Between loads of school work and extracurriculars, it’s safe to say that students have a lot on their plate. Something they can always look forward to is homecoming week.

For seniors like Edyta Kardasz, this is their last chance to make yet another homecoming count. Kardasz went to all the homecomings in previous years, but definitely felt different about it at the beginning during her freshman year.

“I didn’t know what the heck it was. I’m an only child, [so] I didn’t have older siblings to tell me what it was,” Kardasz said.

Despite not knowing much about homecoming, she went to it with an open mind, ending up with a lot of memories to take with her in the end.

“My favorite memory was junior year, maybe two, three hours before. We went to go take pictures. Everyone started pouring into my house and separated [into] rooms so [they] could do their own thing,” Kardasz said. “One person was doing hair, one person was doing makeup, and it was just like an assembly line.”

Getting ready for the dance is just a small part compared to all the excitement to look forward to during the dance.

“When we were all done getting ready for homecoming and we all went to meet up with the guys, seeing [their] reactions was kind of funny,” Kardasz said.

As for the guys, homecoming can be about more than how the girls look. They too like to make some memories, even if they are being forced a bit.

“[Last year], I went with my boyfriend and it was his last year. He didn’t want to go [at first], but after [the dance], he was really happy and glad he went,” Kardasz said.

Luke Cillessen, 2019 graduate and Kardasz’s boyfriend, agreed with Kardasz about her junior year of homecoming, saying how much last year impacted him.

“I was with that special someone. That person that makes you believe in yourself. Edyta made me dance like I’ve never danced before, and she gave me the confidence to do it,” Cillessen said.

Kardasz not only impacted her boyfriend, but she also was able to impact her friend, Kylie Roe, senior, when they went their junior year.

“What’s made homecoming special with Edyta was being able to talk and catch up at the dance. We started getting really close [last year] because of homecoming,” Roe said.

With homecoming so close, Kardasz plans to make it a memorable one, knowing that it’s her final year.

“It makes me kind of scared to realize that,” Kardasz said. “After going to all four of the homecomings, I just plan to go out with a bang.”