GetWith Junior Cotillion on the way on May 14, students should be informed on what they need to do in order to attend as well as the information that goes into making sure their Cotillion is perfect. This year’s Cotillion will be held at The Delta in Iselin, a ballroom space set within the Marriott Hotel, towards the end of May. The main goal of Cotillion is to create a memorable experience for juniors as well as bringing them together to be interactive which can help with social skills and building charisma.

The head organizer of Junior Cotillion, Ms. Pannullo has been working as a Cotillion adviser for about 10 years now. In high school, Pannullo was president of her prom committee and “loved having a hand in planning such a special event” for her classmates. She says she also really loves seeing all the students coming all dressed up and having fun, which is another reason she decided to get involved in helping with Cotillion.

Cotillion Tickets

Pannullo says the first thing students had to do before anything was to purchase tickets. To do this, she says Juniors needed to complete a ton of paperwork as well as pay off all their debts to WHS. Despite tickets no longer being available for purchase due to settling final numbers and making payments, those who bought tickets still have a list of things they need to do to prepare for the event.

Pannullo states that Junior Cotillion is an event that takes months of planning, fundraising, and execution by a committee of junior students. “Fundraising is our biggest thing,” she says. “Pulling off an event this caliber, while keeping the cost low for students, is no small feat.” The committee works through fundraising through collaborations with places like McDonald’s, Mike’s Crumb Cake Factory, and Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, as well as a handful of shirt sales throughout the year.

As Cotillion approaches, students must be on their best behavior and be in good disciplinary standing and present in school on the day of the event. Pannullo says students should be “dressed to impress” and on time for Cotillion. For those bringing an out-of-school guest, that guest must present their photo ID when they arrive at the event. Pannullo, offering discreet detail, tells students that they can expect a beautiful color palette, a delicious dinner/desert buffet where they can eat to their hearts content, great music to dance the night away, and capture loads of memories within a photo-booth that will run all night long.

A Night To Remember

Senior Samiyah Muhammad attended Cotillion last year and describes her feelings towards the months leading up to the event as “exciting” because as she says “at that time Cotillion is the closest thing to prom as a junior.”

“What I remember the most about Cotillion last year was the food was not good at all. The pasta was the best,” she says.

She expected great food and the music was very minimal, and doesn’t feel they were fully achieved to her personal liking last year. However despite this, Muhammad also believes The Delta Hotel was a great location to hold Cotillion.

Muhammad says having her nails and hair done on time really helped, as she mostly only had to worry about her dress within the upcoming months to Cotillion.

To those who are iffy on going, Muhammmad says, “Go have fun and don’t be so negative. I would choose to go to Cotillion than to stay in the house on the couch.”

Lastly, some advice Muhammad shares to the current juniors going attending the event is to take being on time very seriously. “You don’t want to be left out of an event you paid for,” she says.

Getting Ready For The Night

Junior Vincent Spano feels most excited about being able to have a good time with friends on a big night that he can enjoy stress free. “I’ve actually never been to The Delta Hotel,” he says, ”but I’m excited to see what it looks like.”

During junior year, Cotillion is something most students look forward to. Therefore, if the event was relocated, he wouldn’t be too bummed out about it, as he only really cares that the event itself will still be in place.

Spanos expectations are that there is a good DJ, the food is enjoyable, and that everyone is able to just have a good time overall.

As far as preparation, Spano doesn’t need to do much. As he states, he only really needs a haircut and to buy his suit, which he will be getting soon.

Junior Angele Alston thinks The Delta Hotel is a “nice” and “good” place to hold the event. “It seems like a clean, organized venue that can fit a lot of people comfortably, and overall it feels like a good setting for the event,” she says.

Alston will not be attending Cotillion this year due to being engaged in other priorities and a busy schedule. She shares that she would have considered going if she had more free time and close friends attending. Despite this, she also feels that the event is “overrated” because she says, “It feels kind of like a junior prom to me. I feel like waiting until senior year for prom makes it more exciting and meaningful.”

Although Alston isn’t attending this year, she still believes that Cotillion is a nice experience for people who want to go. “It’s not something I feel like I’m missing out on personally right now,” she says.

Fun With Friends

Junior Ciara Murphy is most excited about getting dressed up and spending time with friends. Murphy says, “Dressing up is not something I do often, so I’m really excited for the experience all together.” In five years from now, she hopes to remember the memories made with friends and the overall vibe of the night. “At the end of the day, it’s about having fun with your friends,” she says. “I hope for good music and food and for everyone to enjoy themselves.”

Murphy has been planning her outfit and making sure she has all that she needs ready so she doesn’t have to stress about it the day of. She believes The Delta Hotel is a nice location to hold Cotillion, as it makes the event feel more “formal and special.”

For those who believe Junior Cotillion is overrated or outdated, Murphy says, “It’s not for everyone but it gives you a chance to have a fun experience with your friends.” She believes it gives you something to look forward to during junior year as most people say it’s the hardest.

Junior students both have mixed feelings about Cotillion but it all really depends on what students have going on and if it’s for you or not. If students aren’t close to being fully prepared, they should definitely start working on it, as the event is less than a month away.