Having Fun In the Classroom and On the Field

The life of a Master of Science in Data Science residential student at University of Virginia can get hard at times. With the accelerated course load and all the assignments, the days and the weeks can seem stressful. One of the ways that students relieve stress and have a little fun with one another is through the intramural sports programs offered at the University.

The master’s students this year managed to organize themselves and form an IM soccer team, the MSDS All Stars. The students decided to form a team to have fun outside of the classroom. The team was coed and consisted of 14 players, 8 being male and 6 being female. The original team consisted of around 8 players, but then the word got around the cohort.

The goals of the team are to have fun, bring students together, and refresh or pick up new soccer skills. Team Captain Leah Hogenmiller says, “We work together a lot academically, but it’s fun to do something outside of the classroom that also involves teamwork and a little bit of competition. Many of us played soccer before college and it has been a nice bonding experience to do something we all love together.”

The team’s record might not be an accurate representation of just how much fun they’re having so far, but they did collect their first win of the regular season. This should give the team some confidence heading into the playoffs which start soon. Even though the team may not reach the championship game, they have accomplished their goals for the season—to have fun.

Once IM soccer season ends and winter season starts, there is already chatter about forming an intramural basketball team.