Do freshmen attend homecoming? Here’s everything you need to know about surviving homecoming week during your freshman year of high school.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
Homecoming is one of the most exciting events of the fall semester. Once the excitement from heading back to school wears off, it’s time to start prepping for the homecoming dance!
There’s so much to figure out before the homecoming dance – who you’re going to go with, what you’re going to wear, where you’re going before the dance, etc.
With all of that excitement, you’re probably wondering if freshmen are even eligible to go to homecoming?
Yes, freshmen do go to homecoming. At most high schools, the homecoming dance is for students from all grades.
Do Freshmen Go To Homecoming?
Yes, freshmen are allowed to attend the homecoming dance and all homecoming activities.
At most schools, homecoming is a week-long activity which involves dressing up for spirit days, participating in a parade, attending the homecoming football game, and attending the homecoming dance.
Freshmen are able to attend all of the events leading up to and including the homecoming dance. This is one of the best weeks of the entire school year because there is so much going on!
This is especially exciting for freshmen because it is their first big activity of high school.
Is Homecoming For All Grades?
Students from all grade levels can attend the homecoming dance and homecoming week activities.
Homecoming week doubles as a back-to-school celebration, so it is open for students from every grade.
Here are some of the homecoming activities that students are able to attend:
- Pep Rally
- Homecoming Parade
- Spirit Week
- Homecoming Football Game
- Homecoming Dance
[RELATED: 31 Perfect Student Section Theme Ideas For High School Football Games]
What Dances Do Freshmen Go To?
So what other dances to freshmen go to? It will vary depending on your school’s policies, but freshmen are typically allowed at homecoming and winter formal (sometimes called the Sadie Hawkins or Turnabout).
This means that freshmen have two dances to look forward to during their first year of high school. When they become upperclassmen, they will be eligible to attend prom as well.
At many schools, prom is only open to upperclassmen. But homecoming is for all students – even freshmen.
Should You Go To Homecoming Freshman Year?
Most students are excited to attend their first homecoming, while others aren’t into the whole school dance thing.
We highly recommend going to homecoming freshman year. It’s a great opportunity to experience your first school dance, make some fun memories, and get to know your high school classmates a little bit better.
If you’re on the fence about attending homecoming, here are some reasons you should go:
1. It’s The First Big Event Of High School
Like it or not, you’ll be attending high school for the next 4 years. And while you’ll have plenty of opportunities for more school dances, the first homecoming dance really is special.
It takes place during the beginning of the school year while everything is still fresh and fun.
By the time winter formal rolls around, people may have branched out into cliques or relationships. Freshman year homecoming is a great chance to mingle and get to know people while it’s still easy and exciting.
2. You Get To Dress Up And Make A Good Impression
Chances are, your fellow classmates have never seen you in anything but a hoodie and leggings. Homecoming is a great chance to dress up and make some good impressions on people.
Even if you’ve known most of your classmates for years, there are going to be some unfamiliar faces in the crowd. There will be new students and kids from other grades at the dance.
Who knows, you may even end up meeting your high school sweetheart at your first homecoming dance!
3. You Can Decide If Dances Are Your Thing
You may be thinking that there’s no way you’ll enjoy going to a school dance. And that may be true – but you never know until you try!
Getting the first dance out of the way will let you know right away if you’re a school dance person or not. And the worst case scenario is that you just leave early and never go to one again.
4. There’s Very Little Pressure
Unlike prom, homecoming tends to be a very casual occasion. The attire is much less formal and you don’t even need to bring a date!
In fact, it’s probably way more fun to just go with your friends rather than worrying about hanging out with a date all night. So just grab your besties and hit up the dance floor!
Important Things To Know About Homecoming
What Is Homecoming?
At most high schools in the US, homecoming consists of an entire week of events. The festivities include a pep rally, parade, football game, and the homecoming dance.
The homecoming game is usually a match-up against your school’s main rival. This causes a lot of excitement and hype in the days leading up to the game.
At the football game, the homecoming court is typically announced. This consists of a homecoming king, queen, prince, and princess.
However, the main event of homecoming week is definitely the dance.
What Happens At The Homecoming Dance?
You’ve probably seen the homecoming dance play out in plenty of coming-of-age movies and TV shows.
But what does the homecoming dance actually look like in real life?
Homecoming is typically pretty casual. It is usually held in the school’s gym and consists of a DJ playing popular music, some light refreshments, and some tables and chairs in the back for all the non-dancers.
People typically wear more casual outfits than they would at a dance like prom. Short dresses, two piece outfits, or even a pair of jeans and a cute top are usually acceptable for girls. Guys can wear a pair of nice pants and a button-up shirt.
What Is Homecoming Court?
Oftentimes students will elect a homecoming king and queen, as well as other members of the homecoming court like prince and princess.
Members of the homecoming court will be announced at events like the pep rally, parade, or homecoming football game.
At many schools, being a part of the homecoming court is a highly sought-after position. However, some schools are phasing out this practice due to it feeling like an unnecessary popularity contest.
If you want to get nominated for homecoming court, you should first check your school’s nomination requirements. Some schools require you to be an upperclassman to be eligible.
If you are eligible to be nominated, be sure that you are friendly to everyone in school. Get to know people outside of your typical friend group so you have more people that are likely to vote for you. Let people know that you want to be nominated and encourage them to vote for you.
This post was all about answering the question, “do freshmen go to homecoming?” Hopefully you learned everything you need to know about attending homecoming as a freshman!
You may also like:
