news@dailylobo.com
@ArdeeTheJourno
Gold and silver stars made of metallic paper twinkled near the ceiling of the SUB Atrium as UNM kicked off Homecoming Week on Monday.
The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico’s Lobo Spirit Committee planned the annual weeklong fete. Various events, which were free to the public, happened around campus every day of the celebration.
Lobo Spirit Assistant Director Tyler Wafer said his organization has been organizing the event since the first day of the fall semester. He said volunteers from all over the campus community helped in the planning process.
“It’s been preparation from day one since school started,” Wafer said. “We’ve been working really hard with volunteers. We’re trying really hard to get the volunteers’ input.”
On Monday, about 20 people gathered in the SUB for a decoration party. The Atrium became jam-packed Tuesday for a karaoke event, which lasted until the afternoon.
Voting for homecoming king and queen went on all day Wednesday. A real-life lobo also visited the campus from a wolf sanctuary that day at the Dominguez Fountain Plaza.
“I was really excited that we’re bringing a real-life lobo to campus,” he said. “I’m really excited for students to be able to see a wolf. I think it will be really cool.”
A movie screening in the Johnson Center pool followed Thursday night. This will be followed by a homecoming court pep rally and homecoming dance today and a homecoming game Saturday.
Wafer said he expects the week to be a success.
“It’s going to be so much fun,” he said. “I feel like it’s going to be really fun, especially for the volunteers because they’ve worked so hard to this week rolling.”
But Rebecca Fritsch, homecoming chair for Lobo Spirit, said homecoming week is already a success because each day offered “something new, something different.”
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“It went really well,” she said at the decoration party. “I was really glad with the turnout, and I was really glad to see how excited everyone was to help us out.”
Wafer said he encourages students, especially freshmen, to savor the event.
“It is different from the high school experience,” he said. “Come out and see the event and get everything out of it that you can.”
