I used to think that the groundhog was a symbol of all things good in the world — a cute, cuddly rodent who made an appearance from his comfy home just to be a messenger for Mother Earth. Bill Murray’s masterpiece Groundhog Day cemented this feeling. The groundhog gave Murray’s character a second chance at life. Punxsutawney, Pa., was the luckiest town in the world for having this sweet guy as its mascot.

My years on this campus, however, have turned me to the other side. There is another animal that is the true champion of Ithaca: the squirrel. Here is why: