Anyone can explain how important and big a deal homecoming is here. Spirit week and the homecoming game only emphasize this major event. It isn’t your typical school event like a game or match. It’s a time everyone comes together and dances in the gym or takes pictures outside and simply enjoys each other’s company – it’s a fun night for all.

For this fun night, I offer you a few pieces of advice. First off, if you’re going to ask someone, ask in a big way or at least with some effort. It’s something many look forward to when homecoming rolls around each year, and year after year, they become more and more creative.

I once knew a girl who was in a long-term relationship. Little did she know, her boyfriend was close friends with a police officer. One day, the boyfriend went riding in the cop car with his police officer friend, followed his girlfriend around, and pulled her over. She became nervous when the police officer came out of the car. She got a piece of paper handed to her from the cop. Thinking it was her first ticket, she started babbling and almost teared up. She flipped the paper over and it said, “Homecoming?” Then her boyfriend popped out of the car.

Guys are always saying that girls make too big a deal of the “big ask” and that it should be something simpler. Yes, guys can easily be intimidated or embarrassed when asking a girl to homecoming, but if they have enough courage to go against the meaty guy on the opposing team during a sports game, they can handle a “yes” or “no” answer. Personally, I would want a guy to ask me in a big way. I’m not saying you should go “police officer” every time, but you should at least make an effort.

To me, asking someone to homecoming is all about the relationship itself and little inside jokes or things that stick out. If something happened when you were together, make it “punny” and slap it down on a sign. If you know the girl loves food, surprise her with chocolate and flowers.

Now, for the girls who like a certain guy and don’t want to wait for them – ask them yourself! Homecoming is a super fun night. If you want to take a guy whom you know isn’t going with anyone, why not ask? There’s no law saying girls can’t ask guys, and it is fun to break the tradition.

As for the freshmen who think, “if you don’t get asked then you shouldn’t go at all,” you’re wrong. You should still go, regardless of whether you get asked or not. Homecoming is an insanely fun night where you get to dress up and show up everyone else on the dance floor. Go with a group of your friends, and if they all have dates, go anyway.

Not everyone at homecoming has a date. You can meet tons of new people and have such a fun time. You wouldn’t want to miss such an amazing night of your high school experience because “nobody asked” or because you were “too embarrassed to ask someone.”

Go. Go. Go. I guarantee it’ll be worth your while. So many people work hard to make this amazing dance possible, and it’s something you definitely don’t want to miss.

If you miss it, you’ll regret it.

                                                                       
Pia Scotto is a Community Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.