I stopped playing competitive sports after my mom made me play for my middle school's basketball team in seventh grade. Before this year, I hadn't played flag football since eighth grade gym class, and I don't know if I'd actually call that flag football. My friends and I would just stand in clumps, pretending to play this "sport," when actually we'd just gossip about middle school boys and talk about weekend plans. So when I signed up to play co-rec non-competitive intramural flag football with my sorority and another fraternity, I was pretty proud of myself. Here's what I learned after five games:

1. No matter who you're playing, there's always someone on the other team that you hate

The girl who is just way too aggressive? The boy who doesn't tuck his shirt in all the way so his flags aren't fully exposed? Yeah, we've all been there.

2. Plays don't really work in flag football

Maybe I'm just saying this because I don't understand football, but I feel like once the ball is snapped, it's every man for himself.

3. Everyone looks sportier wearing football flags

I'm the least sporty person I know, and I felt pretty powerful on the intramural field.

4. The mercy rule can come in handy

Who would want to keep playing when you're losing that badly? (I don't know this from experience......okay maybe I do.)

5. When only four girls on your team show up to the game, you play both offense and defense

Because it's a co-rec team, there has to be four guys and four girls from your team on the field at all times. Only four girls showing up means that you have to play the whole game. Sports. I love them.

6. Sometimes things happen and your team gets to move forward because the other team did something wrong

Have I mentioned that I don't fully understand football? Regardless, it's pretty cool when your team gets yards because of something the other team did (like they "accidentally" tackled one of your players even though it's non-competitive flag football).

7. It's actually kind of fun

I would like to apologize to my team because I'm not very good at flag football. A lot of the time, I stood on the field, confused and in fear that someone would actually throw the ball to me. Unfortunately, we lost our first playoff game so the season is over, but I made a lot of good memories. Until next time, my friends.