Every year, Norwich University hosts a regimental ball where students and invited guests dress up, socialize, and dance the night away. After attending this past weekend, I would almost call it “a fancier version of prom.” As Norwich is a military school, the dance requires those students in the Corps Of Cadets program to dress in their blue button down uniforms, which I believe boast a more formal name that I am unaware of.
Because of its 76% to 24% men to women ratio, many girls are invited to attend the ball. These may be girlfriends from home or high school, old friends, or someone random because a guy needed a date. In my case, my older brother Walter who is is a senior at Norwich had a couple of buddies who needed dates. From my friend Abby and I’s perspectives, of course we wanted to go! A night to wear old prom dresses we LOVED and splurged on, get all dolled up, and escorted in on a red carpet? HELL YEAH.
Being only 45 minutes away from Norwich at Saint Michael’s was an added bonus. We had the whole day to pamper and arrive to the ball, “fashionably late.” Upon meeting up with our dates and walking into the building where the dance would be held, each man asked for our arm as they walked us in the door. Classy.
When the ball got heated up, the dance floor was filled and TOASTY warm to say the least. The DJ was awesome, and everyone let loose! My brother Walter explained that so many cadets and students at Norwich look forward to this annual dance, and that was definitely evident on Saturday night, October 19th. Would Abby and I want to go again next year? For sure!