Spirit Day brings pride home to IU

By Stephanie Mulato
smulato@indiana.edu

Loud chants and bursts of cheers show IU’s spirit is sprouting up in every direction. IU porch decorations, painted sidewalks and cars line the streets of campus.

Spirit Day brings unity among the IU community. Students at IU are displaying their pride in a variety of ways. Some went to the extreme of smudging face paint across their faces.

Senior Heather Schaefer, president of the IU Student Alumni Association, helped organize Spirit Day in concurrence with homecoming week events.

“We have been promoting for homecoming for weeks now, encouraging everyone to go out,” she said. 

From noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday, students who were wearing IU apparel received multiple prizes, including 1,000 pairs of SAA sunglasses, IU earmuffs and gift cards from Bucceto’s and Chipotle, Schaefer said.

Schaefer said the crazier that students dressed, the better the prizes were.
Junior Corey Celt went to class wearing his old-fashioned red IU cardigan.

“It’s cool to be able to support the Hoosiers,” Celt said. “I can get free stuff and still feel like it’s a tailgate on a Tuesday.”

Spirit Day keeps excitement levels high, anticipating future homecoming events throughout the week such as the 51st annual Homecoming Parade, Hoosier Hysteria and the IU vs. Illinois football game. Other events are listed on the IU Homecoming 2009 Web site.

IU basketball forward and freshman Bobby Capobianco displayed his school spirit with an IU backpack and red T-shirt.

“I have been seeing a lot of IU sweatshirts, sweatpants and all that jazz,” Capobianco said. “I cannot wait for Hoosier Hysteria Friday night; I have been waiting all year.”
Spirit Day was an event to help advertise the IU Blood Donor Challenge. 

The first 50 people to donate blood on Spirit Day received an adidas cream and crimson shirt as part of campus’ pump-up events.

Schaefer said the slogan “Serve a pint, save a life” is part of the blood drive running until Nov. 14. 

Students, faculty and local residents can register online to donate blood at the DeVault Alumni Center on campus and every event will lead up to the big homecoming game.

Students can show their school spirit throughout the week by wearing in their IU gear.  
“It is always fun to see wacky, wild crimson style,” she said.