orange. No, it’s not Halloween. Yes, I chose this on purpose.)
Being a Hokie is so much more than color-coordinating your wardrobe with a turkey.
It’s about the experience, the kind that sticks to your soul like Hokie Grill grease sticks to your arteries.
- The Drillfield Workout Nobody Talks About
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You haven’t lived until you’ve had to sprint across the Drillfield in 20 mph winds, uphill (both ways, emotionally), with a 20-pound backpack and exactly 3% phone battery to your name. That walk? That’s character development. That’s a free cardio session. That’s the Hokie way.
- Screaming “LET’S GO!” at Strangers
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There’s something unifying about being able to yell “LET’S GO!” and, without hesitation, hearing “HOKIES!” shouted back by someone who probably hasn’t had more than 3 hours of sleep. It’s not just a chant, it’s a battle cry, a bonding ritual, and sometimes the only form of communication you need in a day.
- Deet’s Coffee Is a Love Language
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Being a Hokie means knowing that a vanilla latte from Deet’s Place can heal most emotional wounds, especially when it’s handed to you by someone who also looks dead inside during finals week. It’s solidarity in a cup (P.S. – if you’ve never cried while eating a panini in a booth at 11:47 PM, are you even trying?).
- Blacksburg Weather Is a Test of Faith
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We get all four seasons in a day, sometimes before noon. You leave your dorm in a puffer jacket and come back sweating in shorts. Being a Hokie means embracing unpredictability whether it’s in the weather or your group project partner’s communication skills.
- It’s in the Little Things
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It’s in the way you hold the door open for six people even though you’re already late to class. It’s knowing the best bathroom on campus like it’s sacred knowledge (hint: it’s probably in a hidden hallway of Newman). It’s petting a dog on the Drillfield and genuinely feeling like your week just turned around.
- Ut Prosim, But Make It Personality
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“Ut Prosim” (That I May Serve) isn’t just something we slap on brochures. It’s real. Whether it’s volunteering, mentoring, or just sending someone the Quizlet link out of the kindness of your heart—it’s the Hokie spirit. We serve. We support. We survive.
Sometimes with caffeine. Sometimes with chaos. Always with community.
Being a Hokie isn’t something you wear it’s something you are. It’s built in the moments between the chaos: the sunrises over the Duck Pond, the high-fives from strangers on game day, the late-night study breakdowns followed by spontaneous Cook Out runs.
So yes, orange and maroon are iconic (and weirdly flattering on everyone). But being a Hokie? That’s something you carry with you long after you leave campus, long after the turkey tailgates, and yes, long after you finally stop accidentally yelling “HOKIES!” in public.