When coming to Berkeley, there was one thing I really looked forward to: football. From cheering in the spirit section for my high school’s football team to my family’s fantasy football league, I loved to cheer on a team I could call my own. So I made it a priority that I would go to as many football games as possible at Cal, despite not knowing much about the team.
I remember my first game: a hot midday game against UC Davis. It was so exciting to see crowds flowing into California Memorial stadium, the students getting their game day t-shirts, and the Rally Committee and CalBand filling up their sections. However, at the first game, I was surprised at what I saw: many people came to the game but didn’t even watch, leaving halfway through. The student section seemed pretty empty against the full card stunt. The stifling heat made it difficult to concentrate on anything. Despite winning the game by a substantial amount, there was little fanfare or hype for the team.