What are you doing for Homecoming? If you attend Saint Louis University, chances are good that you won’t be doing much. Although the Homecoming celebration is relatively new-certainly relative to the nearly century- old celebration at the University of Missouri-Columbia-the excitement levels surrounding the week are appallingly low.

There is, of course, a simple reason for why so few people seem to be excited about Homecoming at SLU: It is just not exciting.

With a vague and unoriginal theme revolving around a few poorly placed ads that feature the 007 James Bond logo, Homecoming week was not hyped or even advertised with any sense of enthusiasm. With all of the money that the Student Activities Board doles out for events that are sparsely attended and scarcely heard of, surely advertising for Homecoming could have had a slightly bigger budget. If SAB were to siphon off some of the funds used for smaller events and divert them into the Homecoming advertising budget, perhaps the hype around the event could be boosted.

The first order of business to reinvigorate the event is to make people want to go to the event’s offerings. If there is to be an outdoor movie in the Quad, there should be more than a few ads around campus or in the SGA mailer. Commuter students will often miss out on many events if the only advertising of the event is done on campus. Word of mouth alone will not lead to breathtaking attendance numbers-quite the opposite, actually.
Some rather simple changes that could increase attendance to SLU’s Homecoming could be easily enacted.

If this time is indeed supposed to be festive and fun, perhaps there should be rides. Carnival rides of the Ferris-wheel variety are beloved by many and would certainly add a touch of festivity to the week-long celebration. Rides might seem a bit childish or immature for the typical college student, but sometimes a little childish fun is just the ticket for a rolicking good time.

Another way to help the struggling students remember that Homecoming week is indeed something special would be to have carnival-style booths. These booths could easily spread good cheer and be a happy diversion for students walking through campus. Face-painting and petting zoos never cease to bring on happy feelings of contentment. (Even college students get excited about petting zoos.)

The week offers a prime opportunity for SLU student organizations such as KSLU to interact with the greater St. Louis community. A joint broadcast with a local radio station would certainly help spread the word and give great on-air experience for budding DJs.

Teaming SLU students with the community helps bring back the graduates of many years past and offers exciting and fun-filled days for the week of Homecoming. It can only be hoped that SAB and other student organizations hear the beckoning call to enthusiasm. We have.