Don’t F Up College Football Saturdays
Honestly, I don’t care who you are. You could be a barking Georgia Bulldog or a quiet Golden Gopher. Come September, all I want to do is hang out with a bunch of friends and spend the day watching the best thing modern society has given us… college football.
I’m not a planner, so my college football Saturdays usually involved getting decked out in my Penn State gear and showing up to a friend's house or a bar to drink all day and make great memories.
As a seasoned veteran of attending college football “parties,” I’ve learned how to tell a good time from a bad time pretty quickly. So, if you want to be that awesome friend who throws the ultimate game day shindig, here are some must-follow rules—things to do and definitely don’t—to make sure you and your crew have a blast, no matter if your team's winning or losing (and some teams know that all too well).
Do Prep Beforehand & Ask Friends To BYO
Being the organized friend is a bit like being a therapist. Everyone expects you to sort things out, but they don't always give back. While it can be tough always playing the host and never getting to kick back yourself, a great way to beat any game-day jitters is to prepare in advance.
Try to make the game day prep a breeze by getting things in order ahead of time and ensuring you've got everything you need well before Saturday arrives. We've all experienced that "I'll just make a quick morning store run for last-minute stuff" moment, and let's face it, it's never quite as simple as we hope. So, do yourself a favor and prepare some grub in advance. Whip up that delicious buffalo chicken dip, arrange your chip bowls with the bags ready to tear open, chill all your beverages and mixers, and why not go the extra mile by prepping your meat so it's primed for a flawless grill session? Game day made effortlessly enjoyable!
Now, when it comes to your guests, they're reaping the rewards of your hard work, so it's only fair for them to chip in (pun intended). When you shoot out those invites, don't be shy to ask a buddy to bring some chips, a dip, or perhaps a case of Trulys. And even if one or two happen to slip their minds, a true friend will come through, remember the request, and show up with those goodies in hand.
Don’t Do A Potluck
Similarly, do not solely rely on your degenerate friends to bring food. Because chances are, most will forget, and you guys will be rationing the one bag of Doritos and fighting over who gets the last slider. Just save yourself the disappointment and try to do the majority of the food yourself.
If that’s too much, order pizza or do Chipotle catering.
Do Have A Speaker Or A Good Sound System
During the commercial breaks and halftime, having a speaker keeps the good vibes coming, and after all, that is what we are all looking for in a college football party. Playing good music is a great way to make it seem like you got a proper party, even if it's four 50-year-old Badger alumni wreaking beer on a beautiful couch. If you don’t have a speaker and you like to throw parties, I’d highly recommend getting one. Even a JBL Flip 6 is a smaller speaker for under $150 that delivers crisp and loud sound.
If you want to be a real pro, spend 10-15 minutes before the party to curate a playlist that both you and your friends will enjoy. And maybe music isn’t your forte (it’s not mine); there are plenty of pre-curated Spotify playlists to pick from to ensure the vibes are spot-on.
Don’t Worry About Cleaning
Prepare for the worst-case scenario. Anticipate that a chair leg might break, someone might accidentally spill whiskey on your pristine white rug, or the toilet could decide to act up. By mentally bracing for these potential mishaps, you'll be better equipped to handle any mess that inevitably unfolds on game day.
If you are way too uptight to let anything messy slide on your special day, you can prepare by hiding anything you don’t want to be touched or spilled on. Your house still looks just as good without the Pottery Barn rug, and it will survive a day without it. Your future self will thank you.
Do Have Enough Seating
I’ve literally left house parties in college because the only way to watch the game was by standing behind the couch. While some people might prefer to stand and certainly can do so, please make sure you have ample seating options. This can be hard, especially if you aren’t taking a head count, but if you invite 10 people, make sure to have 12-16 places to sit.
Don’t Say No To New Guests
Telling your guests they can’t bring a plus one is a huge party foul, not to mention a massive buzzkill. The magic about Saturday college football is that parties bring existing and new friends together. While it’s not ideal not to know how many people are coming, the more truly is the merrier.
Ask your friends to bring people and maybe see if you can get an estimate of how many people are coming. And if you’ve followed my tips, surprise guests should not put a wrench in your fun (unless, of course, they’re Ohio State fans, then for sure, kick them out).
Do Have The Best Saturday Ever
College football is a magical time of year, and regardless of whether you throw the most perfect party or you have a dumpster fire, at least you got to watch good–sometimes half-way decent–football.
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