Gamedays at Auburn: The freshman guide

For the majority of the fall semester, there will always be something to do on Saturday: watch or attend an Auburn football game. Auburn athletics have created a fun, exciting game day experience from having tailgates prior to the game, to the eagle flying before kickoff. Though it is exciting, game day can be intimidating for one who has not attended a football game before.

For both on and off-campus students, preparing for game day begins with parking if they have a car. Depending how far off campus one is, they will need to buy a parking pass; numerous churches or businesses open their lots for game day and allow people to pay around $40 for parking. For on-campus students, they have to move their car to specifically assigned lots before Friday night.

First, the games will have a color theme of either orange, blue, white or “stripe the stadium,” and based on the theme, it will determine what color one wears. An email will be sent out during the week with the details of the color and timeline. On Saturday, Auburn Athletics will send out a specific schedule with times to help better plan out the day. 

Before committing to an outfit however, make sure to check the weather and dress appropriately or bring helpful accessories, such as an extra jacket, raincoat or umbrella or a pocket-sized fan. 

Bags are also not allowed into Jordan-Hare stadium, unless they are clear. Shakers will also be provided for free, but they can be hard to obtain if one chooses to show up later; in that case, shakers can be purchased at the campus bookstore and are allowed in the stadium. 

The gates open about two hours before kickoff and where one sits is not determined by the tickets; it is first come, first serve and seat saving is not allowed. For people who want front-row seats, the line typically starts an hour before the gates open, or earlier depending on the opponent. But even if one shows up right as the gates open or sometimes later, they will still find a seat, just not in the front. 

Once in the stadium and after finding seats, make sure to either buy a water bottle and refill it periodically throughout the game, or bring an empty one and fill it up. Jordan-Hare Stadium has numerous water bottle refill stations, and it can get hot in the stands, so it is crucial to stay hydrated. Jordan-Hare also takes dining dollars if one wants to use money from their meal plans. However, stadium food can be expensive. Eating before can help save money since outside food and drinks are not allowed. 

The football games can usually take three or four hours, but it can fluctuate and depending on what time people arrive, one could be in the stadium for almost their whole afternoon or night. 

Students stand the whole game, making it important to wear comfy shoes or have a pair of socks to change into if the shoes are uncomfortable and need to be taken off. 

Auburn football games are an incredible and exciting experience, especially for students. Now, freshmen and any new student will know how to properly prepare for the long, eventful day.