Hokie Phenomenon

Prufrockswife

OK, so DH went to Virginia Tech. This was a big deal; his dad went there, and there's a lot of family Hokie pride. I went to the University of Richmond and this wasn't a big deal; neither of my parents took the traditional 4-year college route, so we weren't a "Spider" family. Both DH and I graduated in 2006.

So, here's the issue (and "issue" isn't even the right word; this is more like a phenomenon I've observed and I'm wondering if this is common): Pretty much every gift DH gets from his family is something with a VT on it. T-shirts, mugs, polo shirts, a cell phone carrier (which ended up coming to me, because his grandmother didn't realize it was for girls), etc. He has easily more than 100 VT T-shirts.

Maybe I just don't understand because I didn't go there, but are other Hokies out there still getting VT stuff years after they graduate? It seems odd to me. I pretty much left college behind when I got out, and, aside from going to football games, DH is pretty much past it, too. My parents occassionally get me something with UR on it (for example, they picked me up a cheap T-shirt when UR won the D-IAA football championship), but not everything relates back to UR. Is there some level of hokie devotion/intensity I don't understand, or is there just so much stuff with a VT on it that it's hard to resist? ;-)

cmh06

GO HOKIES!  DH and I both went there.  We still occasionally get Hokie items and now DD gets a t-shirt every now and then.  Hokie fans are usually really dedicated to the school and to the football team.  The better the football team does, the more VT stuff you'll see for sale and people wearing.

SSM&JLM

VT is one of the bigger schools in the state and as such many people still hold onto it long after they're out of college.  Shoot some people around here who never even went to college call themselves Hokies.  I don't get it, VT was a fallback school where I grew up (not VA) and is in fact an agriculture school.

I did have to smile, when some people a few houses down from us at the beach this summer covered up the "Hokie Haven" sign with a Miami Banner.

FTR, we're East Carolina fans, DH's alma mater.  And thankfully his family doesn't just buy him Pirate gear for every gift giving event.  That would get old, fast and he would put the kabosh on it.

Artzichick

I sent DH this link this morning, because we could have written this about ourselves.  DH's birthday was last week and I got him a VT tire cover for our new jeep (which he wanted, even though it is MY car and I went to JMU, GO DUKES!), he also got a VT shirt and a VT book/magazine on the upcoming season.  Luckily we don't have too much inside out house this is VT because I will not allow it, but DH could probably go a month with just wearing VT clothes and we have all sorts of random gifts we get from parents that is VT, like our grill cover, etc.

jgruettner

My sister and her DH both went to Tech and they just recently had a baby. They got everything from onesies to hats to outfits he can wear in a few years. In thier house there are VT items all over and since I did not go there, I went to CNU I do not get it. They watch games and still shake their keys at the tv thinking the players can hear it. There is something that gets the graduates hooked for life but sometimes a little over the top...

Cuardraro

We both went to Tech and yes, there's a lot of Hokie Pride amongst alumni!!!!

Honestly though, I don't mind if DH gets t-shirts because he wears those anyway, but I had to put my foot down about other VT stuff. I limited the decorations to 1 room in the house also.

stmoore1

That's very common, not just with VT, but with all large D-1A schools.  My whole family went to the University of Illinois and it's the same story, everyone is guaranteed some Illini gear come Christmas time.  Most of the teams in the Big Ten and ACC are like this, in fact, my company's Ohio branch loosens the dress code on Fridays so Buckeyes can where their sweatshirts to work.