{"id":51061,"date":"2017-02-14T12:19:31","date_gmt":"2017-02-14T18:19:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=51061"},"modified":"2017-02-14T12:19:31","modified_gmt":"2017-02-14T18:19:31","slug":"at-u-of-c-basketball-takes-a-backseat-to-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/at-u-of-c-basketball-takes-a-backseat-to-books\/","title":{"rendered":"At U of C, basketball takes a backseat to books"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Tacuma R. Roeback<\/strong><\/p>\n

On a late January evening at the Gerald Ratner gymnasium at the University of Chicago, students trickled through the doors to collect neon-colored tank tops, sunglasses and Hawaiian leis.<\/p>\n

It was \u201cBeach Night.\u201d<\/p>\n

They came to socialize. They came to be transported from the dreary, 37-degree night that would greet them again when it was all over.<\/p>\n

Basketball was also being played, featuring the University of Chicago men\u2019s team in its second home conference game of the season versus Brandeis. It was the main attraction of the festivities, but hardly the main draw for many of the students in attendance.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, I completely forgot about this until like 10 minutes ago,\u201d said Jaden Obayan, a Geophysical Sciences major at the University of Chicago.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came for the free shirts,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Such is the vibe among many University of Chicago students, who don\u2019t prioritize collegiate sports like other academic institutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just different because I\u2019ve gone to schools like the University of Wisconsin,\u201d Obayan said. \u201cEverybody is repping the school.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for the sports culture at the University of Chicago, \u201cIt\u2019s just different,\u201d she said. \u201cHere, people don\u2019t really care.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, the primary reason why students seem indifferent toward sports is an important one, which might be enough to make the parents of any undergraduate smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt some games the student population at the library is definitely going to outnumber the student population at games,\u201d said Nathan Lindquist, University of Chicago director of sports information and promotions and the primary coordinator for \u201cBeach Night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just how it is. It\u2019s an academically rigorous place. That\u2019s their priority.\u201d<\/p>\n