Okay, let’s talk about this whole “bleed blue” thing at BYU.
When I first got connected with the BYU scene, I kept hearing this phrase thrown around. “Bleed blue,” they’d say. Honestly, my first thought was pretty simple. I figured it just meant you really, really liked the school’s sports teams, you know? Wear the right color shirt, cheer loud, that sort of stuff. Standard school spirit, basically.
Digging a Bit Deeper
But I spent more time around folks from BYU, went to more events, not just games, but other things happening on campus. I started seeing it wasn’t just about football or basketball. It felt like something… more. I remember watching students helping each other out, like really going out of their way, not for any credit, just because. Or seeing professors who clearly cared way beyond just their paycheck, sticking around after class, offering advice.
I got involved in a few campus activities myself, nothing huge, but enough to interact with different groups. And you’d see this commitment. People took the Honor Code seriously, not just as a list of rules, but as a way they actually tried to live. There was this sense of shared values, this feeling that you were part of something bigger than just yourself or your classes.
What It Started to Mean for Me
So, slowly, my understanding shifted. It wasn’t just wearing a color. It felt more like:
- Loyalty: Yeah, loyalty to the school, but also to the people there – fellow students, the faculty, even the alumni network. It’s a strong bond.
- Commitment: Like I said, commitment to the ideals the school stands for. Trying to be honest, do good work, help others. It’s an active thing.
- Pride: A deep sense of pride in being associated with BYU, not in an arrogant way, but a quiet confidence in what the place represents.
- Community: Feeling like you belong to this big, slightly unusual family. You look out for each other.
I saw it when alumni would come back, years after graduating, still super involved, mentoring students, donating time or money. They weren’t just fans; they were still part of it. It wasn’t something that stopped when you got your diploma.
So, What is “Bleeding Blue”?
For me, after seeing all this and feeling it grow over time, “bleeding blue” isn’t just hype. It’s this deep-down connection. It’s feeling like the school’s mission and values are part of your mission and values. It means you support the community, you try to represent it well wherever you are, and you feel that tie long after you’ve left Provo.
It’s less about the color of your blood and more about the character you try to build and the community you belong to. You kind of have to experience it, I think. It’s a feeling, a commitment, that gets under your skin. That’s what bleeding blue ended up meaning, at least from my perspective.
