Point Loma Nazarene University hosted the spring formal, “Fly Me To Formal,” on March 29 at the San Diego Air and Space Museum, which was the first time for a formal at this location. The dance, along with many other school events, are planned months in advance by the campus activities board (CAB) and Associated Student Body (ASB) members.
A member of CAB, Allie VanStelten, a third-year psychology major, said that for this year’s formal, more went on behind the scenes than students may know.
“The committee thought through very carefully where everything was going, such as mocktails, jazz band, snacks [and] desserts,” VanStelten said. “[They] planned the DJ, made playlists, made flower arrangements, went shopping, made visions of what they wanted the dance to look like decor-wise and so much more.”
Every year, the spring formal looks different, and students who are a part of the planning committee plan everything themselves.
Emma Vaughn, a third-year psychology major, said that for this formal, she enjoyed the venue.
“I feel like they did a really good job of finding a really neat place with a lot of different things to do … and that they had some live music outside, too,” Vaughn said.
There were tables filled with drinks, including Poppi, Yerba Mates, sparkling water and Gatorade, and some tables filled with a variety of desserts. Outside the museum on a balcony, there was a jazz band and Moniker mocktails being served. Students were also able to explore the museum and experience the open exhibits.
“I really liked the dance being in the museum; it was super cool and fun to explore around,” Ethan Linden, a fourth-year business major, said.
There were also a few areas that some students said were challenging to navigate.
“In comparison to last year, the outside space was much smaller, so navigating where the desserts, mocktails and jazz band were going to go was trickier since we wanted to make sure everyone knew where they were,” VanStelten said.
While Vaughn said she had a good time overall, there were a few things she wished were implemented from previous dances.
“I felt like it was just a lot more strict than previous formals, specifically with dancing,” Vaughn said. “I wish that the live band would’ve gone a little bit longer or just played some more music.”
Linden said he wished last year’s chocolate fountain would have made a reappearance.
While students said they enjoyed the formal, they also thought of ways CAB could continue to plan successful events.
“I think it’s good they switch up the locations every year because everyone would get tired of doing the same place every year, so I think they should keep doing museums and have four museums on rotation so you can go to a new one every year you’re at school,” Linden said.
Steve Anderson