"joining" the tribe

I went to Cal today (for those of you not in the know that is the University of California at Berkeley – the first school in the UC system so it is “California”). It was homecoming weekend but I really went because there was a Men’s Water Polo Game – vs Stanford. I played water polo at Cal and really love the game so it was great to go back to the pool and watch a great game.
Because of all the homecoming stuff the Alumni Association was out in force and I signed up for a lifetime membership (while I still can get the reduced rate for recent graduates). I still remember my first week at Cal as a freshman feeling like I had just joined this tribe and would belong in some way for life. My experience of Cal and feeling a part of “the tribe” is truly part of my identity. Having said that I don’t think that a university degree of any kind is the be all and end all. I know for me my university experience was wonderful and the right thing. I also don’t privilege degree holding people over those without degrees as a sort of ‘life policy’.