by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: August 29, 2010   Last Updated: February 09, 2011

College football games can be a lot of fun, both for students and for the fans who flock to the games, or for people in community who gather in various parking lots in order to have some tailgating fun. As fun as all of these festivities can be, attendees must remember that these parking lots are going to be flooded with massive crowds of people, all of whom are there for the same reason - to get in on some good old fashioned tailgating fun.

In order to make sure that everyone has an enjoyable time, and that there aren't any confrontations, it is important to familiarize yourself with some general tips for parking lot tailgating.

*Arrive as early as possible

When you know that there are going to be droves of people, all of whom are going to be trying to get into the parking lots, especially those near the campus or those that are closest to the stadium, you'd be wise to arrive as early as possible. Another consideration is the fact that in most college towns, for several hours before and after the game, there is likely to be a tremendous amount of traffic. By avoiding those traffic jams, you will get a great spot to tailgate and not have to worry about whether or not you will find a parking place at all.

*Expect to have uninvited guests or friends who drop by

Tailgates are very much about sharing, and about celebrating with as many people as possible. When you plan your menu, pack your food and gear, do so with the knowledge that you are inevitably going to have people drop by, and you don't want to appear to be rude by not inviting them to join you.

*Be courteous and friendly to the tailgaters around you

Tailgating is all about socializing. If you are doing it in a parking lot, you're going to be surrounded by lots of people you don't know. Don't ignore the people around you, and don't act rude when people say hello or engage in polite niceties. This is just something that people do, and it's part of the tailgate experience. Be friendly, and expect people to ask you to borrow things, or be willing to share things with others.

*Don't leave a mess

There are often people who forget that they are on campus or private property, and don't clean up their mess. This makes a lot of extra work for campus employees who have to do this sort of thing regularly anyway, and if you do it on private property, you may discover that the person on whose property you left a mess, isn't willing to allow you to tailgate there again.

*Abide by city or campus regulations and laws 

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