So you’re thinking about being a Northwestern fan.

Odds are that it hadn’t crossed your mind until that acceptance letter arrived at your door. For those first 18 years of your life, you’ve likely cheered on the Notre Dames and Southern Cals of the world, or whatever school was the flavor of the month in your town.

The life of an NU fan won’t be an easy one. The football team hasn’t won a bowl game since 1949. Men’s basketball has never (yes, you read that right) danced its way to the NCAA Tournament. They’ll make your heart feel like it’ll beat right out of your chest, and then they’ll rip it out at the buzzer.

Cubs fans, you’ll feel right at home in Evanston.

That said, this school’s athletics program is on the up and up. The women’s lacrosse team won five national championships in a row before losing in last season’s championship to Maryland. Women’s tennis consistently tops the Big Ten. Football is inching ever close to ending that 61-year bowl win drought.

And who wouldn’t want to be there if the Wildcats finally break through and reach the national stage?

Should you resign yourself to this fate, here are some basic tips and tidbits any self-respecting NU fan should know.

• For the first time ever, NU football looks set to make its third-straight appearance in a bowl game. They’ll have a new start at quarterback in junior Dan Persa and the running game has yet to solidify, but coach Pat Fitzgerald has the program headed in the right direction. It’s time that the team wins consistently, and “off years” are no longer an excuse.

• Joe Girardi, manager of the New York Yankees, is an NU alumnus. Just a fun fact to throw at any of your doubting non-NU friends. Other alums you should know, via ESPN: Pardon the Interruption’s Michael Wilbon, Mike and Mike in the Morning’s Mike Greenberg and sporcaster Brent Musburger.

• For those 11 a.m. home football games, get to Ryan Field an hour early and grab some stadium nachos. Nothing like atmoic, liquid cheese early in the morning, and you’ll get good seats.

• Get a little more creative when you taunt opponents. For example, “state school” is a popular zinger to shout out when the Cats are down, but the other team won’t pay much attention. Instead, chant it when the other team does something inexplicably dumb. That’ll get their goat.

• They’re called the “Cardiac Cats” for a reason. Football came back from 25 points down to beat Indiana on a last-second field goal and baseball clinched a birth in the Big Ten Tournament on a walk-off home run in their last regular season game. And, of course, the Cats played in a bowl game you may have heard about that got kind of out of hand.

• Finally, yes, NU fandom isn’t for every student, but don’t sit in the student section and wear the other school’s colors – everyone will look at you with disgust and disdain. If you love that school that much, you might as well put in your transfer request now.

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Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the freshman orientation issue, an annual publication mailed to all incoming freshman by The Daily Northwestern that is intended to prepare new students for their first year at Northwestern.A small number of the orientation issue articles, including this one, are being printed online for the benefit of international and returning students. During the school year, all articles that appear in the print Daily Northwestern are published on the website, along with several types of online-only content.