Game Day in ATX

The day was finally approaching! My long-awaited very first Texas football game as an official Longhorn had me unable to contain my excitement. Being an out-of-stater from Maryland, I had only been able to hear about game day and all the tailgates, seas of burnt orange, and fun I would be experiencing. It was one of the many reasons I chose The University of Texas at Austin in the first place, so I couldn't wait to finally cheer on our team against Rice University for myself! I prepared the night before, trying on more outfits than I'd like to admit, and taking my brand-new cowboy boots out of their Allen’s Boots box.

To start the day, I headed over to the ZTA house with some sisters so we could meet up with everyone and take the pictures that would eventually flood our Instagram feeds for the next 24 hours. Sporting our Texas Zeta face tattoos and burnt orange and white outfits, we walked hand-in-hand to the tailgates. I had so much fun meeting new people, enjoying the cookouts, and getting pumped up for the game. As I entered the stadium with my sisters, I was overwhelmed (in the best way) by what was all around me. Being in the student section, horns up in the air, was more fun than I could've imagined. Seeing new and familiar faces all with the same look of excitement as mine evoked a sense of pride in the stadium that I had never experienced before. Our team put up a fight and marked our territory, finishing strong with a win, 42-28!

The sense of spirit and community that I experienced as we all occupied those stands made me feel like I was now truly a part of not only the Longhorn family, but also my new ZTA family. I know game days will continue to be a reminder that I made the best decision of my life when I chose Texas and Zeta. Saturday is quickly becoming my new favorite day, and I cannot wait for the coming games!!


Hook ‘Em!
Lilliana Hatoum PC ‘15