It’s a Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and I hear the constant chant of “take off that red shirt” outside my window. That can only mean one thing: it’s game day, and the opposing team is Stanford. Known on campus as “Big Game,” the UC Berkeley versus Stanford football game is a beloved tradition for UC Berkeley students because it means going all out – getting to the football game early decked from head to toe in Cal Gear.
In addition to the student section being a great place to sit because you’re surrounded by other excited students, it’s arguable the best seat in the stadium. Students sit right on the 50 yard line behind the players.
Because one of my best friends at Cal is in the marching band, halftime is always a highlight of any football game. I was especially excited for this week’s show which featured songs from Train. Everyone in the student section, including myself, could be heard singing along to the band’s performance.
In addition to the show from Cal Band, another one of my favorite half time traditions is the card stunt, during which the student section holds up colored cards in order to create giant images, like a script Cal logo or an image of our mascot, the Golden Bear.
After the game, I was able to visit with some of my friends from Stanford who made the drive up to Berkeley. Despite the traditional rivalry between our schools, I find that events like Big Game bring us together and give us both an opportunity to enjoy friendship, friendly competition and of course, football.
