As February begins and the second semester kicks off, Edison students are looking forward to Valentine’s Day celebrations and new school events. But this year, excitement for activities like the Cupid’s Ball has competed against snowstorms, Regent’s week, and slow ticket sales. What was meant to be a smooth start to the second semester has instead shown how weather and scheduling can affect majority student participation.
Throughout late January and early February, heavy snowfall made commuting more difficult for both students and staff. At the same time, Regent’s week required teachers and administrators to focus more on exams, grading, and proctoring. These combined factors delayed promotion for Edison’s first and ever Cupid’s Ball, hosted by the LatinX Club, also slowing down ticket sales at a critical time.
According to Ms. Inderjeit from the COSA Office, the unexpected snowstorm played a major role in postponing event approvals. “The main reason for the delay was the unexpected snowstorm we had last week,” she explained. Because the COSA office handles event approvals and promotions, clubs were unable to post flyers or make announcements while the office was closed.
The timing made things even more complicated. “Regent’s week came right on the heels of the storm, and that’s always a really busy period,” Ms. Inderjeit said. “Most staff were focused on exams, proctoring, grading, and making sure everything ran smoothly so event planning had to take a back seat temporarily.” As a result, promotion for the Cupid’s Ball was pushed back by about a week. Although the event date remains the same, organizers now have less time to advertise, decorate, and sell tickets.
For Abigail Campoverde, president of the LatinX Club, the delays created additional stress. Since this is Edison’s first Valentine’s Day dance, she said many students were unsure about what to expect.
“The hardest part of prompting the dance was it being Edison’s first valentines day dance and people didn’t really get it, like understanding what it was going to be about,” Campoverde said. She emphasized that the event is meant to celebrate more than just romantic relationships. “We wanted people to know everyone’s welcome and it isn’t just about being in a relationship but about love and friendship.”
With the COSA office closed and limited opportunities to sell tickets in person, promotion stalled. “With the COSA office not being open, there weren’t many sales so I was kind of scared if we were going to have enough people to go,” she admitted. Even though the club was prepared, they could not control the external circumstances affecting participation.
Some students still remain hesitant to attend. Layla Beharrylal, a junior at Edison, said she decided not to buy a ticket.
“I think it will be boring, because I’ve gone to many past events and fright night was the only one most people went to,” she said. Academic responsibilities also influenced her decision. “I have to go home and do homework for my class and that takes most of my time so I don’t think I would be able to go. And most of my friends aren’t going either so I am not going.”
Layla’s response reflects a larger pattern. Students are balancing schoolwork, social life, and outside responsibilities. For some, harsh winter weather makes staying home more appealing than attending an evening event. For others, peer influence plays a strong role. If their friends are not attending, they are less likely to participate themselves.
Despite these challenges, the Cupid’s Ball represents an effort to build community at the start of a new semester. The story is timely, as tickets recently went on sale and the dance is quickly approaching. It directly impacts the Edison community, showing how unpredictable weather and busy academic schedules can affect school spirit and event planning.
The situation also raises broader questions, such as how schools can promote better events during busy periods. Could earlier planning, stronger promotions, or extended ticket sale time increase student participation? These are conversations student leaders and administrators may consider in the future.
For now, the LatinX Club remains hopeful that more students will attend. With Regent’s week over and promotion back on track, organizers continue encouraging classmates to give the event a chance. Even with setbacks, goals remain the same, to create an environment that celebrates love, friendship, and unity within the Edison community.
