Homecoming preparations close to paying off

Photo by John Nakano

With homecoming rapidly approaching, teams are feverishly working to make sure that all preparations are in place for a week of Tech spirit. But the competing teams are not the only ones working hard to get ready for homecoming. SCPC, particularly those in the homecoming committee, have been working long hours to put on a week of festivities and traditions.

Heading the activity is SCPC Homecoming Committee Chair, Kaleigh Watters. She, along with 18 other committee members and campus organizations have been working since the fall of last year to ensure that this year’s festivities are the best yet.

“We start evaluating previous events, planning improvements for recurring event, and brainstorming new events as early as November. By spring, we’re deciding the theme and launching the Logo Contest,” Watters said.

To many, homecoming events are a hallowed tradition, but that does not stop the team from taking a close look at each event from previous years, making improvements where necessary.

“We talked through each event, and our team was optimistic that even those events that did not run as smoothly as they could have were worth improving,” says Watters of the careful planning that goes into deciding how best to improve events while keeping Tech’s beloved traditions intact.

“There is a sense of tradition and nostalgia that lies with all of our decisions,” Watters continued. “However, these decisions that go on behind the scenes are seldom as straightforward as the end result may have it seem.

“Often there is much debate and discussion that goes into even the smallest of details. Everything, from the theme for this year to the shirt colors that we offered, was characterized by agonizing debate and heartbreak from a few members. We spent almost an entire meeting deciding between Sage and Monterey Sage for a shirt option, which is both somewhat exhilarating and frustrating.

“Next comes putting the plan into action. Information about events is distributed across campus and the arduous task of coordinating so many different organizations and resources begins. People, ranging from administration, to student organizations, to even the entire student body, are  involved in this process.

“Trying to receive information from, communicate with and inform so many people with varying affiliations with Tech is an incredibly time-consuming and meticulous task,” Watters said.

“All of this effort, however, is never in vain. The light at the end of the tunnel that is Homecoming, keeps the committee and all involved steaming ahead throughout the process.

“I, personally, can’t wait to see all of my team’s hard work turn into something that serves as a bonding and memorable experience for the entire Tech community. Knowing that I got to play a part in people humiliating themselves in Powderpuff Cheer, potentially feeling sick from eating mini-powdered doughnuts as quickly as they can, or being distracted during class as they try to decipher our ridiculous clues in Scavenger Hunt is a humbling experience that few can claim,” Watters said.

  As the organizer, Watters feels particularly gratified once everything begins to come together and the end result is finally realized.

“Seeing students, whether on my committee or signing up for Application Day, who care about this tradition makes it all seem worth it. Getting to be a part of an annual shift, a true change of pace for most people on campus, is something that I’m sure I won’t grasp until after it’s all over. It feels pretty cool to get to be a part of it though,” Watters said.

So this Homecoming week, as you and your team forge ahead to victory amidst the fun and jubilation that the festivities of the celebration bring, take a second to appreciate the hard work that was put in to ensure that the scavenger hunt clues are frustratingly hard, that school spirit is forged and, most importantly, that the Tech community comes together to celebrate all that homecoming is.

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