The thought of going back to school after a long summer vacation can be a disheartening one. But in the United States, there is a special school celebration that gives those returning to school something to look forward to—the annual fall homecoming!

Homecoming is an opportunity for past students to return to their school for a visit and celebrate the new school year with current students. Homecoming began in colleges when former students began returning to their old campuses to lend their support for the first football game of the season. The tradition is thought to be well over 100 years old, though no one is really sure in which year and at which college the tradition began. Regardless of when and where it actually started, the tradition quickly spread to other colleges and high schools around the country. In addition to the important football game against the school's rivals, homecoming also features a big parade to celebrate school life and fire up school spirit. In most high schools, however, the main event of any homecoming is definitely the homecoming dance.

Unlike the end-of-year prom dance, which is usually only for graduating seniors, the homecoming dance is for everyone. It is also much more casual than prom and is usually held in the school gym. The highlight of the homecoming dance is the crowning of the homecoming king and queen. These are the two students from the senior year considered to be the school's best and brightest. All the students in the school vote for their chosen king and queen. The two selected students are then presented their crowns by the previous year's king and queen as a sign of passing on the torch to the next generation of students.

So what do you think of this American tradition? Does it sound like something you would like to have at your high school or college?

放了長時間的暑假後，想到要回去上學，就會令人感到沮喪。但是美國有一種特殊的校慶，能讓返回校園的學子引頸期盼──那就是年度秋季返校節！

返校節是一個讓校友回到母校參觀、與在校生歡慶新學年的機會。返校節文化始於大專院校，彼時校友會開始返回母校，為當季第一場足球賽提供協助。據說此項傳統歷史已超過一百年，但沒有人能確定是從哪一年、哪一所大專院校開始執行。不論起源時間和地點為何，此項傳統迅速蔓延至全國其他大專院校和高中。除了與敵校競爭的重要足球賽以外，返校節亦包括歡慶學校生活的盛大遊行，藉此點燃大家的就學精神。不過，多數高中的主要返校節活動，無疑是返校節舞會。

與通常只為應屆畢業生舉辦的年終舞會不同的是，人人都可參加返校節舞會。而且比年終舞會更休閒，通常是在學校體育館舉辦。返校節舞會的重點，在於評選返校節國王與王后。這兩位高年級學生，將是全校公認最出類拔萃、聰慧的學生。所有學生均需投票選出心目中的國王與王后。並由去年的國王和王后，為今年選出的兩位學生加冕，象徵傳承給新一代學生的意思。

那麼你對這項美國傳統有何感想？你會喜歡自己的高中或大專院校舉辦這樣的活動嗎？