Where are you, Superfan?

It seems difficult for many of us to imagine, in the midst of a tailgate in the Mods, being thrown into the air 21 times after Boston College's third touchdown, or while watching the marching band's halftime show, that the entire student body may not be in the stands singing "For Boston" alongside us. Though some students were just too late this summer in their attempts to claim a student ticket package and now spend their weeks searching Facebook groups and marketplace for tickets to each game, others actually choose not to attend this favorite BC event. Some students, believe it or not, came to BC because of the superb academics and the variety of opportunities it offers. Some students, instead of freezing half to death in the pouring rain of a 7 p.m. Florida State loss, choose to spend their Saturdays away from the insanity that BC's campus epitomizes every home game. "Yes, I buy student tickets," says Kristin Borrero, CSOM '11. "I have last year and this year bought the full season." She continues, however, "I actually have not attended a game." This self-proclaimed "CSOM-er at heart" explains three reasons why she doesn't use her season tickets. "I weigh the opportunity cost of attending the game and sometimes determine that it's a better idea if I just sell my ticket," Borrero says. "Other times I have events going on where I can't attend. Sometimes, I'll admit, I could probably change them around but I don't usually go out of my way to reschedule things so that I can go to a football game." Lastly Borrero says, "I'm not a big fan of crowds. I just don't like any sort of events with lots of people really crowded together and loud kinds of things." Stefanie Joseph, A&S '09, would agree that her last reason is a concern in the BC student section. "I don't buy season tickets, although sophomore year I bought tickets for two games," Joseph says. She describes the games as "miserable." "I honestly went for the social aspect because I don't actually like football. And even though I was sober I felt like I was drunk because of the rocky bleachers," Joseph says. "I also had bad experiences with the people sitting around me," she continues. Along with every football game, though, there are constant game-day festivities, be it before, during, or after the game, that students can still partake in even if they don't have a ticket. "I'm usually off campus when the games are happening," Borrero says, "but I have watched a couple of the away games while I have been at BC in our dorm's common room or someplace, so I've gotten that sort of excitement." Joseph adds, "I can't really participate in tailgating in the Mods yet. I probably will when I am old enough," as this is a BC senior's seeming birthright. There are, of course, other things to do on a day when BC football takes over Chestnut Hill. "I can honestly say that there's only been one instance when I've even been on campus when a football game is occurring," Borrero says, assuring us she isn't just trying to avoid Alumni Stadium. "Usually I'm off campus either visiting friends or my sister at other colleges in Boston or just going out and doing something that I want to do or consider fun," she concludes, noting that all of her BC friends go to the football games. "They all have season tickets and they're all really excited about it," Borrero says. She continues to say that she has felt pressure at times to go to games but feels the need for the balance in her life that getting off campus on Saturdays gives her. Joseph is a little less affected by her friends' pleadings. "A portion of my friends go to the games and I don't really feel pressure to go no matter how much they beg," she says. "I don't really feel left out [of BC culture] because I am so busy and involved with school." Although Borrero agrees that the numerous other organizations she's involved in on campus help her keep in touch with BC events, she admits, "In a way I feel left out because it seems like it's a full day long event that people get ready for, then go to, and then talk about afterward and still spend time together after the game." She makes sure to stay up on the team's wins and losses, though, in order to participate in this social aspect of football games. Borrero also says that she does have some regrets for not going to games. "Especially my freshman year I feel like I missed out on some of the bonding that people had because of going to the games together, so I wish I had gone to a couple of them at least," she says and declares that she will be attending a few games this season. "I picked BC a lot because I liked the spirit the students seemed to have on campus and so I do feel like I want to be a part of that," Borrero says. These games will surely include BC's rivalry game against Notre Dame, as her friends won't have it any other way. A lack of competitive football at the high school level may have turned certain students off from the sport as a whole, influencing their decision not to attend games in college. Both Borrero and Joseph say that the football teams at their high schools were less than the main event. At the same time, however, the girls don't see the hype about BC football as necessarily a bad thing. "I feel like it creates excitement and a kind of community feeling among the student body," Borrero says. "The support is there for the team whether it's their best year or their worst." "Football is a big deal here at BC," Joseph says, "but that might be because our team is so good." A fact on which football fans and non-fans alike would definitely agree.