Chances are you have never had the opportunity to peruse the inner workings of my childhood closet (and thank goodness for that — way too much Justice, way too many pairs of jorts), but never to fear, I can personally attest to the few staple pieces of my former wardrobe: no less than three Notre Dame football jerseys — #1, #11 and #7, in case you were wondering — and a revolving door of five various Fighting Irish sweatshirts.
Growing up, my family spent every football season Saturday watching the boys in blue and gold fight their way toward another embarrassing playoff run, and coming from a very long line of Notre Dame fans, I couldn’t imagine myself rooting for any other team. Well, I couldn’t until the moment I hit “Accept” on my UCLA acceptance email and joined the local blue-and-gold fanbase.
Flash forward to senior year, and I’m struggling to come to terms with the fact that our ~devastating~ loss to our crosstown rivals was my final time experiencing the Rose Bowl’s (sometimes) electric student section. There have certainly been ups and downs in my memories of UCLA football, namely the 100°+ afternoon games where I was sweating so badly my shirt looked a different color, as well as the freezing night games where this SoCal girl realized that warmth does in fact outweigh the cuteness of your outfit, BUT…
Nothing beats the feeling of nailing your first 8-Clap, meeting new friends, cheering for a game-winning drive and watching your passion for the game of football grow with each successive game you attend.
Football in and of itself has held a special place in my heart, but watching the Bruins play has taken precedence from the first moment I stepped into the Rose Bowl. I know, I know, grievances have been shared in regards to the peculiar parking situation (a country club’s golf course, for some reason?) and the ABSURD concession prices ($7.50 for a water bottle?! Am I buying bottled unicorn tears?), BUT…
Well, l don’t really have an argument to justify the eccentricities of UCLA Football Folklore, so just turn your focus towards the ridiculous amounts of fun we’ve all had this season! Close your eyes and remember laughing with friends at The Dirt before the game, remember going crazy at fourth-quarter pick-6s, remember the thrill of being a Bruin…
When I think back on football season, I’m always welcomed with a big smile and warm heart; I’ll never forget the pride I felt in celebrating my university’s team.
While I will always root for the Fighting Irish (as well as my sister’s alma mater — the Oregon Ducks — though I’ll only show support when they aren’t playing the Bruins), my allegiance now belongs to the boys in bright blue and gold — my beloved UCLA Bruins. Cheering them on next year as an alumnus may not equate to the exhilaration of The Den experience, so I’ll just have to hold on tighter to my memories from these past few years.
Thus, here is my final farewell to the college football season, but don’t worry because I’m keeping those 4’s up forever. Goodbye and go Bruins!