It’s finally here, The University of Tennessee at Martin’s homecoming week. As a senior, I’m of course sad this is the last one for me, but for the underclassmen, this is the first or second year they get to really experience homecoming, Martin style. I’m sure you’ve already heard about rope pull, lipsync, pyramid, and Quad city, or you’re participating in them (props to you, my friend). Do you really know about these events, though? How rope pull is a Martin tradition, how lipsync in Martin is a hundred times better than any other schools, or how Quad city is probably the biggest tailgate party in West Tennessee? These traditions make us Skyhawks, Junior Vols, Pacers, etc.

Let’s start with my personal favorite, rope pull. Rope pull was started in the early 1970s, and what you will see this week isn’t always how rope pull went down in good ole Martin, Tenn. Did you know back in the day you filled the entire rope with people and there was no time limit? There was one pull that lasted two hours! Thank the rope pull gods that there is a time limit, now! Just remember as you go to the pulls this week, this is a tradition that is UTM’s alone. No one else gets to enjoy the rib breaking, most exhilarating homecoming event besides the students at UTM. Plus listening to people grunt scream and make every weird noise possible is pretty entertaining in itself right?

Next we have lipsync. Who doesn’t enjoy a bunch of girls dressing up in crazy costumes and a bunch of guys dressing up as girls and acting like fools? Lipsync is usually for new members of a sorority and fraternity. If you don’t build some confidence after lipsync, you’re doing it all wrong. Plus you get to see the hottest new guys from all the frats? Just patiently waiting for some sexy doctors to show up again this year…

Then we’ve got the super intense pyramid. For girls, it’s like going to UCA nationals. For guys, it’s attempting not to kill your brothers by dropping them. It’s all about who hits the best and highest pyramids, who’s got the best moves, and leaving it all on the mat. If you don’t have the hottest music and, of course, the guys aren’t grinding on the floor -- is it even pyramid?

Then, we’ve got the grand Quad City and the actual game. I just have one question, why does it have to start so early? We should take into account the amount of alcohol consumed the night before, but I guess that’s what make it Quad City. Everyone crawls out of bed, hopes the hair is good enough from the night before so you don’t get in trouble, throws on a little makeup (sorry guys, you can’t hide it like we can) and gets ready for the biggest tailgate Martin has. The best part? Food, games and of course getting to walk around and see the competition. Then 2:30 p.m. hits and its game time. The real reason we do all of this. You get to see which beautiful girl is crowned Homecoming Queen and it begins. Who doesn’t love a good football game right? (Since apparently Tennessee isn’t doing too hot this year we can count always on the Skyhawks)

So live up this week and drink it down, because before you know it, it’ll be your senior year and you’ll be wishing you were a freshman again getting to enjoy UTM’s homecoming traditions.