Fight, Varsity!
On your toes dig in and hit that line
We’re all pulling hard for you
So fight and give the best there is in you
Fight, Varsity!
On your toes dig in and hit that line
We’ll fight on to victory
We’re always true to Fresno State!
B-U-L-L-D-O-G-S
Go ‘Dogs Go! Fight ‘Dogs Fight!
Gooooooooo ‘Dogs!
(Repeat)

Learn these words. These are the lyrics to your alma mater’s glorious fight song, the only one you’ll ever have.

Thousands of songs will remind you of your college years, but only this one will remind you of your college.

This is it. Look it up on YouTube. Spend five minutes and get it in your head. It’s free. Just do it (this is a Nike school you know). Just learn the damn song.

Why, you ask? Because college students should just know their school’s fight song.

I came here for graduate school last fall braced and ready for culture shock. Sure enough, I found many things different than they were at my undergraduate school back in Georgia. You know, tri-tip, riding skateboards to class, gangs named after the school mascot. Regular stuff. But there’s no excuse for students here not knowing the fight song.

It’s a matter of taking pride in your school, your city and yourself.

Yes, the song is corny. It’s supposed to be corny. A college fight song is a mixture of secret handshake, time capsule and a ton of classic conditioning. You sing it at games, at tailgates, pregame parties, postgame parties, parties that have nothing to do with sports. Whenever you’re having a good time with your college buds it might find its way into the evening (I’m 24, and yes it’s even more fun when you’re a little inebriated).

You don’t sing it when you’re studying, breaking up or doing other stuff that isn’t fun. Get the idea?

Imagine the entire student section belting out our song after a Fresno State touchdown, commencing in the spell out and the barbaric yelling of “Go ‘Dogs Go! Fight ‘Dogs Fight! Goooooo ‘Dogs!” Imagine that prideful chant which can only be heard here pushing our boys forward. Imagine the Red Wave doing something besides ‘the wave’.

I know what’s next: “But I grew up in Fresno. Going to school here just isn’t that special to me.” You mean you’ve been here your whole life and still haven’t learned the fight song? It’s 30 seconds long!

Think of the thousands of lyrics you’ve memorized effortlessly. You probably spent all summer singing about disco sticks with Lady GaGa and about wanting to [have sexual relations with] every girl in the world with Lil’ Wayne. Surely the fight song can find its place among such prestige.

Let’s go over it together. First, you sing “Fight varsity,” followed by a three lines of lyrics. Then “Fight varsity” again, followed by three similar lines. Spell the word “bulldogs,” yell “Go ‘Dogs, fight ‘Dogs, go ‘Dogs,” and repeat. Did someone just say our team underachieves?

It’s what college is about. It’s fun. You’ve got a whole day coming up to do it. Learn it and sing it loud and proud from this weekend until the day you enter that great cheering section in the sky. You’re a Fresno State Bulldog, it’s the only one you’ll ever have.