New Student Orientation barrages recently arrived students – both freshmen and transfers – with University of Miami traditions after traditions. A flurry of C-A-N-E-S spell outs, chants and cheers introduced me to the spirited UM lifestyle.
Two years later, I’ve realized that there is more to the UM experience than this encapsulation of everything orange and green.
The athletics department’s initiative to create a video to keep students from leaving the stadium suggests that students’ memories are centered on football games. For some, that’s true, but that’s not the case for myself and probably many others.
Don’t get me wrong. I hold the university in high esteem for both its academic and social reputation. UM’s almost century-long history is connected to the football team.
But UM is more than its football team. Groups of talented and passionate students remember their time being in the Student Government office, hosting a music show on WVUM or researching topics in biology in the Cox Building.
Athletics’ video aims to achieve a similar goal to orientation: Bring together the individual students that are part of this larger community at our various stadiums.
This community is positive because majors from all schools and disciplines come together. But conveying to students that there is a need to stay at games through a video takes away from this natural event.
Allow students to make their experience what they want it to be – whether that means staying for two quarters or the entire game.
Let’s not judge but embrace all university experiences, regardless of how far removed that may be from Sun Life Stadium.
Alexander Gonzalez is a junior majoring in English literature.