Tufts Blogs

Whenever I return home over breaks, I make time to hang out with my friends from high school. When we discuss the experiences of our previous semester, sporting events undoubtedly come up. My friends and I are all passionate sports fans. However, their schools, such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, draw massive crowds to their collegiate athletic events. Their game days are a nationally televised phenomenon. That is not the case at Tufts. Our game days are always fun, but usually are more low-key. Nonetheless, I’ve still maintained my passion for professional sports and love watching live events on TV, whether it’s NFL Sundays or the World Series. So, I thought I’d share some tips on how I’ve found a community of Jumbos to watch sports with at Tufts. 

The first way of finding fellow sports devotees at Tufts is by sitting in your dorm’s common area. That’s right - just take a seat in front of the TV (preferably on a Sunday). Inevitably, someone will come in and either join in your viewing of the game you’re currently watching or will ask to put on a game that they’re interested in. During my freshman year, this strategy, believe it or not, worked for me, and I found friends to watch NFL football and Premier League soccer with. For many first-year students, the common area of their dorm is a great outlet for meeting new people. As someone who is pretty reserved, I understand the hesitancy to hang out with strangers, but, trust me, it will work. Everyone is a first-year, and everyone is nervous

My second tip is to come prepared. Whatever you think is necessary to watch a game, bring it with you to Tufts. Pack all of your apparel (jerseys, t-shirts, hats, etc) and wear it on game days. People love seeing things from their home states and often shout out a quick “Go Birds!” or “Roll Tide!” if they recognize their home team or state’s logo. Additionally, have snacks. People love snacks! It’s a fact proven by science. Put out a bowl of chips or popcorn while you watch the game. People will stop by, grab a bite, and continue to watch. You will be the most popular person of all time and everyone will want to watch the game with you. The third component of this tip is to have all of your technology ready so that you can watch the game anywhere. Know your log-ins (for YouTube TV, cable channels, etc). There’s no worse feeling than sitting down to watch the game and then not knowing what email the QR code that the TV has miraculously generated sent the password to. (As you can tell, I’m a tech wiz.) In any case, practice setting up the TV and your accounts so they work on game day. Also, have an HDMI cable so that you can cast broadcasts from your computer, or bring something similar to an Apple TV box. The TVs in the common areas do not have cable, so you will have to use your own tech to stream broadcasts. 

So, for those of you who love to watch sports, do not fear. From Formula One to Jai Alai and every sport in between, there is always someone to watch the game with. For me, NFL Sundays spent in the common areas of Houston Hall and Stratton Hall have become a tradition. My friends and I have bonded, shouted endlessly at bad refereeing, and celebrated spectacular wins. I know that you will find a community to watch with too. You just have to give meeting new people a shot. 

And don’t forget the snacks.