By all counts, New Trier’s 2014 Homecoming dance was a success.
Seniors made it a great night, cherishing their third-to-last dance before graduation. Juniors had the chance to experience dressing up as a theme (as opposed to formal wear) for the first time, and sophomores got to go to their first dance as members of the Winnetka campus.
Senior Amy Androw, whose theme was “Risky Business”, said, “I had a really good time at homecoming. It was nice not having to pay for anything. I didn’t enjoy it my sophomore year, but this year was more fun because I had a really good group and no one took it seriously. Everyone was dancing and no one was in a bad mood or killing the vibe.”
Many students agreed that dressing up in a theme was a lot better than dressing formally. Junior Sabrina Barkal, whose theme was criminals and cops said, “I liked themes much better than dressing formally because the pictures aren’t as awkward and you don’t need to have a boutonniere and flower for your date.”
Androw said, “I prefer wearing a costume because it’s a lot more comfortable and cheap. You can get creative with it too, but it can cause conflict in the group when people disagree about it, and that can be a source of stress.”
As a sophomore however, the group must still dress in formal apparel, even though all other upperclassmen are in themes.
Sophomore Annabel Walsh said, “I think both dressing formally and dressing in theme are fine. I don’t have a preference.”
Freshmen haven’t been a part of the Homecoming dance for quite some time. Androw, Barkal, and Walsh agreed that this is a good thing.
“A lot of people ask within the first few weeks of school and that would be stressful for freshmen because no one really knows each other yet, and they would just go with their friends from middle school, and not branch out,” said Androw.
Some of the most enjoyed parts of Homecoming night were the after parties and the party buses. However, the least enjoyed part of the night ended up being the dance itself.
“I didn’t enjoy the dinner part of our night, but the after party was really fun,” said Walsh.
Barkal said, “I didn’t like the bright lights in the gym. If New Trier were to change anything in the future, it should be making the lights less strobe-like.”
Most homecoming groups generally take party buses to the school that includes flashing rainbow lights and U-shaped seating. However, other groups choose to take limos, school buses, or even their own cars.
Androw said, “I really enjoyed the time we spent on the party bus. We danced a lot, and everyone got into it. It was a great bonding experience. However, I did not like going to Olive Garden for dinner because they gave us our food two minutes before we had to leave, and it’s ratchet.”