Every summer begins with the same routine as last. It’s not a beer blast down at the lake. It’s not a midnight drive to the shore or a bonfire in the yard. It starts off with a night viewing of  one my favorite films: “Dazed and Confused.”

It’s a story about a small-town group of friends in Texas during the late 70s who just celebrated the  last day of high school. The film follows the ensemble cast from the last bell to the end of their drinking night.

The characters range from the upcoming freshmen to seniors and their yearly routine of hazing to the star quarterback trying to find out who he really is. Included in this cast of characters is Matthew McConaughey as the guy who can’t leave behind his high school glory days.

Along with the memorable and relatable cast is the setting. The nostalgic vibe is created through the wardrobe and soundtrack, which are both incredible. Seeing the lead characters dressed in what looks like a tapestry, with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Peter Frampton in the background, just sets the mood.

To tie it all together, the movie ends on such a high note. The freshman got a free pass from his mom for coming home at seven in the morning after hooking up with an older girl.

Then, the seniors are shown driving into the Texan sunrise on their way to score some Aerosmith tickets. Aside from the hazing and the abundance of drinking and driving, it sounds like a pretty sweet summer night to me.

On my first night here on campus, I also have another tradition of the movie variety. Although there is no direct link between “Dazed and Confused” and “Everybody Wants Some!!,” the latter is a spiritual sequel in every sense of the term.

This film follows the tale of an incoming freshman  pitcher for a top ranked baseball school. It follows the gang around the weekend prior to class as they hit up the local bars and hangout in their off-campus house.

Like “Dazed and Confused,” it is set in the nostalgic 80’s for part and the idealistic 80’s for others. Having Van Halen, Cheap Trick and Blondie all in the film’s soundtrack create a rocking vibe. The vibe of the movie is a bit more intense than “Dazed and Confused” because of the competitiveness of the baseball team, and also due to a character who named himself, “Raw Dog.”

From the onset to the closure of summer, I feel like I’ve got a pretty solid vibe throughout. Hell, if you take my word for it and give it a shot yourself, you might be feeling, “alright, alright, alright.”