In the middle of first semester every school year, schools across the country host a special football game known as the ‘Homecoming’ game. Along with the big game, schools host events to raise school spirit. 

This year, Huntley High School hosted a dress up week with the  following themes: pajamas, Hawaiian, Huntley hoedown, Tik-Tok and VSCO girl, and class colors.

Throughout the week, many colorful costumes and outfits filled the halls, from onesies to hawaiian shirts, competitions of VSCO versus e-boys and e-girls, and flannels and cowboy hats. 

Although it is fun to dress up, many students found the themes repetitive and unoriginal.

“All the days are lots of fun to dress up for, but it gets a little boring when it’s the same themes every year,” sophomore Hillary Omachel said.

There are certain traditions, like class colors, that make sense to keep each year, but if you look at any “Homecoming Week Outfits” video, including ones from students at this school from previous years, you will typically see western, pajamas, and Hawaiian or beach themed outfits.

Tik-Tok and VSCO day is new this year, but is very similar to last year’s meme day in terms of representation of pop-culture.

Many students view the days as fun, but feel they could be more interesting with different themes. Some seniors have even gone to the extent of making their own week of themes, an unofficial tradition.

But what students who dislike the choice of themes don’t consider is who is choosing the themes: other students.

 “We have an executive board. That executive board has a meeting, and at that meeting they probably come up with probably at least 10 to a dozen days’ theme ideas,” said Karen Miller, head of Student Council.

The executive board, Miller later clarifies, is made of solely students. Student council is in charge of the themes, and has been since as far back as school history can go. 

While the board is not the entire population of the school, the ideas are presented to the general population of Student Council. This is still a specific group within the school, but there has been talk of change within the process.

“Maybe we do something where, during Homecoming preparations, we offer the opportunity for students to help decide on those days without having to become Student Council members,” Miller said.

Although this is still in discussion, students would still have to put their own effort into changing the days if they truly want the themes to be dramatically different. Maybe there could be a school sponsored day just for the Seniors.

“If we could come up with something like that; where the Seniors know they get that special day, or special couple days, where it’s just them, and it’s their right to- they’ve earned that,” Miller said.

Any students who believe the themes boring or unoriginal should consider being part of the selection if they desire change.