By Chris Mateo

Distribution Manager

Homecoming is the one time of the school year when there is so much excitement. People organize themselves to help support each other win Homecoming king or Homecoming queen. We put so much effort and energy into an all week event that it is inevitable to enjoy it and have fun.

So many activities are put into motion, like the campus cleanup, the kickoff barbecue, the Homecoming game, and the Homecoming dance. Some of us prepare with anticipation and plan from what shoes to wear to what we are going to eat and do that whole day. This all leads up to the Homecoming dance. It is an opportunity to look good and to put your best dance moves forward. We dress in our best and we take our friends and loved ones to dance the night away.

I think that it is especially exciting to be able to find out what the theme of the dance will be. It’s exciting because then you get to envision the dance and guess what type of activities or decorations that the dance will have. I always tend to envision myself in the environment and that is how I am able to plan what I am going to wear.

The night of Homecoming is electric and it is the one night out of the year that everyone dresses nicely and has genuine fun. I think that Homecoming has received this unfortunate reputation of being a judgmental and conceded event. I see it as the one-night people can be themselves and have a night where they will not be judged because everyone looks amazing.  Then when all of it is done there will be fun pictures that will remind you of one of the best nights of your college years. When the dance is over, you and your friends can cap off the night with a food run or a few drinks. Homecoming is a night where anyone can have fun, and it is one of the biggest events for the school year, so why not immerse yourself and enjoy the ride?

By Graham C Wheat

Features Editor

Homecoming is redundant, ridiculous, and most definitely not necessary at a college campus of any size. The archaic rituals of a popularity contest have no place in a learning environment; the ruse of being geared toward campus inclusion is an affront to students who want a quality education. Popularity contests have no place in what students at CSUB achieve

Greek life routinely dominates homecoming proceedings and elections. These groups support and bolster their sorority and fraternity brothers and sisters with mutual reciprocation of votes. This skewed process leads to an unrepresentative demographic of people who are voted into homecoming royalty. If our homecoming royalty aren’t representative of the campus, then there is a disservice to our peers and classmates.

The notion that some type of campus “royalty” improves the students and school is asinine.

For full disclosure, I am running for junior class prince, and as the only candidate running in that position, my winning is mostly assured. And that is part of the problem.

If it wasn’t for the fact that no other candidates are running for this position, I would have no chance of possibly winning, short of a guerilla marketing campaign and air dropping cookies throughout campus with a little “Vote for Graham” flyer attached. The insular nature of homecoming does not tell a true story of campus.

Winning a spot on homecoming is not what is of the most concern, but rather it is what those who are not part of homecoming festivities represent. A majority of campus is left out in the cold and under-represented, or not represented at all, and the spirit that this event proclaims to encourage is gifted only to a select few. We as a campus need to encourage more involvement from our less-represented factions of campus.