Today was way too emotional of a day to be stressed about my microeconomics exam tonight (which still may or may not get postponed due to weather?? Come on snow!) Like the rest of Canada, I sat and held my breath and watched and waiting and prayed and felt every high and low of the CAN-USA Gold medal women’s hockey game. Unlike the rest of Canada, I was not actually in Canada, which made for a PRETTY AWKWARD DAY.
11am CT, puck drops. Where am I? I am at practice. There are 450 televisions in the building and the four I can see are NOT playing hockey. WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT LEBRON WHEN THE GOLD MEDAL GAME IS ON?!
12pm, half jog to locker room and immediately check the score on my phone. Zero to zero, with equal shots on goal. Take the fastest shower of my entire life and head to the team room to catch a bit of the game before class. The first thing I see when I turn on the tv? USA’s first goal… (which prompted “Turn it off! You’re bad luck!” from my sister…) I sit there panting and yelling at the television while we run through a 5 on 4 and a 5 on 3 power play. 12:39pm, am severely late for class because I couldn’t leave.
In class- USA scores again. I am paying zero attention to Juvenile Delinquency, and am instead checking Twitter, tweeting, refreshing game stats, and texting (Sorry prof) My sister lets me know we scored, and now there’s only two minutes left. At this point I’m not even taking notes and. I. am. panicking. I don’t know what addiction feels like (wait yes I do coffee) but I need to find a tv RIGHT NOW. The game stats finally load a second before my sister texts me again- and the Canadian have tied the game
I AUDIBLY GASP and put my hand over my mouth IN CLASS. The person next to me wants to smack me, I can tell. I feel like crying and screaming and jumping up and down and the game is going into overtime and AM I THE ONLY ONE THE ROOM THAT CARES?! (probably). The game is going into overtime AND WHAT AM I DOING IN LECTURE.
It gets worse. After a quick pop quiz we get out three minutes early, and my mother lets me know overtime has started. All of Canada is at a standstill, and I am RUNNING across campus. Full on Ugg boots, winter jacket, massive backpack, SPRINTING from the chem building the ped mall where I know Buffalo Wild Wings has a million television sets and by god this game better be on half of them. I make it- ON TIME, and lets picture the scene for a moment here- I am panting, standing by myself, by the doors, and have dumped my backpack, jacket, and my sweater onto a bench. Someone asks if I want anything and I just shake my head and point at the game.
As I’m watching a commercial, I see out of the corner of my eye the game still being played on a different tv and I turn to see the faces of DEVASTATED Americans and at that moment I knew we won. They replay the 8:10 OT goal and I throw my arms in the air like a touch down and start CRYING (little tears, not bawling or anything!). Let me remind you I am STANDING BY MYSELF.
Was it worth it? 100%. May I avoid that Buffalo Wild Wings for a while? Probably. I managed to catch a bit of the medal ceremony while stopping at home to pick up my laptop and I cried again, and walked back to the pool where I was late for practice (blamed the game and everyone understood). I even got “#WeAreNOTWinter” text from the boyfriend.
Who is betting I can keep it together for the men’s CAN-USA game tomorrow? Not me. Who is thinking I should lock myself in my apartment and not be seen in public? DEFINITELY me.
lauren elyse CAN 