What exactly is homecoming?

For universities, it’s a weekend where they try to get a lot of alumni to come back to visit the school. It’s always done on a weekend with a home football game, the homecoming game. It’s not as big of a deal for the current students.

High schools simply have a home football game and a dance. As far as I know, there is no big push for alumni there; it’s mostly for the current high school students.

I don’t have time to read all of it, but after skimming the top, it looks like this wiki article will be helpful.

DIY porn?

So? People actually celebrate going back to school? Can’t see that one catching on here.

It is a sports term that refers to the return of the sports team to the home field, after traveling to several opponents fields. I believe it originated with football.

@RareDenver it’s more a celebration of team/school spirit. Generally homecoming week is a “spirit” week at schools. Students wear school colors, plan the parade and decorate the gym or whereever the dance will be held.

Then, during the week, the football team has their “homecoming” game. Sometimes it’s the last home game of the season….That completely depends on the locale. During halftime, there’s usually a parade, band and maybe some Booster Club activites (things to “pep” school spirit).

Usually the night after the game, the homecoming dance takes place in the gym or the cafeteria…or whatever large gathering space the school has. It’s much less formal than prom. Suits and dresses found in one’s closet are acceptable attire.

It’s more about socializing with friends early in the school year, and getting to know your classmates.

@RareDenver Not so much celebrating going back to school, so much as going “oh, yeah, my parents will let me out of the house for the dance, and then I can wear this dress and these shows and dance with these boys I have a crush on and then someone will slip in some cough syrup and we can get a bit drunk.” The celebrating going back to school is something the school admins believe in more than the students.

@Aethelflaed and @SpatzieLover are spot on for high school homecomings. For college, though, it really is celebrating going back to school. Seeing old friends, checking out the old stomping grounds, noticing how things have changed, enjoying the school spirit of a college game. Some people really get into it. Those who don’t care, don’t go.

I go back to my university every 2–3 years for a football game, meet up with my friends who live in the area. I don’t usually make it for the official homecoming game, I usually go in September, and homecoming is October at my school, but it would be kind of cool for a bunch of us one year to meet up at homecoming. My school plans events all week long.