Homecoming traditions and the hoco proposal
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
By Cynthia Haggitt
Many teenagers from around the area have had homecoming already, or they are preparing for their school’s homecoming weekend. For most schools, homecoming typically includes a Friday night football game followed by a Saturday night school dance, which will be even more special this year because it will be one of the first times the student body has gotten to let loose after months of social distancing.
Homecoming can mean a lot of different things. It can involve a parade, or a big football game. Often, a homecoming court is crowned, with the highly coveted homecoming king and queen reigning over their kingdom for a year. Homecoming, for others, could mean alumni come back to Calhoun to watch the game, visit their friends, teachers and family. This year, there may be some recently-graduated seniors to come back for this year’s homecoming, considering they didn’t get a proper send-off in the spring because of the coronavirus.
Over the years, homecoming has become a big deal, especially the dance. Nowadays, it has come to resemble a mini prom. Young girls and boys go out to dinner in their best semi-formal outfits and spend time with their dates. Sometimes students prefer to just go to the dance without a date and will go to the dance with a group of friends.
However, one thing that accompanies going with a date to homecoming, is the elaborate asking, or proposal. When asking someone to homecoming, there is a lot of pressure to be as creative as possible and students are finding ways to ask in many different ways. The hoco proposals have become more elaborate, mimicking the creative signs, cute treasure hunts and yummy treats that now seem to come with every “promposal.”
Some students will ask with flowers, others will ask over Facebook live or Youtube and some will surprise their dates with crazy stunts or balloons. It is just a new thing to do.
Homecoming, which often takes place in September or October, doubles as a kind of welcome back to school and students do elaborate things to get their prospective dates attention.
However, if a student decides to go to the dance with a date, or just go with friends, this tradition is widely celebrated every year.
