Written by Claire Parry-Glover (Proud Future Waterloo Alumnus)
For me, Fantastic Alumni Day at the University of Waterloo is all about family. It begins with my dad, mom, sister, and me suiting up for the big game in our black and gold apparel. My dad always wears his signature black and gold scarf. Time to head to campus for some basketball fun.
We arrive at the game with free tickets in hand ready to collect paper for the popular airplane toss. Everyone wants to be one of those lucky people who takes home a prize. We settle into some amazing front row seats, bringing us close to the on court action. The game is filled with entertainment. The cheerleaders were stunting, flipping, and energizing the crowd with their tumbling. The crowd goes wild with every UWaterloo basket. And the basketball players, the real stars of the show, give it their all as they represent the black and gold on the court. It’s inspiring that they can play at such a high level and balance their studies at the same time.
As I scan the crowd, I’m amazed by how many people I know. I see my friends from school, Harsimran and Piper. I notice my parents’ colleagues and their children. President Hamdullahpur stops by our seats at half time to say hi. My parents, professors at UWaterloo, even talk to some of their students. Everyone seems to be enjoying their time with everyone else. Even with the competitiveness of the half-time airplane toss, people are friendly and cheer for the prize winners.
I realize this event isn’t just about my family; it’s about the Waterloo family. Whether you’re a student, faculty member, staff, alumni, or even related to any of the above, we are all part of the UWaterloo family. We’re all part of the same team. Events like Fantastic Alumni Day bring us together through our common bond. Win or lose, we all support one another. And that’s why I’ll be back next year. To enjoy some more family fun.