Fall is officially in the air, and we’re enjoying pumpkin carves, apple picking, and football games. But there’s one fall tradition that stands out among the rest: homecoming! Over the next month, many high schools and universities across the country will be celebrating with pep rallies, spirit days, and most importantly, sports games. Students will dress up in silly costumes, participate in crazy relays, and maybe even get crowned as head of homecoming. It makes you wonder: who exactly started this tradition and why? 

Well, historians don’t know exactly who started homecoming, but they have traced the earliest celebrations back to the 1910s. Schools such as Baylor and Missouri invited alumni to “come home” during a fall weekend. Activities included a big football game, a pep rally, and speeches. The goal was to connect alumni with current students and encourage more school pride.

These early homecoming festivities were so much fun they became a staple on college campuses…and even spread to high school campuses as well. Many schools have created signature events as part of their homecoming festivities that act as a rite-of-passage for students and a moment of nostalgia for alumni. There are bonfires and parades, as well as creative twists on classic activities. For example, students at Texas State University compete every year in the homecoming soap box derby, proudly representing their residence halls or Greek organizations. And the entire community at ASU hikes the “A” mountain in the dark, using their lanterns to light the pathways. 

Yet some colleges and universities don’t stop at midnight hikes and car races. They “up the ante” on homecoming shenanigans. At Ball State University, you can find undergrads racing down the pathways on mattresses as part of their annual bed race. And at Howard University, alumni aren’t the only invited guests. In the past, headliners like Drake and Kanye West have appeared on campus to perform in Howard’s very own music festival, Yard Fest. 

To honor the spirit of homecoming, we’ve curated a collection of ‘stand out’ college homecoming traditions across America.

Getting Wet and Wild

Students at University of Central Florida gear up every year for what has been recognized as one of the best college campus traditions in the nation: Spirit Splash. The concept is seemingly simple. Rush the reflecting pond and try to catch a rubber duck. But the crowds, the sun and the splash can make it a tough task. That’s why undergrads are encouraged to ‘pay it forward’ if they catch an extra duck. In past years, the event has been streamed live on Youtube. So if you’re interested in seeing this tradition for yourself, tune in on October 28.

White Out

“We are…!” Penn State is well known for its popular ‘we are’ chant and school spirit. And during homecoming week, this enthusiasm is even more apparent thanks to a game day white out. Penn State fans are instructed to wear only white to Beaver Stadium as the ultimate act of school pride. Why white? Well, this tradition started in the early 2000s when fans were trying to increase support for the football team. At first, it was just a small student section of white t-shirts but has grown into a stunning display that fills the stadium. You can see this year’s White Out on October 22 when Penn State plays Minnesota.

THE Rivalry

For over 150 years, the Lehigh and Lafayette football teams have battled it out on the football field. The rivalry has become so infamous that it gets its very own week at Lehigh University. Students decorate their residences with ‘bedsheet’ banners and take part in bed races, runs, and luncheons throughout the week. Alumni across the country are also encouraged to get involved from afar by hosting alumni telecasts on game day.

A Charitable Take on Homecoming

It’s not just fun and games at University of Missouri’s homecoming weekend. With so many people descending on campus, the Alumni Association has leveraged the community to support a blood drive. It’s become the largest student-run blood drive in the country, and each year the university donates thousands of units to the Red Cross.

The Biggest Party Around

The University of Florida is known for hosting the largest pep rally in the US: Gator Growl. For almost 100 years, students and alumni have come together to show off their blue and orange pride. In the early days, the event was a classic pep rally leading up to the homecoming football game. But now Gator Growl is quite the spectacle. It takes hundreds of employees, volunteers, and student coordinators to pull off the complex showcase of fireworks and musical performances. It’s all worth it, though. The big event also helps fundraise for important charities.