Jacquelyn Hurtado/ Contributing Writer
From the beginning, homecoming has been a tradition that centers around a football game. However, the focus has shifted away from sports over time. For me, homecoming symbolizes the epitome of school spirit, unifying students through friendships and memories.
Even now, we can see how all the activities for homecoming center around our identity as FIU Panthers. Events such as Panthermonium, Roar Lounge and Panther Prowl use words like “panther,” “roar” or “prowl” to grab our attention.
We no longer need encouragement from the prospect of a game to attend homecoming weekend because, to many FIU students, its meaning has changed and no longer centers around sports.
“Homecoming means bringing the whole university together whether you’re a freshman, senior or even alum,” said Melanie Rodriguez, a public relations chair of the Homecoming Council and sophomore double majoring in communications and communication arts. “It’s a great way to bring back traditions and have fun.”
Rodriguez also said that the goal of the Homecoming Council is to put on an amazing homecoming week for students, faculty and the community.
It’s remarkable to see how homecoming began as a way of promoting a football game, but has turned into a unifying phenomenon that celebrates our school spirit.
One of the first homecoming games can be traced back to the early 1900s, according to York News-Time. The athletic director of the University of Missouri suggested that the concept of “homecoming” be created, where both old and new students are invited to “come home” for the game.
Initially, this was a way to reignite the excitement of football and encourage people to attend the game between rivals Missouri and Kansas.
It’s ironic how the athletic director created this idea to fill the bleachers of a stadium, and yet, it was that idea of “coming home” that transcended generations and has become the heart of homecoming today. However, this raises the question of whether sports should be eliminated from homecoming altogether.
Even though sports have lost their position as homecoming’s main purpose, I don’t believe they should be eliminated from the homecoming experience.
Football games have the ability to gather friends and strangers in one place, allowing unexpected connections to form. Everyone is united by the hope that their team will gain a victory, strengthening the power of school spirit.
It allows us to prove the superiority of our University against rivals and reassert our identity as FIU’s indestructible panthers. That’s why students like Rodriguez still attend the game and support FIU.
Also, football is a long-standing tradition that shouldn’t be broken because it has become a huge part of the homecoming. If eliminated, this change could potentially ruin the exciting atmosphere of homecoming altogether.
Therefore, like every movie needs a great ending, the homecoming game is the highly anticipated finale that brings the perfect closure to a life-changing experience.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of Panther Press Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Photo taken from Flickr.