Saturdays, and increasingly Thursdays, are special times for students on college campuses around the country. Football season is the highlight of many people's sports-watching year.
Thousands convene in parking lots and fields in the hours before the games. In these fields and parking lots they cook out, shout fight songs, argue over whose team is better, play cornhole, consume massive amounts alcohol and more. Many people look forward to this more than the game.
Though tailgating may seem like a massive, unregulated block party, it does have rules.
These rules are the same every year. They are put in place for the fans' safety and for law enforcement's safety. While the university and police expect you to follow these rules, they also expect some of you to give them the finger - figuratively and sometimes literally.
Whether you're a calm, law-abiding citizen who cleans up your parking space after tailgating or a major rager waving a middle finger at "The Man" and his boring tailgating rules, you need to be safe.
That being said, have a blast. We aren't necessarily condoning breaking the rules. But we know some of you will and as long as no one gets hurt, nothing gets destroyed and everyone has fun then whatever, do what you have to do. We aren't going to be negative nancys.
However, if someone does get hurt or something burns down, tailgating could be ruined for everybody. If that happened, it probably wouldn't be brought back until after every current student is a few years removed from graduation.
Those with common sense shouldn't have trouble with campus police or excise. While some rules seem a bit pointless - no hard liquor, as if the alcohol in that is different than the alcohol in beer - many aren't harshly enforced unless people draw unnecessary attention to themselves or put others in danger.
As long as you keep festivities within a loose interpretation of what the powers-that-be consider controlled, things should be OK. Nobody will get hurt, nothing will get broken, people should have fun and police should leave you alone.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
