Homecoming: More Than a Dance?

Homecoming: More Than a Dance?

By Martha Jackson

When I was in high school, homecoming was simple.

A boy nervously asked during passing period, you found a dress, and that was it. Dinner with your date (maybe another couple if you were lucky), an awkward corsage exchange in the living room, and then off to the dance. No pre-parties, no after-parties, no Pinterest boards required.

Today? Homecoming feels like The Hunger Games .

Forget just going with a date — you need to land in the “right” group, score an invite to the best after-party, and make sure your restaurant reservation outshines the rest. It’s less about welcoming back alumni and more about who’s who in the social hierarchy.

And let’s be honest: parents get caught up, too.

Some quietly campaign to secure their child’s pla