Brookfield Central High School celebrated its 2024 Homecoming Dance on the evening of Saturday, September 21st, following the traditional Homecoming football game the Friday night before. The Homecoming Dance is always a night of high excitement and fun; but for the freshman class especially, it is a crucial milestone in their high school journey. However, although the Homecoming experience is often marketed as a perfect and unforgettable night, not everything that was advertised about the dance was represented in the dance itself. Through many interactions with my fellow freshmen, I have uncovered what went wrong and what went right at the 2024 Homecoming Dance.
From my conversations with my peers, along with what I witnessed that night, the snacks and concessions were greatly appreciated. Volunteers were selling a variety of candy and drinks for the students, however at higher prices than expected. Nonetheless, the efficiency of buying greatly needed snacks was not lost on the freshmen attending this dance.
In addition, the photo booth was a hit. Group after group would get in line to get their photos taken. This specific type of photo booth was pretty neat, as participants were given 2 physical copies and a digital image to share with others who didn’t receive the picture. The images were also of great quality. The rapid camera was also appreciated as it kept the line moving along.
Not everything from my conversations with my peers was positive though. Through my conversation with freshman Max Strangberg, he voiced an opinion that “[he] wished there were more opportunities to do more activities.” Through his conversation and other numerous freshmen, it is seen there is a recurring demand for more interactive activities to be planned. This year, only two activities were planned by the dance department: a photo booth and the main dance floor, and when kids grew tired of the dance floor, they were left to claim a table outside that was most likely full, or wait in the long line for the photo booth.
Another anonymous freshman commented that it was “too hot.” They spoke highly of their experience, but they explained that when they wanted to go out in the hallway to catch their breath, they were sadly disappointed; the hallway was even hotter than the gym itself. Being at the dance, I experienced this firsthand as well. With drinking water being the only way to catch your breath and relax, you were faced with two options—pay $3 for water, or wait in a long line to get a quick sip from the water fountain.
In future homecomings, peers also expressed an interest in holding the homecoming wall decorating sessions during block, rather than after school. Many peers expressed concerns that the timing limited participation in an activity that requires active participation from many individuals. Holding the wall decoration during block would make it so that everyone who wanted to participate would get a chance to make their mark and showcase their talent to the student body.
But all in all, while freshmen expressed suggestions for improving BC’s Homecoming experience, they still had a wonderful night on Saturday, September 21st, as they stepped into the first few weeks of their high school journey.
