NC students enthusiastically gathered at the annual homecoming dance at 7 p.m. Saturday night. Dressed to the nines, students embraced individuality through their outfits that they spent weeks planning. From suits to dresses varying in length, patterns, and styles, every NC student felt confident in their own skin as they danced the night away.

In an admirable attempt to follow COVID-19 regulations while mitigating potential exposures, the 2021 homecoming dance commenced completely outdoors. In correspondence with the dance’s theme, NC’s courtyard became transformed into a beautiful enchanted forest. A large white tent strung with fairy lights and star projections resided in the middle of the courtyard. Prompted by a talented DJ at the front of the tent, the space underneath the tent quickly became a large dance floor. Although spacious, students dancing in the middle of the tent formed a mosh pit, constantly jumping up and down to their favorite tunes. Songs including Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy” and Roscoe Dash and Waka Flocka Flame’s “No Hands” proved extremely successful.

Students also loved dancing and screaming the lyrics to songs by NC’s very own local singer senior Elijah Burke. The local musician raps behind the name Worldwide Eli and regularly releases music for his growing fan base.

“Homecoming was insane. I never knew I got that much love. It was truly overwhelming and it gave me confidence as well, I’ll always remember this,” Burke said.

When the adrenaline faded and sweat formed, students could hydrate with refreshments and prepackaged snacks found outside of the entrance to the NC cafeteria. Adjacent to the refreshment table, students had the option to travel down a concrete staircase to find an array of couches and sitting areas to relax. Lit again by gorgeous strung lights that maintained the night’s aesthetic, this area proved perfect for students to take a load off their feet while simultaneously engaging in conversation away from the blasting speakers.  Despite the dance taking place strictly outdoors, NC’s administration opened the doors to the freshman academy for students needing to use the restroom. Students hoping to snap a picture with their friends, date, or significant other could do so in front of a beautiful photo opp wall decorated with greenery. 

Each year NC’s student government, Tribal Connections (TC), hosts and organizes the homecoming dance and festivities. Student TC members poured endless hours of planning and dedication into this year’s homecoming week. All week leading up to the highly anticipated event, TC members worked behind the scenes to ensure the success of Saturday night’s dance. TC members planned dress-up days for each day of the week preceding Saturday’s dance. The dress-up days built up excitement for Saturday’s dance while simultaneously uniting NC students. Students across all four grades showed their excitement for homecoming by participating in the daily dress-up themes.

“A successful homecoming felt more relieving than anything else. Hearing positive feedback and seeing our vision come to life took a massive weight off of my shoulders. It was so incredible for all of our visions [to] come to life,” senior TC president Abigail Nwachukwu said.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic prevented a homecoming celebration from occurring last year. Therefore, the 2021 dance resembled the first homecoming experience for freshman and sophomores alike. Seniors who attended all three dances during their high school careers experienced the dance in three different locations. The class of 22’s inaugural homecoming took place in the main cafeteria in 2018. The following year the 2019 homecoming dance took place in the then newly renovated arena. Out of all three diverse locations, the 2021 location proved a fan favorite.

“Having homecoming in the courtyard created a more ethereal atmosphere since you had the night sky above you. There was more open space which gave it more of a relaxed feel since there were more places to be. Having fresh air was also nice, and the weather was beautiful which made it an overall a great experience,” senior Angelina Sisouphanh said.

 The memorable night came to an end at 10 p.m. and students piled into parked cars, waited for rides, or walked back to their nearby homes. Although the dance itself only lasted three hours, multiple students continued the festivities by going out to eat at local restaurants. Students left the dance with memories that will last a lifetime. For students who sported stilettos, bruises and blisters will serve as a daily reminder of these memories over the next couple of days.

“My first homecoming experience was a lot of fun! It was different than I imagined and was nothing like the movies, but I had so much fun! I loved dressing up and seeing all of my friends,” sophomore Savannah Tighe said.