Olivia Richman — General Assignment Reporter
Where could students have gone to get neon accessories and dance the night away?
The Neon Welcome Back Party Dance last Wednesday in the Student Center ballroom at Southern Connecticut State University.
SCSU student, Jason Thigpen, said the dance was a success.
“The DJ was off the hook,” he said. “He played the crowd well with a good music selection.”
The DJ played popular music, ranging from old school hip hop to dance hall (Jamaican dance music).
There were about 700 people in the large crowd, according to Brittany Magruder, a member of Programs Council who helped set up the dance. Around 11 at night, everybody began to dance.
“I prefer hip hop then dance hall and house. I am a dancer so I had and amazing time,” said Thigpen, a media studies major. “I only saw a few people standing around.”
Richella Rondon, a sports journalism major at SCSU, said she went to the dance because she wanted to meet new people.
“I figured it’d be a new way to meet people,” she said, “seeing as I’m a transfer.”
The dance, that went from 9 to one in the morning, had a neon theme. Students handed out glow stick necklaces and neon glasses at the door.
“Everyone likes neon,” Rondon said. “It was funky.”
Thigpen, on the other hand, wanted more neon.
“I didn’t like the theme,” he said. “Because the only thing neon about the dance was the glow sticks they handed out.”
Jake Chambless, a social work sophomore, said he wished he had gone to the dance.
“I didn’t know there was a dance the day we came back,” said Chambless. “I wish I went though, because (the neon) seemed to lighten the mood and make everybody happy.”
At the Neon Dance Party, there were many activities and free food available for students.
There was a room of tables for students who felt like relaxing during the party, and free pizza, drinks and Italian ice.
There was even a photo booth for friends to pile into.
“I took pictures with my chums,” said Thigpen. “It was fun.”
Rondon said the dance was a success in her opinion.
“I knew a couple lf people there and met a few new friends,” she said. “The music was good. The DJ was great.”
Chambless said he would definitely go to the next dance if the theme was to his liking.
Rondon said she felt the same way.
“It’s so good to see students support events. I went to a school where there was no school spirit.
It was at, like, zero,” she said. “So I’m glad to see that people at SCSU support their school’s events.”
Magruder said the dance was a success.
“People I talked to said they had fun,” she said. “They had a good time.”
Coming up next for the Programs Council is a screening of one of the summer’s biggest comedy movies, “The Hangover; Part II.”
Free snacks, free drinks and free raffles will all take part during the event.
It all takes place in the student center theater next Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
