Last week may have been the most exciting, emotional, phenomenal week of my college career here at Missouri Southern. What started as a joke among friends actually became reality.

I jokingly said to my friends, “Hey, I should run for homecoming king.”

With my friends supporting me, I started really thinking about running. After calling my mother and hearing her excitement, there was no question. I was going to do it. My first step was to get a registered student organization to nominate me, which is where my favorite organization, Campus Activities Board, stepped up. 

I would like to give big thanks to all the CAB members who picked me for their homecoming king candidate. It was a great honor for me. 

I won’t lie, I tried to bribe some people with two techniques. One was delicious candy. The other technique I used was saying, “Hey vote for me and Kimmy, we’re the only two black candidates.” Maybe people voted for me because I’m black or maybe not, but telling people that and looking at their expressions was priceless. 

After a long first day of campaigning, I had to regroup and hit the campaign trail again the next day, which was the last day to vote. For some reason, I felt like something big was going to happen on the last day, and I was right. As I was getting set to start campaigning, I saw a bright purple dress and cowboy boots walking my way. 

I was like, “Wow! Who is that?” It was Samantha Evans, the soon-to-be homecoming queen. When I saw her I was like, “Well damn, even I would vote for her,” so I had to step my campaign game up. I used my politeness along with even more candy to get students’ votes. 

After what seemed like days of waiting (but was really only one day), the top five candidates were posted outside of the CAB office, along with a big billboard with the candidates’ faces on it. With a big sigh of relief I saw my somewhat beautiful face and full government name as a top-five candidate. The very first call I made was to my mother, if you don’t know already, this guy, Jeremy Edward Thomas, is a momma’s boy. I say it loud and proud; I love my mom to death. I called my mom to tell her the good news and she says, “Really? You made it babe, I’m so proud of you, keep up the good work, I know you have a chance to win it now.”

This was my second wave of emotions. I haven’t been that excited since I found out there was a new bag of Skittles out. 

I would never forget what my mom told me the morning of the picnic. I called her and she asked, “Today is the day they announce the winners right?” 

I told her it was, she asked me how I was feeling. I told her I was very anxious, but extremely nervous too. 

She then told me, “Don’t worry about it babe, even if you don’t win, you’re always going to be my king.”

I normally do not cry, but honestly my eyes got a little watery after hearing that from her. She actually calmed me down for the time being. 

Time grew closer to crown this year’s homecoming king and queen, and I couldn’t lie anymore. I just told everyone I was anxiously nervous. 

My heart had not beat that fast since my days of running track. I was actually pretty confident prior to them announcing our names, but the confidence went away quickly after hearing the applause given to all the guys before me. I heard their ovations and became skeptical of my chances to win, because my applause was not as loud as theirs. But the silent majority won.  When I heard the man say, “And the 2011 MSSU homecoming king is … Jeremy Thomas,” I swear my heart literally skipped a couple of beats. 

All I remember is shaking hands with the school president and his wife and posing for a lot of pictures. 

I called Mom first and told her I won. Her first words were, “Boy stop lying, they must have counted the ballots wrong.” 

She said it in a joking manner of course. 

She then screamed on the phone, “YEAH MY BABE WON HOMECOMING KING!” 

I didn’t even have to see her to feel her emotions and could tell how happy she was that I won. 

The parade followed the next day, where I got the chance to ride on top of an extra awesome red convertible, wave and look cute as can be and throw candy. 

It was a college dream come true for me. 

So now that I am king there are a few things that I would like to see happen around campus.

Think of this as the King’s 10 commandments.

1. Free ice cream on the Oval every Thursday.

2. Either a Subway or McDonalds in the Lions’ den.

3. Each student should explore my poetry club at least once this semester.

4. Skinny-leg jeans, for dudes) should be banned on campus.

5. Each student gets their own personal golf cart driver to get them to class.

6. The outside basketball court shall be revamped and in function.

7. There shall be an expansion to the main parking lot on campus.

8. The drinking fountains shall be filled with Hawaiian Punch.

9. Free donuts every Monday to all students and staff to start your week off right

10. Ohio State merchandise shall be worn by each student once a year.