As you walk around campus you begin to see an overflow of green and gold with a drastic increase in the amount of school pride because homecoming week has arrived. In most instances, homecoming at the University of South Florida will be a completely different world in comparison to that of its high school counterpart. The only way to experience homecoming is diving in head first and creating memories for your time here. While you may be overwhelmed with an upcoming paper or test, take time out and enjoy yourself during the best week to be a bull.

Homecoming 2016 is right around the corner. This week will have an abundance of events aimed at increasing student involvement on campus in an exciting manner. One of the main reasons you should attend homecoming is the opportunity to meet new people, which is what college is all about. By attending homecoming you might end up meeting your future best friend, spouse or build on a connection with a classmate. You can expand your horizons by interacting with people in your current major or even people outside your major. Networking is also important, which ties in with meeting new people. Creating a network can help you get your name out, leading to future job prospects.

Homecoming at the University of South Florida is special as there is a large increase in the amount of alumni on campus. Getting a new perspective on life at USF during the 1980s or even from a recent graduate can help you become more successful in your college career. Learning the difference in residence halls style, the sports offered on campus and the professors are all intriguing lessons. Learning time management or tips for interviews can help propel you further in your career as a whole. Don’t miss out on this!

The parade is an exciting event where student organizations from all across campus build floats to express their creativity, alongside food trucks. The parade is similar to a New Year’s Day parade, but on a smaller scale and less time consuming. It really is a great time as there are a lot of goodies offered. Another event students should head out to see is the stampede comedy show. Every year top comedians from around the globe come out for a night of laughs. This year includes USF Alum Jessica Michelle Singleton, followed by Ted Alexandro and Bret Morin star of "Undateable." This would most definitely be a night to remember.

Now the most important aspect of homecoming in college is the football game. Leading up to the game is a school concert with this year's performers being Dreezy and 2CHAINZ. The concert is "lit" every year with the Sundome being packed full of college students wanting to enjoy the live performance of musicians. From personal experience, I’d say it’s important to arrive early if you want good seats. If you want really good seats, you could always bribe one of your friends with food to save a spot for you in the line. This leads into the carnival on Friday where there are rides, foods and a live talent showcase. The next day at noon is when the big game happens. The game this year is against East Carolina as the Bulls hope to improve to 3-1 after a hard-fought game against Florida State.

If homecoming week doesn’t get you excited just yet, that can be normal, but don’t miss out on a great opportunity. Everyone on campus is swamped with work and has deadlines they need to meet—you are not alone in that aspect. Managing time for the upcoming week is critical when it comes to being able to knock out your homework assignments and enjoying the week. If you have a negative outlook on homecoming, you should attend a few events to see how things go. While you won’t be able to make it to all the events, selecting a few to attend would be a start to making memories at USF. Having fun is important in life, but especially in college where stress can be at an all-time high, but homecoming week allows you to relax and have a blast. Enjoy it!