Everything you need to know before tailgating at App State
Bring a rain jacket
Home of the Mountaineers, Appalachian State University becomes a sea of black, gold and white every football game day. Surrounded by the smell of beer, sound of loud music and comfort of the mountains, there’s nothing quite like a tailgate to get you excited before a game.
Sure most schools with a football team tailgate but there are some things here in Boone that make ours just that bit different, so here’s what you need to know come Saturday:
Duck Pond is where students take over
Various fraternities and sororities reserve a spot on Duck Pond during game days and it creates an unrivaled atmosphere. The tailgate can easily turn from a pump-up atmosphere to a full on party. The music is so loud you can barely hear your friends talk but that’s fine because there is more dancing than conversation.
Another useful tip, pay attention to where you are walking because you will most likely get hit by a football/Frisbee/Cornhole bag if you are distracted.
Black, gold and white is the dress code
As long as you wear one of these three colors you are perfectly fine, so do not stress about what to wear for a game. If you want to jazz up your outfit a bit stick an “A” sticker on your face or draw some black lines underneath your eyes and you are good to go.
Always make sure to bring a rain jacket because this is Boone we are talking about and it will almost definitely rain even if the forecast says it will not.
Tailgate Lottery
If you are a student and do not feel like spending lots of money on a tailgate spot, sign up for the tailgate lottery that happens before every game and you could possibly be chosen to claim a spot to hold your own tailgate.
Be prepared to wake up early
Tailgating starts early in the morning so make sure not to party too hard Friday night so you can get up early and go party when Saturday rolls around.
Don’t worry about bringing money for food
There is so much food to go around during tailgates we could probably feed a small army. Don’t worry about not having enough meal plan money because someone there will have food for you to eat.
Head in the stands early
The student body disappears from the tailgating areas to go into the student section earlier than the rest of the fans. This is an old tradition in which while the team is warming up the marching band comes into the stadium and is conducted by the student body. Afterwards the drumline takes over and gets the crowd riled up and ready for the game to start.
After all of this you are ready for the game to begin. Tailgates are a great way to socialize and get excited for the game to start so go have some fun and make your experience a memorable one.