Homecoming is ‘No. 1’ with teens

Tuesday was the first day of fall, and it was a beautiful drive into Montgomery from Lonsdale. The red fall leaves just starting to appear contrasted brilliantly against the golden soybean fields and the clear blue sky. I turned into town and once again noticed the quick change the landscape has taken over the past week. Maples with touches of orange and gold greeted me, and as I continued on my way, there was something else I couldn’t help but notice — long, white flowing streams of toilet paper hanging from tree branches and blowing in the breeze. 

Instantly it hit me: Oh yeah — it’s Homecoming Week. The annual spirit week where high school grades compete against each other both in school and out through football, powder puff, a game show assembly — and TP-ing.

I’m not sure where the tradition of throwing toilet paper came from, but I’ve always wondered what is it about the super absorbent tissue that inspires teens to vault it through trees and onto houses, light poles and power lines as a form of bonding with their classmates. Every year since I can remember, the juniors TP the seniors’ houses and the seniors TP — everyone.

In a quick internet search, I could easily find 27 steps on how to TP a house, but no concrete reason as to why I’d want to. Or anything about what time honored tradition this homecoming activity springs from.

The only time I remember throwing toilet paper was in college at the home basketball games. Students came up with the brilliant idea of pitching a roll of toilet paper onto the court after the first basket was made by the home team. It was typically a showy slam dunk, too, which made the fans throw their rolls even more enthusiastically into the air. This would happen at every single home game, followed by a half hour delay waiting for the gym floor to be swept clean of the Charmin snow. 

While I couldn't come up with anything online explaining the exact origins of this annual tradition, I did see a lot of articles where many want this annual display banned. Only one website I saw delved into the possible reasons as to how this started, and it all seems to become a little clearer, somehow. 

According to the Auburn Athletics website, in 1972 when Henley and Alabama were trash talking over who was “No. 1”, it was Henley who coined the phrase, “We’re going to beat the No. 2 out of Alabama.” And to reinforce their friendly threat, many a toilet tissue roll went flying. 

And there you have it. A tradition that has lasted decades is still “No. 1” with teens everywhere.