With the first football game of the season this Saturday, I’d like to take this opportunity to explain to all of you why I am unbelievably stoked for football, even with COVID-19 protocols preventing us from having a normal experience.
- The Excitement on Campus
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Even though there’s no tailgating or pre-game activities, campus takes on a different atmosphere whenever there’s a football game. There’s a buzz around campus in the morning as the student body wakes up excited to cheer for our school. There may not be any visitors, and students may not be able to congregate in huge groups in the hours leading up to the game, but I’ll bet that there’s still going to be an excitement on campus this coming Saturday.
- Cheering with my Fellow Students
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We still get a student section! We may not be all packed into one corner of the field, but we will still get to stand next to or near our roommates and friends to cheer on the Fighting Irish. We’re going to be able to cheer, clap, and feed off the energy and adrenaline the students around us are giving off. The stadium may look different, but I don’t believe it will feel very different at all.
- Getting Hyped by the Music
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With the Band playing at the games, you’re still going to be hyped whenever major plays happen! You can dance along to “Mr. Brightside” and clap along with the “Victory March.” There may not be as many people in the stadium, but the volume levels won’t be that different with the Band driving the cheers of the student section.
- Watching the Game Up Close and Personal
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Watching a football game in person is so much better than watching it on TV. By going to the stadium, there’s no excuse for getting distracted by something else and missing out on watching our team win. As someone who’s watched so many Notre Dame games on TV at home, I’ll take any opportunity to watch a game in person I’m planning on living in the moment and making this coming game one to remember.
- Winning!
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Everyone leaves the stadium happy when we win, so you should be excited for that victorious feeling you’re going to leave with when the Fighting Irish beats Duke this weekend. Let’s start off this football season right by coming together as a Notre Dame community to cheer for our school as we win our first game!
I know this football season won’t be the same as the others, and we’re going to be missing out on a few traditions. But, we still need to stay positive and make the best of the situation we’re in right now. Football games are going to be some of the best memories for many students as they look back at their time at Notre Dame. Don’t waste the opportunity to make another memory this weekend. Stay safe, and have fun!
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