As BU students, all we need to do is look outside our windows to see that it is Opening Day at Fenway Park. There is nothing else quite like watching the swarms of people clad in Red Sox gear from head to toe getting off the T and making their way through Kenmore Square to Yawkey Way.
And this year’s Opening Day was a great one for the city of Boston, with the Red Sox making their first win of the season as they defeated their all time rivals, the New York Yankees, with a score of 9-6.
Even if you are not a baseball fan, the Fenway home opener marks the start of spring and is definitely something you should experience before you graduate. You and your friends should walk to Lansdowne for the live music, people watching, and the best sausage sandwiches. I guarantee you will have a good time and leave with some funny stories.
When I was there on Friday, I could sense the feeling of community around me. The city of Boston definitely isn’t shy, and bustling around the ballpark in such tight quarters allows you to bump into some old and new friends, both literally and figuratively. Almost everyone is happy and willing to start up a conversation. The Boston Fire Department was even out, kicking off their Fill the Boot campaign by asking for donations to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
At the game, I met a guy who has been going to opening day for years, someone who was celebrating his birthday, the cutest Red Sox-Yankee couple ever, and an adorable little boy who was just happy to be getting out of school to see the game. And I got a “free B” from someone handing them out on the street! These people, who we stand next to on the T or pass on Commonwealth Avenue every day, all have their own stories. The best part is that when you put those stories together you get the story of Boston and there is no better place to experience that culture than at Fenway Park on Opening Day.
However, getting tickets to the game is not always fun. Opening Day prices can be exorbitant, especially since the Red Sox average as the priciest team in all of major league baseball. Not to mention that parking prices go up to $40, which isn’t a problem for us since we live so close that BU uses its parking lots as Red Sox parking on game days. So as students whose campus resides under the CITGO sign, it is a must to make it to at least one game.
Although they lost yesterday, let’s cheer for the home team in their last game against the Yankees this weekend and hope the Red Sox have a great season!