A Day in the Life of a Gael: How to Spend your HOCO
8:00 AM: Enjoy a pancake breakfast
Ke$ha is in your ear— Tik Tok, ‘cause the HOCO party definitely won’t stop. Grab your friends, good ol’ Aunt Jemima, and whip up your favourite fluffy pancakes. There is no better way to start this festive day than by filling your tummy with a nutritious breakfast. Maybe even grab some food dye from Metro and make them tricolour! Cha Gheill, amirite?Looking to get right into the feels with the alumni? Check the Queen’s Homecoming page for a list of brunches available for different faculties!https://www.instagram.com/p/9RNL6rRlSM/?taken-by=victoriaspanton
9:00 AM: Get decked out in tricolour head-to-to
With full tummies and happy faces, it’s time to bleed tricolour. Visit the local on-campus retailer to represent Queen’s with the latest and trendiest swag. Come prepared for the weather and still be stylish! Luckily, this year calls for a sunny Saturday to keep those spirits high.
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Drop in to the Alumni Meet and Greet
Remember the true meaning of HOCO and get back to the roots of Queen’s at Grant Hall. This session is a great opportunity to mingle, learn about, and interact with the Queen’s community and Gaels of the past, present… and future?
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Cheer in the Pep Rally & Alumni Parade
Take a walk through memory lane as you walk with alumni while they bask in their glory of being a Queen’s graduate. Cheerleaders and the classic bagpipes will be humming a familiar tune to which we Gaels have become accustomed. Make sure you have your favourite pair of kicks on to support the walk from Grant Hall to the new-and-improved Richardson Stadium.
1:00 PM – 4:00PM: Catch a classic sports game
Did you make it to the end of that march through the streets of Queen’s, surrounded by Gaels of every generation? Well, celebrate in the brand new Richardson Stadium to cheer on our very own Queen’s Football team! Sad to say we can no longer storm the field, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make a storm somewhere else! Get those kicks up and attempt to learn the lyrics no one truly knows of the Oil Thigh.Didn’t get a football ticket? Not a problem— the university has obviously thought that through. The men’s rugby game will be just as lit, happening at Nixon Field. The Oil Thigh will be encouraged there as well!
2:00 pm: Hit up Aberdeen St. for the true Queen’s experience
The name says it all: it’s an experience like no other. The streets are filled with our three iconic colours, cops line the sidewalks (for safety, of course), and our university comes together to celebrate the commemoration of a legendary time. Aberdeen is a place that everyone needs to visit once in their lifetime to see the community that Queen’s University created 175 years ago and is still thriving.
5:00 PM: Recharge and relax
From the start, you’ve had a busy day: meeting friends, dancing in the streets, supporting your favourite Queen’s team, and probably getting a little crazy with some alumni at some point or another. Head to the hub and grab your favourite snack (poutine, pizza, and Donair are my personal favourites), cozy up in bed with bae (Netflix), and give yourself an hour or two to relive the fabulous events that homecoming permits. Don’t forget to set your alarm though— a busy day ALSO means a busy night on Queen’s HOCO.
8:00 PM: Roam the ReUnion Street Festival
Although the sound of your alarm is not all rainbows and butterflies, I promise you will want to rally for this year’s evening event. Featuring the amazing band Walk Off The Earth as the 175th headliner, and the divine presence of food trucks, HOCO is going out with a bang. Union Street will be adorned with artistic and musical talents, food galore, and a final concert event to celebrate the school we all know and love so dearly.
Stay safe and cha gheill!
Emily BattlerOnline Contributor
