On Friday March 8, the Trent Oshawa community held the third annual semi-formal dance. Drawing inspiration from the motion picture, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the Trent Oshawa Student Association (TOSA) transformed the campus auditorium into a sweet and magical Candyland.

Teresa Melrose, Karen Fitzsimmons, Debra Steele and Shazia Siddiqi, second- and third-year Psychology students and friends were excited to attend Friday’s dance, admitting with their combined workload that the semi-formal was a chance for them to meet and talk.

Events like this reinforce the Trent Oshawa sense of community and when asked, most students sited the friendly, small-school atmosphere and inclusionary policy of Trent University as contributing factors to their positive university experience. 

Cassandra Chalmers, a fifth-year History major, said she was looking forward to spending the evening with fellow students that she has grown close to over her years at Trent Oshawa. “Because Trent is a small university, they don’t have the big university problems,” Ms. Chalmers’ said. “Everyone knows everyone,” she added.

Sarah Gallen, a third-year Psychology student commented, “It’s great to be able to develop friendships with small classes.” Fellow student, Brittney Forester echoed Ms. Gallen’s sentiment and marvelled how staff and students often know each other by first name.

Vice-president of Campus Life, Samantha Rogers, a fourth-year Psychology and English Literature student commented on the committee’s decision to go with a Candyland theme. “We incorporated bright spring colours, which not only attract people to come to the event, but also provide a touch of spring. Candyland is a great theme because it gives students a time to relieve some stress from their midterms and final assignments that they are working on, as well as a great time to get together with their friends and classmates.”

Greeted at the coat check by TOSA president, Meghan Condon, and by past-president, Kelly VanLeyden, students and their guests were led along a multi-coloured pathway into a beautifully- decorated room, complete with candy-laden side tables, count-me jars where everyone was invited to wager bets on how many pieces of candy each contained, and by the end of the evening, a chocolate fountain. To quote our Willy Wonka friends—a truly Scrumdiddlyumptious experience. 

To kick off the event, organizers held a cocktail hour followed by a three-course dinner catered by Jubilee Pavilion. Music was deejayed by Trent’s student life coordinator, Chris Nelan, and guests were invited to have their pictures taken by photographer, Darryl Pastcot, from Lassman Studios.

A special thanks goes out to the TOSA for all their hard work and for organizing yet another successful event.