Growing up in Knoxville football was always a way of life and I was taught that my blood ran orange and white. When it came to choosing a college I knew I wanted two things: fashion design and SEC football. Auburn had both and it reminded me of both, so it was a no brainer. While attending Auburn, football has been a huge part of college experience and I am thankful for every moment of it, and I have to say after four years my blood has a streak of navy in it now too.
Last night was my last football game as a student in Jordan Hare, and honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better game. We won the iron bowl, I rushed the field, and I did it with the Auburn family. It is one of my favorite Auburn memories.
Over the past four years I have made many memories during football season, so here are a few I wanted to share.
Freshman Year
Freshman year I got to celebrate Auburn football with my two favorite people in the whole world. The thing I remember about that game was getting to sit and talk football with the two people that taught me to love it and learning that Tennesee was 5-0 after throwing a hail mary against Georgia...on the way to roll Toomer's after an Auburn victory. I remember watching the Vols on the jumbotron that season while I watched the Tigers on the field.
Sophomore Year
Starting sophomore year I worked in Jordan Hare on game days and Fridays beforehand. I worked as a suite ambassador and loved the job! I got all the behind the scenes action and still got to experience little bits of game day with Aubie, Charles Barkley, my friends, and even rolling Toomer's.
One of my favorite moments working in the stadium junior year was the experience of my first iron bowl, and Auburn knocked it out of the park. That year we beat two number one teams at home in the same season, which earned us the title of SEC West champions. I will never forget running out to the south endzone ramps and watching the game screaming and cheering with my fellow suite ambassadors, we then walked down to Toomer's and made it snow in Auburn.
The Iron Bowl win led to going to my first SEC championship with my two favorite football fans. We were beyond excited to be at that game and being together made it all the more worth it. Unfortunately, the game ended in a loss...but we won't go into that.
Junior Year
The Military Appreciation game against Texas A&M was a wonderful memory from Junior year because two of my favorite people came to Auburn to support me. I was supposed to run the coast guard flag on the field that game, but life happens sometimes. It didn't matter to me though because I still had a wonderful game day and I couldn't help but feel so loved. Thank you, Caroline and Daddy.
The Military Appreciation game against Texas A&M was a wonderful memory from Junior year because two of my favorite people came to Auburn to support me. I was supposed to run the coast guard flag on the field that game, but life happens sometimes. It didn't matter to me though because I still had a wonderful game day and I couldn't help but feel so loved. Thank you Caroline and Daddy.
Here it is, my favorite football memory. Auburn only plays Tennessee once in a blue moon, and thankfully one of those blue moons fell during my college career. I have never cried at a football game, but I cried at this one. I couldn't believe having both my teams and both my football boys all in the same place. I was so excited for the game I made t-shirts for my whole family, my dad and I were the only ones who sported them though, the rest were die-hard Tennessee fans. I would have been thrilled with any outcome of the game, but there was something about getting to watch the vols win after having struggled so much the season before. Walt and My dad even got to come in a day early and be on the field!
Senior Year
I got to go to two UT games this season and it certainly snuck up on me faster than I thought. This season was packed full of wonderful memories and I couldn't ask for anything more.
I got to go to two UT games this season, in the being it was certainly tough to watch, but there was nothing like being in Neyland with Walt and my Dad.
I loved getting to go to the game this year, but more than that I loved getting to enjoy them with all my Auburn Ladies. Hopie, Katharina, Tessa, Allayna: Thank you for making this year special.
I got to go to my first away game!! I went to death Valley and boy is there nothing quite like it. Auburn lost the game but it was one of the most surreal experiences. I got to go with my High School friend, Megan who attends LSU. Since senior year of high school, we said we would each go to the Auburn vs. LSU game and after four years of talking about it, we finally made it happen!
Remember when I said junior year I wasn't able to run on the field with the flag? Well, senior year I received the honor of running the flag and walking in the tiger walk. My dad came in for the game and cheered me on. We got to watch the game together and then we went and rolled Toomer's! Katharina sang at the game because it was the military appreciation game, so we got to be on the field together. I even designed buttons for the game!
The wettest game I have ever been to was the Samford game. We smoked them no doubt, but the stadium was nearly empty. We sat through most of the game, but by half time we were completely soaked through. You aren't a true fan until you sit through a game like that and I wouldn't want to sit through a game with anyone else.
Now, we're here. My last game. The most perfect last game anyone could have asked for. I enjoyed the game with my friends, with a few major heart attacks- thanks Auburn football. I designed a jacket for Hopie and me for the game. Auburn won. I rushed the field for the first and last time as a student. I rolled Toomer's for the football team one more time. The game was one of the most thrilling Auburn games I've seen this season and I couldn't be more thankful for ending on a win like that!
As I started writing this blog and reminiscing on the past four years of college football I realized that winning the game was never the most important part, it was who I was with. Whether it was with my real family or my chose family, my Auburn family; that was what was important. Even if I wasn't always with my family I had a group chat of my Uncle Frank, DAd, and brother called War Damn Vols. Family is football to me because it brings you closer in ways you didn't even think of. I am forever grateful for the past four years of college football and i will always look back on them fondly. Thank you to all my friends and family who made these past four years wonderful. All I have left is...War Damn Vols!
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