<p>There are ~28,000 undergrads at UMich, do you honestly think all of them give a damn about football? It’s like thinking that living in Boston would be unenjoyable because you don’t care about the Red Sox.</p>
<p>mathy, I cannot emphasize enough how much the frequent posters on here are NOT representative of the entire student body.</p>
<p>I went to a big football school. Went to one game while a student. Not my thing. </p>
<p>My daughter hated football before going on a recruit trip or two when she was in high school - both times taken to a football game. She loved the excitement and honestly, that trip to the Big House was a thrill for her. Today’s game was no exception! </p>
<p>You can take it or leave it, but being a football fan will not define your life as an undergrad, no matter where you go.</p>
<p>Yes it is. There are enough nerdy kids who don’t really care. Also a lot of kids pregame so hard that they never end up going to/remembering the games haha</p>
<p>If they don’t start playing better soon, I could be an awful school if you love football.</p>
<p>I’ve heard of people going to U-M because of the football but I’ve never heard of anyone choosing not to go because of it.</p>
<p>It is a big part of the social scene on a football Saturday but not everyone goes. Even if you are not into football, the side show (inside and outside the stadium) can be exciting. There is a huge influx of people into Ann Arbor on football weekends and the additional people create quite a vibe in town, especially before and after the game. I can’t say first hand what goes on during the game but I am told that you can hear the roar of the crowd from the library (maybe not as much since the construction of the skyscrapers and the big scoreboards which tend to keep more sound in the stadium).</p>
<p>If you don’t like football, just go find something else to do. There will be more non-football activities going on at U-M on a football Saturday than there will at most of the schools that don’t have football programs or have D-3 football programs.</p>
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<p>I don’t think there’s a single non-football related activity that goes on at UM on a football Saturday besides people studying at the library.</p>
<p>go on your class’ facebook page and just reference something you like
someone else will probably like it
you will hate your life less</p>
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<p>Well, to be honest, that was part of what motivated my decision to choose a different school at first.</p>
<p>“I’ve heard of people going to U-M because of the football but I’ve never heard of anyone choosing not to go because of it.”</p>
<p>Why should that have any effect on whether or not you attend a school?</p>
<p>It has a ton of effect. As a football fan, if you’re deciding between two schools of equal or similar caliber and one school has great football/athletics and a culture surrounding it and the other does not, then it can be the difference maker.</p>
<p>For example, UMich vs. UChicago. I know it’s one of the main reasons for me choosing UM over UC. It also played a factor in turning down the chance to go to CWRU for a smaller cost.</p>
<p>And I agree with the quote. I don’t think athletics should ever be a deterrent because you can always avoid them and choose to not have them surround your own life. The vice versa isn’t possible, as you can’t as easily bring major college athletics into your life if you attend a school that doesn’t have them.</p>
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<p>I doubt you have made any effort to look and I said “non-football” not “non-football related”. There is an active farmers market in Kerrytown every Saturday morning in the fall (I know because it obstructs traffic on North Fifth Avenue). The shops and restaurants on campus and downtown are busy before and after the game. There are often concerts and plays scheduled to coincide with the crowds attending football game. There are sporting events other than football (the OP did not say that he or she hated all sports). The museums are open during the game. The Argo livery is open for tubing, canoeing and kayaking on the Huron River (at least while the weather is still good). The marching band performs its rehearsal before the game. There are the pre-game parties for those who like to party (the OP doesn’t). The fall color in Ann Arbor is great during October. And yes the library is open if you have studying to do.</p>
<p>Ann Arbor is a great place to be on a football Saturday even without a ticket to the game.</p>
<p>Plenty of people at UM don’t care about football. The administration distances itself from it in a way. If Missouri wins a bowl game it goes on the home page. At UM, they don’t mention it. </p>
<p>There are many hardcore very serious students at UM who don’t party very much. There’s a huge cultural and arts scene and those people don’t give a hoot about football. The professors don’t care about football. UM is above all a great academic institution. </p>