It’s that time of year again, and this Friday marks the deadline for Semi signups. Most people have probably made up their minds by now. But it’s not too late to change your mind, and for those of you who don’t want to go, read this article. I can’t promise to make you change your mind, but I can promise to give you a different perspective on the signups.
The Semi is one of the more fun events in the school season. So why would people choose not to go? There are a good variety of reasons.
“It’s not going to be any fun without a date.” This is the main problem you’ll hear, and it’s an understandable one. One of the main features of the Semi is that you go with a date, isn’t it? Honestly, I wouldn’t say that’s the case. Last year’s semi, I noticed most of the Oratory students chose to hang out with one another, while the dates often stayed together. After all, despite the term used, it’s less of a date and more of an invitation. If you choose not to bring a date, for whatever reason, there’s no issue. You can have fun with your friends over good music and food in a setting where you don’t have to be worried about the schedule or homework. It’s a great opportunity to socialize and hang out with friends.
“But none of my friends are going.” Of course, the idea of a social event without any of your friends sounds unpleasant. There are, however, some things to note. Firstly, if you still have time to change your mind, so do they. Find out why they’re not going. They may share this reason, and they’ll go if you do.
“I’m just not interested.” For many, this seems like a reasonable response. Why spend so much time and money on a semi-formal event where you have to dress up just so you can sit around and talk to your friends when you do that all the time anyways? In that case, I just have to say: try it. At least once, experience the semi-formal. Maybe you just want to go so you can stare at the city skyline and relax. Maybe you would simply enjoy the atmosphere. Either way, Semi has something to offer for everyone. If you went last year and didn’t like it, so be it. But if you haven’t tried it out, please do. Even if you dislike it, that’s a single Thursday night sacrificed for you to have the security of knowing that you tried out new things and experienced everything you wanted to during your time at OP. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. So, take a shot in the dark. You’ll be glad you did.
