There's No Place Like Home

[Anna Keith Johnson]

Once every fall, the Auburn Alumni Association welcomes back all former students to enjoy a true Auburn family reunion. People come in from all over the country to reconnect with classmates and friends.

“I will be coming in from Mobile,” said Brittany Lathan, a 2007 Auburn University graduate. “It is only a three hour drive, and it is a great excuse to see some old friends and watch some good football.”

For most students, Homecoming is just another Saturday football game, but when it’s your senior year things change.

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“I never thought about what Homecoming really meant until I realized it was my last,” said Ray McDaniel, a senior majoring in Communication. “Knowing I will be an alumni in just seven months makes everything more important to me.”

As underclassmen, many students use Homecoming as an excuse to buy a new dress, get a date to a football game or host their parents for the weekend. Little do freshman know, Homecoming becomes a favored tradition for Auburn alumni.

“It’s exactly what it means. I get to come back to the place I called home for four years,” said Lathan. “In college, you create your own home and your own family. Homecoming is a way for graduates to reconnect with the people they grew close to over the years.”

One of the favorite festivities Homecoming offers is watching the fraternities and sororities build Homecoming floats. These works of art are placed on the concourse near Parker Hall. Judges grade the floats on creativity and innovation.

Another Homecoming tradition is the Alumni Hospitality Tent. The tent will be located at Wallace Center Lawn, and admission is free for all alumni. The Auburn Alumni Association will provide food, drinks, and entertainment for alumni and their families.

“Auburn is all about tradition, and it doesn’t stop at Homecoming,” said McDaniel, whose parents are Auburn graduates. “They normally come for the home games, but Homecoming is the game they get the most excited about.”

With graduation nearing, seniors are beginning to understand the value of their college experiences.

“This time in your life is something you never get back,” said Lathan. “My best advice to any student, especially a senior, would be to soak it up and enjoy every moment.”

“Thinking about Homecoming this weekend, makes me wonder what I will do next year,” said McDaniel. “I will be back to the Loveliest Village, no doubt about that.”