I was at the exact perfect age — high school seniordom — when the Red Sox achieved that wonder of wonders and won the world series for the first time in 87 years. To understand how momentous that was for Bostonians, you really had to have been there — my headmistress declared a day off from school, there were parades and people dressed up in Red Sox outfits every day that week.

The curse was reversed! Even more than that miracle, though, was the miracle that some people who had less than zero interest in sports (like yours truly) suddenly became excited by the games.

All of us, no matter what our sports background, were on the edge of our seats as the Red Sox struggled to beat the Yankees, our mortal enemy, and then the Cardinals. Each won game was one more day we were still alive, and I still remember the excited discussions at school. People who had never held a baseball in their lives were talking strategy and statistics; Red Sox caps came out in every possible color.

It reminded me of how fun and exciting it can be to pretend to be a tomboy even for a little while, especially in the summer, and get your head and heart into a game. Sports are made not just by the playing, but by the watching. Every great athlete dreams not just of winning, but of having the crowd go wild. Read More »

Before college, baseball was completely useless to me. There was no team that particularly mattered, and it was horrible to watch on TV. Sure, I liked A League of Their Own, but there wasn’t anything quite as captivating going on in real sports that made me want to pay attention.

Then came college, and I lived with five New Yorkers who had an entirely different opinion. The Manhattanites were die-hard Yankees fans, the Westchester kids pledged their love for David Wright and the New York Mets. After fate pointed me eastward in my post- graduation move, I felt morally torn between the lesser of two evils.

I’m going to preface my decision-making with the following: We had gone on sorority house trips to see the Detroit Tigers play, and the games had been so much more fun than TV could ever suggest. The weather was nice, people were relatively excited about it, I could understand how people got into baseball. But I wasn’t particularly attached to the Tigers. I hadn’t grown up with them. I didn’t care if they won or lost. I needed a team, and I was moving to baseball Mecca mid-season. Read More »

Senior year of college marks the beginning of an entirely new lifestyle. Here are a few of the top post-graduation destinations, what brings people there, and what you should know before renting a U-Haul:

Chicago, Illinois

Kanye West’s hometown is clean and pretty, giving Midwestern culture a big city to call their own. This is where about eighty percent of my college friends moved after graduation.

Yea!
It’s right on the beach for summertime. You also have tons of grad schools to choose from if you don’t want to work just yet, and a great laid-back vibe. It’s a driving city, too, so you’re not obligated to give up your car. Go to Cubs or Sox games, or start supporting the ‘da Bears!
Nay?
Ever heard of lake-effect snow? The Chi can get bitterly cold in the winter. Traffic is rough, so you may want to study up on your public transportation. Also, it has the potential to feel like undergrad relocated. Read More »