And while the computer science and electrical engineering departments are strong campus presences, students are just as interested in the arts and humanities. Many students--including many premeds--choose to major or minor in the humanities or the social sciences.

In addition, the university has dedicated itself to bolstering the humanities with additional funding. The Leland Stanford Junior Museum, with one of the largest Rodin collection in the world, was re-opened after 10 years of renovation early this year. And Stanford's "fuzzy" social science and humanities departments, especially history, political science, and economics are large, strong, and well-funded.

Unfortunately, many complain that with all the attention focused on the "fuzzies" and the "tetchiest," those interested in the performing and the visual arts are virtually ignored. These students are left to take care of themselves; something they seem to do rather well with student musicals, recitals and readings always happening on campus.

Student-initiated research is popular on campus, and the highly-motivated among us often work as research assistants. Last year, the undergraduate research opportunities office gave out $65,000 in research grants to 486 students across all fields. Over half of the biology majors and a third of history majors this year, for example, completed honors theses, which involves at least one year of independent research. A handful of advanced students publish every year in journals such as Science and Nature.

Finally, no one can discuss Stanford without mentioning athletics. Stanford is strong in high-profile sports such as basketball and powerhouse in sports such as tennis, swimming and cross country. To get their hands on coveted men's basketball season tickets this year, students camped out two weeks in advance outside Maples Pavilion. And we've got the Axe the trophy given to the winner of the annual football Big Game with Berkeley.

As Dick Vitale said when he body surfed the crowd this year, "It's all about Stanford, Baby!" It's true that the overwhelming number of students here believe they've made the right college choice. Stanford students tend to believe that the social climate here is a sweeter pill to swallow.

But don't think Stanford can give you everything. We don't have history and the culture of the city in our backyard. We definitely don't have the ivy, and, at this point, we don't have the feeling of an established legacy.

We live by the "work hard, play hard" mentality, and the crazy idea that "going west" in the name of progress is the only way to go.