It’s that time of year…Homecoming season! The men and women of Hampton University spend the week dressed in their best fits and partying like no other. There’s a ton of events and activities to do during homecoming week for the current students attending, but what does all of this mean to the “home-comers”?
I’ve asked a few alumni what coming back to Hampton’s Homecoming means to them and their answers were quite fulfilling. I was sure to get the viewpoint from alumni from different classes so observe if the meaning meant different things to students from different age groups. Overall, the message I received from the interviewees came to about the same idea.
Eric Rouland, Quintessence III (Class of ‘98) stated that, “coming back to homecoming my HIU means bringing back so many great memories, seeing some faces that I haven’t seen in years, and basically reliving some of the best days of my life and finally, basking in all the love and fellowship that you can only see at a Hampton University Homecoming.”
Brandon Jones, OPhiO13, expressed, “homecoming means multiple things as an alumni. A reunion between friends who may have moved a great distance for work, time to reflect college memories, a chance to visit your Alma Matter and see the changes and developments that may have been moved or improved while attending the University. But of course, the Hampton Homecoming experience from our undergrad years were so amazing that coming back as an alumni, we would like to see if the culture has been maintained.”
Lastly, Amanda Delacruz, Onyx 10, says that, “homecoming is much more amazing when you’re an alumni because it’s the one time you can come back home and embrace the atmosphere we used to love so much. It feels like an accomplishment to come back and celebrate with people you haven’t seen in a while and catch up on where you’re all at in life. To see the growth in everyone and to turn up once a year with each other where we held all of our college memories together, is a beautiful feeling.”
So, it seems as if Hampton’s Homecoming is a one of a kind event! Not only do we get to cherish every moment of the weeks while we are students, when we become alumni, the moments are so much sweeter! Hampton University’s homecoming is all about the fun, loving environment, and reuniting with classmates you never thought you would see again!