The fall semester is synonymous with the start of classes, leaves changing color, and of course, homecoming. Colleges across the country take part in this tradition that has become a staple of life on campus. There is the selection of homecoming king and queen, there are specialized events like the step and stroll show, and the big homecoming game.

That is, unless you go to Pace, where we did not schedule a game this year.

Instead, our football team traveled to play Assumption College where we lost 52-0 before coming back home. That is not the purpose of homecoming. It is to celebrate our current student body and our alumni returning to campus. Homecoming games are traditionally played at home after our longest road stretch, when we nobly beat our opponents, boosting school spirit for all.

We took the path less traveled by going on the road and taking the loss. In no way am I shaming the football team for their performance, but maybe if it had been a home game, the score would’ve been different. Much like anyone else with any amount of school pride, I would like to see the team turn things around and see them get a win every now and then. How can they do that if our school is not proud enough to schedule a homecoming game on their behalf?

Construction going on around campus can complicate things and make events harder to plan. Our football home games are more than 15 minutes away in Ossining. However, that is still closer than Assumption College, located in Worcester, MA.

With everything that is being put into the future of the school, I think we are forgetting the students who are here right now. I am all for improvement, but not at the cost of my enjoyment during my time at Pace. I do not want to be the sacrifice for the future students of our school. However, that is a feeling I get when events like the homecoming game are brushed away.

The current students of Pace are already putting up with a lot of changes, and most of us will be long gone before getting a chance to reap the benefits of those changes. Having a homecoming game may not matter that much in the grand scheme of things, but it is something that could have increased school spirit and boosted morale during a transitional time in our school’s history.