There are countless differences between high school and college, many of which vary based on where you go to school, but one difference that stands out is football games. 

When I was a senior in high school people would ask me, “What are you looking for in a college?” I would respond by saying, “a college town, big football, and an intimate -- but not too intimate campus.” People would look at me like I was downright insane. Most people believe you can’t have both big football and a small campus in college, but at Texas Christian University I found just that. The type of sports programs, and typically football, are a major part of making college decisions come spring. So I am here to tell you about the differences I have found between a small beach town’s high school football games and Fort Worth’s Big 12 football games with the Horned Frogs.

1. Trade in your jeans and sweatshirt for a dress and cowboy boots. The days of cuddling up in your cute class sweatshirt for a Friday night game are long gone. In the south, if you are female, you have a very strict dress code for football games and, let me tell you, it is the opposite of the daily going to class dress code. Girls show up to games in all different kinds of dresses and skirts, curled hair, full makeup, face tattoos, big bows and, most importantly, cowboy boots. So, while some days I miss those Friday night lights in my comfortable clothing, I would not change the southern charm of dressing up for a game for anything. 

2. Waking up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday so you can make tailgates for an 11 a.m. game.  If you read number one, above, then you understand this statement. We are not always fortunate enough to have a late game, so when those tailgates start at 8 a.m., and you want to make it in time to make sure you get in a few mimosas, set that alarm bright and early. 

3. You or your friends are too drunk to care about the game, until a school chant begins. When you tailgate for a few hours and you are trying to drink enough to keep you at a good level for the entire game, sometimes you overdo it. While you are dripping sweat, and already many drinks in at 12 noon, first downs are not your main priority. You cheer when we score and boo when the opponent does, but for the rest of the game you find more fun in mocking the other team's cheerleaders and flirting with the cute boy sitting in front of you. 

4. Your family searches for you on TV. When the camera scans the student section and your parents snap a shot of it on ESPN, they will definitely text you saying, where are you? 

5. You no longer get to wear your boyfriend's jersey, let alone be best friends with any of the players. One of my favorite memories from high school was getting to wear my boyfriend's football jersey to school on Fridays and to the game. Sadly, in college, the girls who know the football players well are limited, many of them don’t want or have time for a girlfriend and they aren’t allowed to share their jerseys. While I understand that, I miss cheering for my best friends on the football field, instead of yelling, “Go 7!”    

There are positives and negatives to these two different phases of fan viewing in your life, but enjoy them while you can and always wear your school colors with pride.