Homecoming is coming up within the next month for a lot of students, and for some, it has already come to pass. Along with the dance itself, quite a bit of routine surrounds dances for students. It’s fairly common for groups and pairs to go out to eat before school dances together. A lot of groups will even plan them in advance according to a restaurant's availability. But usually, before or after eating (and depending on how much a person trusts themselves with fancy clothing and food), those groups go take photos together. Those photos serve as a chance to show off the getting ready that was done, and as a way to preserve the moment.

In a small town we often have a very small set of options for places to take formal photos. As a community we usually tend to take photos at the college of Wooster or the O.A.R.D.C. because of the beautiful views; but we often forget downtown.

           Downtown Wooster has a vast choice of photo areas for a place that is relatively small. Just this past week construction wrapped up on the revamp on the sidewalks and on the final corner of Public Square. All around the Square there are opportunities for photos. On the same side of the road that the pavilion is on, there is also a little square made of plants and benches. Across the empty area between the benches, a string of bulbed lights floats above the ground. The lights are always strung across the poles but they are truly beautiful just as the sun sets and the lights flick on. The lights are helpful in making a photo more well-lit if they are taken around sunset or dusk.

           If you wanted to move past the Square, Wooster still holds a hidden talent for photo opportunities. In between a handful of buildings on East Liberty Street there are recently redone alleyways. They each look slightly different, but all of them have a couple of chairs and tables, but all of them have the stringed light bulbs that exist on the Square. The alleyways serve as a great backdrop for photos as well as being a fun place to hang out in.

           Photos are usually a necessity, but food is usually just as important—if not more. While not all of the downtown restaurants accept reservations in advance, all of them are worth a try.

           Muddy’s is a great restaurant if you’re looking for classics such as their choices of burgers. However, if you’re looking for something else, they do offer breakfast all day, and their chicken and waffles and pancakes are very tasty.

           Breakfast is also a meal that Spoon market does very well. Spoon has a tasty selection of breakfast burritos, that are thankfully offered throughout the day. But they also have a handful of smoothies.

           Basil is an excellent place for dinner. They offer a menu that is different from Muddy’s, but is equally as delicious. They feature a menu that is a blend of Chinese, South Asian, and sushi recipes. The menu offers a lot of filling options.

           Another well-known restaurant and another good choice would be Broken Rocks. They are mostly known for their pasta and bread as that is what they specialize in, but they also have other dough-related food like pizza, and sandwiches.

           Obviously there are plenty more options throughout downtown, but there are too many great ones to list, so this is just a handful of them. Our historic downtown has so much to offer us in the present. Events such as school dances can bring quite a large crowd into downtown, which is what has kept it in the routine of homecoming for many years, and hopefully, for many more to come.