There is no better feeling in the world than groggily waking up to the sound of your roommates shouting “WAKE UP IT’S GAMEDAY!” I jumped out of bed, beyond excited for my very first UT football game. I packed up my makeup and gameday clothes to go get ready at Callaway with my sorority sisters, and as I stepped outside, the streets were filled with pledges dressed in their cowboy boots as well as fans already sporting their burnt orange. We blasted our music while getting ready, and by the time 2 pm rolled around, it was time to head over to our first tailgate. Stepping into the tailgate, the place was swarmed with girls wearing sorority face tattoos and buttons…not a single girl had skimped on achieving the perfect gameday outfit. There was live music, puppies (yes, puppies), and enough food to feed a small country because Texas tailgates are like no other.

We eventually began walking to the game, and every ten minutes or so, someone led the “TEXAS FIGHT” chant. The walk wasn’t a short one, the Texas heat was not very merciful, and my boots were already giving me blisters, but everyone’s excitement was contagious so the pain was easy to ignore. Arriving at DKR and seeing the endless sea of burnt orange was enough to make my heart beat a little faster.

I finally got to my seat (front row, of course) and getting to see that huge stadium filled to the brim with the loudest and proudest fans in the country made me realize how lucky I am to be attending such an amazing school. As the players ran onto the field, I felt nothing but pride in our team and appreciation for how hard they worked all summer for this very moment.

The game was a crazy one. My emotions switched between excitement, stress, joy, frustration, but eventually 100% pure bliss when we won the game. I will never forget the feeling of jumping up and down in the student section with all of my best friends, knowing that it would be a moment I would tell my grandkids about one day.

Singing our hearts out to “The Eyes of Texas” was an indescribable feeling, and I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better first Texas football game. I can’t wait to do it all over again this weekend, and for all the doubters the Stronghorns are a force to be reckoned with.