Some call it a rivalry, some say there isn’t a rivalry at all, but there’s no denying that there’s some tension between The University of Pittsburgh and The Pennsylvania State University. In honor of the big game on September 8, here are eight reasons why Pitt actually loves, not hates, PSU.
1. Penn State helps us appreciate our beautiful city.
Pittsburgh is such a beautiful city. In addition to being a hotspot for medical and technological research, Pittsburgh has a strong arts presence. There is always something to do in Pittsburgh: whether you want hear the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra or see a showing of Hamilton, there’s always something to do downtown. Not feeling like bussing into the heart of the city? Take a walk through Phipps Conservatory, Schenley Park or Frick Park to escape that city feeling. Pittsburgh is such a diverse place to be, and with so much to do and so much to explore, it’s hard to feel bored.
2. Old Main makes Cathy look even more beautiful than we imagined.
Who has the tallest educational building in the western hemisphere? Pitt does. The Cathedral of Learning was the world’s first skyscraper associated with an educational institution and remains the most recognizable landmark on campus. Old Main is a beautiful building as well, but nothing compares to those victory lights guiding you home or studying in the beautiful first floor common space, which is often compared to Hogwarts.
3. PSU helps us appreciate our (objectively, better) education.
Pitt is consistently rated the top public university in the Northeast United States by The Wall Street Journal. Who’s in second? Penn State. This isn’t supposed to be anti-PSU, but there are statistics that back up that Pitt is the slightest bit “better” than Penn State. Freshmen have a higher average of SAT scores, we have very high ranked nursing and pharmacy programs, all while living in an urban area full of museums, world-renowned performances, great food and tons of work and internship opportunities.
4. The Nittany Lion makes us love Roc more than ever.
The Nittany Lion is terrifying, and I don’t mean that in an intimidating way. He’s just…a little weird looking. His neck skin flops OVER his scarf. Someone needs to tell him to tuck that in.
5. State College give us a landmark to drive through.
For all of us who come from the eastern side of state, PSU serves as a great landmark to let us know how far away from Pittsburgh we are. Penn State shows us how close we are to finally coming home after a long summer away or a quick weekend visit with family, and for that we are grateful. Nothing feels better than seeing Beaver Stadium on the horizon and just driving right past it.
6. PSU helps us appreciate Pittsburgh traffic.
Pittsburgh traffic can be a nightmare, but it shows us there’s a lot going on here, rather than being a random, massive school plopped in the middle of a pretty rural state. In Pittsburgh, we not only have a healthy student population, but there are people living their lives, commuting to and from work. Pittsburgh is definitely a busy area with great jobs and innovative career fields, and more traffic here correlates to a more diverse and desirable city.
7. PSU helps us defy expectations.
I certainly haven’t forgotten about this article, posted by PSU’s Onward State, explaining why Pitt is simply not a good enough rival for Penn State. And then, days later, the Panthers beat the Lions in the biggest sporting event in Pittsburgh history. The Nittany Lions won last year, but we’ll see what happens this year when they’re back in Pittsburgh for round three.
8. Penn State fans make us strive to be better.
The whole thing about this rivalry is that it shouldn’t be anti-PSU: it should be pro-Pitt. We don’t have to hate any other school to love our own. Though hateful and vulgar words have come from both sides of this rivalry, the behavior I’ve seen from Penn State fans makes me feel like those that say, “There’s no rivalry. Pitt is no match for Penn State,” are entirely wrong. If there’s no rivalry, there’s no need for a Pitt Hate Week. If there’s no rivalry, you don’t need nasty shirts with THE MOST CLEVER RHYME I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE YOUNG LIFE WOW. Penn State fans have shown me how I (personally) don’t want to come across to fans of my rival school, because trust me: PSU, you aren’t looking too great to me right now.
Photo Credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8