It is that time of year again where the past and present meet. It is homecoming week for Greenville University, and you do not want to miss out on this four day action-packed event. Homecoming gives students, old and new, the opportunity to show their Panther pride, and this year is no different.
The Midnight Madness event happening on campus. Source: Reaghan Lesh 
The Homecoming Dance happening on campus. Source: Reaghan Lesh
The concept of homecoming has been around for over a century. No one knows officially who held the first “homecoming,” however, the idea of inviting alumni back to their alma-mater has been around since the 1870s when Harvard and Yale came together annually for “The Game.” The homecoming celebrations we often see today can first be seen around 1910, and by the 1920s, these celebrations were booming across the nation.
Common homecoming events include: pep rallies, parades, games, and dances. All schools, however, have their own traditions. Here are a few unique homecoming traditions that can be found throughout the nation.
Costume Party
C.E. Jordan High in Durnam, North Carolina put on a Halloween costume contest every year for their homecoming. It started in the 1980s when their homecoming game happened to fall on October 31. The school band dressed in Halloween costumes for their half-time performance, and has stuck since then, even if the game doesn’t fall directly on Halloween.
The Spirit Splash
A tradition at the University of Central Florida includes getting their feet wet in the Reflection Pool in the heart of campus. The pool is only two feet deep, but students stand in the pool for their entire pep rally, which usually includes a concert. The pool also has some historical value as it held an audience after being drained for the visitation of Richard M. Nixon, just months before the Watergate Scandal.
Bed Races
Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana has a tradition involving a race with our beloved sleeping places. In 1980, some fraternities on campus decided to weld some wheels to bed frames and take a nice stroll down the campus. Students, faculty, and alumni all participate in this rolling of beds. The University even gives competitors access to the welding shop on campus to make this event a little more official.
Now is the time for Greenville University’s homecoming! Students and alumni, come and join the campus for a fun-filled four days of awesome events. Check out this video of Kenzie Schwab and Reaghan Lesh talking about what’s going down in this year’s homecoming celebration.
