Non-fans see Husker gamedays as an inconvenience

It might come as a shock to a lot of die-hard Husker fans, but not everybody who attends UNL has a countdown to the first football game of the season, owns a giant ear of corn or bleeds Husker red.

Sophie Becker, a junior music performance in piano major, didn't grow up in Husker nation, and on Saturdays, instead of donning red and white body paint and a "Bo Big Red" T-shirt, she'd rather be practicing her piano.

But she can't.

"I look to Saturday to be my big practice day, but I can't because the music building is closed," Becker said.

Beginning Becker's freshman year, the Westbrook Music Building has kept its doors closed on Saturdays due to some unruly fans.

"People were worried about fans coming and using the restrooms, and seeing as we have all these valuable instruments, they were afraid of what could happen," Becker said. "It's all about the safety of the music majors."

While most music majors can take their instrument and practice somewhere else on football Saturdays, Becker's situation is different because she doesn't own her own piano, so on Saturdays she can't practice. The building is now only open to graduate music students, and they have to swipe their NCard to access the building.

Junior Jill Coffman, also a music pe rformance in piano major, doesn't partake in normal Husker gameday activities but for different reasons.

"I'm Jewish, and Saturday is our day of rest," Coffman said. "I usually hang out with friends and family who observe the Jewish faith or study the Torah."

Even though Coffman usually doesn't practice during most Husker football Saturdays, she still recognizes how tough it is for other music majors.

"It's problematic because of the requirement for piano majors because we have three hours practice minimum required every day," Coffman said.

While junior Erin Carr isn't a music major, she also finds Husker game days to be a problem.

"I live downtown," Carr said. "It's a real bitch to get out of my apartment. All the parking is taken up. I can hear if there is a touchdown. The bars erupt, and I can hear it all the way up in my apartment."

Carr, who works at The Mill coffee house, doesn't really notice a big difference when she works during game days.

"It's not as busy as you think it would be," Carr said. "If it's colder out, and the game is early, it tends to be a little busier. But most people drink instead of get coffee.

"People who go to the football games aren't as likely to go to The Mill. It's a different crowd," she said.

Even though Carr grew up in Lincoln, she hasn't been cast under the Husker spell.

"Football doesn't really interest me," Carr said. "I'd probably go if a bunch of my closer friends went, but it just has never really worked out."

Becker, who grew up in Kansas City, usually roots for her hometown team, the Kansas City Chiefs, but she doesn't consider herself a Husker fan.