Meredith Herald
November 17,1999
2 Campus News
Students, dates take time for music, dancing
Alexia Andrews
SlafI Writer
"One Last Time" made a
perfect theme for the last semi-
formal to be held in years that
begin with “19.”
Meredith College students
were in a frantic scurry for the
past few weeks. It wasn’t exam
time or term papers: they were
looking for dates for the semi-
formal.
With the White Iris Ball's
"One Last Time." put on by the
Meredith Entertainment Asso
ciation, approaching students
were hunting down dresses,
friends and dinner reservations
in time for the dance on Friday.
Nov. 12.
After classes on Friday, stu
dents gathered with their
friends to gei ready for the
White Iris Ball.
For dinner, students and
their dates went to restaurants
including Lucky 32, Kanki,
The Fox and Hound. Simp
sons' and Jimmy V.
Finally the couples were off
to the Raleigh Civic and Con
vention Center in downtown
Raleigh. There they danced
from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. to the
sound of The Phase Band.
At the door, couples gave up
their $26 couple tickets and
$16 single tickets in exchange
for a silver hat filled with New-
Year’s-type goodies such as
confetti, can huggers, noise-
makers and bottles of bubbles.
Freshman Jenee Chiccarrelli
said, “1 really loved the hat
souvenirs with all the stuff in
them. They were so cool"
There were balloons every
where. many of which ended
up being popped, but many
other decorations adorned the
ballroom of the Civic Center.
At midnight, balloons streamed
down, just as they would on
New Year’s Eve.
Megan Deane, freshman,
was impressed with the deco
rations. She said.
“They made the won
derful ambiance that
was the New Year’s
Eve theme."
The band, although
their lead singer w-as
sick, played a wide
variety of songs: hip
hop, oldies, 80’s and
many more.
Senior Beth Don
aldson said,'The band
was awesome. They
played a lot of cool
music." She com
mented on the lack of
slow songs during the
night but added that
there are usually
never enough at any
dance.
Freshman Avery
McGrew was remind
ed throughout the
evening that the dance’s theme
welcomed the New Year and
said good-bye to the old one.
McGrew added that she had a
wonderful time.
Hoon Kim, freshman, said,
“I had a great time dancing the
year away and my dale was
awesome."
Freshman Jenni Brady's date
encouraged many to dance.
Brady said, "I thought it was
great that my date was the hit
of the group."
She added. “1 had a great
time and thought everything
was lovely, but I could have
done without the balloons at
midnight.”
Others, such as Lisa Wilson
loved the balloons coming
down on the floor at midnight.
Wilson said. “The decorations
were cool, but the theme of the
year 2000 is getting old quick
ly”
However, the consensus
seemed to be that most people
had a good time, whether they
came early or stayed late.
MEA sponsors the White Iris
Ball each autumn.
Meredith students enjoy the music of the Phase Band at the While
Iris Ball on Friday night.
Photo by Jenny Ac.tier
Residence Life sponsors information week
Michelle Hulse
Staff Writer
Students were invited to
speak their minds and enjoy
cookies and hot chocolate at
the Fideside Chat on first Heil
man Tuesday, Nov. 9. During
this time, the Director of Resi
dence Life, Charlene Gaines,
and other members of the RL
staff addressed students' con
cerns on issues affecting life in
the residence halls.
The Fireside Chat, reminis
cent in name of FDR’s weekly
morale boosters to the country
during the Great Depression of
the 1930s. was a part of Resi
dence Life Expo Week, held
Nov. 8-12.
At the chat, a few students
were concerned that the smok
ing policy would be changed
and that they would no longer
be allowed to smoke in their
rooms.
In response to this concern,
Gaines said that, as of now,
their smoking privileges would
not be taken away, but she said
that Residence Life was look
ing into the current policy for
the health and safety of other
students.
Other issues that were
addressed were safely con
cerns; the malfunction of the
CamCard readers and the
inconstancy of the fire alarms.
The CamCard readers are
not always working to open the
doors of the residence halls and
students are propping open the
doors, posing a threat to other
students’ safety. Gaines sug
gested that students call securi
ty immediately when or if they
discover that a reader is not
working properly.
Another student expressed
concern over the fire alarm
constantly going off in Brewer
and that, when it did go off, it
was barely audible while stu
dents slept. Gaines and other
RL staff members assured the
student that the fire alarms
would soon have a louder vol-
ume.
One student suggested that
Meredith have a community
resource center that could have
vacuums, movies and other
items for the needs and wants
of resident students. Many stu
dents felt that this center was a
great idea but may not be a
possibility.
In addition, students
gave their input on the idea
of having mixed-class
dorms and nearly all felt it
w as not a good idea.
The RL staff planned
other events during Resi
dence Life Expo week.
Throughout the week,
displays could be seen in
the Johnson Hall Rotunda-
Each residence hall put
together a display on dif
ferent residence life issues,
from diversity in residence
halls to Open House days
and regulations to fire safe-
'y-
On Thursday, Nov. 11,
the RL staff sponsored
Resident Assistant Appre
ciation Day. Residence
Life encouraged' resident stu
dents to thank their RA for all
of her hard work.
Gaines said that she is “open
to student’s input" and is will-
jng to listen to new ideas. Stu
dents can reach Gaines in the
Office of the Dean of Students
on the second floor of the Park
Center, or they can call at 760-
8633.
i
One display in Johnson Hall features a male NC State student
in recognition of “Boy Day,” or Open House.
Photo by Jenny Altier