By Paulina Jaar ’27
Intramurals is often mispronounced as Inter-murals. A tiny mistake, but one that changes everything. That prefix—inter—implies between, outside, beyond. But intra? It means within. It means ours. This tradition belongs to Ursuline and Ursuline alone. The entire DFW area knows that. Our alumnae know that. So why does it feel like we have stopped caring? Why do so few people get involved?
The schoolwide competition is split into four categories: mural, spirit, hallway, and video. Each requires teamwork, creativity, and effort from an entire class. Spirit, for one, is judged on things like attendance and, well, school spirit. Yet every year, Student Council works overtime—through class meetings, announcements, and constant reminders—just to get people involved. And every year, it gets harder.
Sophomore Student Council member Carolina Stanford, who leads the hallway committee, put it plainly in a recent class meeting: “This is not a Student Council project. We all have to chip in to win.”
She is right. Intramurals was never meant to be the responsibility of a few dedicated students trying to convince everyone else to care. It is meant to be a collective effort, something that brings an entire class together. And yet, getting people to participate feels like pulling teeth. This raises a question: why?
Ursuline students are known for their drive, their pride, their enthusiasm for all things that make this school unique. We go all out for sporting events. We put our hearts into service projects. We cheer louder than anyone else at rallies and games. But when it comes to Intramurals—a tradition built on school pride—that enthusiasm seems to fizzle out.
Some say it is because we are too busy. Between AP classes, extracurriculars, college applications, and outside commitments, Intramurals is easy to push to the bottom of the list. And sure, we are all balancing packed schedules. But were the students before us not just as busy? The ones who stayed late decorating hallways, who choreographed dances and painted murals? The ones who made Intramurals something worth remembering?
Others think Ursuline has simply outgrown it—that times have changed, and traditions like this do not hold the same weight anymore. That the school has shifted its focus, that other priorities have taken over. But does that mean we should just let it go? Should we allow one of the longest-standing, most uniquely Ursuline traditions to fade into the background?
A common student excuse: Colleges care about grades and sports—not Intramurals. But that is not entirely true. Colleges look for leadership, school involvement, and students who take initiative. Serving as a committee co-chair, rallying classmates, or even just showing up is involvement. It shows dedication beyond just academics. And let’s be honest—if we can spend hours scrolling through our phones or binging Netflix, we can spare some time for a tradition that is supposed to define our school spirit.
More than that, though, Intramurals is about community. It is about class pride. It is about taking part in something that generations of Ursuline students before us have loved. Alumnae remember their Intramurals just as fondly as they remember their hardest classes and their favorite teachers.
A 2019 graduate put it simply: “I remember how it used to be. Intramurals was the best time of year. Everyone always got so excited.”
Another alumna shared, “I still remember the Alma Mater.” Then, without hesitation, she sang, “Ursuline Academy, in our hearts you’ll always be…”
There is something to be said about the power of tradition. About the things that connect students across generations. About the experiences that create lifelong memories. Winning an Intramurals title once felt as important as acing a test—sometimes even more.
So, Ursuline, what will it be? Will we continue to brush off this tradition until it is just another thing that used to be great? Will we let it become a relic of the past, something only the alumnae remember fondly? Or will we bring back the excitement, the friendly competition, the unity that Intramurals was meant to inspire? The choice is ours.
And if Student Council is working this hard to keep the tradition alive, the least we can do is meet them halfway.
THE BEAR FACTS 