It’s tailgating season! And with tailgating season comes bearwear, free pom poms in the student section and of course a lot of 8 claps! Most of the time tailgating is really fun but I think it’s safe to say that it’s also really tiring! And if you don’t prepare yourself for all that it entails, then it can end up being a bit unpleasant. But hopefully this list of tips will help make more of your tailgates as enjoyable as they should be!
Photo Courtesy of Ashley Mallinson
1.) Stay hydrated
This is especially important if you’ll be drinking – we all know the side effects of dehydration so combining that with intoxication will make for a mean hangover! If you don’t trust that you’ll be able to alternate your alcoholic drinks with water – which I strongly recommend that you do – then make sure you drink more than the recommended 8 glasses the day before AND the day after the tailgate.
2.) Sun protection
A hat, sunglasses, and sun screen are going to be your best friend if you are tailgating in scorching hot weather! Not only will you actually feel more comfortable if you are protecting your skin but you’ll also be doing your body a huge favor because the more you’re exposed to the sun, the faster your body loses water and as we already established: dehydration = bad. And let’s not forget that a lack of sun protection can age, dry, and discolor your skin, as well as make it easier for harmful rays to penetrate it.
3.) Make a mini emergency kit
Stock up on advil, tums, tampons, safety pins, hair ties, bobby pins, a tide stick, band aids…You get the idea! Basically, just be ready for anything to happen – whether that’s spilling something on your friend’s cheer skirt, or getting an unexpected visit from aunt flo! If you’re fully equipped, then these surprises won’t ruin your day. So prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
4.) Make playlists ahead of time
There’s nothing worse than having to constantly be on your phone to make a great Spotify queue. Not only does this get boring really fast, it also means that you can’t enjoy yourself like everyone else – and that’s why playlists exist! Spend a few days before the tailgate adding songs to an existing playlist or creating a new one so that at the tailgate you’re not the girl glued to her phone.
5.) Label your coolers
It’s really annoying when people keep opening and closing coolers when they’re looking for something because it makes it harder for the food and drinks to stay cool. An easy way to solve this would be to make labels, and if you’re too lazy to write the labels yourself then just use old drink/food labels and stick them on to the cooler!
6.) Freeze water bottles and use them as ice in your coolers
Not only will this save space in your cooler (you won’t have to store ice packs AND water bottles), it’ll also help you ensure that you carry, and presumably drink enough water because when they eventually melt you can drink the water!
7.) Do as much food prep beforehand
Cut up all the toppings for your burgers and hotdogs so that at the tailgate you don’t waste time doing that and you also don’t end up carrying half your kitchen utensils to make a decent meal!
8.) Check what size bag you can carry into the Rose Bowl!
If you’re a regular at the Rose Bowl then you probably already know what the rules are, but there is no harm in double checking because there would be nothing worse than getting turned away at the entrance and having to walk all the way back to your car (or your friend’s car) to put your bag away! It would be even worse if you travelled on the rooter bus because there would be nowhere for you to store your bag if you got turned away. As of right now this is the policy:
“Small clutch purses, with or without a handle or strap, are permitted along with either the 12″ by 6″ by 12″ clear tote bags or the one-gallon Ziploc style bag. This should enable you to carry the same items that you have in previous years.”
9.) Don’t forget your Bruincard!
The only thing worse than being denied entry because of your bag, is being denied entry because you forgot your Bruinard a.k.a your ticket to watch the game! A good way to prevent you from forgetting this vital piece of identification is to pack your bag the night before – and make sure it’s the first thing you put in there!
10.) Don’t skimp on the UCLA spirit!
Is there such a thing as going overboard with bearwear? Maybe. Should you care about that? No, because you love your school and your team! So bring on the blue and yellow jello shots, solo cups, and helium balloons (if you get balloons with extra-long string and write something on them, then you could use these to help your friends find you!). And don’t be shy about rocking those UCLA socks, even if it is almost 100 degrees! After all, game day is about repping your team and supporting the blue and gold never gets old!