If I were to say the word “Thanksgiving” out loud many people would picture family, endless food, pie, or cute pictures with siblings and cousins. If you were to say the same thing to me, I would picture the Thanksgiving Longhorn football game. Going to the game had become a family tradition that started many years ago. My family had traded a day full of relaxation and endless food for a short thanksgiving lunch at a hotel in order to drive to Austin to make the game. My brothers and I looked forward to this game for weeks. I especially looked forward to it because it was a chance for me to pretend that I was in college and that I had fulfilled my dream of going to UT. This year was different for my family and I. The game had gotten moved to Friday, meaning my family could cook at home, eat all day, and be surrounded by loving family. For me, I no longer had the want to be the college sorority girl that I wasn’t because I had become the person I had wanted to be. I had grown up and now got to share this experience with my family.
Game day was a different experience this time around. I traded my Zistas for my brothers and tailgates for conversations with my parents in the car. Normally DKR is not full on Thanksgiving, yet this year was different. The stadium was nearly full with a sea of burnt orange. It didn’t matter how many people were there, it was especially made known that the fans were ready to cheer the Horns on to victory! I would even dare to say that the “TEXAS, FIGHT” was louder than ever before! For me, my seat was on the 50-yard line in the 8th row behind the TCU bench. It was quite an upgrade from my usual student section seat! I also got to see some of my sisters preform on the field that night! Texas Pom performed a hip-hop routine that had everyone in the stadium dancing along with them. Texas Cheer also had an incredible night with various jaw dropping stunts, pyramids, and baskets. Both groups left me in AWE!
As this game was the last game of the season, I
would say it was a game I would never forget. It was full of once-in-a lifetime
memories; Bevo’s 100th Birthday, Matthew McConaughey waving at me
before the game, getting on the JumboTron (yes that happened and YES I embarrassed
myself), and it being the last game of my freshman year. This football season
was a million times better than I could have ever imagined it to be. It was
full of pictures at the Zeta house, tailgates with random dates, screaming my
head off for the Horns with my sisters, watching the tower light up, and my
personal favorite, the face tattoos! When trying describe my first football
season, I couldn’t seem to find the words to describe it because there truly is
nothing like a Texas Longhorn Football game!
It's sad to see football season come to an end, but I'm more excited than ever for next season!
ZLAM,
Julia Sotelo PC '16
