If you’ve spent any time online in the last few years, you’ve probably come across the term “fandom.” “Fandom” is simply another word for “fan culture.” A fandom is a fan community or subculture that has formed around a specific piece of pop culture, such as a book, movie, video game, comic, music artist, sports team, and so on. This group of fans is united by their love and passion for their specific group or thing.

There are an insanely wide variety of fandoms available, so it’s all about finding your fit. If you’re excited or passionate about a specific interest of pop culture, chances are you won’t have much trouble finding a group centered around it. Many students at BSM would be considered part of fandoms. Senior Parker Thiede likes to follow a more unique fandom that most likely no one else at BSM follows, The Jewish Miami Choir Boys. “They came up on my Tik Tok page and they really caught my eye. I like the Jewish Miami Choir Boys because it is all in yiddish and their music really goes hard when I am in a good mood,” Thiede said.

There are numerous ways to get involved in any fandoms. For example, Juniors Annabelle Nicholson, Anna Amaris, and Sophia Parish frequently get together to share their passion for a specific fandom; Harry Styles or Taylor Swift. They frequently share on social media when Taylor Swift or Harry Styles have any major accomplishments. Whenever either artist has a new album release these girls are quick to highlight Harry or Taylor on their Instagram story. “We always have a mini release party just the three of us whenever the two singers release new or re-recorded music. It’s a lot of fun, and it allows us to share our passion for music and the singer. Of course, one of our favorite ways to participate in fandoms is to attend their concerts. We’ve traveled all over the country in search of Harry Styles, including Chicago, Milwaukee, and Tampa,” Amaris said.

People that are united in their support for a team can also be considered a fandom. If you’ve ever gone out tailgating for a football game, you are technically participating in a fandom. “I’ve been a huge fan of the Baltimore Ravens and the sport of football since I was 10 years old. My cousin is also from Baltimore, Maryland and would always talk about the ravens, which led me to become a die hard fan. I started becoming a fan because of the players on the team and at a young age loved the purple and white colors,” Ben Laukka said.

Along with fandoms of music artists and sports teams, video game fandoms are also very popular around the BSM community. “Fortnite is a great way for me to connect with my friends, who I mostly communicate with online. It allows me to socialize without actually leaving my room, which I don’t do often. My friend Aidan Faherty is also a very competitive player, and together we win many games. I have developed quite the passion for Fortnite, more so than any other activity that I’ve ever participated in. Fortnite is more than just a video game to me; it is a way of life. I have made many core memories throughout my competitive Fortnite career, and though many people call it a waste of time, I don’t regret any of it,” Evan Montague said.

In our society, there are numerous subcultures and communities that have formed fandoms. Students at BSM have the option of participating in fandoms that they are passionate about, but some choose not to participate in any fandom. Students identify with fandoms ranging from music to sports. In the end, fandoms are an excellent way for students to share and express their enthusiasm for a specific subculture.