Everything You Need to Know About College Football Season
Going back to school for fall semester doesn’t mean you’re one semester closer to graduation, it means it is the start to the most wonderful time of the year, college football season. For many students this means tailgating, a wardrobe full of their schools colors, and the hope for an untouchable season record. As a Florida State Seminole, football season is what fall semester evolves around, especially with our recent National title win and several comeback wins this season, but no matter what school you cheer for, we’re all just trying to have a successful and fun college football season, so here are some tips to make your game days the most memorable!
1. Spruce up on your football knowledge.
There isn’t much worse than yelling “go defense” when your team is 1st and goal about to score a touchdown. If you’re not that into football, at least know a few common terms, like interception, sac, punt, field goal, fumble, and of course, touchdown!
2. Know your school’s chant (and scream it when the band plays).
At every game day, you can find me chopping in the student section to the war chant! It’s a way that the band gets the students, fans, and the teams pumped up, so participate!
3. Avoid Social Media.
If you have a big rivalry coming up, it’s best to avoid social media sites, especially Facebook and Twitter where people vent their feelings. Yes, it can be funny and ridiculous to read, but if you’re someone who is a fierce competitor, stray away! There’s nothing worse than getting caught up in a war about which school’s football team is better on social media for everyone to see (including parents and employers), yikes!
4. Make sure you eat breakfast.
Game days are usually long, fun, but long, so be sure to eat a nutritious breakfast in the morning so in the off chance you don’t get to eat at a tailgate, you don’t feel like you may pass out! Also, college students usually don’t want to pay for the $6 hot dog and $5 coke at the football stadium, so eating a full meal in the morning will hold you over longer.
5. Be sure your phone is fully charged.
Cell phone reception may be minimal at the game, but be sure your phone is charged so that you can capture all the events you attend throughout the day. I say this because Sunday morning, I always wake up with a text from mom asking for game day pictures. I know I’m not the only one, so make mom happy and take pictures throughout the day…you know you’ll use one for Instagram anyways!
6. Be prepared to walk down the fashion runway, that is game day.
What I mean by that, at least at FSU, is that game day is the day every girl in Tallahassee wears her cutest attire. This doesn’t mean you have to buy the most expensive clothes or have a different outfit each game day, but explore local boutiques around your college’s town; they will be overflowing with your school’s colors in the latest trends! Also, trade wardrobe’s with your friends…My roommate and I are known for wearing each others clothes, so before you run out to buy a new outfit, checkout your friend’s closets first! You can also check out StudentRate’s discounts for deals on clothing stores that many college aged students shop at!
7. Buy a jersey with you favorite players number.
It seems to be the latest fashion trend to wear an over-sized jersey, shorts, and high-top converses to football games. If this isn’t your style, that’s okay, but it’s always cool to have a jersey of a player when he’s in college, so when he makes it to the NFL, you can prove that you aren’t just a “bandwagon” fan.
8. Make a “game plan.”
I’m serious! Map out your day so you can hit all the tailgating spots you want to attend, see all the friends you promised to meet up with, grab a bite to eat, and make it to the game in time for pre-game traditions and kickoff. Sometimes you get caught up at one tailgate too long, make a game plan with your group of friends to make sure you hold each other accountable and make it to all the tailgates!
9. If someone asks for you to go to their parents tailgate, go.
This is always a must, if you are asked. Parents are fun! They’ll usually have the big games playing on a TV before they go into the stadium and a layout of a lot of food…they’ll be begging you to eat, so don’t say no!
10. Actually go to the game.
Like I said before, a lot of people get caught up at one tailgate for far too long, so don’t let this happen to you! Most people are only college students for 4 years. That is only 7 home games a year that you get to sit in the loud, exciting student section and cheer for your team while standing on top of the bleachers. After college, you’re stuck in the parents section where you’re asked to sit down during a play so everyone behind you can see…GO TO THE GAMES!
11. Attend games with a big group of friends.
The more the merrier, they say, and that definitely applies to football games in college. Whether you go with your sorority sisters, high school friends, girls in your dorm, boyfriend and his fraternity brothers….go with a huge group! It’s always more fun because you have more people to celebrate with when your team makes a touchdown, interception, or killer tackle.
12. That being said, stay with your group of friends.
A lot of times cell phone reception is less than mediocre at the stadium because of all the fans attempting to use their cell phones in the stadium. If you leave your seat to go to the restroom, bring at least one friend.
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13. Throughout your college career, get to one game really early.
It is a different experience to sit in the front row than it is to sit 63 rows up. For the biggest game of the season, most students want to get to the game early anyways, so tailgates will die down earlier than normal. Beat the crowd and get that front row seat to watch your team win a game against a top ranked team!
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14. Get a picture with your school’s mascot.
A lot of school’s mascot is on the field, but there will be mocks, or students decked out in funny costumes, take a picture! FSU has the Garnet & Gold Glitter Men at each game and if you don’t have a picture with them, I don’t think you’re a true Seminole (not really, but that’s how popular they are), so be sure to get a picture with your schools mascot, you’ll appreciate it more later in life.
15. If your budget allows it, go to a big away game.
I don’t mean travel to each away game, that isn’t budget friendly and it is time consuming! However, if there is a big rivalry at a stadium everyone raves about, try to make plans to go, I promise the trip will be 100% worth it, and completely memorable.
16. Lastly, never skip a game day to study.
Studying is what week days are for! Yes, you are at school to learn, but you are also here to make memories and experience the fun that college offers. Make time during the week to study for the big test you have the following Monday. If you manage your time correctly, you will have plenty of time to study the week before and Sunday after game day. I promise you will never regret spending time with your friends at your school’s football game, but you may regret not going to the football game and watching your team make the biggest comeback win in your school’s history!
The tips to help you succeed game day are endless, but these are 16 tips I found useful my freshman year when the excitement of college football season took over. Football season has been, for the past three years, the most exciting and fun time of the year; it is something I look forward to all spring and summer semester and the season I wish would never end! Take advantage of your 4 years in college and show your school spirit by attending all the football games!
Go ‘Noles!
Featured image source: tumblr.com
