A couple of weeks ago, I went to my first UCLA football game ever! Ruthie and I decided spontaneously to buy tickets one day, and with that, our plans were set! Luckily, our friend Julia could go, too, and the three of us were really excited about going together!

I met up with Julia and we rode the metro to the bus stop, which drove us to the Rose Bowl. It was a crazy commute, involving lots of line-standing and walking, but soon we were there, surrounded by blue and gold. It was awesome! We were all decked out in UCLA gear, too. I was wearing my new UCLA tee shirt as well as blue and gold hair ties in my pigtails and blue and gold bobby pins. Julia wore a UCLA tee shirt and cap, and brought pompoms for all. We were set! We bought some frozen lemonade, then claimed our seats shortly before the game began.

Within the first twenty seconds of the game, UCLA scored the first touchdown. Only good things could come from this!

A little while later, Ruthie arrived and soon we could all cheer together! It was great! I was prepared to lose my voice from screaming so much. I didn't, but I did give myself a sore throat. I hadn't considered that! But it was worth it, because it was so much fun to all scream together.

Ruthie taught me what a "down" is, something I'd never really paid attention to before. And I learned the UCLA clap-cheer thingy that people do in the stands, which was super fun.

We sat near the marching band and I tried not to be too sad about not being in it. This was my last year I could have tried out for it, and I didn't, because of my current job. I didn't think I could do marching band, and work, and study, and make good grades. Well, at least not without losing my sanity! I tried to focus on the happy memories of high school marching band that it brought back for me, and leave it at that. I was mostly successful.

In the third quarter, UCLA and Arizona State were tied 28 to 28, which made things feel pretty intense!

Soon, UCLA was in the lead again, where they stayed. We screamed and hollered when the clock ticked down to zero and the scoreboard read, UCLA: 45, ASU: 35. WOO HOO!!!

Julia had to leave before the very end to say goodbye to some friends leaving on a trip, so we called her with the final score. Ruthie and I left with everyone else in the huge crowds of people, and it took forever and ever to get back to where my car was parked. But then we all made plans to meet up at a restaurant for dinner. First, we went to Ruthie's house to pick up Harper, who is always fun to see. She's so precious! She showed me her little hamster doll and her dinosaur pillow, among other things. And when we told her we were going out to eat, she said, "But I already ate!"

"No, we are going to eat, and you're coming with us," Ruthie explained.

"But... I already ate," Harper said. I love kids' inability to think outside their own perspective - it cracks me up!

"Well, we're going to a restaurant and we just want you to come, since we're all friends and it's fun to spend time with friends, right?" I said.

And Harper smiled and said, "Right!!"

And with that, we headed out for some burgers and laughter. Harper also let us color her menu, and she even gave me a hug. She asked me to play at the beach with her someday, and she complimented my hair several times. "I just LOVE your ponytails - they're SO pretty!" she kept saying. So cute!

As if that weren't enough to make for a wonderful day, on the drive home at the end of the night, I saw a shooting star. It was an awesome day!