This isn’t going to be a watershed piece. It’s not harping on anything we haven’t heard before as SMU students, but it needs to be something that we remember as football season officially starts.

We are terrible fans.

I’m not saying we don’t have school spirit. No instead, I’d like to say that we half-ass being true fans.

Truly, I was proud walking into the stadium that I could barely find a place to stand in the packed student section. For once in my four years as a student, the student section was truly a sea of students. We stood in the sun for a little while, cheering and booing as we do best.

But apparently, we all made a one-quarter pact. Stay for one quarter and we’re out. I’m not putting the blame on you alone, I too left with a severe sunburn and spent the afternoon watching the game in the comfort of air conditioning.

By the middle of the fourth quarter, I was sent a picture of the student section. The completely empty student section. Thanks to Mustang 11 and a few stragglers, there was a sprinkling of white in the corner.

I understand. It was hot, it was crowded and we were losing. But the football players, the band, the cheerleaders and the true fans all sat and played through the same conditions. These are our friends, classmates, peers and neighbors.

With a little preparation, sunscreen and hydration (and I mean water), we can make standing, cheering and making the experience more enjoyable for all and easy task.

We are apathetic fans.

And if anyone deserves to be in the Mob, it’s the students who stayed to the end. The approximately 30 of them.