Celebrating Our Community Under the Northern Lights

STUCO transported us to the icy caps of Alaska, Iceland, and Scandinavia with their amazing decorations. The walls leading to the gym were lined with paper painted beautifully to resemble sparkling aurora borealis, with shaded mountains underneath, as if we were floating in the sky. The walls met the floor with fluffy artificial snow and in the middle of the hallway lay a reflective, almost mirror-like film perfect for runway-esque photos. Up above, the usually fluorescent ceiling lights were covered with blue paper to engulf the space with a soft, yet icy glow.

“I think [the theme] is one of the best ones I’ve heard of so far,” one STUCO officer commented. “It was really fun to put together.”

A freshman gushed: “I think [the theme] is very unique. This is my first dance ever, so it’s very exciting for me.” She continued, saying, “I am looking forward to seeing everyone outside of their normal selves, like, the lighter side of people”

Inside the gym, shiny blue and silver fringe lined the walls. Green and purple lights illuminated the ceiling which further created the illusion of the northern lights shining around us. Though it wasn’t technically winter yet, the paper snowflakes hanging from the dance floor’s perimeter certainly created that warm and exciting feeling.

When asked about the decorations, Ms. Hawks exclaimed “It’s gorgeous!” Another student said, “It definitely felt like I was not in my gym.”

One of ISB’s favorite activities at this dance, like every dance, was the photo booth. This time, the photo booth was stationed inside an inflated cuboid, resembling a blocky igloo made from ice and snow, which was perfect for the theme. Throughout the dance, a line of friend groups and couples stretched from the entrance of the igloo to the dance floor waiting to document their memories.

Our bestie music mixer, DJ Chad, played some of the current top hits, including “Levitating” by Dua Lipa, “Butter” by BTS, and “Shut Down” by BLACKPINK, as well as some timeless Gen Z favorites: “Starships” by Nicki Manaj, “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, “Earthquake” by Labrinth, and “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift to name a few. As always, there was a piece for the couples, girl (space) friends, and boy (space) friends. Bruno Mars’ “Just The Way You Are” had our passionate partygoers slowing down to appreciate each other’s company, embodying the holiday spirit of kindness and thanks.