As the clock ticked down to five minutes, the entire arena was on edge. The New York Red Bulls were down 1-2 against Atlanta United, but the NY team was on the offensive and primed to score a last minute goal. After a long back-and-forth between the two teams, everyone held their breath as the ball flew past the ATL goalkeeper and into the arms of the net. Among the sea of red spectators were rows of first year students from NJIT, and regardless of if they were regular sports fans or first time attendees, everyone cheered all the same.
Adjusting to a new environment is no easy task, and the experience of this year’s incoming freshmen was no different. Whether it’s adjusting to the campus layout, dorm/commuter life, rigorous amounts of homework and quizzes, or the plethora of new apps needed for school activities, the first few weeks of college can be stressful. However, during first-year convocation, some were lucky enough to be given a special way to destress — free tickets to a soccer game in the Red Bull Arena, the sixth largest soccer specific stadium in the country.
Matthew Padilla, a computer science major and sports enthusiast, was among the attendees cheering their hearts out at the Sept. 21 game. When asked about his experience as a student so far, Mathew commented, “It’s just the beginning, but common exams are in less than a week. I thought it’d be fun and stuff to go out [to the soccer game] with some friends; they’re free tickets that we got from the raffle, so that’s cool.” He also expressed his enthusiasm in attending as a long-time sports fan: “I’ve seen the Red Bulls once before with my family. I also played soccer myself when I was younger, and did track in high school. I’ve been to some games and stuff; I’m a sports fan.”
On the other hand, Krish Patel, a computer science and physics major, experienced his first sports game. “I basically came for the same reasons,” said Krish after hearing Matthew’s response about going out with friends. “I don’t watch sports, so this is one of the rare times. I just thought I’d hang out with my friends, but before this and probably after this, I don’t watch sports.”
Despite their different experiences with sports culture, the pair had similar thoughts on the match. “It was a very interesting game. It was 1-0 for the Red Bulls, then Atlanta scored twice, and the Red Bulls scored in the end. The game extended by seven minutes, so that was cool,” said Matthew, highlighting the intense exchange between the two teams. “I think the vibe in the stadium was pretty nice…the game definitely kept us on our toes,” Krish added, emphasizing the enthralling nature of the game.
Although the Red Bulls did not win, the viewing experience was enjoyable for all. As a first-year international student, it was also a chance for me to witness the vibrant US sports culture firsthand. Even the process of getting to the arena, which required navigating multiple train systems and stations, was novel and exciting for me.
With the first set of common exams ominously lingering in the air, NJIT students will have to spend more hours at their desks studying. Every once in a while, however, we should take the chance to unwind and let our inner spirit cheer. After all, isn’t that what college is about?
