When I think about homecoming, three things come to mind: fall, food and football.It’s the time of year when the weather changes from scalding hot summer days to crisp, cool starry nights.

This is my first homecoming at Nicholls State, and I have to say that I’m looking forward to what the school has planned for the week of events leading into the anticipated match-up between our Colonels and Texas State.

Being the sports genius that I am, (at least in The Nicholls Worth office), homecoming is definitely something I know a little bit about.

However, if you would have asked me what homecoming was eight years ago, you would have been asking the wrong person.

I didn’t understand what homecoming was until I entered the eighth grade at my alma mater of Central Catholic.

Prior to that year, the school I went to didn’t have any high school sports, so no football, and no homecoming.

As soon as I found out that the school was doing all-day activities during the week because of a football game, I realized that sports were going to be a very big part of my high school career.

Most of our activities were pretty standard, crazy dress-up day, twin day, throw momma from the train day, things like that.

But the football game itself seemed to be the culmination of the most important part of the week–reunions.

That year I remember a father of a football player telling me that the game was where past and present met with the future.

I didn’t understand what he meant until I looked in the stands at the people who were embracing each other like they hadn’t met in years.

It seemed as if I were at a taping of “Montel” instead of a football game.

Thing is, he was right. Underneath the exterior of the green grass and bright lights was the opportunity to hear the stories and experiences that came from homecomings past.

In the grand scheme of things, this idea can be lost and often forgotten amid the bonfires and parades.

In the stands on Saturday will be years upon years of football games, long classes and the occasional streaker. (Come on, you know there had to be a few, right?)

Everyone should enjoy this week. It’s not only a time for students and faculty to show their school spirit; it’s also a time to learn from the past and look to the future.

Years from now, our stories will be added to the lore of homecoming.