Your honest guide to game day at UMich

It’s football season in Ann Arbor and for now that still means throwing on those cut-off, ripped-up, risqué tees and pulling on those high socks and converse for game day in AA.

Make no mistake, game day is a magical time – the streets are clean, music is blasting from every house down and around State Street, and even Shady looks like it might not be an awful spot to drop by for a bit (don’t be fooled). It’s a beautiful day to get belligerent and for those of you who’ve never done this before, here are some expectations:

The prep work

For a game that starts at 12, you’ll want to be up by at least 8-7:30 if you don’t have an outfit planned yet. Make sure you have a place to store your MCard and ticket so you don’t have to double-back before the game. Don’t skimp on breakfast, you’re going to need a full stomach if you’re brave enough to stand through the game.

The pregame

If you’re underage, alcohol has to come through a shady, backdoor way and hidden in an underwear drawer because your RA is crazy – but do yourself a favor and pregame with your roommate or hall mates or someone you like in your general vicinity before going out into the wild unknown. Maybe it sounds lame and straight out of Alcohol.edu, but don’t forget to pay attention to how much you’re drinking. It’s a long day, and even if you think you can handle your liquor, it’s still a good idea to make sure you don’t spend your first Game Day vomiting or passed out instead of having fun with your friends. Now the disclaimer is over, let’s hop into the actual tailgate.

Choosing a tailgate

When in doubt of which frat to hit, go to the one playing the best music. If you don’t hear “Ignition (Remix)”, “Mr. Brightside”, and something by Blink-182, you’re doing it wrong. Don’t bother rushing to the frats, some of the most fun happens in the pregames anyways. And don’t let your game day turn into hopping from place to place with shoddy service in attempts to find your friends. So pick one and stick around, hop on an elevated surface, try not to fall off and dance your little heart out. Seriously, the more you dance the more fun you’ll have, even if you think you look dumb. I would advise dodging the pools to avoid injury, ear infections and general wetness… but hey, to each his own.

(Underage) Drinking

Everyone is fairly loose with his or her alcohol and dignity on game day, so booze and dance partners are easy to come by. Frats aren’t supposed to have handles at tailgates anymore, so get ready to slap the bag and drink some Hamms! Don’t let yourself get spooked – those official looking men standing by frats are just security, not cops. But the people who come in yelling for everyone to clear out – those are cops and you should book it out of there.

Getting to the game

Worried about timing and missing the start of the game? Don’t worry, follow the crowd to the Big House. But before stopping at Quickie to pee like the majority of your drunken peers, go to the Ross bathrooms. They’re clean, there’s rarely a line and you’re unlikely to run into many near-passed-out strangers, just maybe some nerds already studying. Trust me, it’s worth the shame they make you feel to grab a sip of water and chill out in there for a moment before going back out.

The game itself, though of course worth the experience, is not the best part of game days (sorry, team). Even if you’re not an avid football fan, you’re a part of something unique and exciting, something that not many schools do like ours. Maybe you think it’s simply drunk shenanigans—and I mean, sure, it is—but they’re also some of the best days of the year and memories you’re sure to look back on fondly for years to come. So go out, wear maize and get dazed.