Homecoming with 1804 Communication
My first homecoming at Ohio University was an amazing experience. Being a part of 1804 Communication gave me a greater connection to homecoming because I had awesome people to share it with. We started the weekend off by attending the “Yell Like Hell” pep rally put on by the Student Alumni Board. I participated with the crowd by singing, dancing and enjoying the fantastic performances of the Singing Men of Ohio, Ohio University Dance Team and the Marching 110 with 1804 Communication’s Internal Department. Seeing OU students coming together with their friends and student organizations created a sense of community that represented the university very well. We saw our fellow 1804 and PRSSA friends at the pep rally. We took pictures in front of Rufus the Bobcat to document a memory we will have forever. I am so glad I got to celebrate such an important and sentimental occasion with my kind and fun team. The pep rally had tables set up by other student organizations. They played fun guessing games in return for prizes or candy. We got some souvenirs and talked to students at the different tables, and I learned more about this wonderful campus.
Homecoming gave me the opportunity to get to know the people in the Internal Department. Now when I attend our meetings, I feel as though I am closer to everyone and that makes me more comfortable sharing my opinions and giving my input on topics we discuss. Attending homecoming events with a student organization made me feel like a part of something. When alumni come back to campus, one of the first things they talk about is the student organizations they were a part of and how it helped make them the person they are today. I want to be able to talk about 1804 when I come back to OU for homecoming and recall the fond memories of being with everyone. I learned a lot about each person in my organization, including where everyone is from. We talked about how for some of us it was our first time at the “Yell Like Hell” pep rally and that they are so glad they went. 1804 has given me the opportunity to jump right into my freshman year of college and attend events I probably would have not on my own. I got to learn what homecoming was like from some of the upperclassmen in 1804, and that made it easier to understand everything that was going on for the weekend.
After we “yelled like hell” at the pep rally, we walked from college green to our favorite building on campus. . . Schoonover Center! The Internal Department met up with other 1804 members to participate in a pumpkin carving contest with PRSSA. 1804, PRSSA, Ad Club and SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) each carved their
own pumpkin in hopes of earning the judges favor and bragging rights for the year. I admired the upperclassmen as each laughed and had a good time coming up with a design for their pumpkin. It was exciting to see everyone enjoying and spending time with their friends in their designated club. I started to really feel a sense of belonging in this special group of people and this organization, and was happy to be among everyone kicking off an awesome homecoming.
Experiencing an OU homecoming brought me closer to the students in 1804 and the university as a whole. I feel connected to them in a way I did not think was possible as a freshman. I better understand the sense of honor and engagement this university represents, seeing firsthand how the alumni depicted those qualities. I realized as a freshman that I have so much ahead to discover, create and learn. Homecoming showed me that one day I could be back on the bricks to celebrate my Bobcat pride with 1804 Communication.
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