The time of the year has arrived once again to get creative, stress over catchy phrases, pick out the right flowers to buy and to take leaps of faith. The homecoming dance approaches as well as the proposals that go along with it.

One of the anticipated parts of homecoming is the proposals. Every year the proposals get more extravagant as more money, time and imagination is put into each one. Although a lot of people are expecting the proposals ahead of time, the actual outcome goes above their expectations.

“I thought it was really cute and he went beyond what I expected him to do,” freshman Halle Krogstad said. “He came down the hall with a balloon and flowers and then a whole bag of chocolate and then there was a sign that said, ‘Hey, Hal. Do you wanna be my gal to homecoming?’”

Public hoco proposals can create a large scene and can make the presentation even more nerve-wracking for both the proposer and the proposee.

“I was nervous because there were so many people that were going to be there and see and I just hoped I wasn’t going to mess anything up,” freshman Dalton Robertson said.

Some couples take the extra step and present the proposal outside of school, setting up a costly scene.

“My proposal was that before she came over I printed out a bunch of pictures of us and taped them together on the back to spell out, ‘Hoco?’” sophomore Anna Ippolito said. “I hid them in my guest room along with my outfit, the Christmas lights, and the gifts I bought her.”

Going the extra mile can make a huge difference with homecoming proposals because not only does it make the other person more likely to say yes, but it also makes the proposal more special.

“I thought it was very romantic and very big. It obviously showed she put effort into asking me and she went all out with the rose petals and the lights,” sophomore Alexa Robinson said. “The way she asked me also showed that she put a lot of thought into it and got help from her friends and I loved how she didn’t just do it last minute and it was very special.”

To some, homecoming proposals may even be a fantasy coming to life. Even though homecoming may just be another cheesy school dance to some people, to others it’s a chance to get closer and make memories with the people they value the most.

“I knew she’d say yes because she’s my girlfriend, but before we started dating I liked her for a really long time so I’d dreamed about a moment like that,” Ippolito said. “So I was so excited. I know it’s cheesy but it’s true.”