Going to a first college game
Published: 9/22/2012 12:00 PM
Last Modified: 9/21/2012 2:21 PM
My son was thrilled to be sitting in traffic and wearing a cheap t-shirt a couple of weeks ago.
I was treating him to his first college football game at my alma mater – the University of Oklahoma.
He knew it was a big deal.
Growing up in Perry, end-zone tickets to Oklahoma State University games were inexpensive, and it was a regular weekend outing.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but I became comfortable with university life and was exposed to the idea of higher education.
Now that my son is in third grade, it’s time to pay it forward.
We took a route through Stroud to get to Norman and parked by my old sorority house.
He was amazed by size of the fraternity, sorority and dormitory buildings and was fascinated by the tailgaters along the way.
We walked the campus, visited the student union and hit campus corner just as the band, cheerleaders, pompon squad and the Sooner Schooner were marching into the stadium.
He asked me about my classes, my social life and other old haunts around town.
That turned into a conversation about degrees and jobs people get after going there and how he could attend if he wanted.
After entering the stadium, he got into the traditions of “Boomer” and “Sooner” and all the other little chants and intricacies of being fan.
We lucked out in sitting in a place surrounded by enthusiastic, yet respectful, people.
The only turnoff for him, which I’m proud to say, was the crowd’s replacing of the phrase “home of the braves” in the national anthem with “home of the Sooners.”
“What’s that?” he asked me astonished. “That’s about our veterans and soldiers. That’s not right.”
Very true.
It was a lopsided game against Florida A&M, but it didn’t matter.
He probably won’t remember the score, the players or plays.
But he does remember our time together, what the school looks like and where he can go if he sets the right goals.
Written by
Ginnie Graham
News Columnist
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