As students return to campus for the winter quarter after the six-week break and settle back into their academic lives, campus events and the excitement that comes with them return as well. To welcome them back and kick off the quarter with a bang, an old favorite from the 2022-2023 school year returned to campus to fill the night with music and dancing.
On Friday, Jan. 5, Royal Brougham Pavilion became a dance floor for the countless students who packed into the gym for the silent disco organized by the Student Programming and Outdoor Recreation Program. Upon entering, students were handed a set of headphones and enjoyed a night filled with music, dancing, drinks and all the socializing possible when wearing a pair of headphones.
The theme of the night was the Y2K craze, which inspired many of the outfits and music choices for the evening. The headphones provided to attendees had three different channels, each playing a different song, giving students a wide variety of music to enjoy. It was not uncommon however for almost every headset to switch to one channel when a favorite number was being played, resulting in everyone dancing and singing in unison.
It was clear that many of the attendees went all out to celebrate the event. Some dressed in disco-inspired costumes, while others dressed in fancier clothes for the high-end feeling of the night. In the case of both styles, it was uncommon to see anyone go all out alone, with most people dressing up in groups and dozens of students at a time arriving looking their best.
Gail Young, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, enjoyed many different aspects of the silent disco and felt that the event fit all of her expectations.
“Being able to dance with my friends, which is always fun, great music choices, great environment,” Young said. “My friends and I were able to dress up, which was great. We always go all out for these events.”
Another element of the night that students enjoyed was the concessions provided at the dance. Attendees were given their choice of a variety of drinks and sodas. The drinks stood above all else for Alexis Fejeran, a fourth-year English student.
“I felt like the drinks were probably the best part,” Fejeran said. “The Shirley Temples and everything, I thought, was the highlight of the night.”
When it comes to STORP events at Seattle Pacific University, students are always given the opportunity to have fun and enjoy themselves. Still, on top of that, many students also feel that they get to enjoy something even greater and more meaningful.
Mario Esquivel, a third-year business student, described this feeling when discussing his experience.
“What I liked the most was watching the SPU community come together,” Esquivel said. “It’s just really cool to see something like that, and I just thought it was really great to see it happen.”
