What’s up with “school spirit”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the deal with “school spirit”? Can anyone define it? Why did it disappear at some schools that used to have it? Why do some kids want it so much, even kids who have the stats for elite schools?

Rents.

A lot of schools that are in more expensive areas don't have cheap off-campus housing. So upperclassmen tend to commute more farther away and just don't do a lot of campus ECs like they used to. The high tuition also pushes students to focus more on things like co-ops, internships, job search, etc. and less on other campus activities.

I went to an undergraduate campus that was in a lower middle class/working class suburb and the apartments were dirt cheap near campus. The area has since gentrified and the apartments are expensive now, full of working professionals.

[Anonymous]

Disagree that school spirit is only found in D1 schools. Yes, athletic events is a big way that 'spirit' is formed, but the other big way is a school steep in traditions. Rice is a great example. Also Dartmouth. Neither are big sports 'rah rah' schools but they have a huge amount of school spirit through their regular drumbeat of school traditions.

+1. My SLAC had tons of school spirit - traditions, community organizations throughout campus, events that happened each year on campus, legacy parents/grandparents, a very strong honor code. Yes, we had sports but Homecoming was really the only game you ever went to, and it was fun. I always tell my kids I would go back in a heartbeat.

[Anonymous]

The Post must have been following our conversation because they posted their list of the 10 best college football towns. As a Badger alum, Madison as #1 doesn't surprise me at all. NDSU is surprising, but good for them! And yes, the town is different than the University, except when it isn't and is a big contributor to the school spirit. Madison is a great city.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/interactive/2025/best-college-football-towns/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f010

Here is the list:

University of WI, Madison, Wis.
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore.
Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.
University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.
University of Texas, Austin
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Post must have been following our conversation because they posted their list of the 10 best college football towns. As a Badger alum, Madison as #1 doesn't surprise me at all. NDSU is surprising, but good for them! And yes, the town is different than the University, except when it isn't and is a big contributor to the school spirit. Madison is a great city.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/interactive/2025/best-college-football-towns/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f010

Here is the list:

University of WI, Madison, Wis.
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore.
Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.
University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.
University of Texas, Austin
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D.

Is this about the town or school? I’m asking because South Bend is a god awful city. So much poverty and depression. It’s nothing like Athens or Madison or Boulder!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Disagree that school spirit is only found in D1 schools. Yes, athletic events is a big way that 'spirit' is formed, but the other big way is a school steep in traditions. Rice is a great example. Also Dartmouth. Neither are big sports 'rah rah' schools but they have a huge amount of school spirit through their regular drumbeat of school traditions.

+1. My SLAC had tons of school spirit - traditions, community organizations throughout campus, events that happened each year on campus, legacy parents/grandparents, a very strong honor code. Yes, we had sports but Homecoming was really the only game you ever went to, and it was fun. I always tell my kids I would go back in a heartbeat.

Are you willing to name the school? It would help those of us who are navigating this with our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Post must have been following our conversation because they posted their list of the 10 best college football towns. As a Badger alum, Madison as #1 doesn't surprise me at all. NDSU is surprising, but good for them! And yes, the town is different than the University, except when it isn't and is a big contributor to the school spirit. Madison is a great city.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/interactive/2025/best-college-football-towns/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f010

Here is the list:

University of WI, Madison, Wis.
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore.
Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.
University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.
University of Texas, Austin
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D.

Not if you have ever visited there on game day. Lot's of fun. They have had so much success at the National level with National Championships and games. Plus, it's Fargo, not a whole heck of a lot of other things to there that are better than a college football game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Normcore dudes and their gfs love college football and basketball. It's part of mainstream American culture. People fit in at work just by talking about the game results.

Talking with friends in the stands at a game can be fun.

All while working for the execs that went to great schools without big time football or basketball.

Wisconsin is a top producer of CEOs in the country and has undeniable school spirit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just dropped off DC at an Ivy. Everyone goes around quietly, students don't make eye contact. Something tells me, not much of school spirit there. I don't know it's the school problem or the generation problem.

Yeah...that's a trade off when you attend a lot of the higher academic schools. But, worth it in the long run.

Is it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Disagree that school spirit is only found in D1 schools. Yes, athletic events is a big way that 'spirit' is formed, but the other big way is a school steep in traditions. Rice is a great example. Also Dartmouth. Neither are big sports 'rah rah' schools but they have a huge amount of school spirit through their regular drumbeat of school traditions.

+1. My SLAC had tons of school spirit - traditions, community organizations throughout campus, events that happened each year on campus, legacy parents/grandparents, a very strong honor code. Yes, we had sports but Homecoming was really the only game you ever went to, and it was fun. I always tell my kids I would go back in a heartbeat.

I wouldn't call that school spirit. Others might but I wouldn't.

I went to a liberal arts college and loved it. So, did most of my friends. However, the "spirit" level is nowhere close to Michigan, etc.

[Anonymous]

SLAC grad living in the Southeast. SLAC had lots of school spirit but nothing compared to Alabama, Georgia and Clemson

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Five words : Football games at VT

Oh, my goodness, yes. So.much.fun.

That’s definitely a great expression of “school spirit!” But I’d also offer that there are schools that have massive school spirit that don’t necessarily center around sports the way that some larger state schools do. W&M comes to mind. Huge networking advantage there in that everyone who goes there seems super hyped about it and their alumni are all about hooking up recent grads with good job prospects and sharing in that enthusiasm of their Alma mater. That type of school spirit is more like a recognition that the place is special and the community offers a sense of true belonging. It permeates the culture there among students and staff/faculty. And as a result, you rarely meet a W&M student or alum who is simply lukewarm in the school. They all love it intensely and I think that can definitely be classified as school spirit.

Umm...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go Emory Eagles

That's mean.

I honestly don't understand how some posters are so sure that Emory has no school spirit because they don't have a football team. Have you even been there? I can assure you that there are students at Emory that have fun, have school spirit and are not held back.

Much preferred than the campuses where the athletes ride on scooters in their practice sweats around campus and act like they own the place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What exactly is school spirit?

Does Bama have better stronger school spirit than Columbia?

Does Columbia have any school spirit at all?

Columbia's alumni network is super strong though.
It seems two things got conflated.

Columbia doesn't do Rah-Rah.
The basketball games have a similar vibe and atmosphere to Middle School basketball games, right down to the cold fluorescent lighting.
The football team always looses.

But the alumni base is worldwide and strong.
The school name opens doors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go Emory Eagles

That's mean.

I honestly don't understand how some posters are so sure that Emory has no school spirit because they don't have a football team. Have you even been there? I can assure you that there are students at Emory that have fun, have school spirit and are not held back.

Much preferred than the campuses where the athletes ride on scooters in their practice sweats around campus and act like they own the place.

Emory students cheer on their top Div Iii swim, soccer and tennis teams.

[Anonymous]

Above poster- Div III