By Madeline Pulliam, Staff Reporter

Lights, camera, action! Students walked the balloon-lined red carpet into this year’s Hollywood-themed Homecoming dance.

The dance was held on Saturday, Sept. 24 following the pep rally, spirit week and Homecoming football game on Sept. 23. The pep rally, where students could participate in multiple activities such as a field goal kick and relay race, was held on Teamer Field the day before the dance. The senior class won this year, with freshmen coming in second and juniors and sophomores tying for last place. Teachers could also participate in the pie-eating contest, which was not allowed last year due to COVID-19 guidelines.

“My favorite part to plan is the pep rally and the rest of the week leading up to Homecoming with all of the spirit days. It was also really fun to set up all of the decorations beforehand and prepare the DJ,” said Daniel Tu, the school executive president.

Last year, the Homecoming dance was pushed to April 23 to avoid COVID-19 restrictions that made the dance nearly impossible to host. The spring dance also allowed students to attend without masks because of the eased restrictions. There was no food or drinks other than cups of water, and there was no theme to the dance.

“More people came to this year’s dance than last (year’s) because last year there was still COVID going on. But other than (COVID-19 restrictions), it was pretty much the same as our regular year,” Tu said, regarding the changes from last year’s dance to this year’s.

This year, student council members planned the Hollywood theme.  The main entrance of the school had streamers, and TETV interviewed guests upon entry. The timing of the dance was also different from pre-COVID years to allow students to leave earlier. Before COVID-19, the dance was from 8–10 p.m., while this year, the dance was from 6–9 p.m. Attendees could buy soft pretzels, tomato pie and cookies between the gyms and help themselves to cups of water available near the gym entrance. Students were also able to eat and hang out in an enclosed area outside the gyms to get away from the loud, warm dance floor.

“I thought the dance was really fun, and I really liked the decorations and the theme,” said freshman, Arush Patel. “My favorite part was definitely hanging out with my friends and dancing.”

Many sophomores, juniors and seniors did not attend, but instead dressed up and took pictures with their friends or went out to dinner together. The upperclassmen are more focused on the upcoming junior and senior proms later in the year according to sophomore Tanvi Bommisetti.

“I didn’t go because even though prom is still a year away for me, I am way more excited for (prom),” Bommisetti said. “I think many seniors and juniors also didn’t go because they know they also have prom to look forward to.”

Many of those who did attend viewed the dance as a right of passage for high school students and a classic tradition that all high schools share. They are also ready for events to return to normal and to have a traditional high school experience.

“I think it’s just a high school thing that everyone should experience,” freshman Delisha Makdani said. “Most of my friends think the same thing as well.”

Madeline Pulliam can be reached at [email protected].