Last weekend, Mercyhurst hosted its annual Homecoming celebration. Faculty, staff, students and alumni gathered together to celebrate our school and its heritage.My favorite part of the weekend had to be the bonfire on Friday night, especially the girl trying to roast marshmallows in it (you’re a legend).The hot chocolate and apple cider stations were perfect additions, especially now that fall weather has come to campus. The snacks were a nice touch, too.

I had a great time, but I felt bad for the band and MSG members that had to work it. It feels a little bit unfair that these students don’t get to celebrate Homecoming like the rest of us due to schedule conflicts. The same thing can be said for the athletes that had to miss festivities due to their Friday night games. While the alumni games are fun for both teams, that also means that those players don’t get to attend the bonfire.

Saturday was Homecoming, and the tent at the game was super nice. The walking tacos and drinks with the sitting area made it a fun spot to stop before heading into the game. However, it felt kind of weird that students weren’t allowed into many of the tents because they were for alumni and faculty that paid for VIP Access. I understand that Homecoming is about the alumni returning to campus and such, but it felt a bit disconnected for me. We are supposed to show unity and school spirit shared between the current students and those from years past, but we were physically separated.

I personally think that the student organizations involved with making the day work did a really great job. As I mentioned previously, it would be difficult to watch all of your classmates enjoying the festivities that you put so much effort into preparing while you work.Throughout the game, the cheerleaders, band and dance teams did a great job performing, keeping the crowd enthused and cheering on the players.I think that my favorite part of being at the game was the dance team’s half-time performance. They did a really great job, and it was a great way to enter the second half in the rain.

Homecoming court was different this year as two people of any gender were able to be Homecoming royalty, which is traditionally one woman and one man. I was a huge fan of this decision, especially because seniors Kali Beutler and Hannah O’Brien proved that the binary system is flawed in their two-woman-win.When this occurred, I heard some parents behind me complaining about this choice and saying what a shame it was. I’m glad that our school can be progressive and make more inclusive choices when so many people feel this way.Overall, I personally thought Homecoming weekend was great. I hope that next year this weekend will be even more inclusive to students than it was this time.