It is that time of year again. Go dress shopping, buy mums, and call the party bus company. It is time for boys to think up with the most romantic way to ask out their date, and girls to sit and worry if they will even get asked.  

You guessed it; it is almost time for homecoming.

With the date approaching, my ultimate love- hate relationship with the event is rehashed. I absolutely love the ridiculousness of homecoming here at Cinco, which is much different from other parts of the country, including my hometown in West Virginia.

 You could believe that there are some very large cultural differences between here and there and homecoming is no exception. There were no party buses, no overalls, no tee-shirts, and definitely no mums.

In West Virginia, the night consisted of my date buying the ticket and the corsage, while I got my nails done. Our group ate dinner at the classiest place in town (Ruby Tuesdays), and then drove another 30 minutes just to get back to our high school. The dance was supervised by a  few of the “cool” teachers, giving students removable bracelets, which were promptly removed by the one “strict” teacher if a student was caught dancing risqué.

Without the sensation that Cinco seems to entail, everyone in West Virginia seemed to enjoy themselves just as much as people here do.  The decorations may have been lacking and the snacks were stale, but the music was pumping and everyone was dancing. There was laughing and cheering, despite the strict teacher that vowed to ruin everyone’s night. People may not have been wearing 300 dollar dresses or taking a limo home, but the night was a night no one could forget.

I always enjoy a simple, pizzazz- free dance, so I am not going to lie and tell you that I am not impressed with the way things run around here. Although I would never wear a mum, I still think they are very pretty, while those overalls are not necessarily my taste, I think they are quite a fashion statement.  Do not make the assumption that just because this tradition is not what I’m used to, that I think it is a joke or ridiculous.

 Although I know it will be different, I cannot wait to go to homecoming this year. My group is larger, and I may not know every single one of them really well, but I am glad I will have the opportunity to experience the night. I will ride in a party bus, get my hair and nails done, and dine at a pricey restaurant.

 While I will make sure to enjoy myself unconditionally the whole night, I will make sure to keep the memories of a simpler time in the back of my head. I will remember the cheesy decorations, the long car rides, and Ruby Tuesdays.

 Not only is the dance an opportunity to show off my dancing skills, but it is also a chance for me to truly embrace Cinco for its cultural differences.  Hopefully after this event I can call myself a part- Texan, and maybe by next year I will be buying a mum and wearing a pair of overalls myself.

 But no matter how hard I try, there will always be a part of me that finds a laid back homecoming comfortable and familiar. But as they say; out with the old and in with the new, and Cinco is the new.

 So enjoy yourselves Cinco. Dress in your nicest suit, your fanciest jewelry, your blinged out overalls, and your loudest mum. Do so knowing how unique and over the top you are, and embrace it.