Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. Shop at Good Will, Walmart or your dad’s closet to find the most obnoxious, XXL T-shirt to sport on the beach. Grab the flower crowns, the tutus and the glitter to up your game, but don’t forget the jug! You’ll decorate it for a good three hours only to misplace it on the beach about 3 hours in.
Thursday, 12:30 p.m. Skip half your classes on Thursday before “Fall Break” (you know, the “break” UGA actually gives us so we can get to Frat Beach in plenty of time) to get to St. Simons as early as possible—just so you have enough time to waste away your last few hours before one of the best days of the year.
Friday, 8:30 a.m. Like a little kid on Christmas, wake up hours before your alarm, find breakfast, make a PB&J to grab for later and pop the champagne. Then throw on every ridiculous item of clothing that you own. Normalcy is not an option, headgear is a must and pictures are inevitable.
12:00 p.m. Throw on your fanny pack and make your way to the beach!
12:30 p.m. Take in the girls dressed up as pizza, tacos and any condiment you could imagine, the sickening number of Hawaiian shirts, the large number of security guards and the overwhelming amount of adults re-living their glory days. For the next 5 hours (or as long as you can handle), anything goes, so do your best to make it into the annual GA/FL video and enjoy the only time of the year where all of your friends are on one beach.
9:00 p.m. As you slowly wake up from your nap, pleased with your successful arrival at the correct house, you order yourself a pizza. You practically kiss the pizza delivery guy, tip him like you have the wallet to do it and grasp the most precious piece of pizza in your hands. After eating an entire box, you collapse into bed for the second time of the day.
Saturday, 7:15 a.m. Ask yourself how you fell asleep in a bed you’re sharing with six other girls, and why, when you are being forced out of it, it just became more comfortable than your bed at home. Against your will, you throw on a jersey and make your way to the Winn Dixie parking lot where you will load the SEC Excursions bus en route to the game (remember, the actual reason UGA relocates to Florida?).
8:30 a.m. As you wait in the chilly weather, (especially this year, when 50 degrees has never felt so cold) why on earth you spent $100 on an SEC excursions ticket haunts you until you have access to hotdogs, hamburgers, heavenly macaroni and cheese and pasta salad. The reason you got out of bed becomes clear when they replace that food with wings, sandwiches and chicken strategically throughout the day, keeping you and the tailgate happy and full.
3:15 p.m. This year, this is when the tears began, as you watched your favored Bulldawgs fall apart against Florida in a game they’ve previously won three years in a row. Leave the game early, disgusted, betrayed and crushed, because if the players aren’t going to show up for you, you’re not going to stay for them.
Sunday, 9:00 a.m. Throw away your jugs, pack up all the leftover Goldfish, double check that you have your phone charger (even though your phone probably landed in the ocean on Friday) and drag yourself into the car for a five hour ride back to Athens. Florida may have won the annual showdown, but thank your lucky stars you have UGA to come back to. Until next year, Florida.