If you had told 18-year-old me that I would spend many of my Saturday evenings at university watching sports, I would have laughed at you and suggested that you stop eating cheese before bed. But, here I am, on a Saturday evening at university, watching the Six Nations rugby tournament in my room.
I would like to make it clear from the very outset: I have no clue whatsoever about how rugby works. The only terms I can use confidently when discussing a game are that someone has been sent to “the sin bin” (still don’t know if that’s an official term or the commentators enjoying an inside joke…) or that the strapping “fly-half” (whatever that means) has missed a kick.
Most of the terms I have picked up while watching rugby are things I have heard my dad yell at the television. I have been watching rugby games with my dad since I was little and so I have heard my dad yell at the television many, many times. In fact, I remember at age six waking up at (what then seemed) the ungodly hour of 7 am to watch a British and Irish Lions match with him and it felt like one of the most exciting things ever. I didn’t know what was going on then, and I still don’t know what’s going on now.
Upon reflection, I have realised that the reason I tune in to the Six Nations at university is to feel closer to home. Yes, the experience of watching a match at university is a slightly calmer one. For a start, I am not being subjected to a personalised commentary and a detailed history of the “rubbish referee.” I am also not jumping out of my skin every 10 minutes in response to a sudden explosive, “COME ON ENGLAND!” And I am not having to babysit a pint of Guinness to ensure the dogs don’t take a sip every time my dad pops out to the toilet. The experience at university may be slightly different, but it still comforts me. There’s a strange psychology at play, where I know my dad is watching at the same time and it almost feels like I am watching it with him. In fact, we sometimes do a half-time phone call to talk about the match. This way, I haven’t missed out at all on the personalised commentary and a critical analysis of all the “abysmal refereeing decisions.”
I have also been tuning into football relatively regularly at uni. This is specifically a way to feel closer to my boyfriend. Although, I must admit I am beginning to lose patience with being ‘tested’ on the Newcastle players’ names and match stats. I am starting to think it would make my life a lot easier to stop watching and tell my boyfriend I have absolutely no interest in football.
All in all, though, I think that watching sports as someone who considers themself incredibly ‘non-sporty’ can be surprisingly rewarding: it can help you feel closer to those at home when you miss them. Even if you don’t share my experience of watching with family at home, if anything, watching sports at university can give you an excuse to take a break from the stress of work. And, if like me you are ignorant to the rules of the game, it is an allocated time to sit back and watch a bunch of people run around after a ball… in other words, it gives your brain a well-deserved break.