just HOMECOMING.
a reflection of my first SpelHouse homecoming as a Spelman woman. 🩵🎉
Coming back to Spelman as an alumna this past weekend felt… different. As it should have — but a different type of different. It felt surreal. The reality of being an alumna still hasn’t fully set in, but being back made me proud. I’m sure I’ll appreciate it even more once I relocate for my future job or graduate program.
Being at Market Friday stirred up a mix of emotions. I stopped by my beloved Blueprint table and hugged my former members left and right with my Co–Editor-in-Chief, Mauranne! I grabbed some of my favorite mini cinnamon sugar donuts from the Operation Mini Donut food truck and wandered a bit.
I didn’t explore campus as much as I thought I would — maybe because I was just here in September for my grad shoot. Instead, I headed to my old stomping grounds on Cosby’s 3rd floor to see my favorite professors and advisor (who, of course, weren’t on campus at the time — can’t blame them during Homecoming season). So I left mini notes under their doors as a surprise.
the nights before the chaos.
If you know me, I’m a homebody at heart. I love being curled up under my covers, reading Substacks, listening to music, and scrolling TikTok while imagining my dream life. But once Homecoming hits, I turn into a night owl — even if a small part of me is still silently craving a comfy bed.
The week kicked off with a concert and two parties. On Tuesday, I went to Neo Soul to support current students and see the one and only Ari Lennox perform live. It was extra special since it happened around the time of the passing of Neo Soul legend D’Angelo. I sang along to all my favorites — and while I didn’t get my dream photo with her, I’ll always cherish seeing her live for $25. Prices like that are long gone.
Thursday night was my first post-grad party, First Year Out, at High Society. I had the best time with my girls — lounging on comfy couches, singing and rapping to each other like we were the performers. As the night cooled down, we ended up downstairs, where we loudly (and off-key-ly) sang everything from Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” to Beyoncé’s “Drunk in Love.” I saw familiar faces from Spelman and Instagram, and honestly, that night was my second favorite part of the weekend.
Friday night, we switched it up with dinner at our go-to spot: Saints + Council. Goody Burger with fries and a lemon drop with a sugar rim, please! 🍟🍸 The only downside was our waitress (not the best) and an interesting warning about their no-flash policy. Still, we had a great time chatting about Insecure — the show that originally bonded us — and how we viewed Issa and Molly’s friendship. I left that dinner wanting to rewatch the series just to see it through their lens.
Of course, the conversation eventually drifted to men (well, boys). Dating. Sigh. Even though I’m not dating anyone right now — not by choice, just because there’s simply nothing going on — it was still a hilarious conversation. We cackled over my recent “love life” updates and then took loads of photos and Polaroids before heading home to get ready for yet another party.
We should’ve known the next one wouldn’t be worth it. When we pulled up, there were more people outside than inside, and the police were already telling the crowd to clear the street. Red flag #1. My bag wasn’t checked, and my ticket wasn’t scanned. Red flag #2. Inside, it was practically empty — until, of course, a dispute broke out. That was our cue to leave. We ended the night laughing, eating our Saints + Council leftovers, and getting ready for the big day: Tailgate.
the big day.
Because I’d always gone to Tailgate for free the past four years, entering as an alumna felt… unnecessarily hectic. We walked from one entrance to another, hoping to find the right spot. Once we did, everything finally went smoothly — though I couldn’t help but side-eye my $50 ticket that wasn’t scanned.
Tailgate is not the place to walk around with a group of 6+ people. Every few steps, we’d stop for someone to hug a friend or run into a classmate, and it quickly got exhausting. I regretted not following my instinct to order walkie-talkies — a genius idea I saw on TikTok — because cell service was nonexistent. Half of us would stop, the rest would keep walking, and we’d lose each other in the crowd every few minutes.
Eventually, we all reunited at the bottom of the hill, where I was rewarded with free food: mac and cheese with pulled chicken, spicy BBQ sauce, and chilled water. Lovely. Despite the chaos, seeing so many familiar faces, old classmates, and friends reminded me why Homecoming is such a special (and chaotic) kind of joy.
Now that I’ve survived the chaos and embraced my first alumni Homecoming, I can share the little things I’ve been loving lately — books, music, and small joys that have been keeping me grounded.
with love and Saints + Council leftovers 🤭🍔,
kylar dee
Love!!! So proud of you💙