While homecoming is sometimes compared to a colder version of slope day, rallying from breakfast until late at night, homecoming has its unique quirks that surpass all other Cornell milestones. Now that homecoming 2014 is behind us, let’s reflect on what a Cornell homecoming really means.
Looking forward to seeing our team play, only to never actually make it to the game.
It’s the same old story: you start off with an overwhelming amount of school spirit, ready to cheer on your football team. Until you remember where you live, and you ask yourself, “Do I really need to go to the game?” We’re a victim of our environment. Ithaca is wet. Ithaca is cold. Therefore, homecoming is wet and cold. Personally, I fully intended to attend this year’s game, but as soon as the rain started, I was out. For the people that tough it out and check out the game anyway, you truly have big red fever. I just hope you brought a blanket.
Not even bothering to try to go to the game.
I’ve seen this mostly with upperclassmen. Freshman, listen
up: We’ve been there. When you hear an upperclassman say that going to the game
isn’t really worth it, you should probably listen. But, I do think that
everyone has to experience the homecoming game at least once in their four
years here to really appreciate the joy of not going.
Herds of matching sorority girls.
There is a specific uniform required for homecoming. Homecoming shirt with your letters on it? Check. Face paint? Check. Some sort of red ribbon/hat/hair
accessory? Check. Congratulations, you have arrived at homecoming. As a
sorority girl, I have to say that this is my favorite part of homecoming. When
else, besides slope day, do you get to dress up in the exact same shirts as all
of your sisters? Also, this makes for adorable pictures.
The rush to sell and buy last minute homecoming
tickets.
Schedules change, minds change, and some people are just too
exhausted (or ramped up) to stick to their original plan. Raging all day is a
daunting task, after all, and each moment must be spent wisely. You know it’s
homecoming when you go on Facebook and see fifty posts asking to buy and sell
concert tickets within one hour of the actual concert.
Getting to the concert, but getting lost in the
crowd.
I guarantee you, at least five people each year will realize that they
are claustrophobic mid-concert. Mosh pits aren’t exactly something that Cornell
kids experience every day, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and misplace all
of your friends.
Asking yourself, “Should I have gone to a
state school?”
Yeah, so apparently tailgating is a huge, huge thing at
other schools. And there are students that actually care, very passionately in
fact, about their school’s football team. Who knew? Whatever, at least we have Bill Nye.
