The first real event I went to here in the States was a women basketball game at the Ted Constant Center. The Lady Monarchs were playing George Mason, but the funny thing in my opinion was that there was more activity on the court when the game was paused and therefore the breaks were the most entertaining. Maybe it was because the Lady Monarchs killed the other team 73 to 42 and the game was not that intensive and nothing real exiting happened in the game. When the game was paused on the other hand cheerleaders were dancing everywhere, the marching band was playing different cool songs and everybody was cheering along. In colleges in the US I believe what is know as "school spirit" is a big deal. This was shown in various cheers i.e. every time a free throw went in the basket everybody yelled out: hu ha ODU.
When the game was over the team, the cheerleaders, the mascots and the managing staff stood in a line singing the ODU song and the ODU spectators sang along, which again emphasized the feeling towards our university and the way "school spirit" is portrayed to the outside world. As we don't have college/university sports in Denmark, this was a fun experience for me.
We do not have school sports teams in Denmark because education is free and therefore scholarships are unnecessary. That is why there is no competition neither in high school or college to receive these prestiges scholarships. What we do have is "city spirit" in the sports world. If people are into soccer or handball, which are the biggest two sports in Denmark, they follow the city or local team. In regards to school it is much more a place you come only to attend classes and then you go home or hang out with friends anywhere else but school. School is for school work, except the bar in the basement at Aarhus School of Business or the traditional Friday bars at every higher education institute in Denmark. Here we let our hair down and relax, and quite frequently have parties that are known for being wild.
Just a fun fact to leave you with: In Denmark you can buy alcohol in stores when you are 16 and in bars and clubs when you are 18.
I had no idea that Denmark does not have University sports. I'm so glad that you could share this experience here at Old Dominion. You picked a good school with an AWESOME Women's Basketball team. I mean, we rock up and down the East Coast.
ReplyDeleteThere's no better way to fall in love with your school than to go to sporting events.
Do Denmark Colleges have other methods of manifesting school spirit? I can't imagine college without that school spirit. Thanks you for your view point.
ReplyDelete