With much anticipation, this year’s Halloween themed homecoming dance sold out days before the event, which disappointed the many students who crowded the ASB Store in an attempt to purchase their tickets.
Maxing out at a capacity of 350 tickets, Haunted HOCO—the official name of the dance—was the second homecoming held since the end of distance learning, hosted by the ASB in the Van Ness Gym on Saturday, October 28th. According to ASB Sponsor Mr. Mendoza, the association planned to sell 300-350 tickets over a two week period, but were caught by surprise with the turn out as they sold out at max capacity three days before the dance.
While students were encouraged to wear their costumes, dance-goers also came in formal wear, ready to have some fun. Some major highlights of the night were a surprise performance by K-Pop Club, dancing to “Attention” by NewJeans and “Eve, Psyche, & The Bluebeard’s wife” by LE SSERAFIM, and the haunted house for students to pass through upon entry, hosted by the new Haunted House Committee.
Also included was a photo booth hosted by StartUp Academy, a photo op setup, various seating spots, a snack section, and DJ, each stationed at different areas of the gym.
Another highlight of the dance was the announcement of the homecoming court, with seniors Myles D. and America R. crowned king and queen, Biruk S. and Neveah P. named prince and princess, and juniors Flint C. and Stephanie S. winning the titles of duke and duchess.
The ASB also tried to implement various policies to ensure a better experience for all, such as keeping the gym windows open and capping the capacity which helped mitigate overcrowding and heat issues that were experienced last year, although there were still some minor disruptions from fire alarms and long lines.
Students had mainly positive things to say about the dance. Junior Evan H. said, “I really enjoyed dancing and goofing around with friends … The haunted house was pretty neat too,” but also added, “There needed to be more water and better line management,” referring to supply shortages of bottled water, and long lines for the photo booth during the dance.
Also sharing similar experiences, senior Cherlyn P. recalled her highlights, saying, “I loved singing to top of my lungs to Bad Bunny songs,” while also citing that there could be more food next time.
