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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Students weigh in on all-school formal

Saint Mary’s students and their guests relived their high school dances when Saint Mary’s Residence Hall Association (RHA) hosted the all-school, prom-themed formal on Friday at the Hilton Garden Inn.

RHA president Kaitlyn Baker said the event was a huge success and received positive feedback from students in attendance all night.

Eight hundred tickets went up for sale to support RHA. Baker said she was pleased with the number of students that bought tickets.

“We sold at least 780 tickets, so we are pretty happy about that,” Baker said.

The theme for the formal this year was “prom” and included the crowning of a prom queen for the upperclassmen and a prom princess for the lowerclassmen.

“This year we have a very large freshman class,” Baker said. “We thought it was pretty practical so most of the girls could wear their prom dresses again. That’s what drew us towards the prom theme.”

Left to right, Molly Pax, Gabriella Coronado, Catherine Miller, Madeline Rafferty, Caitlin McGarry and Hannah Britton pose barefoot.
Left to right, Molly Pax, Gabriella Coronado, Catherine Miller, Madeline Rafferty, Caitlin McGarry and Hannah Britton pose barefoot.


First-year student Ali Mahoney was excited about the prom theme and was pleased with her first college formal at Saint Mary’s.

“I think it’s really fun to dress up and get ready for a dance again like we did in high school but to do it in college with all our friends,” she said.

Before the formal, the organizers of Dance Marathon, a charity event meant to raise money for the Riley Hospital for Children, provided hair and nail services in the Reignbeaux lounge in Le Mans from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.. Salon Rouge was painting nails for $5, curling and braiding hair for $2, doing makeup for $2 and applying hair extensions for $7. All the money went to support Dance Marathon.

First-year student Catherine Miller had her nails painted in Le Mans before the formal. Miller said she thought it was such a fun idea for Dance Marathon to offer these services for girls.

“My nails looked so great for formal and you couldn’t beat those prices,” Miller said. “I’m so happy Dance Marathon did this because doing my own nails is always a struggle and it feels great being pampered once in a while.”

First-year student Madeline Rafferty said although she had a great time at the formal, she was upset the dance was held on Friday instead of Saturday.

“My boyfriend goes to University of Wisconsin Madison so he would have had to skip his classes on Friday to make it in time to formal.” Rafferty said. “A lot of other girls have significant others that don’t go to Notre Dame or Holy Cross so it would have been nice if formal was on Saturday.”

Sophomore Annie McGlone said she had a great time dancing with her friends and really enjoyed the prom aspect of formal. “Formal has been a lot of fun. We just came with our friends and no dates, which can be even better,” McGlone said. “We’re just having a lot of fun on the dance floor.”

First-year student Yosline Camacho said she never attended prom in high school and was happy to share this experience with her best friends.

“Saint Mary’s did such a good job with formal this year and I was so excited it was prom themed. There are always so many dances at Notre Dame and we never have dances here, so when we do it’s a great way for the community to come together, get dressed up, and have a blast,” Camacho said. “I can’t wait for next year’s formal.”