Madison Shumway
Staff Writer
College students nostalgic for the time of growing pains and braces can kick it back to high school next week at a Second Chance Prom.
Forget the awkwardness of adolescence, though—the event, hosted Friday, Feb. 10 by the Union Program Council as part of its Late Night at the Union series, will channel the glamour of the 1920s with a Great Gatsby theme.
“The goal behind the event is to give college students a rare opportunity to dress up nice for an evening and maybe even create some fun prom memories for themselves if their first prom didn’t go all too well,” said Jedd Greenhalgh, UPC director.
Prom-goers can expect a bustling dance floor with a DJ and light show from Pocatello’s A&B Productions and high-class desserts provided by Chartwells, including a chocolate fountain. Students can also win a variety of raffle prizes to be awarded at the end of the night. The prom has a semi-formal dress code, so students can don the glittery gowns and powder blue suits their parents never let them wear. Glammed-up undergrads can strike a pose at the photobooth or compete for the best-dressed prize.
“Not only will students get a chance to look good and show off their dates, but they will also have a free opportunity to win the raffle prizes and have free desserts for the evening,” Greenhalgh said. “Plus, it’s an opportunity to display how high-class you can look and have a good time!”
As far as Greenhalgh knows, while several organizations have put on campus dance parties before, next week’s event will be ISU’s first “Second Chance Prom.”
UPC began setting the prom in motion last summer when planning events for the year. It waited until the spring semester, closer to prom season, to hold the dance. Brainstorming what glitzy party theme would make for the best prom night possible, UPC came up with a retro look inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel and its recent film adaptation.
“When planning a prom-type event, a very clear and picturesque theme is essential,” Greenhalgh said. “Many different themes were discussed, but in light of the new Baz Luhrmann film of ‘The Great Gatsby’ and the rise of the 1920s sound in many popular songs recently, our current pop culture seemed to wholeheartedly embrace the ‘Great Gatsby’ theme above any other.”
The evening runs from 9 to 11 p.m. at the Student Union ballroom. Students with a Bengal ID get in free, and others can pay $5 for admission. Whether they had a great time the first go-round pinning boutonnieres, or never had the opportunity to attend a high school prom, students can be assured a memorable night, albeit without parents snapping photos in front of the mantle.
“A [Second] Chance Prom has always been an event that I’ve personally wanted to see unfold at ISU,” Greenhalgh, a graduating senior, said. “I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of it during my last year as a student here.”
