I will probably never forget a conversation I had with my uncle in the summer months before applying to college. I listed Northwestern as my top choice, and his response was predictable. Knowing I am a sports fan, my uncle questioned me why I would pick Northwestern over a school known more specifically for their athletic prowess, citing a bowl draught in football and status as one of the only schools to never make the NCAA tournament. I explained that Northwestern was in the Big Ten, and even if Northwestern never won a game during my scholarly tenure, I would at the least have gotten to see some Big Ten athletics. As my fourth and final year comes to an end, I have begun to truly appreciate the Northwestern athletics experience.

It’s always fun to cheer on a winning team, and for that reason, this year in particular has been amazing to be a fanof Northwestern sports. In the fall, our football team qualified for the postseason, and went on to win the Pinstripe Bowl in late December. Many students went to the game, courtesy of Northwestern. I was unfortunately not able to actually attend the game, but I was drowning in happiness as I cheered on the Wildcats against Pittsburgh in the company of my friends who have frequently bantered me about Northwestern sports. In addition to our football team, fans at Northwestern have been spoiled by our basketball team this season. As the ‘Cats entered the Big Ten regular season games, there was a buzz around campus that this could be the year we finally make the NCAA tournament. As the buzz grew, the student section grew bigger and rowdier, and it was at the final game at Welsh-Ryan arena that I finally learned why going to Northwestern sports events was so fun.

Sports bring people together, but it wasn’t until we really started winning that fans truly began to come in bunches. When we all are jumping up and down during a good run by the Wildcats or trying to distract an opponent’s free throw shooter, you can’t help but notice the unity of our student community. We all work together to support our community. People from different majors, different backgrounds, unique passions, all coming together to cheer on our university. I said it before, but cheering for a winning team is easy. Cheering for a losing team can be tough, but I am confident that after all the success we’ve had this year, students will see how fun it is to cheer on the Wildcats together! Oh, and I forgot to mention another huge perk—tickets are free for students!