On Monday one of my teachers said to my class: you will always remember where you were when the Saints won their first NFC Championship. And it’s true. Sunday, January 24th, the New Orleans Saints made history.

I was at my friend’s uptown house with a group of my friends, but most of the people were people I had only seen around campus. We were all there for the usual “Sunday Cook-day,” where Loyola students are welcome to go and enjoy a delicious home cooked meal for only $5. Campus offers several wonderful dining options: the Orleans Room, which is the cafeteria we call the OR; Flambeaux’s and Satchmo’s, which are both soup and sandwich type options; and Smoothie King or fresh sushi from the Market. There are even a ton of different, affordable places in the area who deliver. While the dining options are great on campus, there is also the large group of students who live in apartments and houses off campus. Many of these students have a typical college student diet: ramen, easy mac, and the classic PB&J (I exaggerate a little here, for emphasis). So, the Sunday Cook-day allows for any student to enjoy a delicious home cooked meal prepared by Loyola students.

But last Sunday Cook-day was different. We ate our fried chicken and pancakes, an interesting combination, however very delicious, and all gathered around the TV to watch the NFC Championship: New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings. Just so happens that my friend, whose house we were at, was born and raised in Minnesota. Only two of us were New Orleanians, but everyone was rooting for the Saints (even my Minnesota friend!). It was amazing to me to see how nearly every student was rooting for the Saints. I have friends from Seattle, Portland, South Carolina, Hawaii, Florida, New York, California, Paraguay, Haiti, Maryland, Georgia, Texas, Honduras, Missouri, and the list could go on forever. But, besides a handful of die-hard Vikings fans, everyone was rooting for my hometown team. It was unforgettable; even for them. There was a sense of unity. Everyone was wearing black and gold, everyone honked their horns profusely when the game was won, and everyone was chanting “Who Dat, Who Dat, Who Dat say they gon’ beat them Saints! Who Dat!!” Super Bowl XLIV here we come!!!!