Written by Julia Dykshoorn

Well, folks, it finally happened.

After two years of rather plain (and, shall we say, virus-hindered) spring semesters, Cairn University’s annual Gala came back to decorate the perennially gray month of March with more class than ever. Cairn students proved more than ready for its return, as tickets sold out several days before the actual event.

Despite the fact that I am a graduating senior, this was my first Cairn Gala, and it did not disappoint. Not only was it a prime excuse to whip out my dress from senior prom, but it included a delicious dinner which far exceeded MAC standards. I arrived with three of my friends at six o’clock sharp, and were some of the first guests to make an appearance. In the email Student Life sent out the day before, we were instructed to enter the east side of the building, through a white pergola, if the weather remained pleasant. Standing in the parking lot and facing two white pergolas, one on each side of the building, my friends and I realized with some small dismay that none of us had brought a compass. Thankfully, instead of stumbling into some unsuspecting couple’s wedding, my friends and I decided to make a stab at the front entrance and hope for the best.

Let me just say, there’s something positively majestic about sweeping up to a pillared entrance in floor-length formal wear, even if you’re only sixty-five percent sure it’s where you’re supposed to be going. Fortunately, the front entrance proved to be a safe bet, and after being checked in by Billy Holland and Andrew Gordon, we were ushered into the Warrington’s Wedgewood Room, where pop music boomed out from the speakers and Warrington staff hurried about, performing last-minute preparations as dozens of glamorously appareled college students socialized and played finders-keepers with optimal photography spots. My friends and I were directed into a separate room, where bartenders served Shirley Temples, resorting to making pitchers of the stuff as one student after the next approached and requested the carmine drink. In the corner, guests lined up to wait for an independently-hired photobooth, where students posed with “life of the party” signs and occasional facial contortions.

We were given plenty of time to take pictures, as dinner didn’t end up being served until close to eight o’clock. While we waited, students were given the opportunity to request songs from the DJ; so while attempting to make awkward small-talk, we were loudly serenaded by classics including “Africa” and “Life is a Highway” (not, unfortunately, the Veggie Tales version, despite our student body president’s best efforts). Nevertheless, the food was certainly worth the wait. The Warrington served a buffet of potatoes that were the stuff of dreams, freshly steamed and buttered vegetables, chicken, salmon, and prime rib, with vegetarian pasta on the side. Those potatoes would have been enough to put anyone into a food coma, but before that could become a distinct possibility, the music ratcheted up to astounding decibels and the dance floor came alive. As lights flashed, students pounded the floor to songs including “Shut Up and Dance,” “Levels,” and the ever iconic “Cupid Shuffle.” While students danced the night away, the Warrington’s legendary cheesecake made its way to everyone’s seats, providing us with a break from dancing so delicious it almost–almost!–outdid the potatoes.

When the night finally ended, students left with mildly damaged hearing, stomachs full of pure goodness, and hearts satisfied with a wonderfully pleasant evening of friendship and community.