“Gloco,” a made-up word between Homecoming and glow, was our theme for Homecoming this year. Except, when I arrived at the party, the only things glowing were the periwinkle glow-in-the-dark necklaces all thrown on a cafeteria table. There were a lot of school lights still on, and the decorations lacked in coolness. It was my first Homecoming, and I had greater expectations than cookies, lemonade, and ear-splitting music. Even with the inexpensive-looking party, people dressed up in dazzling outfits and suits, put on their freshest face of makeup, and seemed ready to walk down a red carpet. I was bewildered. The homecoming party and the students did not match up.
I remembered talking to my friends about Homecoming beforehand. One of my friends told me she stayed at Homecoming for 15 minutes and then left. Another one of my friends told me it was overrated. A third friend told me that there were only cookies and punch at the party. Of course, me not having been to a homecoming party at all, I decided to see for myself.
Before I went to the party, I met up with some of my friends. We took lots of pictures at a nearby park and got plenty of mosquito bites. We tried making a big heart with our arms and hands and reenact memes, both of which we failed at accomplishing. After the long photo shoot, we ate at a Korean restaurant. I laughed as I heard my friends talk while we waited for our food. I heard stories about the SAT, freshmen, and future parties. I cracked up many times as I listened intently to my friends’ stories.
Finally, at around 8:30 p.m., we went to Homecoming. The party was ultimately disappointing, but I had such a great time with my friends that it didn’t seem to matter to me. I realized that most students were not looking forward to the actual party. They were looking forward to hang out with their friends. Although the quality of the decorations, food, and music could improve, Homecoming was a time to meet with long-lost friends and have fun.
