As arguably the most eventful week of the school year comes to an end, it’s safe to assume that the majority of us are glad to see its return. 

In one way or another, homecoming is an integral part of the culture at LFHS. Whether it’s scrambling to find a dress, a date, or a ride to the dance, HOCO is a tradition that was missed last year. 

As with everything after Covid, there was skepticism on whether this dance would outdo years past, and make up for the one missed this previous year. Whether this dance exceeded your expectations, or barely scraped the surface, there were definitely improvements from years past as well as highlights that made this year one to remember.

A change that we were all skeptical about heading into the dance was the location. 

“When I was told the dance was going to be outside, I immediately thought of mud and bugs,” said junior Brynn Waligora. “But I couldn’t have been more pleased. Being outside turned out to be perfect.” 

And that it was. Unlike previous years, where the gym gets hot and sweaty real quick, being outside kept the dance floor cool and temperate. The dance also felt more like a “music festival than a dance,” said freshman Lilly Walsh. 

In addition, being outside also allowed students to enjoy the music and the dance itself without having to be in the middle of a mosh pit. Even the freshman and sophomores who have never experienced a high school dance in a different setting seemed to agree that the outdoors was the way to go. 

“Although I’ve never experienced an indoor homecoming, being outside made up for it and was so much fun,” said freshman Reese Harper. 

Plus, the added level of safety that comes with having the dance outside never hurts.

Another way that HOCO ‘21 outdid past homecomings was the inclusion of food trucks. I know what you’re thinking, why food trucks if we are just going to eat at the pre-parties? (trust me, I thought that too). But they actually turned out to be a delightful surprise.

 “The tacos were great! I got the steak ones and they were so good,” said sophomore Alana Tennet. “The food trucks were a great addition!” 

Now onto the most controversial topic at any school dance: The Music. 

The music selection has been a point of contention for years now since the DJs have never seemed to hit the nail exactly on the head for the music that we students enjoy.

 We can all admit that there were definitely lulls in the music (which definitely made it harder to dance it out), but for the majority of the time, the music was better than homecomings in the past. 

“I think this was one of the best years music-wise. I genuinely enjoyed the majority of the songs,” said senior Julia Grum.

All in all, the return of the much anticipated HOCO dance met, and even exceeded expectations for most. Even with the changes and weird circumstances, the dance turned out to be a greater success than one could have imagined. We even got to see LFHS’ principal Dr. Lenart tear it up on the turntables. To sum the night up in three words: a great comeback. 

Thank you LFHS for showing that even after staring down a pandemic, we can hold a fun, memorable, and safe homecoming that all grades can enjoy.