BY KRISTYNA BROZOVA, OURTOWN.COM
WEST LAFAYETTE – Driving down State Street Saturday morning of a home Purdue football game could leave unsuspecting visitors thinking its Halloween.
For Purdue students, it’s the popular tradition called “The Breakfast Club.” Students dress up in costumes – some traditional Halloween grab to very creative hand-made creations as they bar hop before the Boilermakers home game.
The Breakfast Club plays a significant role during the football season, combining the two most common college hobbies -- drinking and football. It can best be described as a mixture between a pep rally and a Halloween party.
Many football fans are very dedicated, getting up at 6 a.m. on Saturdays and lining up at the barricaded off Chauncey Hill bars by 7 a.m.
“I would say that I went to close to thirty Breakfast Clubs,” said Purdue alum Kim Allen. “My favorite part of Breakfast Club is the energy and excitement everyone has for it.”
“Even if you didn’t go to bed until 4 a.m. the night before, you’re still getting up to get in line to drink and you’re always excited for it.”
The majority of football fans take Breakfast Club very seriously, spending time thinking of ideas for unique costumes and hours creating them.
“The first time I went to breakfast club, my roommate and I went as presents,” said Jenny Kidd, a Purdue graduate, as she remembered her first Breakfast Club costume. “We bought bows and large Christmas bags and cut holes in the bottom so we could step in, as well as holes for our arms.”
“My senior year my friends decided to go as Aunt Jemima, pancakes, and syrup,” said Kidd, sharing her best costume and recollecting the last Breakfast Club she attended as student. “It was a really cute idea, and we must have done a good job because everyone knew what we were.”
Another student, who wishes to remain anonymous, has an entertaining Breakfast Club memory of her own.
“One day I was dressed up as a pirate and my best friend was a girl scout,” the student said. “After many hours of drinking, we were escorted out of Jake’s by the bouncers because my friend fell asleep on top of the table.”
According to the student, the two friends made a few stops on the way home. “We decided that that best course of action was a nap, in the bushes on Salisbury Street.”
Aside from costume choices, a person also has to decide on a destination of choice. There are a number of bars to go to on Chauncey Hill, but every fan has their own personal favorite.
“My favorite place to go is Where Else bar, because you can get the big mugs and there is lots of dancing, but I also like Jake’s,” said Kidd.
Allen also enjoys Where Else bar, but she admitted that often the place of choice depends on the line.
“My favorite places alternate between Brothers and Where Else, but a lot of times it depends on the line and what time you get there.”
Regardless of the bar or the outfit, Breakfast Club is a tradition enjoyed by many football fans and a big part of the West Lafayette Community .
Kristyna Brozova is a professional writing student at Purdue University.
