Freshman Guide to Homecoming in College vs. High School

Homecoming week at Utah State University has been a long-standing tradition. It seems so familiar to returning students, but for freshmen it is a different story.

Freshmen come to USU bright-eyed and curfew-less. Fresh out of high school, they have many new experiences on a big college campus and homecoming is one of them.

Traditionally, homecoming in high school begins with a cleverly-constructed mechanism to ask a date to the dance, while avoiding almost all real human contact.

Secondly, said person will find cleverly-constructed mechanism, and — after some degree of deliberation — will answer their suitor. In a poster decorated with candy bars, saying things like “I ‘snickered’ when you asked me” or “Yes, ‘Big Hunk,’ let’s go,” the person will accept or decline.

Next is preparation for homecoming night. For girls, this is going to include buying a dress, new make-up, shoes and getting their hair and nails done.

On the day of the dance, high school students usually begin with a day activity. Then they part ways and get ready. The dates are picked up, and upon arrival to the homecoming dance itself, you have to take pictures. These are an unnecessary expense, because you look at the pictures when you get them back, but then stuff them in a box in your basement labeled “stuff.”

The process of taking pictures is one of the more excruciatingly awkward situations throughout the night, not including doorstep drop-offs. You have to plan a pose that will most likely end with you and your date being featured on Awkward Family Photos.

Then you dance, or have a jumping mosh pit to the latest top 40 countdown, and proceed to an after activity.

But college homecoming is a different story.

At USU, homecoming isn’t just one day, but a week long, packed with activities. Most of these events require student involvement and participation. There is Mr. USU, street painting, powderpuff football, the homecoming dance, a movie night, parade and the concluding homecoming football game. The homecoming dance, unlike high school, is not a formal affair. You don’t ask a date, take awkward photos or do obligatory Fun Park activities — although you do go and dance the night away.

“I thought the homecoming dance was going to be a formal event. I thought you wore a dress and had a date. I didn’t know until someone told me,” said Hannah Hartzell, a freshman at USU.

Homecoming week is a time for Aggie spirit and school-sponsored activities to mingle among peers. This is a big transition from the intimate nature of a high school homecoming. College students are part of a larger community which incorporates not only student involvement, but community participation. It is represented on a larger scale and tries to bring students, staff and community members together. In high school, homecoming is tailored more to the individual couple and actual homecoming dance.

“College homecoming has a lot more activities and more opportunities for us to go do something fun during the week,” said freshman Kayla Hepburn.

Homecoming week in college allows incoming freshmen to avoid the stresses and potentially uncomfortable situations of high school homecoming. It is a week that shows freshmen what they have left behind, but also what they have to look forward to.

— lilywachtor3@hotmail.com