The Hall Speaks #fallsemester

Wednesday November 13, 2013

The Hall Speaks

Home Real-life Virginia Beach University

VBU

I can smell it—football season. Fresh air mixed with pizza, hot chocolate and the tiniest bit of alcohol emanating from the skin of shirtless fans. It's a dry campus, but that's never stopped students from drinking.

There's nothing like VBU football. I've never seen anything like it. On a game day like today, the entire city is buzzing with contagious energy. I feel like I'm at a concert for some pop phenomena and that whoever shows the most love gets to go backstage. Even if people aren't going to the game—which is rare—they still are drawn to the crowds. If you've never experienced it, you have to. And now, after last year, it's even more incredible. The hairs on the back of my neck rise just at the thought. I like this feeling in my core. I remember when I first experienced it.

When I was fourteen, my parents took me to my first VBU game. The stadium looked like it reached the clouds. Everyone here, as you know, turns into a pirate. It's a little tradition that will never die; you have to actually wear some form of pirate garb before you are allowed in the stadium. The home side was full of cheering pirates dressed like crosses between Captain Hook and some pirate cartoon I watched as a kid. They all had this one accessory in common, purplish-blue pirate hats. And I know that today it will be like walking back into that moment. This is the one thing at this school that's constant. VBU football will never change.

My only plight: there's this massive cannon that fires every time we score. Now it doesn't feel the same. Hearing it paralyzes me, but my mind races to places I'd rather forget.

However, I'm taking a group of my rezzies to the game. They should provide some necessary laughter. I'll let you know if any of them show up drunk. My residents are smart this year, so I highly doubt they'd drink on an outing with the RA, right?!

Back to the past.