The effects of Welcome Weekend might have worn off almost a week ago, but alas, my fellow partiers, er, Spartans, Saturday morning is the beginning of a weekly tradition that will last through late November.
I'm not talking about Saturday morning cartoons or pulse-pounding hangovers. And I'm certainly not talking about sleeping in. When it comes to Saturday morning here in East Lansing, sleep is for the weakest among us.
To some, this coming weekend provides nothing more than an extra day to finally end the procrastination of reading 100 pages of "My Bondage and My Freedom" or additional time to visit the boyfriend that numerous freshmen girls are yearning to run their little paws all over.
But to most, Saturday marks the beginning of an outdoor party of sorts. It's a tradition of Frisbee-throwing, beer-drinking, shirtless, sun-filled, fight-song-singing extravaganza that we like to call tailgating.
Oh yeah, folks, football season will be in full swing at 3:40 p.m. Saturday, when our boys take on the horses - or whatever type of stallion they are - from Western Michigan University.
And leading up to that much-anticipated, afternoon kickoff time will be the biggest party you've laid your most-likely-still-bloodshot-from-the-night-before eyes on.
If you live in Case Hall, or any of the South Complex dorms, look out of your window at any given time Saturday morning and you're sure to be knocked off your rocker when you see the tennis courts full of tents, open trucks and green-and-white-wearing fools.
Shouts of, "Go Green! Go White!" will be heard across the land. Beer will be spilled on your expensive shoes or cheap sandals.
Cops on horses will be parading the grounds. People will be peeing behind bushes.
Tailgating stretches from West Circle Complex to Holden Hall, overtakes Munn Field, the tennis courts and the rock and fills Spartan Stadium's parking lot.
Tailgating is the general theme of Saturday at MSU.
So slap those sexy, temporary "S" tattoos on your beer-bloated cheeks, grab your still-sleeping roommate and take to the streets.
It's time to celebrate being a Spartan.
But beware, my friends, for tailgating can take its toll upon the weary.
In the center of all this lunacy, I am here to tell you to make sure you take care of your body, no matter how wasted you might be.
Last year, the first game of gridiron madness left many students looking like raisins in the football stands.
It was beyond hot, similar to last Monday. There was no cloud coverage. Most everyone had been drinking since Friday night around 9 p.m. and hadn't stopped until they walked into the admission gates on Saturday afternoon.
To top it all off, a sweet, red, cherry-flavored bottle of water was a whopping $5.
From that moment on, a lesson was to be learned - drink at least one bottle of water before the game and, if possible, get at least 2 hours of sleep between drink-fest.
And those are the bare minimums.
I know, I know, "Who are you? My mother?"
No, I'm not, but I care about my fellow students. And honestly, I don't want to watch you passing out on the street while I'm out and about strolling around.
So do yourself a favor and actually eat at the tailgates. Put some vitamins in your body. Shove a hot dog in your mouth. Drink something besides alcohol with your food, because one non-alcoholic drink is not going to make your blood alcohol level of .14 much lower.
But above all, get out there and go crazy. Don't set couches on fire or get arrested. Simply support our football team with Spartan enthusiasm.
It's going to be 72 degrees and partly sunny - perfect tailgating weather. Have fun, and, as all mothers say before we walk out the door: Be safe.
Lindsey Anderson can be reached at ander848@msu.edu
