Saturday night was the only night of the year students were not begrudgingly ambling through Bobst, buried in books, generally feeling sorry for themselves or finishing mountains of homework. Instead, the library hosted hundreds of undergraduate students, decked out in their finest evening wear and masquerade masks, at NYU’s 30th Annual Violet Ball. The event sold out all 850 tickets available in advance.
Violet Ball always donates a percentage of its ticket sales to NYU’s 1831 Fund to support scholarships for incoming first-year and transfer students. Another special factor about Violet Ball that no doubt contributes to its popularity is that of-age Violet Ball-ers can drink wine and beer at the event.
Whether it’s with your friends, as part of the IRHC VIP squad, or with a significant other, many NYU students manage to go sometime during their college careers. This year, the event seemed to have less of a prom-ish vibe, and there were a lot of seniors in attendance. For seniors, this is a chance to make the most of their college career by taking their last opportunity to attend a Violet Ball.
“I chose to go because my friend convinced me,” CAS senior Ricky Pugalee said. “We decided that since it was our senior year, we should attend or else we’d regret not going.”
The location of Violet Ball is always a talked-about feature. While some people would never willingly step into Bobst if they didn’t have to, much less spend money to do so, a lot of people considered the location a major selling point.
“I love the idea of having a ball at Bobst,” Stern junior Shagun Varma said. “Bobst is generally associated with the dread of finals season, so it’s refreshing to view it in the complete opposite light. The venue was a big reason why I chose to go to Violet Ball. I would highly recommend going, especially if you’re of age and can enjoy the drinks there.” She, too, went in an effort to attend more NYU events as her senior year approaches.
Many students echoed these thoughts about the location, especially considering the building’s impressive architecture.
Stern senior Kang Huh went to the event with a group of friends and really appreciated the usage of the space.
“I think going to the ball in the library was really cute, a fun way to see the library in a new light (or a lack of light, for that matter),” Huh told WSN in a text. “It was a lot of fun — great music selection and great space for a party.”
From Neuman’s Kitchen’s catering to the vibrant dance floor, Violet Ball is one event you don’t want to miss while at NYU.
Email Ria Mittal at [email protected].
