Since Homecoming just ended last week, I’ve had a bit of a Homecoming hangover. Every time Homecoming ends, it’s always kind of bittersweet to me. It’s such a large undertaking with so many moving parts that seeing it finished is amazing, but sad seeing it end. I suppose I’ve been spoiled coming to Mizzou, with all its great Homecoming traditions, because I’ve never heard, or seen, another school doing it quite like Mizzou.
It’s a process that takes two solid months of work and culminates in the final week of skit performances, campus decorations, and the parade with floats on display. All of this is put on by the Greek community, and it feels great to give such a special showing of tradition back to the community and alumni. As an aside, if the University keeps punishing Greek life for every little thing, Homecoming as we know it will cease to exist because the work is done almost entirely by fraternities and sororities.
It always amazes me watching so many things come together over two months, all of which is done by students. We have total sway over what we do and how we do it. It takes up a lot of time, yes, but the end result and watching everything gradually progress is rewarding unlike anything else I’ve been a part of. It’s the biggest event of the fall and something I always look forward to. When it ends, it feels like there’s this void. The best way I can describe it is saying that the chase is better than the catch. I love seeing everything completed, but I know that the magic ends there. There are no more nights of building, or practicing skit, or watching pomp boards fill up. It just ends. Like that.
This year was different from previous years because it was the last Homecoming I’ll ever have the privilege of participating in. When I come back, I’ll be on the other side watching everything go up rather than having a hand in shaping the final product. Looking back on my four years, I realized I only got to experience two real Homecoming seasons and I wish I could have gotten the full four. I’m not one for regrets since when I made the decisions I did, they were exactly what I wanted, but I definitely could have done things differently now that I know what I know. For everyone still going through their four years, do not pass up a chance to get involved in Homecoming. You only have four years here and they’ll pass you by if you stay on the sidelines.