Opinion by a very classy student
Apparently graduating high school doesn’t mean moving on to bigger and better in every aspect. Ryerson’s Blue and Gold Ball, an annual event held at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) on March 28, was more of a high school dance with heels and ties than anything else.
When I heard “university formal,” “ball,” and things of the sort- I was expecting a little more than an ice rink turned dance floor, with a shot bar on one end, and a drink bar on the other. Not to say those weren’t good additions, because they most definitely were… But personally, in my vision of a “grand affair”… I had my hopes a little higher.
This is not to say that I don’t appreciate the team that put the event together – event planning requires a ton of work and I don’t mean to put down their efforts. I just believe, as a guest and a student at Ryerson, our school-wide formal could definitely step up it’s game.
A nicer venue wouldn’t be so bad, and would definitely give the night a much grander vibe. It’s about presentation, and the bar can only enhance it so much. Entering the MAC, and going up the escalator, I didn’t know where the ball was even being held, because I had never attended before.
I didn’t imagine it being held in an empty ice rink. I followed the signs upstairs, and checked my coat (coat check was definitely a great thing). It was well organized and I got my coat back right away.
They also had signs reminding guests to take photos of their ticket numbers, a very, very good idea considering the amount of tags I saw on the floor.
The shots bar by the entrance, and the other towards the other side of the rink, centred around a stage which was surrounded by guests – most dancing, some standing around the edges, drinking and talking. It felt like the semi-formal dances I had been attending for the past four years.. except not at a banquet hall.
One difference I suppose was the amount of liqueur some people were consuming, my friend and I encountered one girl in the bathroom who was certainly not at her best by any means, better out than in I suppose.
Cheers to the team for getting an event together, and maybe having it at the MAC is a tradition… but some traditions should be broken. Step up the “ball” game next year Ryerson!
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