Considering that I come from a small town in East Texas, where football is life since there's not much else to do, I had no idea what to expect from Homecoming at Samford. In Texas, I knew there were dress up days, huge mums with all the bells and whistles, massive pre-game pep-rallies, and one crazy intense game! Even though Homecoming at Samford was a change of pace for me, I enjoyed it a lot.
My favorite part of Homecoming was the Ben Rector concert on Friday night. I had no idea who he was beforehand, but it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen! He is an amazing performer, and the spirit of Homecoming in the air from the bonfire, the football team, and the alumni made it that much more enjoyable! It definitely got me in the Homecoming spirit!
On Saturday, the day started with a parade around campus. I was feeling a little bit homesick because Countryfest, the big parade back home, was going on at the same time, but I enjoyed seeing the variety of organizations represented and their creative floats. One of my favorite parts of the day was seeing all the Samford graduates, people of all ages, who came back to their alma mater to celebrate a huge day! It made me realize how special this place is to so many people that they still come back for the Homecoming parade, even 50 years after they graduated! It was a really neat experience for me.
One thing that was new for me was the tailgating experience, because most people didn't do that back home. It's amazing to see the people of Samford past and present, gathered in the Quad for an afternoon of fun! It ended up being one hot day, but it was well worth it to walk around and see the different tents, meet new people, and sample the local food served throughout.
By the time I made it to the game with my friends, I was pumped up and ready to see the Bulldogs kick some tail! We ended up sitting behind a particular lively section that stood up and cheered for the entire game-they had about as much school spirit as I have ever seen! It was fun to watch everyone come out to support the Bulldogs and cheer them on against Appalachian State. Even though they didn't walk away with a win, they played a great game, and it ended up being a lot of fun!
All in all, Samford Homecoming was full of new experiences for me, but I am glad that it pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to try new things! Seeing the school spirit everywhere definitely made me proud to be a Bulldog!