As the graduation date gets closer, Keene State College seniors are busy applying for jobs and finishing up their credits. To take their minds off the stress, the senior class held the annual Red and White Night.
Senior Class Vice President Dominique Vaillancourt collaborated with other members of the executive board to plan this tradition, which is the biggest event the seniors plan all year.
“I personally was in charge of the decorations for the evening, but we all worked together to pick a DJ and work with the DC on planning the night,” Vaillancourt said.
Having the event be a memorable one for everyone was important to Vaillancourt.
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“I wanted the outcome of Red and White Night to be a fun, enjoyable experience for everyone in the class to celebrate the end of our college careers. We’ve all accomplished so much, and Red and White Night is to celebrate and all be together,” Vaillancourt said.
Held in the campus’ Zorn Dining Commons, the night included dancing, a DJ and even a bar for those of age. The goal was for the event to be a transitional celebration–a final gathering before adulthood truly kicks in.
Vaillancourt said overall, the event had a great turnout and she noticed very few incidences.
Senior class Secretary Marissa DePolo has been a volunteer for the event for three years now, and she also noticed little to no problems throughout the night.
“I think the night went really well,” DePolo said. “There are normally at least one or two major mishaps that get brought to the E-board or faculty’s attention, but it didn’t seem like anything major went wrong.”
Depolo said that events like this are important for seniors because it brings everyone together one last time. “I think this event brings everyone together and gives us an idea on the bigger picture. It also brings a bit of nostalgia, and as bittersweet of a feeling as that may be, I think there’s a lot to take from it,” DePolo said.
KSC senior Brooke Hatanaka agreed with DePolo’s feeling of nostalgia, comparing this event to her high school prom. “We’ve looked forward to it [Red and White Night] for so long,” Hatanaka said. “It’s almost like prom, but less stressful and everyone is just there to have a good time. It’s like a reward for making it this far and getting to celebrate with people you love.”
Vaillancourt said she is very proud of the people in her class, and there are not going to be many events like Red and White Night left.
“Once we graduate, most of us won’t have many excuses to get all dressed up and attend a dance like this again. Like in high school with homecoming and prom, these are big moments in our lives because we are a part of something and we want to celebrate with our friends,” Vaillancourt said.
Hatanaka has been excited about this event since her first year at KSC, and said she “had a blast.” The only improvement she said she could think of would have been more variety at the bar because they ran out of the “popular drinks” quickly.
Olivia Belanger can be contacted at obelanger@kscequinox.com
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