I've been making the most of the brief few weeks I've had off before rehearsals for our next trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe get into full swing across July (with our two week run up there beginning in mid-August – scarily soon!). I opted to head back up North and make the most of the ideal listings on television in a setting complete with the home comforts of family, cats, and a seemingly eternally-stocked fridge, always in the company of my eagerly-watching Dad. After a hectic term stuffed with assignments, a dissertation, examinations and extra-curricular commitments aplenty as ever, the opportunity to take some time off to help on the family farm and enjoy some world-class sporting action was much appreciated, particularly as we all love football around the household – well, unless you’re my Mum, that is!
Following a fantastic, if all-too-brief, spell of rest, relaxation and recharging, it was soon time to return to Southampton to switch student houses and get settled into my new surroundings. I moved into a property with new housemates for the first time since I started University – and simultaneously received a timely reminder that I have way, way too much stuff with me, as the two car trips between the houses (thanks massively again to my long-suffering parents!) and whole day spent unpacking proved!
As I wrote last time, the experience of living with new people will probably take a bit of getting used to after such a long time elsewhere, particularly as my old group were all used to one another’s (occasionally weird!) habits and routines after three years together. But I’m once again lucky to be living with some terrific people, all of whom I've shared many a happy memory already with during my time in Southampton, so if the year ahead is anything like the first week or so has been, it’s going to be another memorable one!
Aside from box-moving aplenty, being around campus in these sport-intensive times has also allowed me to observe a different aspect of the happenings in Brazil, namely its propensity to foster a unique culture within the (remaining!) student community – a.k.a. 'World Cup fever!' Although I think football is quite widely seen as a controversial sport in many ways, particularly in terms of the manner in which support is often expressed for domestic teams, the World Cup always seems to be one of those all-too-rare occasions where everyone, partisan or less so, can come together to appreciate the sport the way I think it should be; having a bit of fun, enjoying a chance to get behind a team, and laughing along with any friendly, competitive rivalry which naturally ensues.
This spirit seems to have been widely adopted across campus, and is particularly evident in the Students’ Union pub, the ever-popular 'The Stag’s'. Dressed in the flags of all the participating nations to celebrate the occasion, it’s the go-to place for catching all the football as it happens and enjoying a buzzing, excited communal atmosphere while doing so! For example, during one game in the earlier rounds, a number of student fans dressed in Colombia’s colours had a great time watching their team race into a convincing three-goal lead over Greece, cheering loudly for every goal they scored to the point where the neighbouring Greek fans, seeing the funny side of things, began to cheer equally as loudly - every time their team completed a pass!
The Stag’s has been a second home to football-watchers in the past few weeks!
One word of warning though: if you do plan on heading down to The Stag’s to catch a game, it’s probably best to get there as early as possible as my friends and I discovered when, out of sheer determination to ensure we got good seats for the first England match against Italy (The Stag’s fills up very quickly on such occasions!), we ended up arriving seven hours before it began, watching two other matches to fill the time – and all, at the end of the day, for a disappointing 1-2 loss! But once again the atmosphere inside the packed pub was fantastic, with a large mixed crowd of England and Italy supporters ensuring the competitive yet ever-friendly rivalry was there for all to enjoy.
The view from our eagerly-protected sofa bay – seven hours in the making, but it was an amazing day of football!
And so as the tournament soon draws to a close (“Finally!”, I hear my Mum cry!), it’s odd to think that the enjoyable World Cup fever which has gripped many across Southampton, and indeed the nation, is also soon to fade away… but then, of course, the new Premier League season is but a month and a half away! Sorry, Mum!
Robin
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