I’m an introvert. I’m a highly sensitive person. I love baseball. And since I currently live only 2 hours from my favorite team, I like to go to a couple of games every year.  And we went yesterday.

The fan in me loves it.

The introvert in me has a hard time with it.

The highly sensitive person in me needs days to recover.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume I’m not the only introvert/HSP who loves baseball and offer some helpful hints for game day. Some of these I’ve put into practice. Others I haven’t yet, but I want to.

1) Build in some down time. Before and after the game, if possible. Depending on how the crowds and sounds effect you will determine how long you’ll need–a couple hours, a couple days.

If you need a break during the game, take a trip to the restroom while the team is on the field. It won’t be as busy and you won’t feel the pressure of a line of women just waiting for you to get out of that stall, so you can spend a couple of undisturbed minutes in a stall.

I know you might not want to miss a single minute of the game, but a few minutes away from the crowd can do you a world of good.

2) Take a hat, sunglasses, and ear plugs.

The hat and sunglasses are musts for a summertime baseball game. Not only will they keep you shaded, they can block out the glare from those LED lights. And when they flash those lights when there’s a home run or something, the hat is a bonus.  I made sure my hat brim was just below the line of lights, otherwise the glare was just too much.

I did not bring ear plugs today, but I’m going to next game. Then, when the music and the crowd roar, I won’t be as overwhelmed. Plus, if I have to sit in front of an obnoxiously loud person again, at least I won’t have to hear full volume every time he tells the story of defecating under the porch. (He told the story at least twice.)  It’s one of those instances that makes you wonder if the guy’s just naturally filter-less and chatty or if he’s a bit inebriated.

And we can’t forget those ear-splitting whistles.  Yesterday, they came from the lady sitting right behind me.  Makes me wish sometimes people would wear signs.  Like “I whistle” and “I have no filter” and “I’m going to talk about poo” and “I will drop my half-empty can of beer on your tote bag”.  And I could wear a sign “Introvert. Handle with care”.

3) Take a book. I know. I know. You’re there to watch the game. Likely, you’ll get there a bit before the game. If you’re like my hubby, you’ll want to go to games that have cool giveaways. And you’ll want to arrive early because you want to make sure you’re one of the first 10,000 fans inside the stadium. We get there 2 hours before the gates open, 4 hours before the game starts.

If we’re first in line, I find a spot to sit up against the stadium. Bonus points if it’s in a corner. Then I can read. I can be separate a bit from the crowd. I can people watch. I can be there, a part of the group of fans, but in my own space.

If you need to take a break in your seat from the game, put in those ear plugs and read that book for a bit.

4) Don’t feel weird if you want to go by yourself. Don’t feel weird taking your baseball BFF. The most important thing is to be as comfortable as you can in that full stadium rooting for your team.

And don’t feel weird being loud. You’re there to support your team. Join in the chants. Clap your hands. Do the wave. Heckle the other team. Have fun.

If you’re anything like me, you’re yelling at your TV at home when you’re watching the game.

The plus with going alone is that no one is going to know if you’re acting out of character. So if you’re not ready for your BFF or your SO to see the fan that baseball brings out, you don’t have to try to restrain yourself during the game.

And you know, if you don’t want to be loud, don’t.  You’re there for your team.  And you’ll end up people watching.  And you’ll wonder how in the world those people get all excited when the Dance Cam points at them and they dance like crazy up on that big screen.

5) The food! Soft pretzels. Garlic fries. Foot long hot dogs. And more stadiums are upping their food games and bringing in higher end restaurants. Gourmet burgers. Artisan flat bread pizza. Sushi. Dumplings. And the beverage selection has expanded.  They have freshly made lemonade and espresso and hot chocolate.  There’s wine and craft beers.

Part of the reason my hubby and I sometimes arrive 2 hours before the game starts is so we can eat at one of the restaurants at the stadium. Every table has a view of the field, so we can eat AND watch batting practice.

And there are still peanuts and Cracker Jacks.  And everybody sings “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the 7th inning stretch.

Get out there and go to a game if you want to.

Or sit at home in your jammies and watch it on TV.   Either way you decide to cheer for your team, do it your way and have fun doing it.

If you are going to the stadium, a little bit of planning will go a long way toward your game time experience.

Go Team!!