Going to a big school can be phenomenal especially during athletic events. I can't imagine being a "Cameron Crazy" during March and watching “my” Blue Devils take on a top ranked team. Getting hype before the game with your hall mates, continuing the energy during, and then hopefully celebrating after. Enjoying the events with all of your closest friends; the ones you came in that year with, the ones you'll graduate with, and the ones that struggle through the Friday three hour lecture. Whether you are a Wildcat, a Jayhawk, a Tarheel, or an Owl, you love the hype that you get when people ask “who are you” or “where you go?”
Game days are the best; everyone loves a reason to get rowdy. What is it like before the game? Sitting in class waiting to watch the big names play, most likely on a big screen, at a bar or your house. In a sense, the athletes you watch are mini celebrities. They represent not only you and their school, but the game as well.
Imagine if you were best friends with Steph Curry or Grayson Allen. You know their likes, dislikes, what time they have class, what their favorite drink is, and maybe even their favorite phrase. You'd feel just as accomplished as they would when they reach a high level of success, right? The friendships in which you create are almost as if they are an extension of yourself. Especially if you helped them off the clock, rebounding for 100 shots or watching their defensive movement. You being a key contributor to when they work on their game.
That exact feeling of accomplishment is what happens here at Rosemont College. The mini celebrities are our best friends. The same ones hitting the hardwood on Wednesday night are the same ones joining us on a Thursday night in town. The same ones you took a snapchat for a highlight dunk are the same ones sitting right next to you the morning after. This doesn't happen at every school, especially at the top Division I schools. The flashing lights from ESPN, big crowds, and sponsorships to Division I are now using our phones taking pictures, our student led chants, and our team store purchases to Division III.
Being able to talk to these Athletes on a personal level brings a level of community that can not be matched. Yes, if UNC wins a big game and you attend there, you'll probably be happy for that night. But when your Division III team wins, you're happy for a week. And if you're not playing, you feel like you're part of that team, because having the power of being a small school has an emotion and passion like no other. On a final note, thank you to all the athletes here at Rosemont College for making me become a multi-sport athlete, with only actually playing one.
