As Taylor Swift once said, “We found wonderland.” And so it was, the night of February 3rd: cool, crisp air ruffled skirts, unfurling the strands of carefully gelled and sprayed hair. Heels clicked on the path, the stretch of concrete that led to the notes of songs emanating from the DJ. It was San Pasqual’s Winter Formal of 2024, a “Winter Wonderland,” and it was a night to be remembered.
“You and I got lost in it.” The excitement perhaps stemmed from the enormous amount of effort ASB put into making this one extraordinary night. The preceding spirit week gained a lot of attraction, as did the memorable performances at the pep rally on the Friday before. Likewise, all the posters around school with a QR code for recommending songs to be added to the dance’s playlist were a great idea; one could say that the students across campus were lost in imagination, and in preparation for one of the biggest nights of the year.
“And life was never worse but never better (in Wonderland).” But the magic really began inside the dance at the California Center of the Arts: after first going through a security check of bags, you were allowed to enter the dance floor. Not many people were at the venue before seven, but as the clock kept ticking, more and more people began to file in. For some, problems that existed outside of the dance floor were put aside for the four hours the music played.
“I reached for you, but you were gone.” The taco bar was a popular highlight, with the tortillas disappearing faster than the fillings; hands lifting the covering of the compartments holding the taco shells, only to come back empty, were a terrible tragedy to hungry partygoers all around. On the plus side, refreshments were available both indoors and outdoors throughout the dance.
“I knew I had to go back home.” At the taco bar, you had a good view into the photo booth room where a modernized camera captured pictures of friends and dates. A QR code popped up on the screen after the picture was taken so that you could open it on your phone. Perhaps, if you’re like me, you opened your phone as soon as you arrived home from the dance, and pulled open the photo you took to imprint the memory of the night into your mind.
“You search the world for something else.” Back past the taco bar was an open door, cold air flitting in, though a welcome change to the sweat-ridden bodies jumping up and down back on the dance floor. In the courtyard were several large, circular tables with white cloth, cups and plates stacked, and people lounging on the seats, talking with friends. For those who were searching for a change of pace, or even a light, frosty breeze, the courtyard was the place to be.
“To make you feel like what we had.” But it wasn’t just the decorations or the food or even the music that made the night a true wonderland – it was the atmosphere that surrounded the entire party. Because under the cover of darkness, with just bright, flashing lights for you to see, it seemed like everyone came a little bit more alive. It was a feeling hard to replicate in just any setting.
“And in the end.” And perhaps this wasn’t true for everyone, but the giggles, the jokes, the reckless abandon, the spending of time with friends, the singing of songs but getting the lyrics wrong, the screaming to Taylor Swift lyrics, the getting toes stepped on and the jumping up and down were what made the night so special, even as it came to a close.
“In Wonderland.” So thank you to the ASB team, and everyone else who contributed to making someone’s night that much better.
“We both went mad.” It was a night to remember, indeed.
