Sunday, January 4, 2009

It's Great...to BE...

...a Florida Gator.

especially lately. :)

I love my school. I love the orange and blue colors, I love Albert, I love the chanting, I love the chomping, I love the camaraderie, I love the fight song, I love the passionate rivalries shared with other schools, I love the connection Florida fans feel for each other, and I love that when I see a stranger wearing UF garb, I can say "go gators" out loud, and he/she will say it right back. :)

I loved living in Gainesville. It's truly a town like no other, and the entire place is consumed with everything Gators. The streets are lined with old bookstores, restaurants, "mom and pop" shops that have been there forever... and the campus is packed with historic, brick laden buildings, hilly roads, tall, sweeping trees, and really smart, interesting people. And although UF is a huge school, the cozy town of Gainesville has a way of making its students feel like the center of the universe (pretty good feeling for an 18-year-old).

It was a magical place to be.

I have memories as a young and naive college student living there, away from home for the first time, juggling classes with making new friends and laundry and partying and final exams and shopping for things like groceries and textbooks.(like when I rode my bike to Eckerd's to buy toiletries, bought too much to properly balance the bags on my handlebars, so the bags busted open and shampoo/toothpaste/deodorant/feminine products/etc. ended up strewn across the sidewalk...in front of, like, a LOT of people. That sight must have SCREAMED "freshman")

I remember being really homesick the first few weeks ...and then...slowly but surely...Gainesville, and the University of Florida, became my home.

I...love...my...school.

GO GATORS.

That said...there is a pretty big football game coming up...you may have heard of it.

It's called, uh YEAH, a little thing they like to call...the National Championship.


My mighty Gators will battle the Oklahoma Sooners for the whole enchilada (I don't think I've ever used that phrase before, but, there ya go).

I am beyond excited, and it's probably the only event that would compel me to stay in Miami for three days. Just sayin'.

-Where: Dolphin Stadium
-When: January 8th
-Time: 8:00 p.m.


Where I'll be at that moment:
-Dolphin Stadium
-section 149
-row 18
(or more likely and/or hopefully, jumping and screaming in the aisle with glee)

Here's a video to get my readers (all five of you) properly pumped up for the big game:
(and now I can NOT get this song out of my head, so beware)



Chomp Chomp! :)

3 comments:

Kelly Hutcheson said...

Are you a little excited about Thursday? Nah, I didn't think so!

Cute post! I love when you get so excited about stuff! It's very contagious!!

I remember you taking me to Gator Growl and the after-parties when I was 12! What in the world was that about? Where were our parents? lol

Grandpa said...

Thursday's game should be one exciting time and I'll be thinking about you and Jamie yelling so loud that it'll energize the Gators to their 2nd National Championship in three years.

I get a warm feeling knowing that your so excited about your Gators.

Love Ya!
Dad
***************

Heidi said...

how many points for a touchdown again?????

hahaha JK!!!! so happy you will be the BIG game! i love the passion you have for this, your school,...

not to mention you and jamie have the best time together watching these games.

love you!! have fun!