The sharp corners of the vast halls of Naperville Central are no longer a threat to this year’s Freshmen, but some of these newbies may encounter some potholes as they navigate their way on the Homecoming highway.

The American tradition of celebrating with current students and alumni for a game of football, activities, parades and a dance has been around since the early 1900s. While many of the activities have evolved over the decades, many aspects of the experience remain the same, beginning with the proposal.

In the good old days, the tradition was for the male to ask the female to the dance which was usually handled in person by handwritten note or by phone.

Nowadays, people ask their prospective date before the actual formal proposal, to ensure an affirmative response rather than risking public rejection and humiliation.  Having being asked myself, I know the thrill of walking into school that morning to receive your elaborate overture. I previously believed I would just go to Homecoming with my closest friends and their dates, however, nothing is more exciting than being surprised by an invitation to the grand event!

Unfortunately, in this generation, the proposal is seen more as a stressful plan to get an ¨Instagram worthy” proposal. According to CNN, “As promposal clips go viral, more and more young people think that you need to create these elaborate schemes to ask someone […] the reality is that it should be just a fun event for young people to dance and celebrate.” In my experience, many Freshman had exhausted themselves trying to set people up with strangers just to catch what is perceived as a “picture-perfect” Homecoming.  Many students who do not receive a proposal may be tempted to stay home, but in my book, no one should feel that a date is needed to attend any school function when in reality the dance is a great way to have fun with friends. I can assure you that if I weren’t asked, I would still firmly enforce the idea of forgetting to find a perfect Homecoming date when going with friends will probably give you the best results and plentiful dance partners.

One of the most exciting parts of Homecoming was picking an outfit. This can also be super stressful because after all, it’s your first formal high school affair! Glitz and glam may be trending right now, but that certainly does not mean it has to be your taste. Choose the outfit that makes you look great and feels comfortable, don’t forget to consult the Redbook when it comes to dress code violations! I personally had to turn down countless dresses because I knew it wasn’t what I would feel comfortable in. Yet, many Freshman feel the need to sacrifice comfort for style and buy towering heels even though they will most likely have to take them off moments after pictures. Personally, I opted to save my ankles for the volleyball court and tossed my heels into a bag in the designated coat check area.

The glamorous day had finally come and with the temperature being in the low 50’s the only butterflies and bees flying around were in the stomachs of every Freshman. As we gathered to capture that “perfect picture” moment with our crew you could feel the excitement start to build as we bundled up in between clicks of the cameras anticipating our delectable meal that awaited us. However, nothing leading up to the dance was nearly as exciting as the event itself. Central’s layout of the dance was very intricate and extremely obliging. The organization of the “coat check” and two different dance halls was very helpful and clever, since some people may have wanted to live it up in the Field House and occasionally take breaks in the Cafeteria with some Jazz music and refreshments. Being able to unload your jacket, purse and shoes was most certainly well appreciated, aside from the fact that your feet were stepped on constantly! The “space” themed decorations were out of this world and very personalized. By the end of the night, it was clear to many that there was no need to worry about making every little detail perfect even though the occasion was formal, it was not nearly as “stuffy” as many Freshmen perceived it would be.

Whether it be worrying about finding a date or dazzling up your Homecoming wardrobe, Freshmen especially worry about the smallest of details when in reality, there’s little to worry about when it comes to having a great time with friends and living it up on the dance floor. The greatest folly a Freshman can make in this situation, is staying home!