#GBR Baby
September on a Big Ten campus, in the heart of a state full of college football’s best fans, is an iconic time. I can assure you there will never be a time that I will not be a die hard Husker. It’s not just about the football, it’s the experience. It’s the community feeling of everyone coming together to support this one thing we all believe in so much. Instead of making fun of Nebraska for being so gung-ho for its football program, ask yourself why it is we’ve never needed anything more than our Husker football program? We don’t need an NFL team, we don’t need professional basketball or baseball. We have our beloved Cornhuskers!
Freshman and sophomore year I spent game days at tailgates in the North Bottoms. Again, iconic. I’m sure I won’t ever experience the level of claustrophobia while outdoors as I did back in those days. Pack as many college kids as possible in a backyard, block the fences so no one can see in or out, have great, loud (and sometimes live DJ-ed!) music and it’s sure to be a good time! You choose your outfit based on what photographs the best because you know you have to post about it and plan your shoes based on what’s most comfortable to walk for miles in and what’s already trashed from prior game days and social events where you trudged through mud and who knows what else. Wearing cute shoes to these events is always a temptation, but an epic failure you will regret, am I right ladies? Freshman year I also had a student ticket so I was able to be a student in the Boneyard and cheer on our beloved Huskers. My freshman year was also Mike Riley’s freshman year at Nebraska. Heck yeah I had the Riled Up t-shirt. I had one specific game day buddy, my sorority sister bestie Jenna, and we didn’t miss a game. Even when we tailgated, and once even when we had house clean up duties at the sorority. That was a rough day. Tailgate in the morning, game in the afternoon, clean four floors of bathrooms and kitchens in the evening. I might have died a bit that day. I will truly treasure the memories of these days and while they might not happen when my kids are in college (thanks Nancy) I’ll be sure to tell them just how legendary they were.
Junior year I started to spend game day a bit differently. I started serving at a downtown/Haymarket bar. I figured I might as well make some money and what better days to do it than on Nebraskan’s favorite holidays?! The experience has taught me a lot and toughened my skin for sure. I’ve been able to practice standing up for myself, A LOT. I’ve been forced to be quicker on my feet and to think faster. I’ve met some great people and I’ve met some real jerks. I miss doing game day with friends and at the stadium, but the amount of tips you can make off of Nebraskans imbibing on game days is unreal. Plus, I like the place. So much so that I’ve started to manage their social media and marketing, which is a phenomenal fit for me and my future career aspirations.
The season has started out rocky, but a true Nebraskan knows the tides will turn, the Frost is coming!
#GBR!
