tailgating
My recent gameday style post got me thinking about how gameday in your 20's is a little bit, AHEM, different than gameday in your 30's...and 40's....AND 50's.
(It probably gets a little wild again in your 60's. Just saying.)
The differences are subtle, but very real. I was never more aware of them, than I was several weeks ago when I attended the emotional torture that was the Georgia/Tennessee game. This is the conversation that went down between me and my husband, prior to this absolute pride-slaying.
John : Hey babe! Guess what?? I got us some FREE TICKETS FOR THE GAME!
Me: Hmmmm. What's wrong with them?
John : Well...they're in the Tennessee section. But they're FREE!
Me: I have a bad feeling about this.
Post Game Me: I would have paid a thousand dollars to not have to hear this many rounds of Rocky Top on my way out of the nosebleeds.
Tennessee fans....subtle and restrained, as always.
Anyway, there's just something about going to a game in Athens now that makes me feel, how do I put this? OLD AS FREAKING DIRT. I mean, the last time I went to a football game, I was PREGNANT. Which is not a good look when you're tailgating.
Here's the breakdown:
College Football in your 20's : You dress in your tightest, shortest dress and tallest, cutest shoes. You and your friends plan your tailgate for a week, and then actually start the party a minimum of 12 hours pregame. You may or may not sneak beverages into the stadium in your purse (diet coke, of course. I mean, this is a family blog). You will stand the entire game and apply ZERO sunscreen in an effort to get the most killer tan possible. You will scream so hard that your voice will be gone by the 2nd half, at which point you begin planning your post-game nap and rally. Which will include a pizza delivery and a party that begins at 11pm, earliest. You turn your alarm off, because you plan to sleep until 5pm the next day.
College Football in your 30's....and up: You tailgate for approximately 37 minutes, while enjoying exactly one adult beverage. You start to feel dehydrated, so you drink 6 bottles of water to avoid heatstroke. You sneak SNACKS into the stadium in your purse, mainly because you want to avoid paying $17 for a bag of M&M's. Instead of just looking like a baby-faced college kid, you are tailgating with LITERAL babies. You wanted to wear a cute dress or a cropped top and skinnies combo. But you just. can't. You instead opt for a hat over dirty hair, and some birks. 5 minutes into the game, you start to feel wrinkles forming on your face along with a wicked sunburn, so you pull out your SPF 100 stick and rub liberally all over your face. At least 5 times during the game. You sit down the ENTIRE game, with the exception of when you obnoxiously JUMP AROUND SCREAMING BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU HAVE WON. (Settle down, Sherri. There are still 4 seconds left.) You bust out of Athens for the eternal drive back to Atlanta as soon as you possibly can, along with EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THE STADIUM. You plan your post-game early bedtime, because your kids will wake you up at 6am without question.
Until next time,
