The Girls Are Back in Town

Last weekend some friends and I met in Bloomington for the Big 10 opener tailgate (We gave up on trying to go to games a long time ago). It's funny how, even though we just graduated in May and left at the end of the summer, the people are so different! It's weird being out at the bars and not running into a single person you know, and it kind of makes you feel a little old. Even more bizarre was the fact that we were tailgating with my little brother and his friends, who have replaced us as the next generation of Hoosiers. I'm well aware 22 is not old, but man, sometimes it feels like it.

I actually just got back from the trip due to spending a few days at home afterwards for the infamous Fall Festival in Evansville, and now I'm off to Denver on Sunday to hopefully make some progress on the job search and do some apartment hunting. It's been a busy month! Taking advantage of the opportunity to do all this traveling while I can. Has anyone else been anywhere fun lately?

The End of an Era

It's official: I have completed my last tailgate as a college student. I'm sure there will be plenty more to come, especially with my little brother expecting to come to IU, but I have a feeling they just won't be quite the same. (But then again, my dad probably thought that too, and he clearly still keeps right up with the best of us!)

So without further adieu, I give you a picture summary of the ridiculousness that was Saturday:

(Completely normal to start drinking at the bar at 7am before it is even light out, right? That's how we do it at Kilroy's Breakfast Club! Maybe the only upside to noon games.)

(Kelly, the roommate!)

(Dad and some of his IU girls!)

(Storm Trooper time!)

("Adam, why do you have that weird look on your face?" "It's not a weird look, it's called sobriety")

(Free shirt from Kilroy's Breakfast Club. Getting up at 7am to go to a bar has its perks!)

(Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, anyone? Aka, me and my dad.)

(We'll call this: Why you don't pass out at an IU tailgate. Demonstrated by Steven. Thank goodness we thought to buy those 50 cent mustaches and beards from the machine at Kroger.)

(Tobasco wake up call!)

(Enticing him to take pictures while he still is completely unaware that he has a Hitler mustache)

(Steven: "HEY! MICHELE! What's your problem!?")

(Recipe Bonus: Dark Chocolate Ganache Topped Brownies that I made for the game!)

The BUCKET GAME!

We'll start this with my acceptance of the fact that IU lost this year. Again. Honestly, whatever. I enjoy the bragging rights that carry over for the year following the game, but I truly just have never been good at following sports or really caring about them, so I'm really not that concerned. Plus as I have stated multiple times, IU is still better at partying, hence the fact that most of us don't really even remember losing (but mostly Lauryn). I will warn you this one's going to be a little long, but probably worth your reading none the less if you've got the time.

Regardless- the day was entertaining in all sorts of ways. It was great to take a break from studying. We had a bit of a last minute issue with not having appropriate tailgating supplies, but scrounged up enough of a variety to get us where we wanted to go. I think you all know what I'm talking about here.

I obviously had to rock my "Puck Furdue" shirt- which led Kelly and I to the realization that we probably will be needing to make some flat out "FUCK PURDUE" shirts in the near future. My goal for next year's tailgating season (that's all I'm really concerned with) is to get an oversized IU football jersey on sale now that the season's winding down so I can just throw on leggings and UGGs and be good to go. Well, UGGs or Cowboy boots, since we somehow just now figured out that they're both perfect for the sneaking of flasks into games.

We also happened to tailgate with THREE of our teachers from high school. And let me tell you- when you're drinking, this always seems to be the most entertaining thought. On our way into the game we happened to stumble on this befittingly decorated tree. What better ornaments for a tree at an IU tailgate? I think Lindsay even added one of our empty IU Bud Light cans to it.

When we got in, we found out that since the student section was "full" thanks to so many Purdue kids, they were redirecting those with student tickets to the COMPLETE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STADIUM in a section next to the Purdue band. I'm sorry. I was not having any of this. We bought those tickets months ahead of time and last time I checked WE are the ones whose tuition goes to that school! At that point I was a little rowdy and was ready to throw down with an usher or physically remove the first five people I could locate wearing black and gold so we could have their seats. Thankfully the ushers were telling everyone to only go in "if you already have seats" to which I responded "OF COURSE WE DO" and pushed our way right past. Granted, the seats we got weren't anything wonderful, but at least they were not next to the Purdue band.


Now, note the blue sunglasses on the head in front of the camera. At some point Lauryn thought it would be funny to try to take them off her head, and after a few failed attempts the girl's friend finally caught on and the girl held them in her hands for the rest of the game. I admit it, we're really awful people that sometimes shouldn't be allowed out of the house.

THEN Lauryn and I decided we would try to go get some food. This was a great idea since on top of our pregame and tailgate we had managed to sneak a few beers in through a hole in the liner of her purse on top of the flask in Kelly's UGGs, and at that point Lauryn was basically not aware of anything going on. We ATTEMPTED to order a hot dog, a chicken sandwich, nachos, a slice of pizza, and a drink. Good thing they were out of practically everything, because we ended up with just a hot dog, nachos, a bottle of water and a diet coke between the two of us.


On our way back to the seats, we seemingly went in the wrong entrance, and found ourselves having NO clue where we even were. Trust me, this is not a drunk thing, but really just the fact that I had been paying no attention to where we were actually sitting in the first place. After several texts to Kelly sounding something like "We're Lost! Come find us!" we were able to find our way back to the seats.

After this, we went back to the apartment and I slept for probably around 15 hours, only to get up to study yet again. All in all, I'd say it was a good day. And definitely representative of how we do it here at IU. Wildly, and obnoxiously, but definitely chock full of fun. And what can I say, I'm not the least bit embarrassed, because with the semester I had and only being able to tailgate and go to TWO of the home games, what else would you expect?