From the pictures before to the after parties hours later, the Winter Ball has become more of a full evening’s experience for some students.
After being postponed a week due to inclement weathr, this year’s Winter Ball was held on January 25.
Some plan days in advance to carpool with friends and see whose house everybody will be going to for pictures.
According to sophomore Ashlyn Odenwald, the reason taking pictures with all your friends before the Winter Ball became an event is to “document it and have it forever and to remember the good times with friends. Especially before everyone gets sweaty and nasty from dancing.”
Freshman Lauren Douglas agrees. “You want to take pictures before you get all sweaty and tired from the dance. Plus, it’s cute.”
For some students getting together with friends before the Winter Ball is less about the memories and more to show friends and family far away what is happening in their lives, according to senior Ashliegh Divver.
“[I go to pictures] so I can post to Instagram later,” Divver said.
Sophomore Clare Hasset was one of the students hosting pictures before the Winter Ball this year.
“I chose to host pictures because I figured I would have to host something one year and that sophomore Winter Ball would probably be the least amount of people,” Hasset said.
Hasset also said that getting together with friends before Winter Ball started because kids used to get pictures at school, but “it took too long” so students started “taking their own pictures before dances.”
Sophomore Molly Hendricks looks forward to the photo sessions because everyone is in a good mood. “I think the pictures are candid. They are fun to post because they are different and not posed and you can see they person genuinely happiness in their pictures,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks hosted an after party at her house for this year’s Winter Ball.
“It’s fun to get together with all of your friends and reflect on the night because during the dance it’s crazy and you don’t always process what’s happening,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks decided to host an after party because her “basement is nice for having people over and we have a bunch of games to play, music we can play on the TV and it’s just a comfortable place to hang out in,” Hendricks said.
One of the favorite parts of this year’s Winter Ball according to Odenwald was being “able to see friends.”
Another favorite part of this year’s Winter Ball, according to sophomore Emma Cliver, was “the music, decorations and lights [that were] on.” She said it made the Winter Ball “more fun and exciting.”
Divver said she liked the new DJ, Reek Da Freak. “He was kind of hype,” Divver said.
Hendricks’ favorite part of Winter Ball isn’t the dance itself, but what happens right after.
“My favorite part of Winter Ball is right at the end when you’re walking out to the cars and it’s cold outside. The air just hits you and you’re just laughing with your friends and everybody is with each other and having fun,” Hendricks said.