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5 Things I Learned As The School Mascot

Those costumes are difficult to get into it.

Sarah Cohen-Strum

Sep 13, 2016

The College of Wooster

579

Sarah Strum

SURPRISE! I was the school mascot.

It was an accident. I didn’t ever plan on holding this position but sometimes life offers opportunities that one should not pass up. This includes dressing up as a Scottish terrier once a week and dancing like a fool at basketball games.

Looking back, I'm really glad that I took advantage of this opportunity and I learned a lot of different things, such as:

1. School spirit is real

Even at a Division III school, if the team is good - they're sure to have a crowded that's pumped on school spirit. Wooster is proud to have an amazing basketball team, and even though we're a very small school, you wouldn't know it by the noise heard in the stands on big game days.

2. Cheerleaders deserve more credit

Cheerleaders are ridiculously athletic. I was always a believer in cheerleading being a sport, I mean it’s impossible not to think its a sport when they’re flying in the air. But working with the cheerleaders at practices gave me a new perspective. They work hard, and have extreme balance and precision. Cheerleaders deserve more credit.

3. Basketball players are tall

This one may seem obvious, but standing around a bunch of guys over 6 foot 6 inches is intimidating. Even with my mascot outfit, I was a solid foot shorter than most of these players. This made me very thankful that I had retired from my basketball career in sixth grade.

4. The rules of basketball

Again, this may seem obvious but of all the professional sport leagues, basketball is what I follow the least. Being the mascot and standing and dancing on the sidelines for every game gave me a chance to refresh myself on the rules. (Shoving is not acceptable in basketball)

5. Being a mascot is the hottest job on campus

Literally. Being inside a full-body costume of fur with only a peephole for air and sight, it got pretty hot inside there. Dogs deserve more credit for what they endure during the summer with all that fur. Thankfully, I was only in the boiling hot costume for an hour or so and could cool off quickly.

Although I had never anticipated being the school mascot, I could not be more glad that I did. I got the opportunity to make people happy throughout the game, and even was able to make some kids overcome their fear of mascots.

Because I agreed to be the mascot I made some amazing friends, got to participate in the sports culture at my school, I had a great view of the basketball games, and I got to dance goofily without anyone knowing it was me…until now.

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5 Things I Learned As The School Mascot

Those costumes are difficult to get into it.

1. School spirit is real

2. Cheerleaders deserve more credit

3. Basketball players are tall

4. The rules of basketball

5. Being a mascot is the hottest job on campus

Subscribe to our Newsletter

No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

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"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

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What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

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7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

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12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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