From October 10-14, students at Palm Harbor University High School get to dress up according to the category given for that day. This is in honor of the 2022 Homecoming dance. The dance, as well as the Homecoming game, were delayed because of Hurricane Ian but now students are back and better than ever.

“Monday is generations day, so the 9th graders dress like toddlers,” said Elizabeth Morris (‘26).

As a freshman. Morris would dress as a toddler, while sophomores are elementary schoolers, juniors are parents, and seniors dress as senior citizens.

“I might wear a onesie, or just a big t-shirt with shorts and put my hair in pigtails or a bow,” Jace Godek (‘25) said. “Since I have elementary school, I’ll probably just wear something that like a kid would wear to school.”

For character day on Tuesday, Godek said “I could dress up as Stuart Little, or maybe the Lorax.”

The dress up days give students opportunities to express themselves creatively. It also allows them to bond with friends.

“I’m thinking of dressing up with my friends as characters from a show,” Morris said.

Wednesday is color wars, so each grade dresses as a different color.

“I will wear something grey, for the sophomores,” Godek said.

9th graders wear white, 10th graders wear grey, 11th grade will wear maroon, and 12th graders wear navy.

“I didn’t even know we had spirit week, but I have plenty of white things to wear on Wednesday,” Alex Ramiro (‘26) said.

A new day for students this year is Anything but a Backpack Day. Students are supposed to carry they school materials in anything that isn’t their backpack and get creative.

“Anything but a backpack day should be very fun, I don’t know what I will bring yet,” said Ramiro (‘26). “I might bring something other than my backpack, I like that better than dressing up.”

“I could bring a crate or suitcase for anything but a backpack. I’m more excited to see what everyone else brings,” Godek said.

Finally, Friday is decades day in which each grade dresses as though they are from a different decade. Freshmen dress as people from the 50’s, sophomores are 60s, juniors dress as people from the 70s, and seniors dress as though they are from the 80s.

“For decades day I have to dress like I’m from the 60s, so I’ll just wear something old timey, Godek said.

“I’m actually excited for this day because I know my parents have a ton of old stuff,” Ramiro said.

Friday concludes the PHU Homecoming spirit week, leading up to Saturday, the homecoming dance. The theme of the dance is Under the Stars.