When I first started exploring colleges in high school, I knew that I wanted to go to a school with Division I sports. My brother had played football at the Division III level at a small liberal arts college, and traveling around New England to watch him play only strengthened my desire to attend a bigger school. I enjoyed watching my brother compete on cold, fall mornings, but I also spent most Saturdays during my childhood glued to a TV showing stadiums filled with a city-sized sea of passionate fans.
I would grow attached to schools I had absolutely no connection to, and their teams would determine my mood for the following week. Before sports betting decided game-by-game allegiances, it wouldn’t be obvious to any on-looker as to why my seven-year old self was bawling my eyes out after Boise State fell to Virginia Tech. More rational minds might have Division I sports in the category of an added bonus or non-factor when continuing their education, but for me, this was essential.
My four undergraduate years at BC scratched my itch for this staple of the American college experience. Although Alumni Stadium is dwarfed by venues like Michigan Stadium or Kyle Field, I can still look back on countless moments tailgating and attending football, basketball, and hockey games. BC might not have always produced championship squads, but they always brought the campus together.
As I contemplated a busier life after graduation set apart from my undergraduate years, I realized that my decision of where to go to law school would have to rest on location, scholarships, job outcomes, and other, more tangible (and boring) factors. Weighing these factors, I ultimately found myself right back at Boston College for another three years. Law school was different, though. I would need to dedicate most of my time to studying, becoming involved with clubs, and navigating the early recruiting cycle. This assumption had some truth to it, but I took for granted that BC’s campus culture carries over to the law school, including the role collegiate sports play. People definitely hold a special place in their hearts for their alma maters. However, it is clear that most take pride in their status as a BC student. Over the course of my first year, I found joy in watching my classmates shed their undergraduate merch and don clothing plastered with “Boston College” or “Eagles.”
I truly believe that having Division I sports factors into this school pride. Although it is not at the top of anybody’s mind during memo week, many attend special events like the Red Bandana game, which honors Welles Crowther, a BC alumnus and volunteer firefighter who lost his life saving as many as 18 people on 9/11. Getting together with friends to watch any game serves as an escape from the seemingly endless obligations that law school imposes on students. This can translate to the way we treat each other, too. The curve may incentivize cutthroat competition and isolation, but a campus culture that embraces activities like college sports or bar reviews alleviates this narrow view of what a law student should and shouldn’t do with their time.
It is unquestionable that law student life is much different than undergraduate life. Free time comes at a premium and everybody is on a relatively similar path, which creates an intense uniformity among the student body. I also think it is easy to forget how insufferable a law student can be around non-law students when the scope of conversation is often limited to outlining, recruiting, or some other stressful thing that others don’t have to or want to worry about. Immersing yourself and finding joy in areas outside of the law keeps you human and much more enjoyable to be around. I don’t think I could have tolerated five minutes in a room with myself during certain weeks of my first year. Easy access to BC games was one of the main reasons why I was able to survive those trenches. Everyone has passions, interests, and hobbies outside of college sports, but this was one escape that I am extremely grateful for, and that I know I would miss if I attended other schools. Intangibles, like college sports for me, often take a back seat when it comes to law school decisions, but these can still shape someone’s experience and should be considered to some extent. After all, nobody attends law school because they want to land at the right decision by crunching numbers.
Joe Monti is a first-year student at BC Law. Contact him at montij@bc.edu.
