Last year was my first at the University of Idaho. I didn’t know jack about traditions, celebrations or special weekends. Now that I spent a year in a state of ignorance, it’s time to redeem myself and have my dad come down for Dads Weekend.
Neither of my parents went to college, so the only images of university life I ever knew were those of Washington State University football games and movies about Greek life. I had no clue there were events like Military Appreciation Weekend and the week-long carnival that is Homecoming.
A few weeks ago when I was home visiting my parents and sister, a post card came in the mail from UI talking about all the fun events happening this weekend, and at that point I told my dad he had to come down.
We scheduled to go do the beer tasting, take a tour of the Vandal Meats plant and go to the football game Saturday. What I didn’t see coming was my dad inviting my godfather as well. How do you make Dads Weekend even better? Bringing down two dads. So we added another ticket onto all of our events, and now are looking forward to double the fun.
I probably won’t give them the full UI treatment though, I’m not sure they are The Corner Club kind of guys — although I know my godfather likes to drink his Crown Royal out of a red plastic cup — but I think just being down here will give them a better idea of why I love being a Vandal so much. Who knows, maybe I’ll even get a new shirt or beer mug out of this weekend.
I am extremely lucky to have a dad and a godfather in my life who are not only willing to take time out and visit me, but are chomping at the bit for the opportunity to come down and experience how I get to live.