North Carolina A&T’s “Greatest Homecoming On Earth"

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As a proud multi-generational HBCU alum, I always love to support historically Black colleges and universities. Back in my junior year of high school, I went on an epic HBCU tour, traveling from my hometown of Hampton, Virginia, through North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. I visited familiar schools but didn’t have deep connections to them yet. One stop on this tour was North Carolina A&T in Greensboro. The campus was massive compared to my local HBCUs, and though engineering wasn’t in my future, the school left a great impression on me.

I’ve always proclaimed that NC A&T alums are the hypest among HBCUs, with Howard and FAMU not far behind. If an alum sees a fellow Aggie, the boisterous “AGGIE PRIDE” chant can be heard from blocks away—and trust me, I’m not exaggerating. We’re all about that HBCU love, but one thing we’ll argue over endlessly is who has the best homecoming. The consensus? North Carolina A&T’s G.H.O.E—“Greatest Homecoming On Earth”—takes the cake. This was actually my second time attending, and it didn’t disappoint.

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I even skipped my own homecoming at Clark Atlanta University to spend the latter half of the week in Greensboro with friends. Thursday night, I attended the HBCU Honors dinner hosted by Jahliel Thurman, where 20 alumni with diverse backgrounds in education, law, entertainment, and more were guests. After that, I headed to “Top of the ‘T’,” the young alumni donor party featuring none other than Doug E. Fresh. Then, on Friday night, I enjoyed the “Big Baby & Friends Comedy Show.” This was a great kick-off to get me ready for the experience.

Saturday was the main event! I’d been preparing for this, knowing it would be a long day under the sun. NCA&T’s campus is big, so I paced myself while making rounds. I visited the vendor area and stopped by the TUMS HBCU Love Tour. There was a photo booth with free sunglasses, TUMS Gummy Bites sampling, and bottle giveaways. I grabbed a bottle of the newer TUMS Gummy Bites because I knew I’d be eating all sorts of food I probably shouldn’t- and in abundance. I’m not a fan of pills, so the flavorful gummies are perfect for me and great to take on the go.

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Next, I hit the tailgate, and let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint. HBCU homecomings are all about food, family, and fun—and we’re generous with our plates. After loading up on fried fish, mac and cheese, green beans, and gumbo, I felt like I was at grandma’s Sunday dinner. That’s where the TUMS gummy bites really came in handy. HBCU homecomings are like family reunions that last all day, so I was ready. The crowd was massive in the best way possible, and it was amazing to see so many Black people gathered together in one place. I’ll definitely be back for the “Greatest Homecoming On Earth” because it’s an experience like no other.

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