I can only compare Tech to the UT because thats the only other large university I've been to, but the best thing about Texas Tech is probably the laid-back attitude. For the most part, it seems that most of the students are pretty friendly with one another. Maybe its that West Texas attitude, I don't know. Also, I like the sort of rebellious attitude that the fans have at football games. I know I said that I'm embarrassed by some of the things that the fans do, and I am, but sometimes some other schools CAN be a little too wound up. I'm not saying I like some of the stupid things that fans come up with at football games, but sometimes you just have to loosen up a little. You've got to love our colors too. Black and red is just great.
One thing I'd change is definitely the disrespectful fans at football games. Its a true stereotype and its always on my mind when I tell someone my age that I go to Tech. When I tell people I go to Tech, they are glad I chose a large university, but its not much of a surprise because its the only D1 school anywhere close to my hometown. I'm from Amarillo, which is only 2 hours away from Lubbock. As far as schools close to home, we could choose from Amarillo College (one of the best community colleges in the country), West Texas A&M (a D2 school, and unfortunately part of the A&M system) or Texas Tech.
I spend most of my time in the Student Union Building. I like to go downstairs and sit in the two TV rooms that usually play ESPN all day. I can go in there, eat lunch, watch Sportscenter, and maybe chat it up with someone about sports. I just like the SUB because its a nicely designed building and you just feel a good college vibe just being there.
I would say its a pretty good college town. Lubbock would certainly not be anything close to what it is without Tech, but Lubbock doesn't thrive on only Tech either. Its the hub city for most of the open land between Dallas, San Antonio, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Albuquerque. Amarillo is basically just like Lubbock except it doesn't have a large university, so I know what Lubbock would be like without Tech. It wouldn't have that college town feel and attitude, where you know you can go to Whataburger at 3 in the morning and you will see other students there too.
The biggest controversy here recently was probably Bob Knight quitting the head coach position of the basketball team. Basketball is not nearly as big as football, so its strange to think that the winningest college basketball coach in history quitting would probably not get as much local controversy as if Mike Leach quit.
I think there is a lot of pride. One thing that Texas Tech doesn't have as much as a lot of other schools is traditions. We were formed much later than a lot of schools in Texas, so some of our traditions don't date back near as far as others', but school pride is definitely present. You've got to agree when you hear the campus tour guides telling the students and their parents that Will Rogers and Soapsuds' butts face towards Texas A&M.
Unusual things... this campus is so big. Its the second biggest campus in the nation. While that is nice because everything is so spread out and nice to look at, that is a long walk to and from some classes. I guess that means more time to spend checking out the ladies.
I just transferred here in the fall of '07, but something I will always remember is when we beat Texas A&M in football after Javorsky Lane guaranteed a win for his Aggie team. As he and his team walked under the student section after the game was over into the locker rooms, the entire student section yelled, "Guar-an-tee! Guar-an-tee!"
I've heard a lot of students complaining that they can't understand their teachers because of their accents. I don't know if it is as common at other schools as it is here to have foreign professors, but I've had to drop a class myself simply because I couldn't understand my professor.