East Tennessee State University students and alumni were disappointed to not be able to celebrate homecoming as usual in the fall for the 2020-21 academic year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as the world, nation, state and university gradually begin moving toward normalcy, students can “click their heels” and say, “There’s No Place Like Homecoming!” this spring.
Homecoming activities are getting underway this week after several months of preparation for this spring’s observation of the annual celebration, which runs from April 10-17. With the exception of some activities being virtual, and of course, spring flowers rather than fall leaves coloring the natural surroundings, Homecoming will not look very different in the spring than fall.
Even though the traditional Homecoming football game was cancelled when the rival team from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga ended its season early due to COVID-19, a variety of in-person activities for students will be held throughout the week. These include concerts, a field day event, “doggy yoga,” a cornhole tournament and Canned Food Creations, in which student groups build structures based on the Homecoming theme using canned foods that will be donated afterward to Second Harvest Food Bank.
Students are experiencing a special excitement for this spring Homecoming following the past year of virtual classes and extracurricular programming.
“It was kind of strange to not have a Homecoming in the fall,” said Caleb Atkins, Student Government Association secretary of state. “Since high school, I’ve always been a part of Homecoming and always loved to see what’s going on with it. I love going to the game and things like that. It seems like the greatest opportunity for people on campus at any particular school to get to be together and show their school pride in a way that I don’t think is displayed in any other way during the school year.”
ETSU plans homecoming
