Last year, Student Congress created a “lock-in” policy for Blue and Gold, and the student body continues to seem divided on the decision.

The controversial rule states that once entering the dance students must stay until eleven o’clock. Parent and teacher chaperones stand guard at the doors while TKO DJs blast 2010 bops and the dance floor turns into a sweatpit.

Congress hoped the lock-in would prevent the dance from thinning out too early as kids rushed off to after parties and late night Steak n’ Shake runs, but some students said it was an attempt at “forced fun.” Jackson Williams ‘19 claims, “As far as the lock-in goes, all of us wanted to leave earlier than eleven, so it kind of sucked.”

Other students are on the fence about the topic, like sophomore Allie Lane 21’, who attended the dance for the first time this year. “I thought it was an interesting idea to have it as a lock-in,” she observed, “but it made me want to leave the party even earlier than when we were supposed to. I support the idea, but it should be modified a bit.”

Some students, however, insist the new rule had no negative effect on their evening. Sophomore Dev Nayak ‘21 said, “B and G were really fun! To me, it wasn’t bad because we were all having a good time so I didn’t think about the lock-in once.”

Emma Sock 21’ noted that “The lock-in portion of it turned out to work well and didn’t seem to take away from the excitement of the dance.”

One of the things I’ve noticed at the JBS homecoming dances I’ve attended, both of which included the lock-in policy, is the seniors. It seemed that when given no option to stay, the eldest students took advantage of every moment that their last homecoming dance provided.

Will Forsen 19’ and Colin Bradley 19’ led the charge this year, grabbing the glowing table decorations and holding them high above their heads while rallying the rest of the dance floor behind them. Soon, all students from grades 10-12 were clustered together, sweating it out to the Cha Cha Slide.

As tired students piled into cars, eager to move on to their next location, it was the senior students still getting down in the lunchroom. Maya Shetty 19’ and her friends were some of the last to leave what would be their final Blue and Gold dance. When asked about the lock-in, Shetty remarked, “My friends and I love to dance, so most of us never mind staying until they let us out.”

It’s safe to say that Student Congress made the right call with the lock-in rule. At its worst, the lock-in keeps some restless students from leaving an hour or two early. But, at its best, it brings the upperclassmen together, creating hilarious dance circles and dramatic lip syncs to 2000s hits.

Most importantly, it gives seniors the opportunity to knot their ties around their heads, sweat out their hair sprayed curls, and leave it all on the dance floor at their last homecoming.