UMD Cancels Homecoming Parade, Brings Back On Campus Tailgating

Whiskey_Ginger11 years ago

My beloved Alma Mater is making some strange decisions of late when it comes to handling the collective shenanigans of our organizations. The Homecoming parade, which has been around since the 1920s, is being canceled in lieu of events on the mall. Word on the street is that people have rather mixed feelings about it, despite its role as a staple of university tradition.

On one hand, we don’t get to put together a float for it, but the last one I attended just involved us convincing the local fire department to let our matchup borrow a firetruck for the afternoon. On the other hand, the new setup involves a bunch of Greek events on the mall, which DFSL is referring to as a “pre-party.” The UGC and NPHC chapters will do their step shows, and IFC/PHA will showcase the winning skits. It will definitely be more Greek-centric, and the events last longer than the parade ever did. It seems like it will be a more fitting end to the week-long shitshow that is Homecoming at Maryland, instead of anti-climactic parade.

Also out of nowhere, amid a crackdown on off-campus parties that can most professionally be described as complete horseshit, they’re allowing on-campus tailgating by Greek organizations again. However, the rules are not all party friendly: no kegs, no drinking games, no liquor, etc. So much for this being America, am I right? I can imagine they’d be afraid to simply let us loose with reckless abandon at the first game with on-campus tailgating which will be happening on parents weekend, this Saturday vs. UVA. I anticipate a number of poor decisions, and someone hooking up with someone’s drunken alumnae mother. Potentially me. No regrets.

In any case, I say bring on the Homecoming Mall-apalooza. While the off-campus policing changes make most Maryland Greeks’ blood boil, the return of on-campus tailgating is a step in the right direction, and the changes to the parade should bring our last set of events for the week up to the level of the rest of the week, instead of the normal poorly timed parade at 3:00 on a Friday.

[via The Diamondback]

Image via flickr