Hawkeye Football

The long awaited days of Hawkeye football are over. Obviously I am a bit overdue on this article, but what I wanted to provide an insightful blog as to what game days are like for a freshman who has never been to one, and maybe some tips for those who fall under that category! With that being said, it’s true, I have never been to a Hawkeye football game in my life, and the home opener on August 31st was my first one ever!! Consequently, I have only ever been to one other college football game. Yes, I’m new to this. After two home games–a night and afternoon one– I can say with 90% of certainty that I’ve got the jist of it. I’m sure I’ll learn something new each game, regardless of how many of been to, but here’s what I have to offer…

Before I begin, I’d like to point out the obvious–Saturday’s at Kinnick are unlike any other University’s across the nation. When I first participated in “The Wave,” I got chills on my arms and tears in my eyes. It is safe to say that it is THE greatest college football tradition in the history of college football, hands down, end of discussion. Everyone always mentions it when I tell them I’m a student here at Iowa. Everyone knows. That’s the impact it has. Imagine the impact it has on the hospital patients. Well look at that *figuratively*, chills just took over my body.

You’ve also got the ‘Burrito Lift’ because Pancheros rules Iowa City. Chipotle? Never heard of her.

There’s also spelling I-O-W-A with your fingers and then with your arms with the four corners of the stadium. That’s a good one. The cheerleaders stop waving the flags after about five, but the students really control the cheer, so there’s really no way of knowing when it’ll end. And of course, you always have those stragglers who do it when everyone else is finished.

How about “making some noise” at the third down?

Singing “Back in Black.” A classic.

I’m sure there are countless others that I’m unaware of partly because I get easily distracted during games when I’m standing with friends. And, you know, I’m used to this.

In my “I’d rather be cold than hot” opinion, I will take a night game over an afternoon game any day–at least at the beginning of the season. I’m fully prepared to layer up for the games in November. I also just prefer it because you can spend the whole day getting ready and tailgating–doing whatever– without feeling rushed. For the afternoon game vs Rutgers, nobody was expecting it to be as hot and as sunny as it was. I, along with everyone else, ended up getting burned. The hawkeye sticker I had on my check left behind a nice burn mark. I told everyone it symbolized my dedication.

I may be the only person who notices this, but most students dress fairly casual for games, and I love this. If we were any further south, I’d have to get ready an extra two hours earlier. A cotton t-shirt is totally acceptable. It allows you to get creative with the shirts you purchase, the pants you wear, and the accessories you top it off with. In a way, you can make it as dressy as you’d like, to each their one! It’s comfort… but make it stylish.

My friends and I arrived to the very first game an hour and a half before the start. Was this too early? Maybe. We had no idea what time to get there though and we wanted to be sure to get a good spot. We’ve decided that an hour is plenty of time.

The following are personal tips I will continue to consider before every game from now on:

  • Even if the weather shows an overcast day, apply SPF. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
  • Have your outfit planned the day before. If it’s an afternoon game, you don’t have to think about it much. It makes the process smoother.
  • Be sure to eat and hydrate before every game. Especially if it’s an afternoon one. Especially if the sun is going to be out. You’d think you would, but then you end up waking up later than planned and you’re rushing to get ready and you forget to eat or drink anything.
  • Going along with the first one, prep according to the weather.
  • Get a fun group together to go to the games with!
  • If you want a front row spot, get there an hour and a half before the game starts. Otherwise, I think an hour is just as fine.
  • Participate in the chants even if you have no idea what to do. Make it look like you do. It’s a ton of fun.
  • ^^ Show your school spirit. Go all out! Everyone loves a crazy hawkeye fan 🙂

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