Sweet Caroline…BA! BA! BA! Good times never felt so good!

When many people ask, “What is there to do at Harvard?” they often overlook the university's connection to the metropolitan area in which it resides: Boston. Being connected to the city invites students to partake in all that it has to offer. Symphonies, historic sites of the American Revolution, and sports events. One such sports event that has become my personal favorite has been a Boston Red Sox game at the historic Fenway Park!

I first got the opportunity to attend a Boston Red Sox game during my junior year when my upperclassmen house, Pforzheimer House, invited twenty students to join the Faculty Deans—Harvard faculty who reside in undergraduate houses to foster community and academic excellence—at a game against the Baltimore Orioles. I had never considered going to a baseball game in my spare time before. I initially thought the sport was merely fun to play, but boring to watch. I went to baseball games in my home state—New Jersey—and made a broad assumption that I disliked the sport.

However, I was pleasantly surprised that baseball in Boston could be so fun! My excursion with my housemates to Fenway Park started inside our house as we gathered to prepare for our journey on the Boston T (Boston’s public rail). I met my roommate, and we talked about how excited we were to enjoy America’s favorite pastime. I was especially excited because watching sports allows me to cheer loudly and contribute to a lively atmosphere. We boarded the Red Line train at Harvard Square station to start our journey to Fenway Park. A quick trip on the Red Line ended as we got off at Park Street Station to board a Green Line train. That train took us within a 10-minute walk from Fenway and allowed our group to soak in the Red Sox fan culture. All around us, we saw Red Sox and Boston merchandise, a sea of people wearing red and fence green (the iconic Fenway color), and people proudly waving Red Sox flags. It felt like the entire city of Boston mobilized into a single organism with the common goal of making the Orioles know that they were in hostile territory.

Our walk to Fenway Park ended as we entered the gates into the ballpark and onto the concourse. The fence green color of the stands was even more vibrant than one could imagine. Our group went up to the bleachers where we were going to sit, and the first sight of the baseball field had us all in awe. The lights, sights, and sounds all captivated me into believing I was Bostonian to the bone. We proceeded to our seats—my roommate and I sat next to each other—behind the Orioles’ bullpen as the game began.

The baseball game was an enjoyable watch. From the start, both teams got hits and were threatening to score runs. Throughout the game, I was chanting, cheering, and making a ton of noise. I, and the rest of the stadium, roared as we saw a back-to-back home run over the Green Monster (the large green wall in the stadium). I was truly a Boston Red Sox fan that night! My antics were so boisterous that the Faculty Deans, who were sitting behind me, and other housemates were laughing at my lively antics. I was happy to turn around and see that my behavior had brought more enjoyment to the house.

During the times when I was not leading chants and partnering with equally loud fans, I found myself connecting with housemates I had not met before. It helped that I was already animated during the game, so socializing with new people was like second nature. My roommate introduced me to two Pfohomies (the colloquial name for Pforzheimer House residents) who were sitting next to him. I introduced myself after they had seen my enthusiasm for sports, and they showed appreciation for it. Throughout the game, we got to know each other’s interests, home state, and I even got them to join in on the baseball traditions! We sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and “Sweet Caroline,” and tried desperately to get on the jumbotron. We entered that game housemates, but we exited Fenway Park great friends.

So, when in the greater Boston area, enjoy a Fenway Frank, sing Sweet Caroline at the end of the seventh inning, and enjoy cheering on the Red Sox while making life-long friends!