Glitter and romance at Freshers’ Ball

“Freshers will remember last night as the most memorable moment of their Fresher experience. Mainly because it will take a whole year to get the glitter out of their hair”

I began Wednesday evening, like every other evening, at a screening of Bridget Jones before being spontaneously offered a ticket to the biggest night of Freshers’ Week: the Freshers’ Ball.

Having missed my own Freshers’ Ball, I really didn’t know what to expect. On the bright side, I blended in well with the new young things finding their feet in the Dublin club scene. Our Trinity News team of two arrived at the Academy, camera in hand, and completely sober.

It wasn’t carnage as I expected, but friendly and welcoming. People were standing outside taking selfies and updating Snapchats and there was hopeful excitement for an “unreal” night. I was herded into a queue that I assumed was bag search but was surprisingly for glitter. Keelin Shaughnessy of the Ents team ensured every single person was smeared head to toe as people giggled with utter glee at the idea of being so sparkly.

Even after the last minute cancellation of dance act J-Hus, the event stood to itself. The main room was kitted out with a Players decorative touch. Dreamlike clouds were hanging over the revellers as BBC Radio 1 DJ Danny Howard was shouting for “Ireland” to put their hands up. He was intense and the Freshers loved it.

nightout2 We got talking to Emma Maxwell, a student from Manchester, who spoke about how she didn’t care that J-Hus had cancelled, and when asked why she motioned to the room around her. Amongst all the romance, Emma also spoke about how Freshers’ Ball wasn’t just about pulling but was about friends and having the best time possible. That’s exactly what she was doing.

Down in the depths of the basement proved to be the most fun. As the TN editor went to find romance, a young Fresher told me how much he was enjoying the cheesy tunes of TFM and found himself in the basement as the main room “smelled a little strange”. The Flight Facilities edit of Paul Simon’s You Can Call Me Al underpinned budding friendships and TFM proved themselves to be a major highlight of the night.

nightout3 Dazed and confused this morning, Freshers will remember last night as the most memorable moment of their Fresher experience. Mainly because it will take a whole year to get the glitter out of their hair.

Sorcha Ní Cheallaigh

Sorcha is a Junior Sophister English student. She is currently managing editor for tn2, and a staff writer for Trinity News.