Having recently visited friends in Ann Arbor for Michigan’s final home game of the season, I can sincerely say that we Cornellians completely suck — at least as far as school spirit’s concerned. There is simply nothing that brings us together the way football games and beer bongs impress camaraderie across thousands of eager undergrads in a 100,000-seat stadium. It’s not necessarily an affinity for this great American sport that brings people together, nor is an understanding of quarters and downs even required — rather, pride is the common denominator. As I drank my beer with breakfast, I thought, “if only at Cornell…”

If only we weren’t so damn lazy, we might wear Cornell gear proudly, as opposed to in the mornings when we are too tired to care. What happened to the days when we would have given an arm and a leg to go here, when we anticipated that acceptance letter so badly we near peed our pants at the sight of it? Sure, we may happily harangue campus tour groups as they traverse the quad, but, for the most part, we have all but forgotten the Big Red fever that landed us here in the first place.

Given the diversity of our student body, I could not conceive of a single occasion with the potential to bring together such a varied assemblage as did this Big Ten event. And, with UMich’s undergraduate population nearly double the size of our own, have they not nearly double the diversity as well? These guys not only make it to the tailgate — they actually watch the game, too. Hell, thinking back over my last three years here, one of the biggest crowds I can recall crystallized at Barton Hall to see Bob Saget; now, what does that say about Cornellians? For one reason or another, we have failed to remain involved with the activities of the greater student body, instead, we let ourselves become lazy and are all too concerned with our own personal agendas.

Far from basking in the reflected glory of our sports teams, we are simply unlikely to support our athletes lest such encouragement cut into our precious schedules. Having forgotten what it’s like to be a school community, we suddenly care much less about attending friends’ shows, events and fundraisers at the expense of our personal time. Who wouldn’t want to boogie down at Dance Marathon, Tip-A-Canoe or wear shades while fighting AIDS? So, what are we actually doing with ourselves that prevents us from attending? Based on my arbitrary renderings about the Cornell student body, not necessarily a whole lot.

In truth, most of us are just unbelievably lazy. Seriously, TakeNote at an Ivy League University? Are our abilities to not only get to, but to pay attention in school not part of the reason we are here? When we lack the motivation to do things for even our own benefit, it’s unlikely that we’ll be willing to go any further out of our way for anyone else than necessary. What do these Big Ten-ers have that we are lacking? Besides a willingness to come together a few fall Saturdays per year, those Wolverines ain’t got nothin’ on us. So, come on, Big Red! Remove your heads from up out of your asses, and whip out your spirit fingers.

Remembering back to Ann Arbor, it was clear that the harsh cold, impending finals and any variety of personal responsibilities were easily dispensed with for the sake of the maize and blue. Sleet hardly put a damper on their exuberant spirits, whereas the Ithaca equivalent is easily the cause of extraneous naps and premature cancellations. The question is, what ever happened to Cornellian pride? Does anyone even know the Alma Mater anymore?

At this point, our inspirations lie only very narrowly outside ourselves. While we are all here pursuing an education, there’s certainly no harm in pursuing the Cornellian identity as well. So, help out a friend, be a fan, and quit being such a bum. Because, hey, chances are that you’ll never have a family of 13,000 again. Have a little pride, will ya?