Students played casino games, danced and socialized with friends at the Winter Formal in Convent’s Main Hall on Jan. 25.

“Winter Formal is a great opportunity for everyone to mingle and relax as a community and have a good time,” Ryan Darwin ’20, Stuart Hall Spirit and Community Representative, said.

Unlike other Convent & Stuart Hall dances, Winter Formal featured casino games such as poker, blackjack and roulette. The $20 admission included game tickets as well as drinks, donuts and access to the dance floor.

“The casino games and the dancing were some of my favorite things at Winter Formal because they made the dance more engaging,” Eon Kounalakis ’21 said. “The games allowed the dance to cater to people who didn’t want to be on the dance floor.”

Finals Week just prior to Winter Break necessitated having the dance in January.

“It is pretty hard to schedule an event very close to finals, which is why the dance doesn’t take place before Christmas Break,” Darwin said. “There is also a grace period after break typically used for planning and re-adjusting in the second semester, so mid-to-late January is typically a great time for a school wide event like this.”

Attendance for Winter Formal set a new bar at 315.

“Anytime you can get an entire school together for an event like this is dope,” Darwin said. “Seeing everyone happy, whether they’re dancing, playing poker or just hanging out is a great feeling.”

Whether they were playing games or dancing together, the formal gave students an opportunity to bond with peers.

“Time away from school to relax and build relationships is just as important as time at and in school, so if you can mix fun and excitement with school, that’s a pretty special thing,” Darwin said.