Attending Events on Campus

In the past six months of living on campus we’ve attended more events on campus as a family than we did in the prior eight years combined.

We had always gone to some sports events each year (especially football and basketball games), and we’d try to attend a few other things too– Step Team performances, Black History Month celebrations, or concerts we thought the kids would enjoy. But it was hard to do… it seemed like a big outing to gather us all up and get us out the door… and what if the event was a total flop?–then we’d have wasted a whole weekend night-or-afternoon-or-whatever-it-was-for-nothing… and I felt like I was dragging my family to my workplace (which often felt weird)… and I felt like I had to make sure my kids looked presentable and acted well-behaved… and… and… and… Lots of little reasons that added up to us not attending very much on campus.

Part of our decision to move to campus was in deciding that we wanted to take full advantage of me being a professor here; we wanted to start attending many more — and a much wider variety of — events on campus; we wanted it to feel easier to do. A university offers so much for people of all ages. I felt like we were forgoing a major perk of my occupation in not maximizing upon the huge array of events on campus that were open to us. And so, when we moved onto campus, it was with every intention of taking our kids to anything and everything that might be even remotely interesting or eye-opening to them. And I’m happy to say — six months in — that we’ve really lived that out.

We’ve continued to go to football and basketball games, but many more of them! We attended just about every home football game this fall– usually inviting all sorts of various family friends to join us for tailgating and game-going. And we’ve attended just about every home basketball game held on a weekend (weeknights have been off limits because they typically go much later than the bambinos’ bedtimes). But in addition, we’ve gone to athletic events that we never did before. Soccer games, lacrosse games, etc. And, in the past six months, two firsts for us: our first wrestling match (vs. Harvard), and our first swim meet (vs. Army). This spring we are looking forward to baseball and softball and tennis and track & field, and whatever else we might spontaneously drop in at. My student athletes love having us show up at their game/match/meet. And we don’t necessarily have to stay for the entire thing– it isn’t a huge commitment– we are just right here on campus anyway.

As I looked back at my pictures from the fall I was shocked to see that I had none of all the non-athletic events we’ve been attending. Often they are performances, so we are not allowed to take photos. Or they are cultural or religious gatherings, and it just wouldn’t be appropriate. So, in this case, the photos (or lack thereof!) just really don’t do it justice… but suffice it to say: we’ve attended a ton of stuff on campus in the past six months.

We celebrated Sukkot having dinner with the Director of Jewish Life in a Jewish Sukkot; we celebrated Eid with the Muslim Students Association; we went to the Diwali celebration put on by the Indian Students Association. Our kids have had the most amazing direct exposure to world religions!

We’ve attended a Cappella concerts and piano concerts and all sorts of performances of a huge variety.

We went to a gingerbread house making contest near Christmas, a Valentine’s Day chocolate tasting, and a whole ton of other things too.

This is just a sampling of what we’ve been able to do. I cannot even imagine the impact that all of this will have on our kids. But I’m imagining it will be pretty amazing in the long run. They’re growing up with an incredible perspective on the great big world around them. They are connecting with all sorts of people. They are learning so much. And having so much fun. And Braydon and I are too (connecting, learning, and having fun). We’re doing all this as a family of five. This, for sure, is one of the most major benefits of living on campus.

K & O meet up with an old friend at a basketball game

M makes a new friend at a football game

A favorite photo of mine: Meera at a basketball game (note: pearls, plastic princess shoes, and much more interest in the stickers and toy than in the game itself) — this girl is a hoot!

K & O, on the other hand, are fully enthralled with the game itself