Auburn vs. San Jose State // 59-13

Football season has started and we are entering the third week of college games! I have been so excited waking up early on Saturday mornings to turn on ESPN and watch College GameDay. 

This past weekend, I returned to the Loveliest Village on the Plains. Auburn University. My second alma mater. 

My dad and I, along with my niece Hardin and nephew Charlie, ventured to Auburn early Saturday morning. I have visited Auburn a few times over the past two years but have not truly experienced an Auburn game day in awhile. This was a new experience for me. On a typical game day when I was in school, I would tailgate at a fraternity or at the amphitheater until the game started. This weekend, I REALLY saw Auburn on game day. 

We started the day by going to the J & M Bookstore. Charlie and Hardin had never visited Auburn before, so t-shirt and shakers were a must. Hardin even scored a pair of Auburn cheerleader pom-poms. She was so excited. We were creating little Auburn fans!

A trip to Auburn would not be complete without grabbing a Toomer's Corner lemonade. Just being at Toomer's Corner brought back so many memories.

My old friend and college roommate works at Moe's Original BBQ, so of course we had to go see if she was working. And she was. It is always so great to see old friends when visiting Auburn. If you are ever at Moe's in Auburn, make sure you tip Emily! She is the best bartender around! 

In 1974, my dad was the president of the SAE fraternity, so of course we had to go visit the house. We walked in and my dad immediately knew where to go and was telling us all about his college stories. It was so heartwarming to hear my dad tell his stories to his grandchildren while sitting on a bench outside his fraternity. A memory I know he will never forget. 

My dad and I both attended Auburn. He went in for prelaw and I went in for graphic design. He ended up with a major in graphic design while I changed majors to social work. So we both at some point in our college career slaved away many hours in Biggin Hall. We tried to get in to the building to explore, but it was closed. We walked around Samford, to the Haley Center, and Foy. We even went inside the Student Center and grabbed some milkshakes from the Chic-Fil-A I ate at almost every day when in school. 

And of course an Auburn visit is just not complete without going to Momma Goldberg's to grab nachos. These are not just ANY nachos. They are Doritos topped with pepper jack cheese and then steamed to perfection. We topped ours with jalapenos. This was a staple in my college diet. (Maybe that is where the freshman 15 came from, haha!)

I was at Auburn for four years. FOUR YEARS! And I never went to the Tiger Walk. I had heard it from the amphitheater or while walking to the stadium, but I had never actually been right in front to see all the action. It was amazing. The band sounded incredible. It was actually pretty emotional. I wanted to be back at Auburn so I could experience college all over again. My dad said the Tiger Walk was what truly made the trip. Charlie and Hardin loved seeing Aubie and the cheerleaders!

The game started at six, so we made our way to the seats around five. I knew our seats were in the nosebleed section, but I had no idea that they were actually only four rows from the VERY top of the stadium. Charlie has a fear of heights, so I was a bit worried about how he would handle it. He was pretty nervous at first but once the game started and he saw how cool it was to see everything, he was excited. Being so far up, we were able to see Spirit fly around the stadium while everyone yelled "Warrrrrrr Eagle". As the sun went down, the sunset was magnificent. We could see the whole campus. 

We left at halftime to make it home in time for the kids to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. The end score was 59-13. You could easily say it was a great game. 

This trip to Auburn was one of my favorite because I was able to spend it with three people I love so much. I will cherish these memories! I can't wait to be back for the LSU game!

Until next time and WAR EAGLE!

-H

War Eagle // Football in the South

Football starts THIS month! Ever since I can remember, I have been an Auburn fan. My dad went to Auburn and my brother went to Southern Union. I remember taking trips down there to see my brother. We would stop in the store and buy a stuffed animal Aubie and stadium chairs then eventually make our way to Jordan Hare.

Although I had always loved Auburn, I never thought I would end up attending the university. I wanted to get out of Alabama and go to an out-of-state college. We even toured College of Charleston and I applied to Sewanee. Of course I applied to Auburn, but it was never truly in the running. 

I prayed about the decision and needed to listen to my heart on where I should end up. Then one day, I just woke up and said " I want to go to Auburn". And that was the end of my college hunt. It was by far one of the best decisions of my life. I fell in love with the campus, the people, and of course the FOOTBALL!

Living in the south during football season is no joke. It gets intense and the rivalries are insane. 

For those who know me, I have a twin sister. We live together. And she is an Alabama fan. We are truly a house divided. During football season, our house is filled with half Auburn memorabilia and half Alabama decor. Unfortunately, most of our friends fall into the Alabama fan base. So I am left rooting for the tigers on my own. 

I attended Auburn from 2008-2012 and loved it. I had ups and downs, met some of my best friends, had my heart broken, skipped class, tailgated on the quad, and learned more than I ever thought I would. I always hear the term "Auburn Family" to describe the university, students, faculty, etc. And it is spot on. When I was at Auburn I felt like everyone cared, they wanted what was BEST for me, and someone always had my back. Because we were all part of the Auburn tigers. 

When I graduated, I spent the day before the ceremony walking around the campus and reliving my years as a student. Four years. I could not believe it. I had been there so long, yet it seemed to fly by when I thought back on it. As I walked the halls of the Haley Center, I was taken back to when I was a freshman wandering around lost and confused. As much as I hated class, I knew I would miss the 8 A.M. walks to the library to cram for a test I had not studied for the night before. Campus was always alive. The spirit of Auburn was constantly surrounding you. 

The football games were probably my most fond memories of Auburn. Waking up early (and yes–even cracking open a beer at 9 A.M. on game days), turning the TV on ESPN, dressing in our best orange and blue, refreshing on our Auburn chants, and gearing up to cheer on our Auburn tigers! Win or lose, we were ALL IN!

From the all-nighters at the Ralph Brown Draughon Library (and that once flash mob at midnight) to the fraternity parties, the Alpha Psi Rodeo to hiking Chewacla State Park – my Auburn experience was unforgettable. And I can honestly say I miss Auburn deeply. I also miss my roommates, the people I met along the way, and those I only met for a short time!

Auburn will always hold a special place in my heart. I grew as a person while in college and I will never forget the amazing memories I had in my four year as a student.

Many more Auburn memories are in store for me! 

WAR EAGLE!

Until next time,

-H