Moving to Auburn? It’s a Shaker, Not a Rally Towel

Moving to Auburn? Here’s a little Auburn football vocabulary lesson that might save you from getting corrected by an Auburn fan:

It’s a shaker.

Not a rally towel.

Not a pom-pom.

A shaker. 😂

Those orange and blue shakers waving throughout Jordan-Hare Stadium are such a familiar part of Auburn football that longtime Auburn people may not even think twice about the name.

But if you’re relocating to Auburn from somewhere else, you may have no idea.

And that’s okay.

Learning the little things is part of learning Auburn.

• Orange Shaker or Rally Towel?
• Auburn Calls Them Shakers
• Why Shakers Are Part of Auburn Game Day
• Auburn Traditions Newcomers Learn
• What Does This Have to Do With Real Estate?
• Living Near Auburn University on Game Day
• Game-Day Property or Full-Time Home?
• Local Knowledge Matters When Moving to Auburn
• Quick Q&A
• Ready to Move to Auburn?

Moving to Auburn? Learn the Word “Shaker”

If you’ve attended college football games somewhere else, you may be accustomed to fans waving rally towels.

Come to an Auburn football game and you’ll see something different.

Shakers.

Auburn University’s Student Government Association actually organizes shaker distribution at Jordan-Hare Stadium before home football games and describes shakers as a staple of Auburn’s game-day spirit.

Auburn Athletics has also documented the long history of shakers at Auburn football games.

So if you’re standing in Jordan-Hare Stadium holding one of those orange or blue beauties:

You’ve got a shaker.

Welcome to Auburn. 😂

Orange Shaker or Rally Towel?

This is actually a fun question because different college football traditions develop their own identity.

At Auburn, shakers are part of the visual experience.

Look around Jordan-Hare Stadium when thousands of people are waving them together and you’ll understand.

Orange and blue.

The Auburn University Marching Band.

The eagle flight.

War Eagle.

Tiger Walk.

And thousands of shakers moving throughout the stadium.

That’s Auburn football.

Auburn Traditions Are Something You Learn

People researching a move to Auburn usually learn the big things first.

They know about Auburn University.

They’ve probably heard War Eagle.

They may know about rolling Toomer’s Corner.

They may know Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Then they move here and start discovering all the little things.

Like calling it a shaker.

Or realizing how early people start tailgating.

Or discovering what traffic looks like on a home football Saturday.

Or learning that the town feels completely different when tens of thousands of visitors arrive for a game.

Those are things you don’t necessarily learn from looking at houses online.

You learn them by living here.

What Does a Shaker Have to Do With Auburn Real Estate?

On the surface?

Absolutely nothing. 😂

I’m not going to ask whether you know the correct Auburn football terminology before I show you a house.

But there’s a bigger point here.

When you’re moving to Auburn, you’re not simply purchasing a property.

You’re learning a new community.

And if you’re moving here because of Auburn University—or because you simply love Auburn—understanding how the community actually functions can make your relocation easier.

That’s especially true when choosing where to live.

Living Near Auburn University Can Be a Very Different Experience

A buyer who wants to live near Auburn University may love being close to the action.

Depending on the property and location, that may mean being closer to:

• Auburn University
• Downtown Auburn
• Jordan-Hare Stadium
• Restaurants and entertainment
• Auburn football activities
• Game-day traditions

For some buyers, that’s exactly what they want.

They want to hear the excitement.

They want to walk toward Jordan-Hare with everybody else.

They want to grab the shaker and head to the game.

Other buyers love Auburn but would rather have more separation from game-day activity.

Neither preference is wrong.

That’s why location matters.

Are You Buying a Game-Day Property or a Full-Time Home?

This is one of the first things I want to understand when someone contacts me about Auburn real estate.

How are you going to use the property?

A buyer searching for an Auburn game-day condo may tell me:

“I want to park the car and walk.”

That’s a very specific goal.

Another buyer relocating to Auburn University for a full-time position may say:

“I like football, but my Monday-through-Friday commute matters much more.”

That’s a completely different home search.

Someone else may want a single-family home with a yard and have no interest in being particularly close to Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Again—different search.

The right Auburn property depends on how YOU intend to live here.

