School Spirit

By Margarita Lopez

Staff Writer

Students of different ages are seen around campus sporting Brooklyn College sweatshirts, tote-bags, t-shirts, and the like, but where is their real school spirit lingering off to?

There have been countless times that this type of admiration for the school someone may attend, or just how nicely a sweater fits on you is seen throughout the many halls here at Brooklyn College.

Has it merely become more of a fashion trend rather than showing admiration for your school? What the real issue here is whether or not the same people that are adorning the trademarks are showing their school spirits other than on clothing.

With over 15,000 students in attendance at Brooklyn, it would be expected that students can rely on different club organizations to spice up their interests and hobbies.

With the many different organizations that serve the very ethnically diverse community on campus such as the Puerto Rican Alliance, the Haitian American Student Association, Islamic Society and Dominican Student Movement, BC is able to link students with each other to better understand one another through race and religion.

Not only are there clubs based on different races and religions, but are targeted to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students just as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance (LGBTA) does.

There are clubs that are relevant for students with law majors to join like the Lay Advocate Program as well as those who would like to be socially involved regarding consumer protection and equal rights, like the New York Public Interest Research Group allows. Keeping up with the news that goes on around campus is essential to students and faculty just as The Kingsman and The Excelsior provide.

Given the fact that most students are not always able to meet during club hours which are for two hours during Tuesdays and Thursdays, there are other types of ways to be involved in clubs and activities if a student cannot make a certain event.

Clubs usually have mailing lists that inform those who sign up for its service of the events that are upcoming. This is another great way to stay informed on what is going on in organizations at Brooklyn.

The real question here is, what is the definition of showing school spirit? Is it staggering in front of Boylan Hall? Or is it crowding the busy cafeteria with friends and members of the faculty who jolt in and out of the doorways? Maybe it is showing up for your classes although students claim to not see the relevance of taking an art history or a classical cultures course.

Wouldn't having school spirit essentially be showing pride in the activities a school provides? Where has the real meaning of school spirit faded off into?

Taking pride in the school in which someone attends is essential to experience college life to its maximum capacity. No, it doesn't mean that by attending every basketball game and cheering every time a score is made, you have the most school spirit.

However, it does show an admiration for the players and staff that represent a part of the school. A greater part of having school spirit is showing respect for the many different clubs, teams, organizations and societies and the work that goes into those groups to keep them functioning.

Simply wearing a t-shirt that spells across the name of a school obviously sends the message that you or someone you know attends the school. Wearing the school's name is more of a privilege when you have just grades to show for it. Taking part in what the school has to offer speaks volumes rather than a few letters printed on a sweater. After all, we as students are able to join as many clubs and attend as many events as possible.

The only problem after joining all of the groups you have an interest in is balancing school, work, friends, a relationship (if applicable), and family. Sounds to me like those students have their work cut out for them, but they still manage to show their school spirit in the midst of everything else.