I can officially check my first college homecoming off the list, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I mean, I absolutely loved having an excuse to be at the house 24/7 (I'm not exaggerating on times here), getting to cheer obnoxiously and winning almost every single event that took place this week, but I don't think I have ever been more tired in my entire life. That's saying a lot because I've been through countless cheerleading tryouts and several international flights spent sleepless "just in case the plane crashes". I shouldn't complain though, considering the fact that it's 12:26AM and I'm still hanging out at the house imitating the winning homecoming dance when I could be going to bed at a normal hour like a responsible individual. Yes, I bring these struggles upon myself and I am fully prepared to accept the consequences they bring.
So what's the difference with Alabama homecoming and my high school homecoming?
Rather than yelling at a bunch of cheerleaders to focus in practice and to go wash off run-through sign paint brushes, I'm the one bearing the blunt of the commands. Mostly I hear, "Start gluing the blue background." or "Can you go pomp the giant chestaire cat that happened to have haunted you as a child along with the other Alice and Wonderland characters?" or the most soul draining, "Would you mind pomping some more baby blacks for me."
What is pomping might you ask? Well, in simple terms, it consists of rolling up little squares of tissue paper in precise form until you have about, umm, a thousand. Then you proceed to glue them to boards in a picture reflecting the homecoming theme, generally including an image of Bear Bryant or an allusion to a couple national championships. These giant modge podges of intricacy proudly stand on the lawn of various sorority houses, all competing for top title. While there's always cheating rumors circulating and fierce side glances being cast towards any rival sorority's pomp, in a sick and twisted way, theses giant wads of glue and paper actually unify the Greek community between and within the houses. This is why in 10 years sororities will still be busting their guts every homecoming week despite the tedious labor, all for the sake of sisterhood and superiority.
Other highlights from the week include winning flag football, placing in basketball, the float and the homecoming dance, and wearing my lumberjack shirt for almost 20 consecutive hours void of judgement. I also pulled my first ever college all-nighter the night before the pomp had to be complete. Want a sketch of what this life-shaping event looked like?
9:47PM: Return to Alpha Chi after placing 2nd in the homecoming dance. Celebratory victory dance party commence.
11:57PM: After an hour and half of sheer persistence, my twin and I complete the 1000 word paper two minutes before the due time. Baby Chees: 1. Homeocming: 0.
12:04AM: Cue Alice in Wonderland letter pomping. Coffee number three downed.
3:24AM: Back up to the third floor to help another pledge sister about Big Foot. Instead we break into the Halloween candy and I power nap.
3:56AM: Awaken from power nap. Head downstairs as the final Sigma Chi departs.
4:22AM: There's no time like the present to take a trip to City Cafe for some grits and cinnamon toast. And coffee cups number five and six.
5:37AM: And there I was, standing on a scaffolding, shoving baby blue pomps onto the background of our masterpiece. All while wondering at what point did my life begin to take a turn for this direction.
6:36AM: Scaffolding down, final touches. The sun slowly rises over the faint outline of the KD house.
7:00AM: Register for classes. Get all of them, except for Southern Values. It's okay because I'm a DegreeWorks ninja and I will be in that class if it's the last thing I do.
8:49AM: Shower. Bed. Dead.
And just like that, it's October 29th and I've been in college for over two months. Trips to Auburn and Nashville, late nights, college classes, swaps, endless TCBY runs and a thousand zaps later, I'm in the final stretch before Christmas break and at a complete loss to where the time has gone. I'm already bubbling over with exuberance towards the scarf featuring outfits, football games, Alpha Chi Christmas decorations and other 2nd semester victories to come.
And somewhere in between the hot cup of coffee and friends that greeted me as I shuffled back to the house after the game, and the Sunday morning run along the river engulfed in the most gorgeous fall day ever illustrated, that the gentle but ever present whisper seeped into my mind,
"See Allison? You're exactly where you're supposed to be."
To the Moon and Back,
Allie
Other highlights from the week include winning flag football, placing in basketball, the float and the homecoming dance, and wearing my lumberjack shirt for almost 20 consecutive hours void of judgement. I also pulled my first ever college all-nighter the night before the pomp had to be complete. Want a sketch of what this life-shaping event looked like?
9:47PM: Return to Alpha Chi after placing 2nd in the homecoming dance. Celebratory victory dance party commence.
11:57PM: After an hour and half of sheer persistence, my twin and I complete the 1000 word paper two minutes before the due time. Baby Chees: 1. Homeocming: 0.
12:04AM: Cue Alice in Wonderland letter pomping. Coffee number three downed.
3:24AM: Back up to the third floor to help another pledge sister about Big Foot. Instead we break into the Halloween candy and I power nap.
3:56AM: Awaken from power nap. Head downstairs as the final Sigma Chi departs.
4:22AM: There's no time like the present to take a trip to City Cafe for some grits and cinnamon toast. And coffee cups number five and six.
5:37AM: And there I was, standing on a scaffolding, shoving baby blue pomps onto the background of our masterpiece. All while wondering at what point did my life begin to take a turn for this direction.
6:36AM: Scaffolding down, final touches. The sun slowly rises over the faint outline of the KD house.
7:00AM: Register for classes. Get all of them, except for Southern Values. It's okay because I'm a DegreeWorks ninja and I will be in that class if it's the last thing I do.
8:49AM: Shower. Bed. Dead.
And just like that, it's October 29th and I've been in college for over two months. Trips to Auburn and Nashville, late nights, college classes, swaps, endless TCBY runs and a thousand zaps later, I'm in the final stretch before Christmas break and at a complete loss to where the time has gone. I'm already bubbling over with exuberance towards the scarf featuring outfits, football games, Alpha Chi Christmas decorations and other 2nd semester victories to come.
And somewhere in between the hot cup of coffee and friends that greeted me as I shuffled back to the house after the game, and the Sunday morning run along the river engulfed in the most gorgeous fall day ever illustrated, that the gentle but ever present whisper seeped into my mind,
"See Allison? You're exactly where you're supposed to be."
To the Moon and Back,
Allie
"No
half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the
light unflinchingly."
–JRR Tolkien
P.S. These studs wanted a shout out, so here's to the people who have no other option but to share a house with me for sophomore year. They're fab.
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