As someone who lives for school spirit and who is NOT a fan of losing, high-school-me’s college dream always included a ranked football team. (Cue the Rolling Stones – “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”). But despite the fact that UVA football is far from a national team – the last time we cracked the top 25 was in 2011 – I’m thrilled to have ended up at a school with so much spirit. Besides, learning how to become a good loser is a great example of personal growth, which is a huge part of college. Personally, I think I’ve come a long way in becoming a more dignified loser (the day we lost to my boyfriend’s school two years ago set the bar for improvement pretty low), and focusing instead on all of the ways football brings UVA together. So, this is me telling you that you should go to all of the games, be a crazy fan, and always be proud of your team (even when you’re sitting in Scott Stadium with your four relatives from Notre Dame and it’s raining, and all of your dignified-loser progress is slipping away).
Game days always come with a sense of community as alumni return to grounds and the students start tailgating. Football games are something that everyone can participate in, and there’s no better way to feel a sense of camaraderie than singing the good ole song with your fellow hoos. Personally, I’m a huge sucker for game traditions and I love the pre-game show with Cav Man and that lovely animation of him beating up the opponent’s mascot (go Cav Man, go!).
Along the same strain, games offer a great opportunity to showcase all of your UVA gear at once. Once it starts getting chilly, it’s always a good bet to ditch the pearls and get crazy with those Cavalier leggings, beanie, and maybe a little face paint. If you think about it, college is one of the few places that this behavior is not only acceptable, but encouraged. Might as well embrace it!
Finally, football can be a great way to connect with relatives who like following the team. Games are always a good conversation topic, and it’s good to be informed when your grandpa wants to talk about that play from last week. What better way to bond with the people you love than over your mutual love of the hoos?
The numbers might be a little rough in hooville, but being a UVA fan has taught me that school spirit is a lot more meaningful than a record.