Tuesday paper by The O'Colly

Floating into homecoming Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Oklahoma State University students present floats Mak Vandruff Staff Reporter

Ali Isbell

Oklahoma State and community organizations walked in the Sea of Orange Parade.

Oklahoma State’s Homecoming parade is filled with people from different organizations, but the floats from OSU have some special stories behind them. Madison Williams, who is on the Board of Directors (BOD) at Stout Hall, said they spent around three hours daily on the Stout float for the past two weeks. The BOD built it to represent Old Central, the home of the honor’s college, to represent their academic home. Throughout the years Stout has created a legacy to honor, Williams said, and they chose

to represent that with a skirt around the bottom edge of their float. “When we were down in the living room working on it we just had music playing and we were sharing life stories and really connecting with everyone,” Williams said. “So we really formed a tightly bonded group working on it.” All of the floats had a specific theme to fit with. The school, businesses, and other categories of floats had different criteria to follow. These floats are also part of a competition. Mckenna Case is one of the float judges and she said each float had to follow the theme of “parading through history.” To show off this theme, the University Commons

built a float representing the three spirit riders. Zane Trinidad, a member of the Commons BOD, said they worked on their float for a week. Trinidad said his favorite part of working on the float was putting it together and getting it in on time. Their float was meant to represent “a ride through time” in accordance with the theme. “We became engineers for the week,” Trinidad said. The floats are a staple of the homecoming parade and this year they represented all of the years of Homecomings OSU has had in the past. This homecoming was an opportunity to reminisce and make new memories. news.ed@ocolly.com

A Homecoming deck is worth a thousand words Mak Vandruff Staff Reporter

Greek life students have been pomping for weeks now and all night pomp is when they finally see the pieces of their homecoming decks come together. Here are some words ten students used to describe the event.

“Energetic” - Carly Adams “Ecstatic” - Chelsea Liles “Bewildered” - Brenna Humphrey “Overwhelmed” - Bronte Smithson “Fun” - Dori Mallinger “Chaotic” - Annie Swan “Exciting” - Paige Bruno “Invigorating” - Olivia Bloomfield “Fulfilling” - Ally Burchett “Despair” Sloan Wedge

Ali Isbell The Sea of Orange Parade attracted members of the Stillwater and Oklahoma State community in celebration of OSU’s Centennial Homecoming celebration.

Painting the town orange OSU’s Sea of Orange Parade

Allie Putman Staff Reporter

Abby Smith

Starting on Main Street, Oklahoma State’s Sea of Orange Parade’s lineup included more than 140 entries of floats, signs and groups from Greek houses, residential halls, student organizations, to alumni and the Stillwater community. The annual parade was broadcasted live last weekend in Stillwater and presented an opportunity for community members to come together in celebration for OSU’s Centennial Homecoming celebration. For some, this year marks their first year of attending this parade. Many students who

have not experienced the Sea of Orange Parade gathered to watch this for the first time. “The parade is super cool, and I am really glad that it happens because the entire community can gather together in one area,” said Cameron Reichard, a mechanical engineering freshman. Reichard said he was glad to celebrate the 100th Homecoming celebration at the parade. Because it was his first Homecoming, it makes it more memorable. “Back home I was a part of our hometown parade because I was in our high school marching band,” said Kyle Bowser, an electrical engineering freshman. “So I know it takes a lot of effort to be part of and put together a parade. It is nice to be on the other side and just watch it happen.” Bowser said he was

glad to be participating in an event that is so important to the OSU and Stillwater community. “It’s early in the morning, but it’s nice to see everyone gather here together,” Bowser said. “Since (Homecoming) is really important to the school, it makes (this event) important to me.” Many people from all over Oklahoma join in to celebrate Homecoming. Summer Archer, is an Oral Roberts University (ORU) student, and her family are some of these individuals. “I personally go to ORU, but my family and I come to the OSU Homecoming events every year,” Archer said. “The parade is just how we start it off, and it is a good way for us to get in the spirit for the entirety of the day’s plans.” news.ed@ocolly.com