By Annabelle McIntosh – Opinions Editor

Homecoming, or hoco, has always been my favourite event at Bishop’s University. Seeing the purple community come together and show off their school spirit is an amazing feeling. That has always stood out to me. Sept 15-17 weekend brought on the 2023 Hoco celebration. 

Those who have been at Bishop’s for a while may have noticed that this year was different from previous editions: no Friday night party in the backyard of Animal House, no outdoor concert at Haunted, few varsity sports teams took to the field (the absence of the Friday night rugby double header was disappointing for me) and the Hoco event was quite early this year. In the past, Homecoming has been in late September rather than the second week of school. So, how did this Hoco compare to others we have seen in the past? 

Even with all these changes to the typical itinerary, Bishop’s students displayed that they truly know how to keep the Hoco spirit alive. The end of Animal House did not mean the end of party life. There was certainly no lack of this with a street party hosted by the residents of Reed Street, and house parties hosted by Ten Man and Haunted. There was a sea of purple everywhere you went in Lennoxville all weekend. 

On Saturday, the annual pre-football game tailgate returned strong with dozens of BU alumni and current students taking over the Coulter field parking lot. Alumni hosted tailgate barbecues, with snacks, drinks and stories to share with other alumni and current students. This personally has always been one of my favourite parts of the weekend. It is a great way to bond with former students and catch the contagious enthusiasm for the football game. 

Although it was a different Hoco, I had an overall very positive experience. Many of my friends that I have spoken with thought so too. There was never a dull moment with all of the events going on through the whole weekend. Each year, Hoco makes me so proud to see all students, new and past, bleed purple and enjoy this awesome weekend with friends and family. I can’t wait to see what next year has in store.