Get into Homecoming
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
At the start of another Homecoming Week, a host of cliché thoughts come to mind: Get involved. Do more than party all weekend. This is an event from which memories are made.
While these thoughts have their proper places, the WC is making a call for change.
A homecoming is an annual celebration for alumni at a university. Although they return by the hundreds to enjoy reunions, alumni are not the focus of this week at Western Illinois University. They only return for a brief weekend. On the other hand, students can celebrate our school all week long through their participation in events and the football game. Students are in the spotlight.
In viewing the events, alumni and the campus community gather a representation of the university and the student body. This being said, students have a responsibility to uphold the reputation of our college. It's more than what happens during Paint the Town or the parade, times when the community is directly involved. It's more than being responsible drinkers before the football game.
The WC feels Homecoming has lost its meaning for students. This is shown by the same small number of people who represent each residence hall every year, often lured by points that can be used to purchase prizes at the end of the semester. For some, Homecoming Week is only meaningful because it brings weekend concerts or parties.
Homecoming is not a simple return home for alumni. It's the students making it seem like returning home, a carrying on of traditions that will hopefully still be present after we graduate and come back to visit. In another light, it's the chance for students to make this university seem like home for themselves.
For some, being involved in Homecoming is just too much work. This year, its placement in the university schedule has landed it among midterm exams and papers, making weeknight events especially difficult. However, the WC reminds teachers that they are also members of the Western community, and in celebrating it with us, they should understand a reluctance to spend time writing a paper every night of the week. Faculty, please continue normal class periods but ease up on the homework load, if possible.
This week, despite the fact that time and the need to learn continue, is not just another week. Sept. 24 through 30 is a chance to celebrate this university and how it will always be a place to return and remember our collegiate journey. Students can make as much or as little of it as they desire, but don't let it pass by without appreciating the traditions that have been carried on for decades.
While these thoughts have their proper places, the WC is making a call for change.
A homecoming is an annual celebration for alumni at a university. Although they return by the hundreds to enjoy reunions, alumni are not the focus of this week at Western Illinois University. They only return for a brief weekend. On the other hand, students can celebrate our school all week long through their participation in events and the football game. Students are in the spotlight.
In viewing the events, alumni and the campus community gather a representation of the university and the student body. This being said, students have a responsibility to uphold the reputation of our college. It's more than what happens during Paint the Town or the parade, times when the community is directly involved. It's more than being responsible drinkers before the football game.
The WC feels Homecoming has lost its meaning for students. This is shown by the same small number of people who represent each residence hall every year, often lured by points that can be used to purchase prizes at the end of the semester. For some, Homecoming Week is only meaningful because it brings weekend concerts or parties.
Homecoming is not a simple return home for alumni. It's the students making it seem like returning home, a carrying on of traditions that will hopefully still be present after we graduate and come back to visit. In another light, it's the chance for students to make this university seem like home for themselves.
For some, being involved in Homecoming is just too much work. This year, its placement in the university schedule has landed it among midterm exams and papers, making weeknight events especially difficult. However, the WC reminds teachers that they are also members of the Western community, and in celebrating it with us, they should understand a reluctance to spend time writing a paper every night of the week. Faculty, please continue normal class periods but ease up on the homework load, if possible.
This week, despite the fact that time and the need to learn continue, is not just another week. Sept. 24 through 30 is a chance to celebrate this university and how it will always be a place to return and remember our collegiate journey. Students can make as much or as little of it as they desire, but don't let it pass by without appreciating the traditions that have been carried on for decades.
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