I don’t know about you, but my school has a school spirit deficiency. It seems that no matter who shows enthusiasm and pride for UB, it just isn’t enough to change the overall morale. The funny part is that the whole campus is aware of the lack of school spirit. People complain about the deficiency but don’t do anything about it! Our games are lacking in attendance, many (but I’m glad to say not all) of our events don’t have such a great turn out. But it does not have to be this way. Many students don’t realize that school pride makes such a huge difference on a campus. So it’s time to combat this lack of school spirit and start a campaign of Purple Knights Pride! It’s not all bad, there has definitely been an increase of UB swag on campus. It’s hard to walk through campus and not see someone with a Purple Knights sweater of University of Bridgeport hoodie. We have our updated (and more affordably priced) bookstore to thank for that. This is a good start, but what else can we do?

1. Let’s start attending some of these games!

I’m in my third year here, and I’ve STILL never been to a game here. One of my goals is to attend at least two different sporting events this semester and next. We need to support our teams. We can’t expect them to be best if we’re not out there cheering them on. How would it look if the opposing team has the bleachers full and UB’s teams have a handful of people on their side? Definitely not good for morale. So I say, let’s go to the games!

Note: UB’s Women’s Soccer Team just won the East Coast Conference Championship for the second year in a row! GO UB!

2. Attend school events.

One thing I absolutely love about UB: there’s always something to do! I’m not saying to attend every single event, that may not be realistic with clashing schedules. But show some interest and show some support. If a particular event is not your cup of tea, that’s fine, I’m sure there’s something else going on that week that is in your interest. I’m glad to say that at least the major events this semester have had a good turn out. We had our first real homecoming, and it was a success! Things like that are what get school spirit going! But we need to do better. At least our annual events such as the International Festival held every spring semester should be filled with our culturally diverse student population.

3. Be involved.

Join a club! I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve written about joining a club. Nothing will increase your school spirit faster. Being around people who have a similar interest or goal and knowing that you’re all at the same school should be a school pride booster. I have so much love for my club, and being a part of it makes me feel like an important part of the school. This is what I want everyone at UB to have. You could also get a job on campus. Certain jobs are meant for school spirit! Student Ambassadors, Residential Assistants, and Orientation Leaders, are all jobs that not only require school spirit, but also provide opportunities to share that spirit around! One of the reasons I became an Orientation Leader was to foster school spirit in new students. And I hope that the work I put into orientation this summer made a difference in the Class of 2020.

Our school newspaper has recently undergone a makeover. The new chief editor understood that the lack of school pride needed to be addressed, and he and the staff did so in a really cool way. First, they changed the name of the paper. No longer will you find copies of The Scribe around campus. Instead, you will find the University of Bridgeport’s Knight’s Scribe (emphasis on the KNIGHTS). I was walking around campus and the color caught my eye. Gone was the red lettering of The Scribe, and here was Knight’s Scribe in PURPLE. I was so psyched since I had been questioning why our school’s newspaper was donning red instead of our school colors. This issue of Knight’s Scribe also has not one, but 5 pieces dedicated to the school spirit issue on campus. So what’s another way to boost school spirit on campus?

4. READ THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER.

Better yet, WRITE for the school newspaper. The staff needs more writers, and it’s a great opportunity to put your awesome skills to work and boost school spirit! You may even see my name on an article in Knight’s Scribe one of these days.

Supporting the school paper spreads important information around campus and gives purpose to the students putting all their time and effort into getting these issues printed and distributed all throughout campus.

5. Follow your school on social media.

UB has multiple accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even SnapChat. You can follow the university, your specific school, or even a club or organization. By following your school on social media, you become more aware of events on campus and accomplishments made throughout the year. You also bring more outside attention to your university if you can get them those likes.

We are here at UB for the time being. Why not make the most of it? Going to college is no easy feat these days. You are investing your time and your money here, you should take pride in it. Be proud of the school you attend. If there’s something you don’t like, change it. If there is something you think your school could use to make it better, MAKE IT HAPPEN! College is truly what you make of it. When you look back on your college years, you should be proud of it. If you aren’t feeling that at the moment, then do something to make your school something to be proud of. I absolutely love my school and being a Purple Knight. All I hope is for this love for my school to spread across my whole campus.

I don’t say these things just for UB students but for any college student who desires to stir up school pride on their campus. However, to all my fellow UB students and faculty, think about what you can do to bring some spirit on campus, and remember: We are all Purple Knights.