A year ago, Duke’s campus was in full game-day preparation mode.
Tenters had finally secured their coveted spots at the North Carolina game after weeks of sleeping through rainstorms and 7 a.m. treks back to dorms. Visitors of all ages flooded the campus, taking pictures in front of the Krzyzewskiville sign or gawking at the field of well-loved tarps.
Television networks arrived and scouted shooting locations for coverage of the big game.
A huge royal-blue bench, sponsored by ESPN, appeared on the Bryan Center plaza. More than 1200 Cameron Crazies piled into Section 17, covered in glitter and blue body paint, and lost their voices screaming for their team.
And a few days later, it was all over.
For many upperclassmen, this game is their last memory of life at Duke before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just three days after the game, President Price sent an email announcing the extended spring break that ultimately turned into so much more.
Today, there are no tents in Krzyzewskiville. The notorious Carolina game that once sparked such jubilant pandemonium was played back in February, in a near-empty Cameron Indoor Stadium. There have been varied efforts to sustain and encourage student engagement, through “virtual tenting” opportunities or by propping life-size cutouts of past Crazies in the student section—but for many students, it’s not the same.
Duke’s school spirit has been a defining feature of the university experience for decades. For some prospective students, spirit is often what puts Duke over the edge. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Duke students are being forced to reimagine what being a fan really looks like and carve out new ways to gather.
“It’s kind of crazy to think about it. We structured our days around making sure we could be in K-Ville during the day of a basketball game,” said Autumn Blamoville, a senior and dedicated Duke fan. “We structured studying, classes… I would literally ask my friends to hang out with me in K-Ville so I could be there for my shift.”
Students still gather, in safe, socially-distanced ways, to find that connection. But rather than being the focus of the activity, these games now play in the background while friends recap their days or get ahead on assignments. School spirit is something you squeeze in where you can if you can.
“If I’m not busy I try to watch,” said first-year Jessica On. “We usually watch it on somebody’s laptop while we’re also doing work at the same time, and that’s kind of fun.”
Students also share that not being able to attend games in person has made it much harder to find the energy and excitement level they once felt. Even some of Duke’s biggest basketball fans find it difficult to stay fully invested.
Frankie Pucci, a junior who has black tented both his freshman and sophomore year, said that watching games at home is “not nearly the same kind of hype level.”
“I mean yesterday one of my roommates totally forgot there was a game that night. He’s a line monitor,” he said.
Students noted that though they miss the games, K-Ville, Section 17 and bench-burning traditions, they also miss each other.
“You know, as much as I hate waking up at 3 a.m. on a Tuesday, I’d do it in a heartbeat to get back into K-Ville. I’m so excited just to have that community again,” Pucci said.
Blamoville added that she will most miss the community created through sports at Duke.
“The game is fun to watch and to be there, but it’s just like, you might stand next to a complete stranger and by the end of the game you’re vibing with them and getting along with them,” she said.
On, who has not fully experienced a true year of Duke during basketball season, also understands the draw. “Seeing everyone dressed up, seeing everyone excited. It’s just such a big part of Duke’s culture,” she said.
Despite the loss of games, memories and community this year, students are excited to return to K-Ville next year. Pucci said that as soon as it’s safe, he will be in the front row of a basketball game, vying for Tent #1 after coming close his sophomore year. Blamoville will be donning her signature Duke jean jacket and making the trip back to Durham to make up for the games she missed this year.
On added that if anything, the inability to participate in Duke’s storied traditions this year will make students all the more enthusiastic when they finally can.
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