Ok guys, I’m going to get a little sappy here for a second: I love Ohio State.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me. I have a wide variety of apparel with the Ohio State logo emblazoned upon it, from sweatpants to jackets, scarves and winter hats, to t-shirts and socks – even a necklace with a Block O charm that I once spent hours fishing out of my drain because I couldn’t bear to lose it.
It should also come as no surprise that around 8:30 p.m. tonight I will be sitting on the edge of my seat watching the first-ever College Football National Championship Game between my Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks. I try my best to abstain from being that obnoxious fan who yells at the television but I rarely succeed; I found myself watching the 2013 Big 10 Championship game by myself while my friends were in the other room hiding from me. Whoops.
My affection for the Buckeyes runs deep, rooted in my four years attending The Ohio State University down in Columbus. Which is why, win or lose tonight, I will still be proud to don the scarlet and gray tomorrow and every day after.
People often criticize Ohio State and its fans for being a little too intense, a little too crazy about the game. I suppose that can be true, I mean our mascot itself is a nut. But attend one game at The Horseshoe in Columbus and tell me it’s not easy to get caught up in the frenzy. That’s the one thing I remember most tangibly about attending games as a student for four years – the atmosphere. The feeling of being a part of a mass more than 100,000 strong rooting for a win. The sense of community and family you get singing “Carmen, Ohio” with your arms around complete strangers at the end of every game.
And furthermore, so what if we get a little crazy? To me that’s part of the fun, getting so caught up in the game that you cheer with every touchdown and groan with every tackle. As an Ohio State alum I feel it is my duty as a Buckeye to get passionate about my school, and my duty as a human being to live fully and enthusiastically in those moments. I believe everyone should have the courage to feel that way about something in their lives, whether a team or anything else that lights a fire in your soul.
But beyond game day, my pride for Ohio State – the kind that I feel deep down to my core – ultimately comes from more than just our football team. It comes from graduating from a school that gave me some of the best four years of my life, that made me rich in life experience as well as friendships, and that represents so hard for its people it’s very hard to resist when you hear that resounding “O-H” call.
Winning a championship tonight may very well make my heart explode with happiness and pride, especially considering the obstacles our team has overcome this year. But within our challenging season of injured quarterbacks, tough early losses and the death of a teammate comes life lessons that underscore all my memories of Ohio State. Lessons that extend far beyond the football field: Perseverance. Strength. Unity. Pride.
This is what makes this team worth cheering loudly for. This is what makes me proud to hail from The Ohio State University. And this is why, win or lose tonight, I will always be proud to be a Buckeye.
How firm thy friendship, O-HI-O.
Richland Source office holds five Buckeyes. Four of them took classes at the Ohio State Mansfield campus.
Rhonda Bletner, Class of 2002.
David Yoder, Class of 2012.
Brittany Schock, Class of 2012.
Emily Dech, Class of 2013.
Dillon Carr, Class of 2015.
