News flash for freshmen: fall’s almost over. That means two things at Binghamton University: a menacingly cold, terribly bitter, depressingly dark, gloomy winter — and basketball season. I choose basketball.

Before you come down to the games, make sure you don’t get left out in the cold when it comes to cheering on the Bearcats. In a three-part series, ranging from beginning to advanced techniques, we’re unveiling a guide to becoming a member of the BU Zoo, Binghamton’s student section at basketball games. Today’s installment is a beginner’s course in the Zoo.

Go to the games.

The first game is on Halloween, a week from today. It’s an exhibition game against a Division II team, but don’t let that stop you. We host another exhibition on Saturday. If you miss the opportunity to see the team next week, you’ll have to wait until Nov. 20 for the next home game. We’re not hosting the conference tournament this year, so make sure you see the meaningful conference games in January and February.

Let the opposition know that they, in fact, suck.

This one’s simple, and fun!

The opposing team tends to come to the Events Center forgetting how terrible they are. Remind them. When an opposing player is introduced, shout “SUCKS” after his name. You’ll get your opportunities during the game, too. When the pep band plays the “Hey” song, stand up and tell the opponents, “Hey, you suck!” If the band doesn’t play the song frequently enough for your liking, start chanting for it and sing it yourself.

Hate Vermont. Hate Albany.

Don’t worry about Stony Brook. The Seawolves are terrible. Don’t bother with Maine or New Hampshire, because we’ll beat them both. Boston University’s a joke. Hartford? Garbage. UMBC? What’s a UMBC?

But Vermont, they knocked us out of the conference tournament the last two years. Catamount fans may tell you that Vermont’s dominance is back. They’re lying. Vermont is just plain bad.

Vermont fans tend to travel in droves to the Events Center, and it’s not fun to hear the visiting fans louder than us. Feel free to criticize them and their liberal ways. Go to the Vermont game, take all your friends and go crazy. Last year’s affair was a double-overtime victory for Binghamton, and one of the best games of the season.

Albany is our SUNY rival (safety school, anyone?), and that means more than you’d think. There’s nothing we’d rather see than Binghamton getting some name recognition by getting to the NCAA tournament. After all, we are the flagship state school. Seeing Albany get there first has to make the administration sweat a little bit, and the Danes seem poised for a big year. But there’s no need to worry. Who are we kidding? Albany is an awful basketball team.

See the trend?

That’s the attitude it takes to become a member of the BU Zoo. No one defeats us on our floor and escapes the Zoo’s wrath the next time around. Check the next issue for intermediate-level cheers.