Gameday Guide: The Case for Going to the Game
SaveEvery year, there is always a special week or two where there is a buzz around campus. The big game is coming to campus.
By Xavier Royer
Every year, there is always a special week or two where there is a buzz around campus. The big game is coming to campus. This is a special, and for many, sacred, time of year. What is the big game? There are many types of big games, but they all have in common a special significance to the relevant sports team that will likely change how that season is viewed. This almost always includes when a big rival comes to town—especially the case if the rival is evenly matched with your team and/or the game will have a significant impact on the overall success of the season.
Other "big games" can include traditional powerhouses coming to town, giving your team an opportunity for a big upset, or if both teams have been very successful and are battling for the king of the hill of that season. The pivotal matches offer the athletes the chance to something memorable, and the student body traditionally embraces that energy vicariously. This is what creates that campus buzz, and often transitions into some of the most visceral environments I have ever experienced. Tickets for these games can be tough to acquire, but if given the opportunity, I would suggest to any student able to make a point to attend. This article makes that case, and the following article provides a guide for students who might want some tips if they have never attended a big-time college athletic event before.
School Pride
For those who are not already sports fan (I'm assuming sports fans don't need to be persuaded on this), sports fandoms can seem kind of arbitrary. I can see why this viewpoint exists, but I do not consider it valid until someone has at least tried in good faith to attend a game in person, particularly a big game. I think it is impossible not to get swept up with a crowd all united in one goal, cheering together for the same team. I am not saying you need to paint your face in the school colors and do all of that, but I also think it is impossible not to get chills of anticipation as the crowd roars a welcome to your team as they are announced on the field or court. One of the biggest indicators of student success is their connectedness to campus — in other words, the more a student feels like they belong, the better they tend to do in the classroom. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this goal is simply showing up to games. Students do not need to know a single other person in the student section, yet they all can relate to each other for the next few hours as they cheer their team on victory. There are also school songs and other traditions that students can take part in.
Spectacle
Forget the sports for a second — just being in that environment can be worth attending. Not just that, but athletics have really started to consciously consider themselves as entertainment products more recently. Some of the shows during timeouts and halftime can be super entertaining. For example, my girlfriend and I have made it a point to go to some minor league hockey games this year. We both casually enjoy watching hockey, it's a fast-moving sport with cool collisions without too many rules or high of stakes. But what my girlfriend enjoys equally if not more than what's happening on the ice are the mascot, the t-shirt tosses, and watching the little kids play on the ice between periods.
The TEA
Drama happens at these games you do not want to miss it. Drama happens on the field but, often, also off it. Ideally the drama avoids being violent or hateful, but something worth talking about the next day usually happens at the big game. For example, after a big win last year a college crowd rushed the field (rushing the field will be covered in the following article) and went so far as to fully tear down one of the goal posts. Do NOT damage property at the big game... but, when something as crazy as a goal post coming down during a celebration happens, do you want to hear about it, or see it for yourself in real time? The big game is also where simmering tension tends to climax between students. The big game is an emotionally charged event, and that often leads to events like students finally getting the nerve to ask out their crush or roommate disagreements finally boiling over into a whole thing. Regardless of the result, tears will be shed before, during, and after the big game, which can be a fun time for those who are into that kind of thing.
Xavier Royer
I am currently a full time instructor at a William Penn University, a small private university in Iowa. I am the lone political science faculty member there. In my time teaching, I have already connected with an incredible cohort of students in ways I could never have expected. Partnering with SAGE will allow me the opportunity to help even more students across the globe navigate those tricky questions.Articles & Advice
Featured Articles from The SAGE Scholars Benefit
Choosing a College Roommate
Advice If You Land on the Waitlist
