Students at Northwestern State University make the most of football game days by meeting at the tailgating field for an afternoon full of fun. Organizations bring tents, couches, food and games such as cup pong and cornhole for fellow students to enjoy, and the tailgating is never complete without energetic music to inspire singing and dancing.
This year saw new tailgating rules, including no songs featuring profanity and no cans. In addition, construction on campus made setting up for tailgating a bit difficult. Nonetheless, NSU students made the most of tailgating and had a great season of hanging out with friends and supporting NSU’s football team.
Aidan Welch, a sophomore history major, tailgated to meet up with one of his fraternity friends. “My favorite part is simply hanging out with friends in an outdoor environment before a game,” Welch said. “I enjoy the NSU community coming together in support of our football team.”
Meredith Calahan, a sophomore psychology major, suggests that everyone attend a tailgate before they graduate. She feels that tailgating can be even more fun than attending the game, especially when her friends are there with her. Her favorite tailgate was the one before the first football game of the season. “Not many people were there, and it was so fun. It wasn’t insanely hot like the midday tailgates, but it also wasn’t cold like a fall night. It felt so good outside, and everyone was just having a blast,” Calahan said.
Sam Marcantel, a sophomore philosophy, politics and economics major, likes to tailgate because of the sense of community and excitement it brings. “To me, it’s the perfect way to get in the right headspace before enjoying a game,” Marcantel said. “Being able to sit down after winning a game of cornhole and having light conversation with friends is definitely one of my favorite things to do.”
Tailgating is a way for students to create fond memories with their friends and to have experiences like no other. “One of my best memories of tailgating was during one of the evening games,” Marcantel said. “Watching the sun start to go down and experiencing the golden rays of the afternoon while just talking to your friends is amazing. There’s nothing like it in the world.”
Tailgating has been an NSU tradition for many years, with students from every major and organization coming together to support one another and enjoy being at NSU outside of classes. The experience offers students the chance to make new friends, grow closer with their existing ones and show their love for Northwestern State University.
