As a teenager, there are not many glamorous moments that you can embrace, but when the opportunity presents itself we seem to jump all over it.
It was Homecoming at ThunderRidge High School last weekend (Oct. 7). It was old news for a senior such as myself, but I still attended just the same, due to my date wanting to go and the expectations of my friends.
Homecoming is a pinnacle moment for teenagers everywhere. It's the one night out of the year where you can dress to impress and show all your friends what you look like outside of jeans and a T-shirt.
Prior to the dance, students are completely distracted on "Who is asking whom?" or "What group are you going in?" The questions linger in your mind, until the last minute where everyone finally makes up their minds and the master plan for the night is concrete.
The one thing I've learned, is that teenagers are horrible at making plans -- this includes restaurant reservations, transportation and, finally, what to do after the dance. We have this idea in our heads that we should "keep our options open" and then scramble to find a decent sit-down restaurant that's not packed with other corsage-sporting, tie-wearing, high-heel clicking students that go to a rival school.
This is why fast food joints drag in so much cash on homecoming night. Imagine a couple dressed to the nines eating Big Macs while watching a couple greasy kids run around barefoot in the Play Place. I've seen this occur one to many times. You see, teenagers are just way too wishy-washy when it comes to making any commitment whatsoever. I know, because I'm one of them.
If you are reading this and you are over the age of 30, I better remind you on how the whole "homecoming" scenario plays out, because you probably forgot. Inside the gym, where the dance takes place, there are three circles of people -- imagine it like the layers of the Earth. The inner circle is the group of people who are dancing, much like something in an x-rated movie. They are in the inner circle to avoid the chaperone's attention, and group together in one massive blob of sweaty hormones.
The second circle is the people are either 1) slow dancing with their date or 2) dancing for fun with a group of people.
Finally, the third circle are people who came without a date and lean against the wall playing with their cell phones, acting like they don't care that they are all alone. In reality they are hoping and praying with all their might that someone will ask them to dance. This third circle also includes the "talkers." These people stand around yelling at each other over the loud music pretending they know what the conversation is about.
Much like any event that includes dancing, fancy clothing and photographs galore, homecoming is a female event. The guys just sit back and hope you won't ridicule their dance moves and order something cheap on the menu. When entering the dance, it makes you think of some snobbish Hollywood event: everyone that greets you tells you how lovely you look and then proceeds to hug you over and over again. This homecoming, I counted more than 15 hugs from people, some from people I didn't even really know.
The dance in itself isn't the best part of the night; the part everyone looks forward to is dinner and after parties, or whatever else you have planned. In these days, the traditional after-homecoming event is bowling.
The most dreaded part of this high school tradition is when your date arrives and your mom is complimenting how good you look and fixing your hair until your scalp is caked with hairspray. This is followed by about 5,000 cameras flashing and you gritting your teeth saying, "OK mom, last picture? Please we're going to be late!"
Homecoming is a great tradition that follows generation after generation, and last Saturday night was one to remember.