One night, two formals, and, for some, a tough choice

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In normal years, UD gets one spring formal.  But if we know anything about this year, it hasn’t been normal.

So this year, we had not one but two formals.  And if you were a senior, you had a choice to make.  

There was the official formal, sponsored by the Campus Activities Board and led by senior business major Blaise Schneider.  And then there was the unofficial formal, spearheaded by members of the junior class.

Because of COVID restrictions, the official formal was restricted to 200 seniors.  The unofficial formal, however, was open to all students.   

At the official formal, masks were required indoors and social distancing was encouraged while eating.  But at the unofficial formal, few wore masks and social distancing wasn’t enforced, according to attendees. Advertisements for the unofficial formal also did not indicate masks were required.

Schneider, University Traditions intern with CAB, said planning this year’s formal was tougher than usual.  

“ I wish we could have included the entire student body, but I am grateful we were allowed to hold the event in a modified form,” he said. 

Tickets to the official formal were priced at $45 per person and $85 per couple. Entertainment was provided by Party Machine, a DFW-area band. According to Schneider, around 110 students attended the event, and he considered the night a success.

Schneider added that he was pleased to be able to plan one last event for his class. 

“I was satisfied with how the event turned out, and I think those who attended enjoyed the night,” he said.

Senior painting major Helen Maier was glad that she chose to attend the official UD spring formal, despite the COVID-19 restrictions in place. 

“It was a brief moment of normalcy amidst the craziness that has been this past year,” Maier wrote in a text. “It was good fun. It was helpful for me, an introvert, to be among people I knew! I’m especially glad for the opportunity to see my fellow seniors before our lives part ways.”

The independently organized spring formal had a tiered ticketing system: $130 per couple for platinum, $85 per couple for gold, $50 per ticket for silver, and $20 per person for bronze, according to the event’s website. The different price points included varying amenities and entrance times.

Junior business majors Phil Volkert and Jose Charles, the leaders of the independently organized spring formal, said that the event was attended by approximately 400 people.

DJ Men-Yo handled the  music. There was dancing. And Chick-Fil-A was served. 

Volkert and Charles worked on the event for about a month to provide the broader student body with a formal. 

“It was a very fun time to plan an event for a large crowd,” Volkert wrote in a text. ”And after a few meetings and a bunch of phone calls between Jose and I later the whole thing was completed and I think it turned out pretty well.” 

“We really appreciate all the work done by our fellow students and the work of Irving PD for making sure everything stayed in check.”

Mary Clare Witter, a sophomore psychology major who attended the unofficial spring formal, enjoyed it. 

“I had a lot of fun and it seemed like everyone else there did as well,” Witter said. “It was very well done and if the hosts organized a similar event next year I would definitely attend.” 

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