NIU senior John Long sits in his office, his desk covered with papers – products of thousands of hours planning this year’s Homecoming.

He relates how a friend told him the countdown to the weekend had begun, “Ten more days, he told me. Ten more days till Homecoming. I couldn’t believe it.”

Getting Homecoming off the ground is not unlike organizing Project Desert Shield; both require weeks of planning and tireless leadership. NIU has Long to strategically plan Project Homecoming.

His job description is something of a hodgepodge. “I organize, come up with a lot of ideas, brainstorm, work with contracts—everything from working on contracts for concerts to working with Greeks to organize events,” Long said.

Planning started in April, but most of it happened during the last months and weeks before the Homecoming weekend. There are 14 committees along with subcommittees organizing the different events including the activities, talent show and Yell like Hell.

Despite the intense planning, everything still began too late, Long said. “They should have elected a Homecoming chairman at the latest by (last) November. Most of the planning and funding from the bigger sponsors like Honda should be set up at least eight months in advance.”

The delay cost NIU some prize sponsorships, Long said. Many corporate sponsors, who provided prizes for events during previous Homecomings, pulled out this year.

“We had a chance to get the Chicago Bears here. We still do, but it could have been done for sure if we had had enough months’ notice.”

Ideally, Homecoming planning should have started a year rather than five months ago. “It would have caused a lot less headaches, and I’ve had enough of those,” Long said. Planning for next year’s Homecoming should start now, he said.

Long, a full-time communications senior, estimates he has spent at least 50 hours per week or about 1,000 hours since April organizing the weekend.

Would he organize another Homecoming? Long said, “Yes, I’d do it again for next year just because I know what has to be done. But I’m a senior and graduating, so I can’t. I would, but sorry, I can’t.”