Although LSU hasn’t perfected its parking lots, roads or classrooms, here on campus, game days are something the Tigers do best. A few simple necessities will make for a memorable tailgating experience:

Fully Stocked Cooler

Game days on campus typically mean long hours spent outside in the Louisiana sun. Every tent needs a cooler or two to keep tailgaters’ beverages ice cold. No matter what the beverage of choice may be, it’s not an LSU tailgate without a cold drink in hand. 

Speaker

A tailgate isn’t complete without a speaker blasting an upbeat game day playlist. Songs like “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” “Louisiana Saturday Night” and “Eye of the Tiger” are a few staples. The bigger the speaker the better. Preferably the music is just loud enough to be heard from the next tent over. 

Food

Every successful tailgate has a selection of delicious food to keep its guests fed. Ideally a tent would be stocked with home-cooked dishes like jambalaya, pastalaya, boudin and barbeque. Bringing a portable grill and cooking on site is a great way to elevate a tailgate. 

Footwear

There are two options for footwear on game days. Either a practical sneaker that will be comfortable all day or a classic pair of leather cowgirl/cowboy boots that make a tailgate outfit photo-worthy. Will the boots be hot and potentially painful? Yes. Are they worth the fashion statement? Also yes.

Lawn Chair

A lawn chair equipped with cup holders is the perfect addition to any game day tent. Friends and family will fight for the chance to rest their feet even for a few minutes. Although it may not seem like too much of a hassle, it’s worth hauling at least one chair from the car to the tailgating grounds.

Clear Bag

Death Valley has a strict clear bag policy, but local boutiques have plenty of trendy clear purses that make the perfect accessory to a purple and gold game day outfit. Don’t forget extra cash for a stadium hot dog and cover for the bar after a Tiger win.