It’s no secret that many students leave the homecoming dance early to go to parties, grab a late-night treat, or even get an extra hour of sleep. By the halfway mark, the gym almost feels empty. But now, a lot of people aren’t going to the dance at all. When did homecoming become “lame” to students? Maybe the music is bad, or the gym is too hot and sweaty, or maybe people are trying too hard to not have fun. 

The whole mood of the dance is brought down when nobody does the exact thing it was made for: dancing. I’m not saying everybody should start full-on breakdancing in their semi-formal attire, but the reason the dance feels so low-energy is because nobody is giving any energy in the first place. It’s no one’s fault if they don’t like what the DJ is playing, or if they get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of bodies stuffed into one gym. However, if everyone is just standing around on the gym floor while music is playing, people who do want to dance and have fun are going to feel discouraged. 

It’s a common stereotype that teenagers act aloof and have a mentality that we’re “too cool” for anything. While this is just a stereotype, it certainly contributes to the lack of excitement and energy in places like the homecoming dance. Letting go of this mentality might be exactly what we need to make it more fun. A big reason that people choose not to dance at homecoming is their fear of judgement or making a fool of themselves. This then turns into a mob mentality of everyone deciding that the dance is lame when, in reality, they are just too scared to make it less lame. 

Going into the dance already thinking it’s going to be boring will make it boring. Not going to the dance at all because you think it’s going to be boring will also make it boring. However, and I know it’s easier said than done, going into the dance with an open mind and no fear of being judged will make it an amazing night.