Homecoming, a tradition of spirit, not pride

Homecoming week is the only time of year students are urged to participate in activities for an entire week. Considering students are busy with homework or jobs, what is purpose of homecoming at the college level?

The week should serve as a community builder, to unite the student body through engaging activities. But after enduring four homecomings in high school, students may be looking for a different tradition in college.

While the school implies the week serves as an encouragement of spirit and coming together, students often view the week as an extended popularity contest. Despite many opportunities for unity, Chadron’s homecoming seems centered around coronation.

Coronation is a major part of any homecoming, and it’s fun for students to decide who the king, queen and court is. However, making this event the focus seems redundant for students who don’t know or care about the candidates. It takes away from activities that incorporate spirit for all students and, instead, boosts the pride of the select few.

During a week that many students want to participate in, simply painting windows the week prior, or voting for a court nominee, is mundane. CSC should view the student body’s need of involvement as a way to engage with the community.

If many clubs are willing to devote their time to painting a window in downtown Chadron, they may be willing to help the community instead. Clubs could partake in a campus and town trash pick-up competition.

Over the past two years, Chadron has been the focal point of our theme, but besides the parade, we don’t engage much with our community.

Homecoming is about school spirit and getting students excited about the teams who wear the school colors. We could improve homecoming by placing more of an emphasis on the pep rally and bonfire. These events truly unite the student body, everyone is cheering for the same cause. This brings an unusual excitement to the school, especially because the week-long celebration only comes once a year.

Athletes love their fan base, and this gives them the best chance to interact with a mass collection of them. Students get excited when an athlete delivers a powerful message to the crowd because they get to see the student side of the athletes.

Coronation will always be part of homecoming traditions, but in college, we should celebrate the entire student body as well as the community.