Not many events could manage to stand out coming off the heels of this week’s explosive Homecoming football game, but did the annual homecoming dance on Saturday, September 28 even try at all?

This year, the theme of the dance was Golden Age, a twinkling tribute to the royal galas of old. This theme was shown off in the dance’s handmade decorations, including tall “golden” pillars and hanging metallic streamers. The cafeteria served as the dance floor, with a DJ playing music which can appeal to a broad range of people, from early 2000s classics like “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift to more trendy hits like “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan.

“I really liked all the decorations that they had all set up in the cafeteria, I also liked the fact that they had free food,” Emry Mayhew, an LHS sophomore said.

While the dance’s DJ and decor were as adequate as any other year, it was missing a number of features from previous years. There was no hot chocolate or other replacement treats, aside from shaved ice, which quickly gathered an extensive, 10+ minute line. The library and general upstairs area, which has previously provided a calm, quiet space for less energetic attendees, was closed and blocked off with no clear alternative. For students who could not wait to hit the dance floor, this is hardly a concerning change.

“Another thing I liked was the music,” Mayhew added that her favorite song played at the dance was “Yeah!” by Usher. 

However, other students found the changes severely disappointing, especially for an event which costs $25 to attend, not including the money spent on formal clothes, rides and more. 

“The only thing that was wrong with it [Homecoming] is that they didn’t have the hot cocoa,” Nathaniel Bardo, an LHS senior who was attending his last Homecoming, said about the changes.

Still, this opportunity to get dressed up and have a good time with friends is one that many students will not pass up. It is seen as a rite of passage for many teens. Bardo stressed that despite the issues, whether you have a date, a group of friends to go with, or plan on going alone, the Homecoming dance can be a perfect place to make memories– if one allows it to be.

“It’s a place to like, be dressed up nice for once, because I don’t dress up,” Bardo said. “I can show that I can dress up and look good and have fun.”