When crisp autumn air and the thrill of epic football upsets fill campus, all Tech students know that Homecoming season has arrived. Alumni, students and their families all gather to celebrate the Institute. A supercut of the weekend would almost certainly feature the traditions that make Tech Homecoming so unique: the Mini 500, the Freshman Cake Race and the Ramblin’ Wreck parade, to name a few. At face value, these events might seem like nothing more than fun and games; however, the eclectic combination goes beyond a good time or celebration of heritage — they capture the spirit and values of the Tech community.
A shared love and commitment to innovation is one of the values that brings so many people to Tech. We all work towards paving the best, most efficient path forward. Whether tackling pesky, everyday nuisances or taking on global issues, there is no problem too big or too small to troubleshoot. In the latter category of small problems, of course, is the Mini 500. From tricking out trikes to strategizing the best way to ride them, there are endless ways to maximize speed around Peter’s Parking Deck. The same innovation appears in the Ramblin’ Wreck Parade, in which competitors strive to make the most elaborately decorated cars or compelling contraptions. Even in these events created for pure enjoyment, there is the undeniable presence of testing new ideas and methods to reach a goal or vision.
However, innovation does not happen on its own — the push that drives change is often a little bit of healthy competition, a phenomenon that Tech students are familiar with and might even crave. The best competitors force each other to work harder to be the best version of themselves. It is profoundly inspiring to watch the Jackets rise to the occasion against a tough opponent in any sport, and it is the desire to do better that brings them to that level. It is particularly exciting to see Tech pull out a win during a time like Homecoming when the spotlight on athletes is extra bright, making a victory all the more impressive. But one does not have to be on the court or field to feel the benefits of a rivalry. Seeing someone else run a little faster up Freshman Hill during the Freshman Cake Race encourages the person behind them to find it in themself to keep going. The pang of jealousy from seeing an expertly crafted parade float makes one work harder on their own design. If pressure makes diamonds, then competition makes a Tech student.
At the same time, being a Tech student means finding the balance between encouraging our peers to accomplish objectives beyond what they think they are capable of and being supportive when the outcome does not go our way. Tech students see the value in trying even when success is not guaranteed. The learning process is necessary and something we all engage in. It is adjusting the game plan at halftime or taking the tricycle off the course after an unsatisfactory lap and figuring out how to keep going. The persistence of Tech students permeates Homecoming every step of the way.
But it is the very essence of Homecoming that keeps the Tech machine running: community. Current classmates spend time together at tailgates; former classmates find each other on campus or at the football game and families find their students at their home-away-from-home. Yet, bringing so many people together is not an easy feat; a key fixture of any group is collaboration. The necessity of teamwork shows up on the field with each first down made in the Flats, and it takes shape in the way fans work together to dismantle and purloin goalposts after a big win. Everyone sharing similar values means nothing if people cannot work together to achieve an objective.
As fun as all these traditions are, they are also a testament to how our values permeate everything we do as Tech students. We are capable of realizing our distinct purpose through generating ideas, working together to execute them and regrouping when we fail. If anyone tries to dispute the integrity of Tech students, point to our Homecoming traditions and say, “We do this for fun.”