Point v. Counterpoint Importance of Homecoming

Media drawn by Ella Risemen

Audrey Pekny and Ella Riseman

POINT

Audrey Pekny

I do not think Homecoming is nearly as big of a deal as people tend to make it. First of all, there are four dances and all classes are allowed to go, which I suppose makes sense since prom is only for upperclassmen and there should be dances for the upperclassmen.

An important part of homecoming is the look- and I strongly believe spending hundreds of dollars on a dress, hair, makeup and more is ridiculous. In the age of social media and the influence that celebrities have on today’s youth spreads the feeling of “needing” a material item or it won’t be the same experience. 

My freshman year, I had fun. During the hours before the dance, I had a date and walking into the dance, I was with all my girlfriends. The pictures and getting pizza with all of my friends was really fun, the dance however, was less than fun. I am the kind of person that will want to make the most out of any situation, but being in a pretty icky gym among the uncomfortable teachers and drama cesspool, I just wanted to get out. I spent a lot of money on my dress, which in hindsight, I really wish I had for college! Going to my first high school dance was definitely a right of passage and I do not have any regrets about attending the dance for the short and underwhelming time that I did. 

Sophomore year, I spent more money on another new dress and again was disappointed. This year, I decided to bring one of my friends from Trinity and I went to her homecoming as well. Their wide selection or candy and classy slushies was pretty impressive and I went home somewhat impressed. The following weekend was our homecoming and once again I was hit with what I wanted to avoid. Four words: grind circle and teachers; It’s just not for me. I have zero recollection of what happened after I left the dance, early once again, and it is probably because I went home and fell asleep. 

Now you’re probably wondering why I even went sophomore year, well so am I! The amount of my peers talking about their dresses, dates, not to mention the after parties was astounding. For the entire month of September, the only thing people could talk about was homecoming and what their plans were. Luckily, junior year I learned my lesson and decided to spend the night at home. No regrets! 

Now it is my senior year. The year full of lasts, so in good faith, I will see you tomorrow. I am doing my own makeup and nails and one of my best friends has graciously offered to do my hair. The best part was finding my perfect homecoming dress on the app LetGo. Not spending over a hundred dollars and ensuring the dress doesn’t end up in a landfill was the perfect option for me. I am going to spend the night with my best friends having the best possible time I can, with very low expectations and will not value the aesthetics of the dance or how good my instagram pictures will look, just that I am with the people I love. 

In the end, high school dances are simply not going to make or break you. I encourage everyone, whether they are attending the dance, to have a fun and safe night. No matter the amount of compliments and instagram likes you got, it won’t matter in five years, so there is no value in stressing about it now. The idea of needing the significant not to mention perfect homecoming is simply unhealthy for high school students and is not something anyone should spend time stressing about.

COUNTERPOINT 

Ella Riseman

Homecoming is important. Not just because of its cultural impact on American high schools, but because of the significant role it plays in your social life. It acts as a landmark in your growth as a human being.

You may think homecoming is a meaningless, and possibly miserable experience. But, it’s a lot more than meets the eye, and the dance floor. In retrospect, homecoming has always been important for a school’s culture. It’s a tradition carried on since 1911 from the University of Missouri, one of its core activities is participating in alumni football games. Later on, as the idea spread, homecoming dances became more common in high schools across America. No matter how school celebrates, it marks the start of a new year, and a new you.

The importance of homecoming doesn’t just stem from history. It puts you, a growing human being, into a dance with nearly everyone you’ve ever known throughout the years. During high school, we go through a stage of transitioning from a child to an adult, literally and symbolically. The self-awareness you have in high school is brought along with you to the party. This makes you more able to meet new people, get to know your friends more, and quite possibly pass new landmarks in relationships, platonic or romantic.

The best thing to see homecoming is as a sort of checkpoint in your life.  Things that happen at homecoming could affect your perspective on life as a whole. From dancing with someone for the first time, seeing something crazy go down, or just getting out of your comfort zone in general. Those memories stick with you for years to come.

Homecoming isn’t just a celebration of coming home, it’s a celebration of the human condition.