Homecoming is an annual event that occurs among many high schools across the country, and many freshmen look forward to attending it for the first time. Metea Valley freshmen students experienced homecoming for the first time this past Saturday, but some students felt that homecoming didn’t live up to its reputation.
While most districts have the same idea for homecoming, different schools add their touch to it. Waubonsie Valley High School freshman Aakanksha Rokala spoke about her expectations versus the reality of homecoming.
“[Homecoming] was pretty fun, but it was a little overhyped,” Rokala said. “I feel like the experience of getting ready and going to a restaurant is fun, but at some point, it gets super tiring.”
Rokala expresses her thoughts on the lack of interactiveness and activities at homecoming. Though Waubonsie’s homecoming was outside and spacious, many students were getting lost in the large crowd, negatively impacting students’ experiences while Waubonsie’s homecoming was outside and spacious, many students were getting lost in the large crowd, negatively impacting students’ experiences.
She claims she would much rather have preferred having entertaining things to do outside of the crowd so there was still a way to enjoy homecoming without getting separated from her friend group.
“At some point, I was by myself and in the crowd, and I got separated from all of my friends,” Rokala said.
Similarly, Metea Valley freshman Xylo Ramsey believes homecoming didn’t live up to his expectations. According to Ramsey, homecoming wasn’t necessarily a regrettable experience, but it didn’t take place the way he thought it would.
“I expected a little bit more at homecoming,” Ramsey said. “I don’t know if it’s just because it’s my first year and I haven’t been to homecoming, but it felt like after the first couple of songs, the DJ got a bit underwhelming.”
Ramsey also believes that if there was one thing he could change about homecoming, it would be the location. The setup and space were a major drawback that Ramsey emphasized about the annual event.
“The football field would have been a lot larger, and I feel like it could’ve been cooler depending on how they had it set up outside,” Ramsey said.
Coming from Rokala, a student who attended Waubonsie’s outdoor homecoming, she feels as if having homecoming out on the football field was a well-planned idea.
“I think a pro of having homecoming outside was a lot more space, and there are areas where it was easier to get out of the crowd,” Rokala said.
Rokala thinks the decoration, music, and entertainment were what made the night memorable. She looks forward to attending homecoming in the future, and she believes that her first homecoming as a freshman was a night to remember.
Ramsey, as well, believes homecoming was an exciting experience for him. While he believes parts of homecoming could be changed to make his overall day better, his first time at homecoming was memorable.
Overall, students have experienced their fair share of pros and cons during their freshman homecoming. The effort put into this event paid off as it was an unforgettable first experience for freshmen.
