(H)ow (C)reative
The biggest question of fall is being asked now: homecoming?
Talk the talk. Walk the walk. Get the date.
Homecoming is what everyone is thinking about. Girls are hyped up about the shoes, the dresses, the makeup, the hair. Boys are stoked for the food and the friends. But both are excited for the dates.
That’s the craze of the moment: getting the girl. Boys rack their brains with creative ideas for how to ask to get the “yes.” But they have it tough. They have to come up with elaborate ways to ask their girl and they have to be quick. Eighty-one percent of SMCHS girls dream of being asked to homecoming in a creative way, so boys have higher expectations to meet.
English teacher Lauren Tighe is in awe of this phenomenon. It’s not just about the question anymore, but rather how you deliver the question.
“When I was in high school, it was a phone call and that was it,” Tighe said. “It was a private conversation you would have with your date. There was no need for a huge display because no one would see it.”
Tighe theorizes that this new trend of thinking outside the box to get a date is due to social media.
“Now, that grand display of affection is embedded in time,” Tighe said. “It turns into a picture on Instagram or Facebook so you can always go back and look at.”
According to Tighe, it has almost turned into a competition. But she isn’t trying to take away from the romance of it. Rather, Tighe loves that we are putting so much thought and effort into asking; however, she isn’t convinced if guys do it because they really mean it or just to fit in.
A straight up question might be easier, but stylistically SMCHS guys opt for a “wow” factor. Everyone takes on a different strategy. This is what asking people to homecoming has come too: elaboration.
Strategy: NCIS Operation
Junior Anthony Parks asked his girlfriend, junior Christina Kosmala, on their five month anniversary.
“I got white duct tape and put it on the floor with a human form like they do around dead bodies in crime scenes,” Parks said. “Since it was our five month anniversary, I made a sign that said: ‘It’s been five months and I’ve been dying to ask you, HC?’”
Parks asked her like this because he wanted to make her feel special. After this success, he posted a picture on Instagram because he wanted to show other people how much he cares for her.
Strategy: Tangled
Junior Andrew Hoang asked his friend, junior Bridget Callahan, at Disneyland on Dapper Day (Sept. 12).
Hoang had recently watched the Disney movie Tangled prior to asking and he was inspired by the lantern scene. Four friends helped him plan it. Hoang picked Dapper Day because they would both already look nice for the pictures.
“I made two lanterns,” Hoang said. “One said ‘Homecoming’ and the other said ‘Bridget’. I then went to the waterside where they present World of Color at Disneyland and waited for two friends to bring her to where I was.”
However, he didn’t just give her some custom made paper lanterns; he gave her a flower crown as well.
“Instead of doing flowers I had my sister help me make he a flower crown like Rapunzel’s so that she wouldn’t have to carry them around the rest of the day at the park,” Hoang said. “It wasn’t elaborate. I just love doing that kind of stuff. I think it’s fun.”
Callahan was surprised that he asked her, but it is definitely a good memory.
“It makes me more excited because it feels more official,” Callahan said.
But Hoang doesn’t discredit people that ask in simple manners, if people like that even still exist.
“It doesn’t have to be elaborate but if it’s worth doing then sometimes it’s worth overdoing,” Hoang said.
Strategy: Surprise Attack
Junior Alex Donnelly asked his girlfriend, junior Samantha Drust, in a juicy way.
“I came down stairs and he had a friend holding a poster that said: ‘I’m sorry to put you in a sticky situation but would you go to homecoming with me?’” Drust said.
Drust was confused until…
“His other friend came out and shot apple cider on my head, and then Alex came out with flowers,” Drust said.
That was the pun — she was literally in a sticky situation. Donnelly has his justifications for asking her this way.
“I did it to give off the feeling that I was sweet, affectionate and that she was going to have a good time,” Donnelly said.
Drust said she laughed about it all and that she posted a picture on Instagram afterwards because she thought other people would laugh and that it was cute.
Strategy: Inside Jokes Jokes Jokes
Senior Matthew Fatino asked junior Amanda Madden with a personalized poster in the school library.
“The poster said: ‘Amanda Amanda Amanda would you ride with me to Homecoming?’” Madden said. “There were a lot of inside references to our friendship in it. The ‘Amanda’ three times was an Adventure Time reference. Matt rides his motor cycle to school every morning so he cut out ugly faces of me and him and put them on fat people riding a motor cycle. He goes to Starbucks in the morning a lot also so he spelt HC with Starbucks straws.”
Madden said she wanted to show how cute this whole event was so she posted it on Instagram. However this cuteness wasn’t completely a surprise to her.
“I already knew he was going to ask but I didn’t want to know how because I wanted at least one thing to stay a surprise,” Madden said.
Strategy: Talk about the Weather
Junior Skyler Yang asked his friend, junior Daniela Kubiak, with a public announcement at the lunch shelter.
“I got a big Olaf plush doll and I had a sign that said ‘It’s hot out today: but some people are worth melting for,’” Yang said. “I got up on the lunch tables told everyone to quiet down. Then, I asked her in front of everyone.”
Yang said he doesn’t think it is wrong to ask a girl straightforward, but he wanted to give Kubiak positive attention and make her happy. He posted a picture on Instagram because that’s just how he’s wired.
“It’s more fun if you have something planned,” Yang said. “I think it goes both ways, guys and the girls would like something creative.”
