On Oct. 21, students received an email from math teacher and Class of 2016 adviser Nicki Pendolphi explaining that the freshman and sophomore dance would now only include sophomores. The dance will still take place Nov. 1, from 7-9 p.m. in the Staples gymnasium.
“Because the dance is a sophomore fundraiser, the dance has been changed to a sophomore only dance,” Pendolphi wrote. The ticket sales benefit the sophomore class funds, but both classes were going to be required to pay the admission price.
However, the decision has left many freshmen disappointed. They are now not given the opportunity to attend the dance, whether or not they were actually going to choose to do so.
“I was kind of excited to have fun with my friends if I decided to go,” Lilly Howes ’17 said.
Others, however, feel that the decision was justified because they said it would have been unfair if freshmen had the opportunity to attend a dance when the sophomores never did.
“The sophomores didn’t have a chance to have a freshman dance, so I guess it’s kind of fair in a way,” Hannah Bukzin ’17 said.
And then, there are the few that were not even planning on attending, so the quick change doesn’t particularly affect them.
“I wasn’t really planning on going,” Grace Wynne ’17 said. “It was such short notice and the whole thing kind of confused me.”
As for the sophomores, there seems to be an overall accepting feeling about the new plans for the dance. Aliza Gross ’16 believes that although not everyone was planning on attending the dance because it is not a long run tradition, it will be simpler with just sophomores.
“We all know each other better,” Gross said.
Others agreed, believing that making the dance exclusive to sophomores will give them more time to bond with each other. The awkwardness between the two grades would also be minimized, making everyone feel more comfortable.
“With freshmen at the dance also, who knows what kind of chaos would occur?” Jack Kaner ’16 said.
Despite the mixed emotions from both grades, the night is still set up to offer fun for the sophomores. And as for the freshmen, there is always the next four years for many memories to be made at various dances.
