Globally Inspired

Ball after ball after ball after ball

After an exciting time in foreign lands, it was time to come back home…to St. Andrews that is. It’s actually kinda weird to think of it as home, but there is nothing like a 2 week spring break to make it feel so. As if traveling around Scotland, London, and Italy wasn’t exciting enough, I came back to a festive St. Andrews. Ball season had taken over. Over a span of 3 weeks I went to 4 balls! 20 years before then I had been to none. I went to my hall ball, McIntosh hall ball, the John Barnet charity ball, and lastly a masquerade ball. 

Each ball was wonderful in it’s own way. I loved the St. Regulus ball, my hall ball, which took place in the Old Course Hotel (the very fancy golf resort). It was beautiful to see the people I have lived with, shared countless meals with, welcomed me, and gotten to really know over the past three months, dressed to the nines. The ball was decades themed, so there was a cool mix of dress styles. The Old Course was such an elegant venue for the ball. It was cool to sit down for a fancy dinner before the dance. The food was fantastic! They even had sticky toffee pudding (a new Scottish favorite of mine). We all had an amazing time dancing the night away. My friend Charlie from Regs was the DJ for part of the night. His mix of 90’s hits and today’s favorites really pumped everyone up! We also danced a ceilidh (a traditional Scottish dance). It was unreal to think I was at a ball…with people I didn’t know three months ago but now consider close friends…in a luxury golf hotel…in Scotland. Truly amazing what time brings! 

The masquerade ball was a different kind of amazing. The ball took place in St. Mary’s quad, where I have my psychology classes. Over a week I got to see the tent being put up and the furniture put in as the ball neared. It definitely built up my excitement for it. This time I got to go to a ball with Kristyn and Kelly. It was really fun getting ready together and finally getting a chance to wear the masks we bought in Venice. They looked incredible! The vintage style of the venue, the live band, and all the intricate masks came together beautifully. They even had a hookah bar set up, which really added to the mysterious vibe of the night.

I was also lucky to be invited to the John Barnet ball. The ball was at a hotel on the scores, which look out at the North Sea. It was very last minute so I didn’t know what to expect, but I had a great time! Charlie was also DJing the JB ball, so he invited a few of us from Regs. This ball was far less formal than my own. It was actually Aloha themed! There was a remote control balloon shark, a limbo, Hawaiian garb, and so many lays. The ball was so colorful and fun.

The last ball I went to was the McIntosh hall ball (Kristyn and Kelly’s). We had even more fun getting ready together for a ball than we did the first time. We all were fancy long dresses. Kristyn and Kelly both looked gorgeous. I actually got to wear my high school prom dress (never thought I’d get use out of that again)! Their ball was Arabian themed and took place at the Byre theatre. It was a fantastic setting! They had dancing on the stage of the theatre, food outside, and beautiful decorations all around. I had a wonderful time with them! Even though the music wasn’t great, we had a fun time dancing. My friend Erik from Regs also came to the ball. We both decided that we had a great time at our own hall ball and theirs. I was also happy to see Will and Jacob at the ball and catch up with them for a bit. Each ball was unique in its own way and I had a lovely experience at each. I definitely didn’t feel too bad about missing the May ball after going to 4 other balls and because I was going to Ireland instead.