Why football season in Ann Arbor is the best time of year

The entirety of State Street is flooded in a sea of maize t-shirts, tank tops, onesies and overalls. The music streaming out of one house blends into the next as you walk past, weaving your way through the thousands of people scattered throughout the sidewalks of Ann Arbor. The crowd standing on the porch across the street shouts, “Go!” and you immediately join your side of the street in shouting “Blue!” right back at them. You’ve already spotted ten people dressed in Jim Harbaugh attire, and sure enough, that one third-story apartment has brought back out the beer bong that hangs there from September to November. The air is electric, and will be for the next six or so hours. It’s Saturday in Ann Arbor. Football Saturday.

The Big House

It might be because Michigan is the winningest college football team in the nation. It might be because the Big House is the largest football stadium in the U.S. But game days are more than just game days in Ann Arbor. They are the highlight of your week. They aren’t optional. They are the closest to a religion that a sport can get. And now, it’s less than a month and a half away. Get ready, because here’s why football season in Ann Arbor is the greatest time of the year:

Rocking Khakis Harbaugh-style

The infectious joy of game days

More than 100,000 people gather at the Big House every game day to celebrate the team (the team, the team)! Considering that the entire student population is a total of around 45,000, this means that thousands of people from the city of Ann Arbor and literally around the world flock to game days because yes, we’re that good. Nowhere else in America will you find so many people shouting a fight song in unison, or doing the wave (in slo-mo, high speed and reverse, of course). Nowhere else will you be able to play a beat on a cowbell and expect hundreds of people to clap along. Even if the team loses, it’s hard to have a bad day on game day.

This is what joy looks like

You don’t even have to like football

I’m not even gonna try to pretend, I know next to nothing about football. I know that you have four downs to make ten yards, and I know how many points you get for a touchdown, field goal and safety. That’s about it. Before coming to Michigan, the only football I ever watched was the Super Bowl. But that doesn’t matter, it’s impossible not to get caught up in the energy of the Big House.

Tailgating at its finest

Plus, you’ll be able to judge by the shouts of the entire student section what’s going on anyway. No offense to die-hard Michigan football fans, but game day is more about the experience than the actual football. But don’t get me wrong, nothing is better than a win in the Big House, especially if it’s against Notre Dame, Michigan State or Ohio State.

Time to pull out every maize and blue article of clothing you own

Coming from someone who’s favorite holiday is Halloween, dressing up for football games is not something to take lightly. Game days are the only time it is acceptable to wear the most absurd outfit you can compile, with the simple guideline that it’s maize and blue. Just make sure that you don’t get the shape of your temporary block M tattoo sunburned onto your face.

Perfectly acceptable

Everyone is your friend

Have you ever been to a music festival and felt like everyone you meet treats you like you’re their best friend? Imagine that, except with football instead of psychotropic drugs. I met my best friend in college (and current roommate, four years later) at my first football tailgate freshman year. With all the Michigan love flying around, it’s easy to bond with strangers, whether you’re dancing on some random frat’s lawn at 9am or high-fiving the entire row behind you after a touchdown.

Its not a tailgate without dancing

The marching band

If you’re here in Ann Arbor over the summer, you’ll be able to hear the marching band practicing all day long… But when football season rolls around, they won’t disappoint. From their creative halftime shows, cheer-inducing drum line, and renditions of “Everytime We Touch” and “Heaven,” the marching band is an essential part of game day. And let’s not forget the 3rd-quarter Blues Brothers dance, which is hands-down the greatest synchronized dance to grace this earth:

Spending time with your crew

You all bought tickets together, and now you get to spend a few glorious hours together almost every weekend for three months. Even if you’re busy with schoolwork during the week, there is always time to hang out on Saturday. And by hang out, I mean dance, cheer, stand until your legs feel like they’re falling off and walk home afterwards, full of game day electricity that will return again at the after-parties all over town later that night. You’ll cherish those memories forever.

There’s a reason Bleacher Report ranked Ann Arbor the number three college football town in the nation. And now, it’s time to dust off those cowbells and overalls. Football season is coming, and it’s time to get ready. I know I will be.