For the first time in forever, the Florida Gators men’s basketball team is one of the best in the country. They reached No. 3 in the AP poll, beat No. 1 ranked Tennessee by 31 points and scored a SEC Player of the Week accolade for Alex Condon.
Of course, with the Gators being this phenomenal, ticket demand to see them play is through the roof. To be a part of the Rowdy Reptiles, one must wake up at the crack of dawn for an early afternoon game and wait outside in the Florida heat. Speaking from my own experience, I arrived outside the O’Dome exactly ten hours before the South Carolina game on Feb. 15 and scored third-row seats for being 222 out of 500 in line. So, was all the waiting around worth it?
Absolutely!
My friend Kate and I believe having such good seats enhanced our spectating experience, and we even scored free jerseys at the recent South Carolina game. All four games we attended together were downright magical, leaving us wanting more.
If you want to join the fun, I highly recommend pulling up to the O’Dome at least six hours before the gates even open for your best shot at seats in the student section. In case you get bored waiting in line, here are some ways to stay entertained!
Watch a movie
If you find yourself waiting in line for eight hours like I did, putting on a movie can easily make two hours pass by. Kate’s a huge Twilight fan, and since I’d never seen it before, we agreed to watch the first movie while in line for the Texas game. We’ve already finished more than half of the series because, as bad as the movies are, they’re downright addicting. We might start up another franchise like The Hunger Games once we’re done with Bella and Jacob!
Feast on food
For an early evening game, you need to line up well before lunchtime. Packing food is key so you don’t starve and resort to eating a soft pretzel for dinner. Kate and I treated ourselves to some Chick-fil-A nuggets while waiting around for the Texas game, which definitely hit the spot. Publix popcorn chicken and potato wedges for the South Carolina game were a hit, too.
Bust out a deck of cards
You’re never too old to play card games, and Kate and I kept ourselves entertained with a game I like to call “Trash or Treasure.” This game is a great time-killer because there’s guaranteed to be at least ten rounds lasting a few minutes each if you don’t speed through it. Also, if the game goes by quicker than expected, go ahead and play another round or two.
Play Heads Up!
Even though we as a society successfully canceled Ellen a few years ago, we can give her app a free pass. Heads Up! never gets old since the rotating “Pop Culture” deck features trendy people and things ranging from the Costco Guys to Babygirl. And if you don’t want to spend $1.99 for the app, download the off-brand version called Charades for a similar experience.Â
I hope these suggestions motivate you to attend a UF basketball game, even if it means waiting for approximately three times as long as the game itself. Be sure to join the official Rowdy Reptiles GroupMe for exciting updates, and, as always, GO GATORS!