Have you ever been a part of a crowd and felt that adrenaline rush? I spoke to experts about the benefits behind it and why crowds matter.
There’s a certain energy that comes with being a part of the student section. Carson Talbots is a student at Utah State University and a member of the school's student section, which is known as the HURD.
“It’s crazy …. It’s pure chaos and adrenaline to it,” Talbots said.
The student section doesn’t just provide energy.
“Belonging has been associated with health benefits, you live longer when you belong," said Jason Leiker, a sociology professor at USU. "Classic sociologist Durkheim looked at this sense of social cohesion and suicide rates and noticed that in areas where there’s indicators of social cohesion the suicide rates are a lot lower."
Not only does belonging provide a balm to the darker thoughts of the human mind, but it can also provide connection.
Sydney Rodriguez, a USU student, got in line for the San Diego state game at 6:30 in the morning, allowing her to get closer to the court with her friends.
“Being with the whole student section and the whole student body makes me feel like a part of the school," she said.
The student section at a game can bring people together, and when done effectively, can change the results.
“It was two or three games ago …. We started losing by five points or so and the HURD went nuts. The Aggies fed off of that, and we were able to come back and win,” Talbots said.
While the students bring the energy to the game, that sense of togetherness and belonging serves a few other purposes as well.
“Well, I think belonging is … a very positive experience for people,” Leiker said. “I think it’s almost necessary for success to have a certain common thread that brings you together with somebody else.”
Bringing people together is something the student section does in spades, and for the HURD? The roar of the crowd isn’t just noise. It’s connection.