Happy Holidays everybody!

Nothing screams gingerbread and family togetherness like a rivalry hockey game where half of my family sits on one side of the arena while the other half on the other. We communicated via waving, text messages, and stalker-ish zoomed in photos of each other from the other side. 

It was Red Hot Hockey at Madison Square Garden: Cornell vs. BU. 

My family has always been a huge sports family. Our favorite movie is Miracle on Ice and my sister and dad are big hockey people, proud to be a part of the Rangers’ fan club. I too have attended a handful of hockey games with them over the years, but my intentions behind going might’ve been a tad different.

They loved watching the game while I couldn’t keep up with the puck and was much more concerned with where our seats were in proximity to the chicken finger stand. 

But, I was always a supporter of my high school’s hockey team. Maybe that’s because I knew the players. Now that I’m in college, I can’t say that some of my best buddies are on the team, but we have something in common - Boston!

Now that I’m almost through my first semester at a new school, I can confidently say that it has been a huge adjustment. After talking with other transfers we have come to the conclusion that we don’t feel a part of the school yet. Honestly, it feels like we are just here taking classes. 

That being said, although last night I was surrounded by hundreds of strangers, it was the first time I actually felt like I was a part of the community that is my school. Cheesy. I know. But it’s true! 

Along with strangers, of course we were with our family and I saw some friends and familiar faces. It was one big happy reunion. Except we lost. But that’s okay. You win some you lose some. 

The coolest part of the entire night? On the Jumbotron they started playing footage from the winning shot of the 1980 Olympic Games against Russia, and when the song Dream On by Aerosmith came on I immediately got the chills. It panned to a shot of none other than Mike Eruzione, the player who scored the winning goal and was once a fellow Terrier himself.

We really crank out the famous alum don’t we: MLK, Crazy Eyes from OITNB, David Quinn and eventually, yours truly. 

All it takes is some red - excuse me I mean scarlet -  clothes and a really big pastrami sandwich (which my stomach is still hurting from) to get some camaraderie in the air. That, or maybe sports. 

Who am I kidding, of course it’s sports! That’s why I love it. You find your people and you root for the same team. I became besties with the folks behind me after we both agreed that the other team yelling “it’s all your fault” repeatedly at our goalie after they scored was a form of bullying. 

I mean seriously. What are we, in middle school?! 

I for one am in college and am officially part of The Dog Pound. Go Terriers!