The fall semester of my freshman year at Northeastern was filled with many firsts, but most notably, it was my first time moving to a new city. Naturally, this came with feelings of unfamiliarity and lack of belonging. I am from Boerne, Texas, a rural town outside of San Antonio with an environment starkly different than that of Boston. I wasn’t originally convinced that Boston would ever feel like my new home, but through engaging with the city’s vibrant sports culture, I found myself feeling like a Bostonian.
When I moved into my International Village dorm room in the fall of 2021 the week before classes began, I was met with a variety of opportunities to engage with the city, all provided by Northeastern. I remember getting free tickets to the New England Aquarium and a Duck Tour, but the most impactful experience was the opportunity to watch the Red Sox with Student 9’s. These are $9 student tickets to Fenway Park for Red Sox games throughout the regular and post-season.
I took advantage of this opportunity to see the historic Fenway Park twice before my fall classes even started and close to a dozen times throughout my first semester. My $9 student ticket and a Fenway Frank for dinner were all I needed for the perfect night in Boston. My roommates and I would walk the 15 minutes to Fenway Park together and find our place among the thousands of rowdy fans. I was thrilled by the bright lights and easy-to-follow baseball entertainment. Throughout my first year, I became more and more acquainted with the Red Sox lineup and I slowly grew a collection of different colored baseball caps to rotate through for my cheap trips to Fenway.
I even had the opportunity to see a Yankees @ Red Sox Wild Card game. The most famous rivalry in sports was heightened in this game played to determine which team would take the last playoff spot. I remember feeling that sense of belonging while sitting with a crowd mixed with students and die-hard Red Sox fans who did not care where you were from as long as you weren’t wearing a Yankees cap. My frequent trips to Fenway for the Red Sox games solidified my love for the city of Boston. It allowed me to feel like a true resident of Boston and a fan of the Red Sox. The Student 9’s undoubtedly eased my transition to this new stage in my life and welcomed me as one of Boston’s newest residents. While I may always be an Astros fan at heart, I consider the Red Sox to be my team and will cheer them on at any opportunity I can get.