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The North Wind

The North Wind

The North Wind

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Ryley Wilcox
Ryley Wilcox
News Editor

I found my passion for journalism during my sophomore year of college, writing articles here and there for the North Wind. Since joining the staff this past semester as the news writer, I have been able...

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The North Wind is an independent student publication serving the Northern Michigan University community. It is partially funded by the Student Activity Fee. The North Wind digital paper is published daily during the fall and winter semesters except on university holidays and during exam weeks. The North Wind Board of Directors is composed of representatives of the student body, faculty, administration and area media.

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Get ready for blockbuster events: Homecoming plans to show-up school spirits

Get ready for blockbuster events: Homecoming plans to show-up school spirits

As the leaves change and students settle into their semester routines, next week a time-honored tradition of Northern will shake up campus. Soon the Dead River basin will be filled with the sound of cheering and the splashing of students plunging into Superior’s polar waves. The first floor of Jamrich will ring with the bassy thumps of electronic music pulsing from room 1100. Past students know the excitement of the days leading up to the fanfare, while new students are lucky enough to experience it for the first time.

Homecoming Week is a seven-day long celebration of Northern’s alumni returning to their old stomping grounds; as well, it doubles as a binding agent to the entire NMU community. The production is organized by the Special Events Committee (SEC), this year led by Dylan Gonda, a senior outdoor recreation leadership and management major.

“It really brings all parts of the student body together,” Gonda said. “On-campus, off-campus and the apartments, Homecoming is something meant for every student to enjoy.”
There are seven events to boost school spirit from Sept. 17 to 23. This year’s theme is “And the award goes to…” meaning that the events will be centered on blockbuster movies of the past. “The Lion King,” “Star Wars,” “Jaws,” “Rocky” and “The Great Gatsby” to name a few, Gonda said. Students are urged to get creative.

The week kicks off with the Dead River Games from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, which includes an obstacle course and ice cream drop.

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“It’s one of our more popular events,” Gonda added. “And one of Northern’s oldest Homecoming traditions.”

This is followed up by the King and Queen Competition at 7 p.m. Monday in the Great Lakes Rooms in the University Center. Contestants compete in theme and semi-formal dress categories.

Gonda also named the Stepping Competition, a fast-paced and high-energy dance style, as the most popular event out of the whole week, which this year will be 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Jamrich room 1100.

“It just gets so packed in there [the auditorium],” he said. “Everyone loves to watch what kind of creative, goofy stuff teams come up with.”

The week wraps up Saturday with the football game at the Superior Dome. This year the Wildcats will go head-to-head against the Davenport Panthers from Grand Rapids. The game will start at 1:30 p.m., and students can swipe into the game with their NMU ID cards. There will also be food, bounce houses and music.

Amid all of the traditional events Wildcats have come to know and love, the SEC has some new activities cooked up this year.

The School Pride Competition will be a social media based contest in which students upload pictures of their kookiest Homecoming outfits with the hashtag “#nmuschoolspirit” with the winner getting a prize. The Commuter Car Competition will judge the best “decked-out” car and the winner will get a spot to drive in the Homecoming Parade up Third Street that Friday. Lastly, “Spirit Police” will be roaming campus looking for people especially lacking in the spirit gear department. They will be handing out Homecoming gear all week long, so keep an eye out.

“This year we are trying to get Homecoming week to what it used to be,” Gonda said. “In recent years we’ve felt like enthusiasm hasn’t been as high as it could be. That’s why we are trying to get involved with social media and implementing new events this year.”

Students can get involved with all the events by making a team and turning in the paperwork by 5 p.m. Sept. 12 to the SECoffice.
The entire schedule and more information can be found at http://bit.ly/2wVuifS or on the NMU website.

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