Local news teams like to document the happenings in New Haven, closing in on the mini-dresses and inebriated delinquents. The shuttles that bring QU students to and from New Haven are deemed “the slut buses.” There was the infamous “Close Toad’s Now” article by Yale Daily News writer Alex Fisher (sorry about the death threats, bro) who single-handedly insulted the entire campus. This image does not represent Quinnipiac, this image represents hot mess individuals who happen to attend our institution.

Quinnipiac is constantly getting the bad end of the stick when it comes to publicity. However, despite this hate, Quinnipiac has someone outside of the bubble rooting for us. Maria Wu, a guest columnist for the Yale Daily News, wrote a beautifully well-written and truly heartfelt piece called “Respect Quinnipiac.”

As a Connecticut native, and a resident of the New Haven county, I have always taken advantage of Yale’s campus. In high school, I went to every after school program sponsored by Yale, hung out in the art museums and even took an English course there when I was a senior.

I have always had respect for Yale and when I hear both QU students bashing Yale or vice versa, it is incredibly heartbreaking to hear. Miss Wu chose to write about the redeeming qualities of our campus such as our amazing sports teams and our brand new medical school.

She points out QU’s achievements as opposed to rehashing the demeaning sketch of a snookered “Qpac” girl. She also mentions how despite our relatively close distance, the lack of communication and interaction is the reason behind all of this bad blood between Yalies and Bobcats.

I could not agree more with Miss Wu. Even though QU students see the campus at least once a week, QU as a community has rarely had the opportunity to understand Yale campus culture. Most associate Yale students as elitist sons and daughters of rich mucky-mucks who grew up with a silver spoon it their mouth. But most do not stop to think of the people who were accepted to this iconic institution purely from hard work and incredibly brilliant minds.

Yale is one of the top three schools in the country, most definitely top 10 in the world and they are right down the street from us, according to U.S. News and World Report. At the end of the day, Yale and Quinnipiac students are simply that: students, young adults training to become the best people they possibly can be.

We all freak out over midterms and finals. We either love or hate the Connecticut climate, waited 20 minutes or longer to get a table at Bar and have the great pizza debate with our friends (Sallys or Pepe’s?). Maria Wu simply put these similarities in far more eloquent words than my own.

So, Bobcats, no matter how much you wanted to win the Frozen Four last semester, treat our New Haven neighbors with respect. Even though Maria Wu is one voice, kindness will always be heard in a crowd. So, on behalf of the Quinnipiac student body, faculty and staff, thank you, Maria, for defending our name and our legend.