Here at Northwestern, we pride ourselves on knowing the days of the week: Monday, Game Day, Game Day, Thursday, Friday, Game Day, and Sunday. Of course, the calendar changes from week to week: some weeks, we’re blessed with four or even five Game Days; other weeks, we scrape by with only two. What doesn’t change is the energy and Purple Pride our students bring to the spectator stands, regardless of the sport, and regardless of the day of the week.

At Northwestern, game days aren’t just about taking a break from the hustle and bustle of life — they’re about coming together as one student body and connecting through a shared love for our school. Football game days are a prime example: after belting out our fight song “Go! U Northwestern!” after every touchdown, growling like a wildcat (with clawed hands outstretched) during the opposing team’s kickoffs, and rounding out the day with an obligatory meal from Mustard’s Last Stand, it’s impossible to walk away from a game without feeling like a part of something bigger. And, for Northwestern, game days mean more than just football games. Since we’re the only school in the Big Ten that gives all of our students free tickets to every home game for every sport, our students love showing up to cheer on everyone from our superstar women’s lacrosse and basketball teams to our men’s wrestling crew.

One of my absolute favorite things about the Northwestern student section at game days is that there’s truly no prior experience required — whether you’re a football aficionado or watching your first-ever game, being a ‘Cats fan is fun no matter what. And I’ll be the first to admit it! I was never really much of a sports fan in high school — when I started college I had no clue whether “double-dribble” was a football or tennis term (turns out it’s basketball). I was a little nervous that I’d feel out-of-place in the spectator stands; fortunately, I couldn’t have been more wrong. I quickly learned that nothing brings a smile to an upperclassman’s face faster than teaching new students the fight song or the “proper” way to make a wildcat claw (pro tip: bend your knee, wrap your hand around it, lift your hand, and voilà!).  Game days instantly made me feel like Northwestern was my home and its students were my family.

And speaking of the students, no blog about Northwestern game days would be complete without talking about Wildside, a club dedicated to making our student sections as fun and accessible as they are. On top of working with the Athletics Department to constantly improve the game day experience, Wildside is also responsible for designing some of the coolest merch to ever grace my wardrobe, from my “Saturdays are for the ‘Cats” tee to my “Northwesteros” Game of Thrones long sleeve. Even better, Wildside distributes merch to students before almost every game, totally free of charge. It’s just another way to help us feel like one big Wildcat family.

Which, I guess, is the number one reason I love being a ‘Cats fan. Game days are about setting time aside every week, sometimes several times a week, to have fun and be together as a Northwestern community. I can’t wait for lots of y’all to experience it!