Everyone knows how stressful Homecoming (Hoco) can be with everything else we already have going on. The week of the dance is all go, go, go, and it feels like there is a clock counting down the time you have to do everything. I’ve always found Hoco week to be stressful, with the day of being the most intense. Luckily, there are ways to avoid the chaos and have fun with everything!
Hoco Week
Hoco Week is a week of excitement but also a week of anticipation. Make sure to have fun. Dress up every day, be on theme, and, of course, do your school work! I know it is easy to get carried away during this week with all of the assemblies and events, but don’t let yourself fall behind. Also, Homecoming is earlier this year, so it is essential to have your dress ready by this week. Overall, weekdays should be less stressful than the weekend. Just have school spirit and be a great Ranger!
Night before
On the night before Homecoming, it is essential to have everything planned out—dinner reservations, picture locations, afterparty details, rides, etc. Getting the planning part out of the way reduces a lot of stress for everyone in the group. If there are special things you and your friends want to do, like having flowers for pictures, do it the night before! Also, make sure to schedule any appointments you need (such as nails, hair, makeup, etc.). The night before Hoco is the night to finalize and confirm everything with the group.
Morning
The morning of Hoco is always guaranteed chaos. If all of your shopping and appointments are done before this day, that will be helpful. If you have anything you need to get out of the way, do it early. For example, I need to get my nails done, but I am getting them done at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday to ensure I don’t have to stress about my time management. If you need shoes, wake up and get them! Do not wait until the last minute to get things. The morning is going to feel rushed, and it is going to go by extremely fast, so do not waste a single minute.
Afternoon
By the afternoon, excitement should be up. This will also mean that overall stress and worry are increasing. Do not worry. It only makes things more chaotic. Plan accordingly for when you and your friends will get ready. Leave time for making TikToks with your friends or date, if that’s essential for your Homecoming fun. If pictures are at 5:00 p.m., start getting ready at 3:00 p.m. The more time, the better. It is better to be early than late. While getting ready, make it fun! It takes off a lot of stress. Get together with friends, blast some music, and take selfies. The afternoon is the prime time to have fun before all of the activities.
Afterparty
It is essential to have your afterparty planned or know where you are going. Always make sure you know who is driving, and be safe on Hoco night! It is always better to be safe than sorry. The afterparty is the final part of the night. Enjoy yourself! Make sure you know ahead of time whose house you are sleeping at. If you’re hosting an afterparty, keep things clean throughout the night; it will come in handy when cleaning up the next morning. If you are not hosting, then you are in luck. You get to go and have a stress-free night!
Overall, it is a given that Homecoming will be stressful. Dates? Stressful. Dresses? Stressful. Pictures? Stressful. It is unavoidable. The best way to have a great Homecoming is to plan ahead and not worry too much. Everything always ends up working out. The most important thing is that everyone has a great time, and the night is a success.
