The stage lights are flickering, the music booming profusely, and the crowd’s excitement seems to thrive, yet the numbers are diminishing. Ever since the confirmed date of homecoming, on Oct. 1st, 8:00 pm, many have been eagerly anticipating it, although, despite the experience entertaining some, it disappointed many.

“Homecoming was boring, nothing new really happened,” Junior Brandon Chang said. “I was hoping for any kind of entertainment, more food options, and just more activities in general, but it was just dancing. I’d feel like I’d have way more fun if we actually had diverse things each year”

Over the past 2 years that Chang has attended homecoming, he states that the experience feels the same based on the setting. He believes it relies solely on friends to make homecoming a lasting memory, unlike his fond middle school dance memories. 

“Compared to homecoming and last year, I liked middle school dance better. It had a friendlier and more energetic feel,” Freshmen Yasmeen Said said. “I feel like despite there being many people [in homecoming], it felt so empty at the same time because you don’t know anyone there. We also had actual things to do during middle school dances, unlike this dance.” 

Said, while hearing various rumors about homecoming being fun and enjoyable, has decided to not attend next year’s homecoming due to his proclaimed dissatisfaction, however, Said found the homecoming game exciting, but school games alone aren’t enough to make it up to some others.

“I didn’t enjoy Homecoming at all because it was a waste of money, and it definitely wasn’t worth my time,”  Senior Adrian Floures said. “I expected a much crazier party but the music was lame we just blandly danced the entire time. After 30 minutes of being in homecoming, I left to get food.”  

According to Floures, almost half of the homecoming participants left within an hour due to the lack of activity and sonorous sounds. Many of them left to go to eat out in nearby restaurants, or join other hosted parties that occurred in different places. The remaining participants, however, got to witness the nominations for homecoming; Duke Jordan Davis was one of the nominees. 

“It felt good to become announced as duke because I managed to earn a status that I’ve been wanting to achieve for a long time,” Sophomore Jordan Davis said. “I celebrated as the new homecoming duke by going to the football game with a sash of my title while I kept hearing echoes of my name being yelled.”

Not only did Davis receive the majority of votes to become a duke, but they also had to compete with countless others to become an option on the ballot. To compete, a teacher will provide google forms for students to select a competitor weeks before homecoming.

“To me, the most fun part of homecoming was the bonding experience,” an anonymous source said. “I appreciate how homecoming can provide various opportunities to get closer with your friends or significant other. I’m also pretty grateful that our school allows former students to come back [during homecoming] because my brothers been away at a university, so his surprise show up would’ve never happened if it weren’t for homecoming”