UChic Approved: Tailgate Party
Tailgating and football games are integral to many college campuses. Here is a list of must-haves for game day.
Gear: Sports games are a great time to blend in with the crowd…or not. Buy a college sweatshirt and a t-shirt at the beginning of your college career so that you can mix and match them with jeans. I like to pair my t-shirt with a jean skirt and a ribbon or headband. To stand out, many campus shops sell face paint and tattoos. Or, design homemade shirts for your favorite players.
Grill: Buy a small, portable electric or gas grill. Assemble the night before. Buy two gas containers (located in the camping aisle) because you wouldn’t want to run out of gas half way through a burger. Let the grill warm up for 10 to 20 minutes, and then start cooking. The grill will easily cook four to six burgers and many more hotdogs at a time. Just enough for all your new best friends!
Games: My favorite part of football tailgating is the games before the game. Cornhole and Laddergolf are popular at my school. Cornhole involves two wooden boards with a hole in the middle set 27 feet apart. Players get the most points for throwing the beanbags into the hole in the board and also get points for throwing the bags onto the board. Ladder Golf involves a three-tier ladder and two golf balls connected by a string. Players get the most points by throwing the golf ball set toward the ladder and getting it wrapped on the highest tier. Besides the typical football or Frisbee catch, feel free to improvise. My friends and I brought Connect Four to a couple tailgates and everyone enjoyed the blast from the past.
Grub: Burgers and hot dogs are the basic food groups at tailgates but many people become amateur chefs at their parking spots. Grilled chicken and sausage are personal favorites. Chips and dip will also satisfy the appetite. Mix sour cream with French onion soup mix and dip with Lays Ruffles. It’s a delicious, and addicting, cheap snack to share. Or, buy a foot-long sub and don’t worry about the cooking!
Goblet: For the over-21 crowd, mimosas has become a favorite drink in my apartment. Mix champagne with orange juice for a sweet, mid-morning refreshment. For the under-21 crowd, hot chocolate in an oversized mug on a cool, autumn day is perfect. Either way, chug mug will hold your drink and prevent any spills when you are mingling in the crowd. Google the brand Liquid Solutions or stop by the nearest Walmart.
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