The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

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Students ‘pomp’ it up

Pi  Beta Phi and Phi Gamma Delta constructed a Fourth of July float Thursday night.
Sidney Hollingsworth/The Daily Campus
Pi Beta Phi and Phi Gamma Delta constructed a Fourth of July float Thursday night.

Pi Beta Phi and Phi Gamma Delta constructed a Fourth of July float Thursday night. (Sidney Hollingsworth/The Daily Campus)

The SMU community is buzzing with talk of Homecoming this week. With the Homecoming festivities rapidly approaching, organizations, sororities and fraternities have joined together to build the best floats for the homecoming parade.

Students swarmed the building at 6200 SMU Blvd. this week in a rush to build their intricate Homecoming floats.

SMU’s 87th Homecoming theme has been decided as “Holidays” in honor of Dallas Hall’s 100th birthday.

“This year 12 organizations are building floats – a record number,” Student Foundations President John Angle said.

Float themes are distributed to each organization two weeks before Homecoming weekend, leaving them pressured to finish their floats on a short deadline.

“We worked with Lambda Chi to plan something that was easy for them to build in a short period of time since we only have a little over a week,” Tri Delta Social Chair Taylor Pass said.

Each sorority and fraternity is paired and given a theme and challenged to include Dallas and SMU in it. The creative energy fills the building as people were given the chance to show their artistic abilities through design and pomping.

“It is so important for the design to be creative, stable, practical and noticeable from a far distance. It takes the help of many people to plan the float,” SMU sophomore and Chi Omega sorority member Taylor Goerke said.

Homecoming has been a topic of discussion long before the week of the event. Social chairs from each Greek organization make contact to pair up months earlier.

“I contacted Lambda Chi right before the end of the school year last year and arranged for us to be together for Homecoming,” Pass said.

Float building isn’t all fun and games, as specific measures must be taken to ensure stability for the parade. Participants are given power tools and staple guns to reinforce the floats. Floats are also scheduled to be tested prior to the parade.

“There is a test with the fire marshal on Friday to ensure the safety and stability of each float. The vehicle and trailer brake lights and turn signals are all tested,” Angle said.

SMU’s Program Council has planned a “Late-Night Float Building Party” for Thursday night to encourage the light-hearted atmosphere.

Being the last night for pomping, students will be hard at work to finish their floats. Program Council has planned for a night of music and food brought in from places such as Whataburger.

Friendly competition was apparent as each organization works diligently on their float design. First years are encouraged to take part in the homecoming events by participating in building their own Mardi Gras themed float.

“Everyone loves the friendly competition that homecoming week brings,” Pass said.

“It is fun to be with most of the Greek community throughout the week as everyone is building and pomping their floats”
 

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