Go Big Green!

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the Dartmouth - Princeton hockey game. I don't particularly like the sport (I'm a baseball girl, really), but one of my hockey-crazed friends dragged me to Thompson Arena, insisting that it would be fun.

When we got there, we both received rally towels (small white towels with the Dartmouth logo on them) and took our seats. Even though we'd arrived half an hour early, the stands were practically full, but we managed to find two seats that were three rows from the ice, and pretty close to the center.

Once the game started, I got caught up in the excitement of cheering with five hundred other Dartmouth students, sometimes chanting in favor of the Big Green, and sometimes hurling insults at Princeton, our archnemesis when it comes to hockey. There were students with signs, painted faces, and fake green wigs, and everyone was wearing either green or white. When Dartmouth scored the first goal, I found myself screaming and whipping my rally towel around my head just like everyone else.

One of the funniest - and strangest - Dartmouth traditions is when we score the first goal at the Princeton game, everyone in the stands throws tennis balls at the Princeton goalie and chants, "It's your fault!" Despite the men's hockey team having taken out a full-page ad asking the Dartmouth public not to do this, the tennis balls rained down onto the ice. Dartmouth received the requisite penalty, of course, and that was the end of the tennis ball shower.

Eventually, Princeton scored a goal, and the third period ended. For the five minute overtime, everyone was on their feet, screaming, stamping, and waving their towels around. Chants of "Let's Go Dartmouth!" rang in the air and I could feel my blood pounding in my ears.

With a minute left, Dartmouth scored and the crowd went crazy, chanting, screaming, and furiously waving their rally towels. I found myself hugging my friend while jumping up and down. I couldn't believe it afteward - I was excited about a hockey game!

As we left the stadium to go home, I thought to myself, "I can't wait for next year."