Homecoming is an exciting time for all college campuses, no matter what geographic location, population of the student body, or size of the tailgate. If you’re wondering when Tulane’s Homecoming events are, good news for you! Tulane Homecoming Week is happening NOW!!! I’ve been lucky enough to lead the Tidal Wave Homecoming Committee this fall (shoutout to my insanely talented and hardworking committee members!!), and now I’m here to give the Internet world a breakdown of why Homecoming Week here at Tulane will be the most exciting week on campus all year!
- THE FOOD
-I’ll start off with a cultural universal of mankind: the love of free food. Tidal Wave is here this week to make all of your #caloriegoals come true. From Raising Cane’s chicken strips to gourmet popcorn, we have got you covered. Not to mention, we have food trucks coming directly to campus to serve students at our Friday carnival FOR FREE. Plan on this week being your cheat week right now because you don’t want to miss out on all the noms.
2. BAD MOMS
-If you were on campus last year, you may have noticed J.J. Watt and Mila Kuhnis floating around for a few days near the Reily Center. Thanks to Tulane’s campus being so beautiful that it’s become a popular spot for movies and television shows to film, the popular summer comedy “Bad Moms” was filmed in our own backyard! If you missed the movie in theaters (like I did) and hate dropping all of your cash on tickets and concessions (like I do), get ready for Tuesday night because we’ll be screening the movie in McAlister Auditorium at 9:30 PM with free popcorn from Popcorn Bistro! As one of my committee members has always said, “Why wouldn’t you want to go!? It’s a win-win-win-win-win!!” Take her advice and WIN.
3. VANESSA BAYER
-If you haven’t heard of Vanessa Bayer, please pause from reading this article and search “SNL Bar Mitzvah Boy” RIGHT NOW. Vanessa Bayer is a current Saturday Night Live cast member, actress, and stand-up comedian. Tidal Wave is so proud to present her this year as our comedy act for Wednesday night (also in McAlister Auditorium). This show is going to be legendary, so do yourself a favor and skip Boot happy hour this week for something genuinely fun instead!!
4. BROODS
-BROODS is one of those bands to which you’ll probably react, “I’ve never heard of them. I don’t know any of there songs.” Yes, you have. This duo from New Zealand has dropped major hits like “Bridges” and “Mother & Father” and I bet many of you have heard them before. If not, check them out before Thursday night so you can sing along at their concert on the LBC quad. New Thousand, a local hip-hop/trap band, is opening for them as well, so set aside some time this week to do some musical exploration!
5. CARNIVAL TIME
-If Voodoo Festival is not your thing/you don’t have a ticket/tickets are so expensive/homecoming is more fun anyway, then do not fret!! Tidal Wave has a SIX HOUR long carnival planned for you on Friday from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM! Feel free to time-travel back to your ten-year-old self and get an insane amount of joy from some carnival rides. P.S. get ready for some ~fireworks~ (LITERALLY)!!!
6. THE GAME
-Again, if you’re not feeling those Voodoo/Halloweekend vibes, show some schools spirit and support your Tulane Green Wave! Kickoff against the Southern Methodist University Mustangs is at 3:00 PM, and be sure to stop by the LBC and Newcomb quads beforehand for a little tailgating! I also recommend staying for the entirety of the football game, but if you can’t or don’t want to, at least stay until after our halftime ceremony is over because we will be crowning your 2016 Tulane Homecoming King and Queen!!
7. ALL OF THE FREE SWAG
-The name of the game is giveaways, and Tidal Wave has slain it. Do you like free t-shirts? Good, because there are hundreds of Comfort Colors frockets to go around. In addition, we’ve got custom “There’s No Place Like Homecoming” pint glasses, koozies, baseball caps, and more coming your way this week! If you want to ensure that you’ll score the free swag, make sure to show up EARLY to our events, so you can get the giveaways before we run out!
8. CLOTHING DRIVE
-By the way, this entire week we will be collecting gently used clothing for the Salvation Army! Find a donation box in your residence hall or feel free to bring donations to our events (we will have boxes there!). It’s important to give back the community that grants us the opportunity to attend such an incredible university, so show a little philanthropic love and clean out your closets (now you have an excuse to organize it! You’re welcome!!).
9. YOU NEED A BREAK
-As Tulane students, we are all challenged by the rigor of the academics and the high demands of our various campus involvements. I understand that not everyone lives and breathes Homecoming Week like I do, and it’s also extremely hard to make the time to attend events like these on weekdays. However, we all need a break sometimes, and I think that everyone could benefit from setting aside the time to relax for a few hours of free swag and entertainment. This week is for YOU!!!
10. THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOMECOMING
-Tulane and New Orleans are both extremely special to all of us, and this year’s theme acknowledges this. There truly is no place like Tulane, and no other city is as beautiful, chaotic, entertaining, and loveable as New Orleans. This community is a home to us all, and this week is all about appreciating that fact. Enjoy this home while you have it and make the effort this week especially to appreciate it! Homecoming Week is one of celebration and joy for the community as a whole, so let’s show some spirit for our home and HAVE FUN!! #theresnoplacelikehomecoming