Ah, Homecoming Week. A time-honored University holiday where, in between panic-stricken midterms and feverish essay-writing, we find the time to try to have some school-sponsored fun.

Going around the campus to interview people about what their plans for this celebratory week are, it’s striking to see the sheer variety of students at work. Students across the campus were asked what their Homecoming plans were, and here’s what they said.

First, take Megan Bucher, freshman in LAS. She was working in the courtyard of the Undergraduate Library, cheerfully ignoring the wind flapping her notes about. “Well, for sure I plan on going to the football game,” Bucher said. “I’m not exactly sure about after, because I’m not sure what events are going on during that week. I hope to participate in some of the things going on during the week. It just depends on my midterms.”

Bucher isn’t alone in focusing on work over play. Matt Adamson is a sixth-year graduate student in AHS. He was studiously plugging away at his work in the Nevada Building Computer Lab. “Yeah, I’m probably just hanging around, getting some work done. But I’ll probably see things happening, check them out,” Adamson said.

On the other side of the coin is a more carefree approach. “Nope, just daily activities like I’ve been doing so far,” said Vivek Vintha, freshman in DGS. As he spoke, his point was accented by a frisbee flying over his head to land 20 feet away on the Main Quad.

Other freshmen are unsure about Homecoming Week, never having seen one at the University before.

“To be honest, I don’t know too much about Homecoming Week; as a freshman, right now, I don’t have too many plans,” said Ali Chaus, freshman in Business.

Chaus is joined by sophomores who didn’t get a chance to celebrate the event last year. David Bein, sophomore in AHS, said. “I don’t have any plans, but I’m sure as I’ll start to see more announcements about Homecoming Week that I’ll be going around the Quad and the Union, seeing what’s what. I didn’t get to participate last year, so I’m looking forward to see what happens here.”

Giselle Herrera, sophomore in LAS, agreed.

“I plan to attend the game, since last year I didn’t go, so I actually want to go this year,” she said.

But some know their schedules inside and out. Amanda Wijayanti is a second-year graduate student in Economics. “In my department, we will have lunch together on the South Quad. They will set up a tent, and we can meet the alumni, the undergraduates, the graduates, the faculty and everyone. Last year, that’s also what I did,” Wijayanti said.

Likewise, Brianna Murphy, senior in Media, knew who she’d spend the week with. “My sister is coming to visit me. She’s a freshman at St. Xavier, and I’m probably gonna bring her to Block. We might go to the football game,” Murphy said.

On the polar opposite of the spectrum were those who were sunnily oblivious to Homecoming Week in general. Erin Johnson, senior in LAS, was working outside Gregory Hall when she found out about it and was asked what she’d be doing. “I don’t even know what events are going on. What is even happening?” Johnson said, laughing. “Well, maybe I’ll wake up early one day, and be like, ‘Oh, it’s 8 a.m.,’” Johnson said, still grinning. “Maybe I’ll wake up, drink beer at 8 a.m., and be like, ‘OK, I’ve celebrated Homecoming.’”

To each of us celebrating Homecoming Week our own way: here’s to you.

Yoav is a senior in LAS.

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