Hundreds of students came to the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, Sept. 27, and most of them left the student cafeteria with sweat-soaked clothes and smiles on their faces.
The dance began in the evening, but preparation started long before the doors could be opened.
When asked what she hoped to improve on last year’s Homecoming dance, the STUGO sophomore President, Victoria Muñoz, pointed to last year’s attendance, or lack thereof. Last year’s “Disco Night” theme wasn’t very popular with students, and attendance goals weren’t met.
Muñoz said the dance’s theme was a rushed decision, but one agreed upon by everyone.
“Hollywood was a popular theme because it allowed people to dress the way they wanted,” Muñoz said.
STUGO began rolling out the red carpet at 9:00 a.m. on the morning of the dance, fueled by donuts and the desire to create a good Homecoming experience.
Setting up the decorations took hours, with most workers still tired from the football game the night before, but nevertheless, they persevered into the afternoon.
Finally, at 8:00 p.m., the doors were opened, and Trojans of all ages showed up in their masses to hit the red carpet in style.
“The energy and hype were out of this world,” junior Charleston Smart said. “There was a huge crowd this year, and people danced their butts off. We won the Homecoming game for the first time in years, so I think that really added to the number of people who attended and the energy that was given.”
It wasn’t a perfect Hollywood ending, though, as many students complained about the heat and
unpleasant smell in the cafeteria.
“It got far too hot to dance this year,” junior Jasic Helvey said. “People were dumping water on themselves in order to cool off, which made the dance floor wet, and people were slipping.”
Helvey certainly wasn’t the only student who felt that way.
“The only reason Homecoming was worse than last year was because it was extremely hot in the cafeteria,” sophomore Julius Inman said.
The lack of ventilation raises concerns about whether this problem will persist in future dances.
For better or for worse, it’s fair to say that STUGO achieved its goal of improved attendance, likely due to a combination of winning the football game, selecting a more well-received theme, and word of mouth.
“I think overall people talked about it [the dance] more,” Muñoz said.
Higher attendance meant a hotter and smellier cafeteria, but it also meant more funds raised and more students getting a real Homecoming experience.
As a reporter, this dance exceeded my own expectations, and I was impressed by STUGO’s commitment to their jobs. I have to agree with Victoria Muñoz’s message to students regarding the Homecoming Dance: “take the opportunity to go while you have it.”