Back in the Shoe

Like most Ohio State students, my absolute favorite part of the fall is watching Ohio State football, and there is no better place to watch it than in the Shoe surrounded by 100,000 other fans. As a combined student, this is my fourth football season as a student but having a full year not in the stadium makes you appreciate it like it was the very first time.

There is nothing like waking up on game day and seeing the sea of scarlet and gray that is walking around campus. People are yelling OH-IO, the line at Buckeye Donuts is long, and fans are heading to the stadium to tailgate. Seeing the swarms of alumni that come back to campus for games is something that never gets old and just shows how much being Buckeye means to people and there is nothing that shows Buckeye spirit quite like cheering on the Buckeyes during football games. 

Some of my favorite Ohio State traditions exist inside the stadium. One of my favorites is the Stadium OHIO cheer because it reminds me of the Big Ten Championship my sophomore year where there were so many Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium that you would’ve thought it was a home game. Then, there is one of Ohio State's best traditions, Script Ohio performed by The Best Damn Band in the Land. The performance never gets old and never fails to be impressive. Then finally, there is my favorite tradition, singing Carmen Ohio at the beginning and end of the game. 

As an avid football fan, Buckeye football is just generally fun to me, however there is something that exists so much deeper the just liking football on Buckeye game day. On gameday it is undeniable that being a Buckeye means so much more than just getting a great education or watching a really good football team. It means an unending spirit of tradition, excellence, and family.