For many USC students, the excitement around Gamecock football extends beyond the games themselves, as pre-game activities are met with just as much anticipation. The games mark a day or night full of SEC traditions celebrated with friends, family and fellow fans.
Carolina football games represent a whole different kind of social gathering with countless USC students turning to the Fraternity Lots. However, the Fraternity Lots are overrated and there are better, more budget-friendly alternatives.
Saturdays in South Carolina, especially during football season, are when USC students can unwind from a hectic week of classes and spend time with friends and family. Navigating where to go and what to do over the weekend can be daunting for any USC student, especially for those not familiar with the Columbia area. Game days are no exception to this common problem of finding the most enjoyable and cost-efficient plans, leaving some to look to the most obvious solution: the Frat Lots.
If students decide to buy a season ticket to the Fraternity Lots they are paying the steep price of $120. This pass gives students unlimited access to a crowded and sweaty fenced-in grass lot with lackluster tents and deafening music. The season pass also includes a not-so-complimentary extra pass to bring a friend. These extra passes must be purchased for $20 extra every time students want to bring a plus one.
Male USC students not affiliated with Greek Life looking for this so-called coveted experience at the Fraternity Lots would be out of luck. The Frat Lot passes are geared strictly towards females. Despite excluding a solid portion of the student body. In my experience, the Frat Lots become similar to the bumper-to-bumper traffic driving to the football games where one finds themselves drowning in a sea full of people.
Students look to make the most of the few years they spend at their college, marking the final carefree moments before entering the “real world”. These Frat Lots for many USC students can represent the “classic college experience" that can be summed up as wild, sporadic fun where broke college students pay "budget-friendly" prices in exchange for a chaotic and rowdy time.
By paying over $100 for the Frat Lots, students are certainly getting the chaos just at a higher price. This madness, rather than feeling lively, tends to be overwhelming, as I have found myself jammed up in a dirt lot in the scorching heat surrounded by tents, porta potties, loud music and a swarm of people passing out left and right. For some, this can be well worth the money spent, but do not expect this to be a grand experience.
Once is more than enough to get this experience but not worth it to go the whole season making it hard to justify spending that much money on a season pass. With that being said, female students are able to purchase a day pass that grants general admission access for one game.
If students are looking for a better, more budget-friendly option while still getting that college experience, a great place to look is tailgating. Students can buy a tailgate spot for a game for $50 but they can also find separate parking on a first come first serve basis for anywhere between $20-$40. The perfect tailgate can consist of a vehicle, some chairs, beverages and game day food. Altogether, split between friends, it can be a fun and cost-efficient way to celebrate the Gamecocks. Other alternatives to the Frat Lots that are completely free of charge are hanging out in the dorms or at someone's apartment. Not only are they free, but they are a way for students to control the chaos. It can be as rowdy or as relaxed as one would like.
My favorite Gamecock football experiences have been hanging out with my friends in our apartments or dorms and tailgating, which, to me, are symbolic of the true college experience. Furthermore, I have found the Frat Lots to be overrated as it was not the remarkable experience I was expecting but rather pretty disappointing.