With COVID-19 putting a damper on many events the past two years, one important event is finally back, home football games that students are allowed to watch in the stands.

This past Saturday, Oshkosh was able to have its first home game and its first time with a crowd in the stands since the pandemic began, and it was a sight to see.

Fans young and old packed into the stand to watch, and many even tailgated before the event started with packed parking lots and the smell of good food all around.

For a lot of fans, this was their first time at a college football game, whether they were a sophomore without games last year, or a freshman new to college.

Lexi Buske, a freshman here at UW Oshkosh, is looking forward to games as a freshman, even though she’ll be working as a ticket taker for most of the games.

“I’m excited, I’ll be working most of them so I won’t get to watch but I’m excited to see other people get to go to them,” Buske said, “I’m excited to get that experience, I’ve heard really good things.”

A lot of freshmen get to experience these games right away, without having to go through a year without any due to COVID-19. The sophomores this year are freshmen in a sense, as they are getting to experience these events for the first time.

Sarah Schaefer, a sophomore at UWO, is looking forward to getting the full college experience of college football games for the first time.
“I’m really excited to go out to games with my friends for the first time,” Schaefer said, “it’ll be the first sports games we’re allowed to go to so it’s a big deal to get to experience it for the first time.”

Schaefer was excited to be at the game on Saturday and experience what a student section felt like in college.

It seems that everyone was feeling this exact way, as the student section on Saturday was packed with students of all grade levels decked out in gold clothing to cheer on Oshkosh.

Some fans even held signs up to cheer on players, waving them throughout the crowd when a great play was made.

The energy throughout the stadium and even before the game when tailgating was unmatched, with smiles to be seen all around on fans’ faces.

Even though the game was a loss, it was still a celebration in a way, a celebration of the first home game with spectators in almost two years.

No matter the age, whether young or old, fans had a great time experiencing the games again or for the first time, and look forward to more to come in the future.