2008 Woodie Awards
Having the Tigerfest hangover
Kiel McLaughlin
Opinion | 4/28/08
Sunday was a day of rest for students around Towson. As a primarily commuter campus, Towson is generally quiet over the weekend, but Sunday was particularly dormant. To casual passers-by, they may have thought school was out or campus was evacuated. To those of us who have witnessed this occurrence each year, we know what the real reason is: The Tigerfest hangover.
In at least every other dorm room across Towson, there was at least one student still huddled under blankets at 1 p.m., clutching a stuffed animal, sipping a sports drink and popping Tylenol. The night before, students' ears were ringing because of the thumping baseline and powerful drum beats of The Roots. Sunday afternoon, the ringing was due to dehydration and lack of sleep.
The biggest party of the year brought more than 10,000 people to Burdick Field. Whether they came to joust, play water tag or surf the crowd, students arrived in droves to one of the few events that makes this campus feel like a community. We stood in the crowd. We danced. We rocked out. In the morning, together, we felt the repercussions of our actions. And may I be the first to say, it was completely worth it. While I appear particularly resistant to the Tigerfest hangover, or any hangover for that matter, it may simply be that I didn't party hard enough.
However, I did dance plenty, which anybody within eyeshot of the left side of the stage can attest. That kid that looked like Harry Potter jamming by himself as his friends looked on in fear was I.
I was standing near the guy that looked like Questlove with glasses. I later found out that his name was Jason. To Jason, I apologize for insisting that you should be on stage behind the drum kit.
This was my first Tigerfest despite the fact that this is my junior year at Towson University. I resisted Yellowcard's invitation down Ocean Avenue. I must confess, Dashboard didn't bring me to Burdick because I didn't feel like being brought to tears. The Roots, however, had me sold.
Unlike last year's wholly disappointing headliner who didn't stay on the stage long enough for most to get out the tissues, The Roots proved worth the wait. Nobody was sure if they'd ever John Hancock the contract and many were awaiting a complete disaster.
In the end, though, Tigerfest delivered. Instead of bolting the stage as soon as possible, The Roots could only be stopped by an act of God. When the skies opened up and poured onto Burdick Field, it didn't matter anymore. The show was great and three of the best dollars I've spent this year.
By the way, you can get a really big Gatorade for $3. For those still suffering from a Tigerfest hangover, 64 ounces of lemon lime is also a good investment.
Kiel McLaughlin is a junior mass communication major and The Towerlight's news editor.
In at least every other dorm room across Towson, there was at least one student still huddled under blankets at 1 p.m., clutching a stuffed animal, sipping a sports drink and popping Tylenol. The night before, students' ears were ringing because of the thumping baseline and powerful drum beats of The Roots. Sunday afternoon, the ringing was due to dehydration and lack of sleep.
The biggest party of the year brought more than 10,000 people to Burdick Field. Whether they came to joust, play water tag or surf the crowd, students arrived in droves to one of the few events that makes this campus feel like a community. We stood in the crowd. We danced. We rocked out. In the morning, together, we felt the repercussions of our actions. And may I be the first to say, it was completely worth it. While I appear particularly resistant to the Tigerfest hangover, or any hangover for that matter, it may simply be that I didn't party hard enough.
However, I did dance plenty, which anybody within eyeshot of the left side of the stage can attest. That kid that looked like Harry Potter jamming by himself as his friends looked on in fear was I.
I was standing near the guy that looked like Questlove with glasses. I later found out that his name was Jason. To Jason, I apologize for insisting that you should be on stage behind the drum kit.
This was my first Tigerfest despite the fact that this is my junior year at Towson University. I resisted Yellowcard's invitation down Ocean Avenue. I must confess, Dashboard didn't bring me to Burdick because I didn't feel like being brought to tears. The Roots, however, had me sold.
Unlike last year's wholly disappointing headliner who didn't stay on the stage long enough for most to get out the tissues, The Roots proved worth the wait. Nobody was sure if they'd ever John Hancock the contract and many were awaiting a complete disaster.
In the end, though, Tigerfest delivered. Instead of bolting the stage as soon as possible, The Roots could only be stopped by an act of God. When the skies opened up and poured onto Burdick Field, it didn't matter anymore. The show was great and three of the best dollars I've spent this year.
By the way, you can get a really big Gatorade for $3. For those still suffering from a Tigerfest hangover, 64 ounces of lemon lime is also a good investment.
Kiel McLaughlin is a junior mass communication major and The Towerlight's news editor.
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