Boom

By Kira Cleer

Homecoming. A night filled with friends, laughter, and dancing. Being a junior, I consider myself a homecoming veteran. So when I walked into homecoming this year, two homecomings already under my belt, I didn’t see anything wrong with the dance. I was thoroughly surprised on Monday to find out that some people thought the dance was a flop. I had enjoyed the music and I thought the decorations were on par. Despite some poor choices made, I thought the dance went well overall.

I thought Leadership did a good job picking out music considering the limitations placed on them. I was excited to be able to sing along to every song. It was annoying that the music would become quiet at times but that problem seemed to go away after the first hour or so.

The senior student council did a great job with the decorations and the photo booth made it seem like the kind of dance in a movie or a television show. The decorations were simple enough to not be destroyed by the hoards of high school students moving through them but classy enough to encompass the theme, red carpet. This is the first dance I remember having any sort of decorations that had to do with the theme so I was thoroughly impressed.

Lastly, it was fun to dress up and be with friends. The weather outside might’ve been cold and rainy but the atmosphere inside was more inviting than previous years. Whether this was due to the lack of a “pit” or just because of the friends I was surrounded by, I had a good time.

Let’s hope the Sadie Hawkins Dance will be just as good this year.

Bust

by Kaylee Hamilton

This year’s homecoming was a real downer. The weather outside started the day off with a dreary mood. It was cold, rainy and nasty out, none of which makes for positive attitudes. Everyone was freezing while running into the field house, some barefoot, trying to dodge the rain. This created an atmosphere that was rather unwelcoming.

Secondly, the music was not loud enough for everyone to hear. Since this year Howell did not pay a DJ to be at the dance, administrators relied on the field house’s speaker systems to supply the sound. It felt as if the sound was being projected towards the sides of the gym rather than the center, where the crowd was gathered.

As I walked into the dance, it felt like I was time-warped back to middle school due to the music choices. I fully understand that the music needs to be appropriate for listeners, but it was not relatable for many teens my age. The night really took a turn for the worse when “Riptide” by Vance Joy came on.

About halfway through the dance, I found nearly all of the seniors had peaced out, leaving only a brave few senior souls left with the underclassmen. This was okay at first, but as time went on, I barely recognized the students around me. I was too old.

Overall, I would give the dance an A for effort but an F for execution. I did notice and appreciate the heart that went into decorating and planning for the night, but it fell short. Well, maybe better luck next year, Highlanders.