February 10th was ECU night at the PNC Arena for the Hurricanes game. To be honest, had it not been for the free ECU/Canes hat and the fact that my boyfriend and I were meeting up with my sister and her boyfriend, I probably wouldn’t have gone. I’m so glad I did. Not only did I get to immerse myself in one of North Carolina’s professional sports teams, but I also got to enjoy the camaraderie of all my fellow Pirates.
Now, I had been to Hurricanes games in the past, but it has been such a long time since I actually had the time to go back to one. If you haven’t attended a Hurricanes game, I strongly encourage you to do so…and not just because you can get extremely affordable tickets and it gives you something to do outside of good ol’ Greenville.
As a student at ECU, it can be easy to take for granted the amazing school spirit we Pirates have. However, once I was taken out of Greenville and brought to an area where there were Pirates fans for as far as the eye could see, I felt a new sense of pride in my school. We Pirates don’t just go to ECU for an education, even though that is (hopefully) our priority. But there’s a reason we all chose ECU aside from the degrees. East Carolina has something so special with all of its students, faculty, alumni, and fans. We all share a special bond. No matter where you go, if you see a fellow Pirate, you automatically feel the connection and sense of community.
At the Hurricanes game, I not only saw families decked out in Pirate gear and proud fans sporting their ECU/Canes hats, but I actually saw a No Quarter flag just rows in front of me proudly waving whenever something good happened during the game. And that was the reality check I needed. I’m not going to be a student at East Carolina forever, but I know that wherever I go and in whatever stage in life I might be, I’m going to feel a special sense of pride whenever I see my school’s logo or colors being worn or used as decoration.
If you ever have the chance to attend an ECU event outside of Greenville, I encourage you to do so. There is nothing like hearing a Purple/Gold chant going strong in another city. We are all guilty of taking our amazing school for granted at some point during our time here, but we all need to take the time to think about how truly lucky we are to be the Pirates of ECU. Appreciate your time here and reflect on what it means to be a pirate. This school will forever be a part of us.