My high school experience was spent attending many football and basketball games. Even though I had no idea what was going on half the time, I still loved being with a ton of people who were all in support of the same team. 

Therefore, going to a college with a lot of school spirit was a big factor for me. Luckily, UMass is full of pride for our Minutemen and Minutewomen.

Even at a school where the football team isn’t the marquee sport, I can assure you attending a game is still a fun tradition to start (and it's free with your UCard, as are all other sporting events). What better way to get to know your school than all getting all of your friends together to obsess over it? Tailgate, dress up in maroon and white, sit in the student section, clap along to the fight song, and sing the alma mater postgame. These are all a great way to generate that pride. And though going to football games at UMass is wildly underrated, I still think it’s a really fun thing to do. You are also treated to food from none other than UMass Dining!

As the colder weather hits, basketball and hockey games begin. These sports are a bit more popular with the student body so you will usually find more people in the stands in support of our teams. My favorite part is getting dressed up in my UMass logo wear and being in the student section to cheer on our teams. The UMass Dance Team performs great halftime numbers, and the cheerleaders make sure you are cheering during the whole game. It’s a really easy and exciting way to celebrate your school with your friends.

If sports are not your thing, there are so many other ways to show your Minutemen spirit on campus. Even the small things, like Maroon Monday, are a good way to show your pride. A pretty self explanatory concept, Maroon Monday is when you wear maroon on Mondays. You’d be surprised how many people opt for a UMass sweatshirt, hat, or even just a maroon colored shirt to fit in with one of our school’s colors. This campus allows you to show your UMass pride in the littlest of ways, which is something that really attracted me to this school!