Edit Desk: Proud to wear brown, cheering on future generations

As I finish the first half of my college experience, I can’t help but reflect on the time when I first set foot on Lehigh’s campus. 

It was probably when I was 5 years old, attending an alumni tailgate or watching the Lehigh-Lafayette game with my mom and her college friends. 

It’s interesting to think back to when I only knew Lehigh as the school my mom attended. It was just a place tied to the stories she shared, rather than something I experienced firsthand. 

Back then, I didn’t know what any of the buildings were called or why they all looked like Hogwarts. But I knew we were driving through Lehigh, even if I didn’t know the buildings’ names or the history behind them. 

Now, I see it as my school, too. I finally understand the way the campus works and can confidently direct anyone who visits. 

Still, some things haven’t changed. I can still picture myself flipping through the air, doing handstands and cartwheels on the grass in front of Goodman Stadium before each Lehigh football game when I was little.

I can confidently say my passion for cheerleading started right on this campus. 

As a little girl, I was mesmerized by the stadium, the football team and the shiny gold poms the cheerleaders used on the field. But honestly, I had zero interest in the game — I was only there for the cheerleaders. 

I loved watching their dances and always looked forward to when they performed stunts, which was my favorite part. 

A Lehigh football game was the only time I ever wanted to wear the color brown, and it soon got to the point when I would wear my own little cheerleading uniform to every game, and I started becoming known as “the little Lehigh cheerleader” among my mom’s friends. 

I wore that uniform until it wouldn’t fit over my head anymore.  

I remember one game in particular when I had enough confidence to walk down to the cheerleaders and say hi. I asked them if I would be able to do a few dances and hangout with them on the field. 

Of course, they said yes.

I got on the field, met all the cheerleaders and instantly fell in love. All the girls were so welcoming, and they even threw me up in a stunt. 

I’ll remember that day forever, especially because now, I’m a Lehigh cheerleader, and I’m proud to wear the color brown. 

Whenever a little girl comes down for a picture or a group of girls wants to chat with the team, it’s an immediate yes, because I remember what that moment felt like for me. 

I always want to be a smiling face, someone young girls can look up to and find inspiration in. 

There’s nothing better than cheering on the sidelines in front of a crowd on a crisp fall day or feeling the infectious energy of a game so much that the outcome feels personal, impacting my entire Saturday night. 

To me cheerleading is more than just chants and motions. It’s the ability to lift up a team, lift up the school and lift up a crowd. It represents school spirit and can ultimately impact a team’s performance. 

One of my favorite traditions is Eco-Flame, the day before Le-Laf, when the cheerleaders and band march through campus to all the different classrooms on campus to play Lehigh’s classics — including my personal favorite, “Rearing Tearing.”

The morning of the Le-Laf game, we also march through the parking lots at Goodman. Although cheer and band does this for every home game, the energy during the Lehigh-Lafayette game is unmatched. 

Although I’m only a sophomore, I’ve already experienced a Le-Laf win, cheered at an away game at Army and, most recently, attended the NCAA women’s basketball March Madness game. 

The March Madness game against Duke felt like I was cheering at an NBA game. There were cameras everywhere, the Cameron Indoor Stadium was packed, and it truly felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Whenever I saw someone in brown, it made me smile. I was proud to be on their team and represent Lehigh.  

Even though I never loved the color brown as a kid, I’ve come to realize it goes with everything. 

My brown uniform and white poms create a clean, sleek look on the sidelines, complemented by the pop of white from the bow. I also think brown is versatile and pairs well with other shades. 

While I loved wearing my blue and white uniform throughout middle school and high school because it was bright and colorful, I’ve realized it’s not about the color of the uniform. 

Rather, It’s about the passion you have for the school you are representing. 

My collegiate cheerleading memories will stick with me forever, and I hope to impact future Lehigh cheerleaders, just as they impacted me.