The start of a new fall semester in Boone means football season is approaching and, as Mountaineers, we have plenty to be excited about! Saturdays spent at The Rock are just around the corner, so I’ve compiled a few bits of advice for newcomers on the mountain. If you have never been to a game at App before, take a look at some of my Do’s and Don’t’s of football season:
Do: Wear school colors and show your pride.
The black and gold will never go out of style for the Mountaineers. That is what makes dressing up for games with color-coordinated outfits fun! If you don’t care that much about the game itself you can at least appreciate a well put-together tailgating outfit. A common trend for many girls on game-day is to dress mainly in black and accessorize with gold. There are also tons of places in Boone where you can get your hands on some official Appalachian merchandise without having to pay the outrageous mark ups in the bookstore. I’m definitely a supporter of the casual lacrosse penny or crewneck sweatshirt on colder days.
Don’t: Go overboard with body paint.
In high school, painting up for football games was a more common occurrence for the bigger games but it gets a little bit tricky in college. Painting your entire body with black and gold paint can seem like a good idea at first, however, once you realize it eventually all has to come off, you might regret the decision. The further we get into the season, the colder it gets and painting up for a game in November is almost like asking for hypothermia.
Do: Cheer for your favorite team.
This not only applies to attending football games, but when your guy friends invite you to watch a game on tv with them, know who you support! It’s pretty much impossible to ride the fence between two different teams when watching a game so you have to figure out who to pull for. Being a student at a school with a football team automatically makes you a part of the fan base so that one is a given. If you simply show your pride for the team on good plays and participate in the classic “APP STATE” cheers, you’re guaranteed a good time.
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Don’t: Stay on your phone the whole game…get interested!
Between smart phones and social media, it’s easy to get caught staring into a tiny screen for hours, but doing so while there’s a live game right in front of you is just shameful. We’re all guilty of doing the switchback between Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook just to keep ourselves entertained and it’s honestly a good way to waste time. But who needs to waste time when you’re in a stadium full of people and, more importantly, when men in spandex pants are running around on the field after a ball?! Take some pictures with friends but keep the phone usage to a minimum or you might miss out on a fantastic play.
Do: Take advantage of tailgating.
If you live on West Side of campus, you’ll have better access to tailgating spots on Saturday because of its close proximity to the stadium. Parents and alumni will start to fill up the stadium lot hours before you’ve even gotten out of bed. Here’s a tip: if your friend’s parents (or your own) invite you to stop by their tailgate, you must attend. They will always have the best home cooked food for free, and will most likely challenge you to play a lively game of cornhole. Boone transforms into a rowdy town during fall weekends and the fun atmosphere is hard to find anywhere else.
Don’t: Ask a million questions about the game.
Before going into the game with a group of friends, it’s essential to do at least a little bit of “research” about the teams. Obviously it could be slightly embarrassing if you don’t know who the opponent is or what’s happening on a second down. Although it’s not necessary to be an expert on all things football to be able to enjoy the game, knowing a few things would certainly help you out. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the game either! Guys love it when girls are interested in sports so this gives you an opportunity to talk to that cutie you’ve been eyeing.
Now that you know all of the do’s and dont’s of football season, you are ready for our first game this Saturday! Be sure to keep these things in mind as you head to “The Rock” for our first home game of the season.