With Homecoming Week over, Rebecca Lomax can finally relax knowing that she was well rewarded for all her efforts.
Lomax, sophomore dance major, was part of the groups who won both the Homecoming Talent Search and Air Jam. She said after she won both events, she got plenty of congratulations.
"The love that I felt after winning, that was my favorite part," she said.
She feels Ball State is now a little smaller in a good way after seeing how close people became after participating in the events.
"[The group] becomes more of a family," Lomax said. "A lot of people weren't even friends before Air Jam."
Lomax danced in the talent search while a friend sang and her other friend played Adele's song "Turning Tables" on the piano. They won a $1,000 scholarship to be split among the group members. Lomax said winning the scholarship felt amazing after how hard she practiced.
"With Ball State acknowledging all the hard work we put in ... I feel honored," she said. "I feel humbled by the whole thing."
Although Air Jam's prize was a trophy and not a sum of money, Lomax still feels like she was acknowledged for her efforts. She choreographed the Black Student Association's dance for Air Jam and spent about three weeks teaching it to everyone.
One of her greatest challenges was that not everyone had experience dancing.
"I think teaching is more difficult than the actual choreography," she said.
For Lomax, Air Jam was harder than the talent search because she said trying to teach a large group is difficult. Everyone in her group for the talent search was talented at their own skill, so she didn't have to teach anyone.
The hardest part for her was managing her time. Not only did she have to practice for two competitions, she also spent her days dancing because of her major and she is a track athlete on the side.
"It can be really draining," Lomax said. "I had an entire day of physical activity."
Lomax said although she enjoyed doing it, she is looking forward to not having as much to do.
"I loved the experience," she said. "It has been the best homecoming since I've been here. But it's definitely a relief."
Lomax believes the events surrounding homecoming are so huge because people want to see competition and feel pride in their school. She said it's sad, but she thinks it seems people have given up on seeing a winning football game.
"After a while, you lose hope for the [homecoming] game," Lomax said. "The school spirit that we have at Air Jam should be the school spirit we have at the game."
On top of choreographing the dance and teaching it to the rest of the group, she even made her own costume. Lomax was dressed as Batman during the event, which played into the homecoming theme of "It's a Bird ... It's a Game ... It's Homecoming."
She made the costume from clothes she had in her closet, and she had to get creative. The cape was actually a skirt, and she drew the Batman logo herself.
Lomax said although she worked hard, she could not have done it without believing in God.
"I like to give honor to God because I know if I didn't have him, I wouldn't be able to make it through any of it," she said. "[Without God,] it would be impossible."
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