On Saturday, September 26, 2026, East held their annual homecoming dance, an event many tend to look forward to. For many students, homecoming is a night to dress up, have fun, and spend time with friends. But now that the night is over, was it really worth it?

So much goes on behind the scenes to make homecoming memorable. From getting ready and taking photos, to dinner and making plans with friends, students spend a lot of time preparing for the night. However, whether the night paid off or not depends on each students’ expectations and plans.

Junior at East, Riley Mishler, shared her plans for homecoming. 

“The dance was sort of worth my time. I really enjoy getting ready, taking pics, and hanging out with my friends after, but the dance itself isn’t really worth it to me because a lot of the time it’s boring, hot, or crowded,” Mishler said. 

While some students found that the dance itself did not live up to their expectation, other students looked forward to the entire night.

Freshman at East, Keegan Petrozza, shared his first experience of the dance. 

“There were no changes I would have made to the night, it was perfect,” Petrozza said. 

A lot of students enjoy themselves at the dance, while listening to good music in a fun environment with their friends. For some students, these specific parts of the dance are what make homecoming so special.

Senior at East, Sienna Crissey, shared her opinion. 

“Yes, the dance was worth my time. I decided to go because I have gone all my other years in high school and I have always had a great time. Although, it honestly didn’t meet my expectations because in past years there was much more energy,” Crissey said.

Ultimately students’ experiences showed that homecoming is very different for everyone. Whether or not the night was worth it depended largely on the student’s expectations and plans. 

Written by junior Sofia Petrozza. Edited by staff writers for the Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.