I once thought that the student section was nothing more than a reason to be rowdy and immature. I was always a part of the marching band, so I was of a totally separate entity. This year, however, conflicts arose, and I wasn’t able to march. I was one of those kids who didn’t have a whole lot of school spirit, so I thought I’d have be having a number of quiet Friday nights this fall.

Boy, was I wrong.

A a friend invited me to go tailgating with her and a couple other girls before the game. It’d been a while since I’d gone out with friends, so I agreed to meet them at the tailgate.  Little did I know that I would be hooked after the first touchdown.

When seven o’clock finally came around, the you could almost feel the waves of adrenaline in the air. Lawrence North scored the first touchdown, and then we scored one on them– the entire crowd was screaming, cheering our football players on. Almost everyone in proximity was sweating off body paint, including myself. The numbers on the back of our boys’ jerseys were gleaming under the bright lights. It all made me realize one thing: the student section is more than just excessive cheering and war paint.

Noblesville is like no other when it comes to camaraderie. We cheer for not only our sports team, but for individuals in our school as well. We cheer on those who are having a rough time, and encourage those who just need a little extra boost of confidence, or motivation to get something done. I’ve been to four schools, all in different states, and never have I seen a school that comes together just as much as Noblesville does. I feel so blessed to be at a school whose students care so much about each other– after seeing so many situations where it seems to be one student against the world, it’s refreshing. We use the hashtag #WAT so often, whether it be for games, or when there’s a tragic loss in our community. That night, we really were one, together.

After having this realization, you can bet I’ll be back at Hare Chevy field every Friday night, cheering on our team, with my friends and other peers– because we’re all in this together.