Homecoming week provides students with numerous events

Homecoming 2007 begins Oct. 8, and this year students will be able to experience various events on campus with this year’s homecoming theme: Wonders of the World.
 
The overall theme for homecoming 2007 was decided upon after last year’s Homecoming, by the Homecoming Committee. The committee considered themes based upon different things such as pirates or movie themes but finally settled on one that was both broad and diverse.

According to Abby Maliszewski, homecoming committee chair, the team thought it was important to make homecoming well rounded and able to include suggestions made by students.

“Usually if we hear something on campus, we try to incorporate it,” Maliszewski said.

The committee chooses certain events that they feel pertain the best to students. They focus on the favorite traditional activities enjoyed by students and also try to introduce new events. When new ideas are suggested, the committee weighs the pros and cons until it is decided what will work.

“We try to get competitions as diverse as possible among different areas such as athletics or academics,” Maliszewski said. “We also try and create different events that appeal to different people.”

While this year’s homecoming will be similar to last year’s, it will also contrast in a few key ways. 

One major change is how the competitions will be run. Last year, only organizations were allowed to compete in events. New this year is the fact that anyone is eligible for competition. They simply have to form a team and sign up on the UWRF Web site. Numerous events will make a return this year, but new events were also created. One new event is the Foam Party.

“I’m definitely planning on going to the Foam Party,” sophomore JD Rojas said. “I’ve never been to one, so I’m planning on making the most out of it.”

The Foam Party will be held in a pit and has been described as a “big bubble bath” by Maliszewski. 

The Falcons will launch their homecoming events 3 p.m. Oct. 8 on the University Center lawn. The kickoff will last until 8 p.m. and will include an inflatable obstacle course, henna tattoos and caricatures at no cost to students. Also during the entirety of the event, there will be two bands playing: Jester’s Panic and The Blend.

In addition to the Homecoming Kickoff, the Best Seat in the House Competition will be taking place, also on the University Center’s front lawn. While the University Center will buzzing with events and students, the Foto Phrenzy team competition will help UWRF get underway with the homecoming week. The competition involves taking pictures in six required locations and will then be judged using set criteria. Additionally, Monday will be the first day of the traditional and week-long Medallion Hunt,                                                                          and will be the day when the first clue is delivered.  Each consecutive day will present a new clue which will aid students in searching for the hidden medallion on campus.

Tuesday will also host a series of homecoming happenings, including The Pop Tab Competition, and the Arid Architecture competition, which begins at 5 p.m. Arid Architecture involves team members striving to maintain a human pyramid for as long as possible. Following Arid Architecture will be the Ancient Fashion Show hosted in the Falcon’s Nest at 7 p.m. The competition consists of homecoming royalty competitors designing their own version of Ancient Fashion. Although only royalty can compete in this event, everyone is welcome to attend.

Wednesday’s events will begin in the Falcon’s Nest for Boggle Your Mind and Board Games. Later that evening, the UW-River Falls volleyball team will take on UW-Stout for their homecoming game at 7 p.m. in the Karges building. Prior to the game a Yell Like Hell competition will return to UWRF. With the contest taking place in the Karges building, each team will perform their own original cheer for 90 seconds. 

Thursday the events begin at 9 a.m. with the Change Wars contest. The contest will involve collecting as much loose change as possible and then donate the proceeds to Feed the Children. Also on Thursday, the highly anticipated Lip Sync battle will be occurring in North Hall at 7 p.m. This year’s song theme is One Hit Wonders.

Friday is the day of the food drive, which is located at Riverside Commons and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A new event that will be held in Knowles Arena this year is the Foam Party and DJ.

The event is free for students and pizza will be provided.

Saturday will bring the grand finale to UWRF’s Homecoming. The Homecoming parade will occur at 10 a.m. in downtown River Falls for the second year in a row, which will be followed by the Homecoming BBQ at the University Center. Falcon football will kickoff at Ramer Field at 1 p.m. to take on UW-Eau Claire. The 2007 Homecoming royalty will take the field during halftime, when the king and queen will be crowned. Following the game will be Big Event at 3:45 p.m. in the Amphitheater.

With these events in mind, UWRF students have already caught wind of the upcoming excitement.

Jeff Gerlach, a transfer student, will be experiencing Homecoming River Falls style for his first time. 

“I look forward to seeing what homecoming is all about here at UWRF,” Gerlach said. “I’m really looking forward to all the food as well.”

Additional information concerning team competitions and royalty voting can be found at www.sa.uwrf.edu.