There was no better way to kick off the beginning of autumn than with the South Lakes High School 2023 Homecoming dance. This year’s theme was “soaring through Neverland,” and with everyone dressed up, dancing, and singing the night away, the school truly embraced the fairy tale aesthetic!
“I just wanted to go in with an open mind,” Hadley Pound said, a senior who moved from France. “I just wanted to go there and have a good time and it was a good time.”
The school had been transformed for the dance, transporting students from the mundane halls through a balloon tunnel and onto the purple and green lit dance floor. Waves of hands rose and fell in time with the pop and rock music blasting through the gym so loud, it could be heard vibrating through the walls. The DJ played classic songs like Starships by Nicki Minaj, Levitating by Dua Lipa, and Industry Baby by Little Nas X, and even incorporated classic dancing songs to get students of all grades up and dancing to familiar rhythms.
“This is one of the best homecomings I’ve had… the DJ actually played good music this time,” Annika Bhatia said, “and it was music that I knew!”
The set up this year had changed from years prior. This year, there were no outdoor activities and the dance was restricted to the gym and the lecture hall.
“[Outdoors] was always my favorite part,” Silvyr Pickering said. “…I was kind of sad seeing [it was] no longer present. However this year the stuff inside really went a lot farther than it ever went. I was very impressed by what was there.”
This year, the entire gym was opened up, giving students the space and incentive to let loose and have fun.
In the lecture hall, a variety of activities were available like video games, ping pong, and even a showing of the nostalgic early 2000s Tinker Bell movies.
“They brought back Wi from sophomore year,” Bhatia added, “which was also really fun.”
Additionally, there were two photo booths with lines wrapping around the block. Students would squeeze as many as their friends as possible into the frame, memorializing their night onto colorful photo strips.
Overall, students were extremely satisfied and excited with their experience.
“Honestly just being there with all the friends I made so far was really nice,” Pound said, “[and] dancing to songs that I kind of knew.”
“Leadership did really well this year!” Bhatia said. “I wasn’t going to be a huge fan of the theme, but the lights and everything really put it together.”
Other students were similarly pleased with all the changes. “Homecoming can thrive even without a ton of extra space,” Pickering said. “…It’s a super magical time of the year, and I’m really glad to see that it still is that magical time of the year.”
The South Lakes 2023 Homecoming will fondly reside in students’ memories, reminding us that growing up doesn’t mean we can’t still have a great time!
