Holding a homecoming can be a fun and safe activity for students to partake in if done correctly

The pandemic that hit 2020 took many events from students. This includes graduation, in-person
classes, traveling, and even school dances. While it is important to stay safe and healthy during these
precarious times, it is also necessary to keep mental health intact. For many high schoolers across
America, the loss of school traditions such as the homecoming dance have been devastating for some,
but many have begun to host their own, private homecoming dances. While it may seem innocent for
most, some groups have taken it too far.
Students are bound to see their friends, even during a global pandemic, and it is nearly impossible to
prevent contact, especially when there is no lockdown on the state. It becomes a major problem when
large groups form and that is what us occurring with these dances. Homecoming at home is a clever idea
in theory, yet some groups, even in Omaha, could do a better job with taking measures to ensure safety.
Junior Kenya Winston recently attended one of these functions with her friends from various schools
across Omaha, Bellevue, Millard and Elkhorn. She said there were less than 30 people in total.

The group got together at another student’s house, took photos, rented a party bus, and returned to the
same house for an afterparty. Winston mentioned that various people came and went as the night
continued, and few precautions were taken for preventing the spread of the virus.
“Sometimes I forget I’m in a pandemic. None of that was there, except for hand sanitizer,” Winston said.
“There was a lot of washing of hands. Before we got on the bus, we used hand sanitizer, and after the
bus. But there were no masks.”
This is an example of a fake homecoming that went against local recommendations, but as far as
Winston is aware of, no one became sick or came in contact with anyone who was sick prior to the
event.
Although some believe students have gone too far with these activities, an at-home-homecoming could
be a terrific way for students to have fun if the right precautions are taken. For one, masks should be
worn at all times and the dance should be socially distanced and held outside. There should also be no
more than ten people, and students should try to keep the group smaller than that number. Ensuring
the safety of everyone is most important in this situation.
Holding a homecoming can be a fun and safe activity for students to partake in if done correctly. It may
feel hard to do right now, but safety is detrimental for all teens, and encouraging large groups to gather
is not the way to go. Rather than join a big party, dressing up with a few close friends is the more
responsible choice