By Aja Cooper, Staff Writer

Published in print Oct.29, 2014

Blue and gold paraphernalia can currently be found in more places than usual due to homecoming being upon us. Even with that being the case, the blue and gold fan gear doesn’t only belong to the Spartans but also the neighboring Aggies.

Last week Greensboro housed the annual homecoming for N.C. A & T. The community and the world has grown to know the sequence of events as GHOE, the Greatest Homecoming on earth.

With a list of headlining names in comedy and music, GHOE shuts down the city of Greensboro every year, making it a celebration for the books.

The traffic, the lack of parking and cell phone service may not be the most favorable assets of the event but they come with the territory when the world comes to Greensboro for a celebration such as GHOE.

Aggie alumni along with current students and alumni from other historically black colleges and universities gather in the city of Greensboro from all over the world. Also on the long list of attendees are the Spartans of UNCG.

There is a rivalry between UNCG and N.C. A & T that is sometimes unspoken, yet detectable.

Both neighboring schools have the same school colors of blue and gold and both are great academic institutions, but when it comes to school spirit, the two differ distinctively.

At N.C. A & T, there is a true bleeding of blue and gold from those all over the community who previously attended the university, are currently attending, knows someone who is attending or wishes they had attended the university.

With the connections to N.C. A & T being divided, the community as a whole is armed in gear symbolizing their Aggie pride from those in infancy to those in their golden years. There is an inescapable atmosphere of reuniting of family, even if they have never met before.

The line-up of events for this year’s GHOE consisted of a coronation for Mr. & Miss A & T, a comedy show, the National Pan-Hellenic Step Show, parade, football game, concert, as well a gospel concert, just to name a few.

Big-ticket names such as Ricky Smiley, Lil’ Boosie, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Fred Hammond and Donnie McClurkin all participated in celebrating homecoming with the Aggies.

Throughout the week numerous events took place that were open to the students, alumni and public. However, the weekend’s arrival really invited the alumni to make this homecoming the greatest on earth.

Current Greek students and alumni Greek students filled the Greensboro Coliseum for the National Pan-Hellenic Step Show creating a night of reminiscing with Greek brothers and sisters as well as the welcoming of new Greek members of fraternities and sororities.

A night filled with music, laughter and competition set the tone for the weekend’s upcoming nightlife festivities.

The next day, members of the community filled the campus of N.C. A & T to take part in family centered festivities, food, music, vendors and overall reminiscing of the memories students had made as students at the university.

After the completing of the homecoming football game, a stadium of Aggie fans took the campus by storm, embracing one another, capturing moments through the taking of photos and admiring the strolls of the Greeks at the plots.

The giant family reunion known as GHOE catered not only to the students and previous students of N.C. A & T but also those of UNCG. UNCG students participated in the events just as if they were part of the N.C. A & T family as well.

The differences between the two homecoming celebrations seem to be in the atmosphere and inclusiveness present.

As homecoming at UNCG doesn’t consist of the traditional American football game, activities for family and friends present themselves on campus during homecoming weekend.

Spartan gear is worn, a king and queen are chosen and a bonfire and concert are held along with intimate reunions for alumni who have ventured to different areas in life after graduating from UNCG.

This year’s student concert features rapper, PARTYNEXTDOOR and is open only to UNCG students. Though different from GHOE in many ways, the homecoming events at UNCG are designed to help fellow and previous Spartans bond and reminisce as well as with friends that takes place during homecoming.

When asked about GHOE in comparison to UNCG’s homecoming, UNCG senior Shequilla Barnes stated,

“I think they [N.C. A & T] put more effort in it to uphold the bar they set for themselves. I think them deeming their homecoming the greatest homecoming on earth forces them to plan harder to keep that status.”

Barnes went on to say, “I think they plan harder than we do. I think they plan for their next homecoming immediately after their last homecoming. I think they’re more strategic as well. They find what’s most popular and work it out.”

Overall, though GHOE is an event that Spartans and people from all over the world enjoy, it can be said that students, especially those attending UNCG, would put the same enthusiasm into their own homecoming if the same amount of planning were put into it as well.