Game Day Is Important—But So Is Tuesday Morning

I love Auburn football.

War Eagle.

But if you’re moving here full-time, you’re going to live in your home all year.

That means we should talk about more than football.

Think about:

• Your commute
• Property type
• Budget
• Yard and maintenance
• Shopping and restaurants
• Auburn University access
• Downtown Auburn access
• Traffic patterns
• Your everyday routine
• How much game-day activity you want around you

Auburn University (https://www.auburn.edu/) is obviously a major part of the community.

Jordan-Hare Stadium (https://auburntigers.com/jordan-hare-stadium) becomes the center of a lot of activity during football Saturdays.

Buyers can explore different residential areas through my Auburn subdivisions page (https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/auburn-al-subdivisons/).

For current public-school information, buyers can go directly to Auburn City Schools (https://www.auburnschools.org/).

For shopping, Auburn Mall (https://www.shopauburnalabama.com/) is another established Auburn destination.

And you can find more Auburn–Opelika real estate and relocation information at AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com.

Local Knowledge Can Make Relocating Easier

I’ve lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988.

So a lot of things that seem perfectly normal to me may be completely new to someone moving here.

Game-day traffic.

Auburn traditions.

Different areas of town.

The relationship between Auburn and Opelika.

Campus proximity.

The way Auburn changes during football weekends.

And yes…

Shakers. 😂

That’s one reason I enjoy working with relocation buyers.

You don’t have to arrive knowing everything.

Part of my job is helping you understand the real estate.

But I can also help you understand Auburn.

A Simple Auburn Relocation Example

Imagine you’re moving here from another state for a position connected to Auburn University.

You’ve researched houses.

You’ve looked at maps.

You’ve watched videos of campus.

You know where Jordan-Hare Stadium is.

Then you attend your first Auburn football game.

Everybody around you is waving orange and blue shakers.

Maybe you call yours a rally towel.

Some Auburn fan nearby immediately says:

“That’s a shaker.” 😂

And you’ve just learned another little piece of Auburn.

A few months later, the roads make more sense.

You know where you like to eat.

You’ve learned the game-day traffic patterns.

You’ve found your favorite places around town.

That’s how relocation works.

A place slowly stops feeling new.

It starts feeling like home.

Quick Q&A About Auburn Shakers and Moving to Auburn

Does Auburn call them shakers?

Yes. Auburn University’s Student Government Association officially refers to them as shakers and organizes shaker distribution before home football games.

Are shakers an Auburn football tradition?

Yes. Shakers have been associated with Auburn football for decades and remain a familiar part of the visual atmosphere on game day.

Is a shaker the same thing as a rally towel?

They’re different types of spirit items. Auburn football’s familiar game-day item is traditionally called a shaker.

Do I need to know Auburn traditions before moving here?

Not at all. That’s part of the fun. You’ll learn Auburn traditions, terminology and routines after you arrive.

Does living close to Auburn University matter on game day?

It can. Proximity to campus can affect walking options, traffic, parking, pedestrian activity and how much game-day activity you experience.

Should I buy close to campus?

That depends entirely on your goals. A game-day buyer, Auburn University employee, retiree, family, investor or full-time resident may each prioritize location differently.

Moving to Auburn? Let’s Talk Before You Start Touring Homes

Moving to Auburn is about more than finding a house with the right number of bedrooms.

Where you live affects how you experience the community.

Maybe you want to be right in the middle of Auburn football Saturdays.

Maybe you’d rather enjoy Auburn football and then head home to somewhere quieter.

Maybe you’re relocating for Auburn University.

Maybe you’re retiring here.

Or maybe you’ve loved Auburn for years and you’re finally ready to own a place here.

That’s where I can help.

Laura Sellers is an Auburn University alumna who has lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988 and has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years. She is an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate, the Official Real Estate Partner of the Auburn Tigers.

If you’re thinking about moving to Auburn, contact me before you start touring properties so we can talk about what you need, where you want to be, and how you plan to use your Auburn home.

Laura Sellers, Associate Broker
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate
Call or text: 334-332-7263
AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com

Homes, y’all! War Eagle! 🦅

And remember:

It’s a SHAKER. 😂