One of the best parts about coming back to school is football games, but the lack of freshman school spirit really kills the vibe. 

While standing in the student section during the first football game, I took a look around, in front of me I saw upperclassmen cheering and having the time of their lives. Meanwhile, behind me, the freshmen are looking at their phones, not even making an effort to act like they are watching the game. The whole point of the student section is so that students can cheer and show their school spirit, but when you stand there with no enthusiasm, it defeats the whole purpose.

I was a freshman last year, and I understand trying to blend in and figuring out what your role is; however, blending in is overrated. The one thing I realized is that no one wants to cheer alone so if one freshman gets his friends to cheer, it starts a chain reaction for the rest of them. Stop worrying about what other people think because I promise you no one is judging. 

 My main question: What’s the fun in going to a game if you aren’t going to cheer? There are many other things you could do on Friday night instead of taking up room in the student section that could potentially be taken by someone that actually wants to cheer for their team. I understand that some freshmen might not know the cheers or chants but that is no excuse to not do the things that are obvious, like jumping and yelling when our team scores.

Players rely on their fans to keep them motivated when they aren’t doing as well as expected. Imagine this: the team is down seven points in the fourth quarter and ready to give up. They look to the stands for the cheering fans to encourage them. Instead, they see a bunch of bored freshmen, most likely texting their parents to come to get them. Nothing makes you want to give up more than to realize your fans already have.

If you want to come to a football game to socialize with your friends or be on your phone, sit with your parents, and save us all some time and space. Our team depends on us to cheer them on, so show your school spirit by dressing up, cheering and supporting your team. This will make everyone’s night so much better!