Editor’s Note: PGM staff members decide on the topic of a Staff Ed together. The staff as a whole provides opinions and content included in this Staff Ed to provide thoughts about and shed light on solutions for happenings at Pepperdine
One of the most common phrases used throughout our Pepperdine experience is “Family,” as often mentioned by students, faculty and staff.
We hear it at the Well as we gather together to worship. We hear it in our major upper-division classes as we study for our upcoming midterms with our small class size. The Graphic hears it here in the newsroom, as we work tirelessly to produce daily, engaging content for the community.
We are all in this together, and a key component of this family is school spirit. As Waves, as a family, we must support each other in all our endeavors.
When we hear school spirit, our minds can often immediately jump to SEC football. All too often, it seems that as Pepperdine students we check out when called to engage in “school spirit” due to our lack of a football team.
However, football is not the only engaging college sport. Here at Pepperdine, we have our Men’s Water Polo team, who have earned their No. 2 spot in the West Coast Conference rankings. We get the unique opportunity to cheer on such a groundbreaking, history-making Women’s Tennis squad.
We can rally in Firestone Fieldhouse and continue to support our star-studded Men’s Volleyball team. We can join the Women’s Swim/Dive team in the pool as they continue their winning season. We can bring the energy as our baseball team opens its season.
We are what we put in. If we claim to want school spirit, we must first be the spirit.
While sports are important, let us not forget about Pepperdine’s Fine Arts Program. Our Theatre and Music department churns out many plays, musicals and concerts for all to enjoy.
These productions and performances take months to prepare and perfect, so attending is not only celebrating their hard work but also commending their dedication and discipline in their craft.
Whether you decide to attend a performance at Smothers Theatre or a concert, taking the time to appreciate the arts adds another dimension to school spirit.
With these events in mind, don’t forget that students receive many discounts from other shops in the Malibu area. Alongside this are discounts for movie theaters and amusement parks such as Disneyland.
Building school spirit here at Pepperdine doesn’t require a football team, it requires us as the student body coming together to support our athletes, artists and local stores. Whether you decide to storm the stands, enjoy a recital or stop by Howdy’s in the Country Mart, each small action contributes to Pepperdine’s morale and helps foster a greater sense of unity within our small school.
With midterms approaching, we are tempted to hunker down in the library and grind our hearts out. However, the Graphic proposes an alternative: Show up and show out.
It is more than just packing out Firestone or Smothers. It’s supporting our fellow group member in religion class, our lab partner in Organic Chemistry and our fellow resident in Seaside.
Pepperdine is family. After all, we all chose to be a part of this community, by showing up and supporting one another, we can bridge the gap between simply being students and family, united in spirit and pride.
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Email Pepperdine Graphic: peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com
