Let's Get Animated – Arts Ball 2014 (Phoebe)

Highlight of my week – ARTS BALL! I mean, what’s not to love? Food, drinks, friends, and most importantly, fancy dress!

I love costumes and always have, ever since I was little, playing dress-ups with my younger siblings. However, when I first heard the news that Arts Ball was themed, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. I wanted to go all glamorous and glitzed, yet instead I was having to trade in my jewel-encrusted floor-length designer dress for the cheap laughs of a costume?

The theme for this year was ‘animation’ – you could be anything as long as it fitted with this theme e.g. Disney characters, Pixar, gaming characters etc. I tossed and I turned, totally unable to decide on a costume until about a week before the event (are you really starting to see a terrible pattern of procrastination in my life??).  It was settled, I was going as Lara Croft. After finally deciding what character I was going as, I felt exhilarated at a chance to relive my childhood, playing my beloved game of dress-ups on a grand adult scale. That’s what university has afforded me – a chance to have fun and feel young again within an adult context.

The event itself surpassed all expectations! There was great music, a photo shoot set up like The Simpsons lounge room, and best of all great company. I was sharing a table with some of my best friends, having an absolutely blast. The food was delicious, and there was lots of it – this really impressed me because I’m such a foodie!

The costumes were amazing, no-one ever goes half-hearted! My favourite table costume was the group that did Sims. They had created the green diamonds (perfectly) and suck them on headbands so they would hover over their head just like in the game. It was so refreshing to see some original, quirky and well-planned ideas.

I strongly recommend anyone and everyone to give themselves a chance to get to a Ball, whether it’s Science, Arts, Commerce etc. It was truly a wonderful social event, giving everyone the opportunity to mingle and meet new people. It’s a great way to network and connect with people, and there’s always the ‘I love your outfit/costume!’ to break the ice.

It’s never too late to make friends!

Phoebe