DGS football games have always been a topic of confusion for someone as uneducated in sports as I, but there was always something about them that intrigued me. The community, the noise, the packed seating like a sardine can; it seemed impossible for anyone to not be swept up in the mustang pride. As someone who doesn’t normally watch football, I decided to give the experience a try.

As soon as I entered, one thing became incredibly clear; thank goodness I am deaf in one ear because it was unbelievably loud. I had a seat directly behind our talented marching band, but even my hearing disability couldn’t save me from an evening of screaming and tinnitus. Already, I couldn’t speak with the friends I chose to accompany at the game.

The game itself was even more mind boggling than how loud every inch of the bleachers were. To me, football will never be more than heavily armored logs lobbing an oddly-shaped ball around as an excuse to absolutely ravage each other’s craniums. This game was no different; despite the importance of a homecoming football game, I was confused as to how our normally mediocre team was doing so exemplary.

When my ears weren’t being melted by the cacophony of trumpets sitting two inches in front of me, the community aspect of the football game was one that didn’t disappoint. High school is a place filled with the awkwardness of social interaction, yet never once did I feel that pressure weighing down on the crowd. It felt as though everyone there was a part of one big mustang hive mind focused on supporting the team and representing the school.

This, however, did not force the community spirit into my numbed and otherwise expressionless self. I did not force myself to wear the theme colors of neon, I never once rose from my seat to celebrate any play or touchdown and never did that energy that I once thought was infectious leak into my mood.

I felt alien to the sense of unity clearly present among the DGS peanut gallery as more and more began to lose themselves in the rush of absolutely dominating our homecoming game. Perhaps this is just my inner contrarian creeping through or maybe football and I just do not link. I’m just glad I wasn’t there to see the crowd get ugly.

After around an hour and a half of my brain rattling inside my skull, my friends and I finally decided that it was time to escape. While the football game did not meet my absurd expectations, it did leave me with an important discovery; I most definitely have no soul.