This past week marked the 2014 annual Homecoming. Having attended a large university before coming to Furman, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Last year I barely even knew it was Homecoming. I heard about it in passing here and there but for the most part it wasn’t a big thing. Here at Furman it is much to the contrary.
The student activities board, FUSAB, put on an incredible weeklong series of events. Starting even before the actual Homecoming week, members of FUSAB decorated campus with Disney-themed signs and notices. Mickey Mouse ears were planted along pathways and hung from trees with the agenda for the upcoming week. The front of the Trone Student Center was decked out with drawings of Olaf from Frozen and other Disney characters. Cardboard cutouts of Disney princesses graced the halls of academic buildings and throughout campus. Everywhere you looked was Disney.
In addition to decorations made by FUSAB, other student organizations banned together in a competition to see who could make the best themed float. All along the mall were handmade floats of Disney staples, intertwined with aspects of Furman. There was Mulan’s house, complete with Mushu; Nemo swimming under the sea; and the house from Up with balloons tied to the top, just to name a few. On Friday night there was a huge carnival with rides and typical fried carnival food. There was a bonfire and s’mores and free stuff! Alumni, families, staff and students all enjoyed coming together on the mall to celebrate being home at Furman.
I think my favorite part of the event was the HAVOC competition. Students applied to participate in the Survivor-like event. Each selected contestant personified a Disney character and slept in tents in front of the library. Throughout the week there were different competitions amongst the participants and then one by one they were voted off. Whoever was left standing at the end was the winner. What made this event truly special, however, was that contestants had to raise money for a charity of their choice. Even though each of those students had a ton of work to do and were busy with a million different things, they took the time to participate and make a difference. To me, that’s what being a Furman student is all about: using our experiences here to help better our surrounding communities.
All in all, this past week has been amazing. It really demonstrated the Furman spirit and how intertwined we all are for sharing this experience. I could not think of a better place to come home to.
#HomeAtFurman
