Seven Steps to Take Before You Start the Tailgate
1. Call up best friends.
Good friends make the tailgate party better. Don’t have best friends? Try calling up the people in your contacts list who you’re pretty sure will bring lots of beer. Beer. Beer. Beer.
2. Plan out the meal.
What are you going to a tailgate for? Delicious food and a chance to pig out! Those stale white hamburger buns are a classic. Ask around before you leave to make sure you don’t have a vegan in your midst. If you do come across a vegetarian make sure to leave them out in the sun so they can get lots of rain and sunshine. Here’s our favorite tailgating foods, if you need inspiration.
3. Check the parking lot rules.
Then pretend to follow the tailgating rules. Some stadiums now prohibit alcohol. Those heathens.
4. Pack early.
Get someone to pack all the tailgate stuff for you. Thank them profusely. Show your gratitude by giving them some hand-crafted pale ale you mooched off the dude two cars down.
5. Plan what you’re going to wear.
Kidding. Just make sure your jersey is near the top of the laundry basket so you can find it in a hurry. Double check the number to make sure that guy is still on the team.
6. Add digital reminders.
Add a note as to what your friends cars look like. Maybe drop a little red pin into your maps to remember where you parked your car. If you’re grilling, set a time to remind you to put the marinated meat on that grill.
7. Buy tickets.
You might be going to the game just for the tailgate party, but you still have to go support the team who’s colors you’re wearing on your face. Also, don’t leave those tickets in the visor of the car you left at home.