I came to Yale from a very large public high school in Katy, Texas, where football reigns supreme. From tailgating every weekend to homecoming to school-wide pep rallies on Fridays during seventh period, football and school spirit permeated some of the most memorable aspects of my high school experience. Coming to Yale, I never thought I could find the same school spirit and excitement that the Friday night lights in my town had brought me.
I was totally wrong! Earlier in the semester this year, Yale hosted a pep rally called YALE UP! to commemorate the start of football season (which we are killing!) and other Yale athletics teams. The turn out for the pep rally was tremendous!
Everyone dressed up in either their Yale gear or their residential college gear. Many Stilesians (Yalies in Ezra Stiles College) decided to paint our faces, and we carried Stiles-adorned shields and swords so we could make a lot of noise at the pep rally at Payne Whitney Gym. The pep rally was filled with tons of cheering and chanting lead by the Yale cheerleaders, tons of performances by various Yale dance groups, and tons of fun competitions and games.
The pep rally took me back to my days in high school, but it was larger than anything I had ever seen in high school. I had an absolute blast with my friends that night, and it got everyone really excited about Yale athletics. The pep rally solidified a feeling of community within me. Even as a senior at Yale, I am constantly mesmerized about how excited Yalies are about their school. So many of my friends and peers dedicate so much of their time to playing sports at Yale, and I love going to games and pep rallies to show my support and admiration to their dedication.
