As the widely anticipated first home football game arrives, fans are ready for cold beer, grilled food and good friends. Many students at Iowa State have been looking forward to tailgating season since it ended last year.

“Tailgating is a big part of the game experience [at Iowa State and] our fans have a great setup [at Jack Trice Stadium],” said Tom Kroeschell, director of media relations for the ISU athletic department.

Kroeschell said very few schools have the available tailgate area so close to the stadium, like Jack Trice Stadium. He said this was because most stadiums were built in the 1920s, and Jack Trice is one of the newer stadiums in the country, as it was build in 1975. Clyde Williams Field, which was used from 1914 to 1974, before Jack Trice Stadium, allowed people to tailgate, but not next to the stadium due to lack of space.

Even from the beginning, tailgating has become one of Iowa State’s longest-standing traditions. According to the Office of Admissions, the first official ISU Homecoming was in 1912, and the celebrations included tailgating parties.

“People have been tailgating for as long as I have been here, which is 20 years,” said ISU Police Cmdr. Gene Deisinger.

Both current ISU students, their parents, alumni and ISU fans have many traditions they reserve for the football and tailgating season.

Students especially have always had traditions they carry year after year into the tailgating season.

Haris Kopic, senior in finance, said he always tailgates and attends games with the same group.

Stephanie Sessions, senior in journalism and mass communication, agrees. She tailgates with her group of friends who call themselves the “CyGuys” and have an old bus they painted and took the seats out of. They dress in cardinal-and-gold colors and eat food before going to the game.

But some students, such as Elizabeth McDowell, senior in advertising, said that after every home game, she and other members of the Christian campus organization Salt Company clean up the tailgating lots and stadium for three to four hours.

So when you head to the parking lot to tailgate, remember that you are reliving part of Iowa State’s past. Tailgate and cheer with the pride and glory the Cyclones deserve.