When I decided on Indiana University back in 2013, I knew I was coming to a party school, but in no way could I have anticipated what I was about to walk into. And as a high school cheerleader that hated football, I never imagined myself being excited for college football season. Ah yes, freshman naivety at its best.
Two years and twelve carefully planned outfits ago, I experienced what I’d soon discover to be the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon. And to my surprise, that excitement came from football.
It’s the only reason we set alarms on the weekends, the only reason we binge drink at breakfast, and really the only excuse to ever wear a bucket hat. And while on the surface these things all seem so wrong, they are actually so right, and have come to define Indiana’s sacred tailgating culture.
Tailgating takes on a new meaning here at IU. By 10 o’clock, the fields are flooded with students to faculty, all partying, barbecuing, and celebrating the day. Bloomington becomes a sea of cream and crimson as everyone gathers together, electrified by ceaseless amounts of school spirit. Music is blasting, friends are laughing, and beers are shotgunned– it’s an experience I can’t appropriately put into words.
Simply put, IU tailgating is absolute madness. You can’t say you’ve truly lived until you’ve experienced an Indiana tailgate. There’s nothing quite like it and nothing more incredible. So cheers to another unforgettable, crazy Hoosier tailgate season. And good luck to our football team, here’s hoping their success measures up to that of our tailgates…no pressure.