Grant Kuppenheimer gives an account of John’s Christmas Megaformal earlier this week, a thrilling night which mostly passed without a hitch. But for Grant, and many others unused to wearing black tie, it was not without its trials.
Now, with your right hand, place the longer end through the loop to create your second bow and pull the ends to adjust… as I listened intently to the instructional video, I found my patience dwindling and frustration mounting as I spent the last forty minutes failing miserably at doing a bow tie. Glancing at the clock, I read ten past six, giving me ten minutes to get to college before my place would be forfeited. After giving my virtual instructor a rude gesture, I frantically put on the rest of my kit and ran out the door, messaging a friend that I would miss the drinks reception.
As I ran up the front steps of college, I pushed the front door in, giving the receptionist a half-wave, and ran through to Leech Hall, finding myself at the end of a very long queue. Panting, I tried my best to compose myself; a shocked first-year student turned to me, “Where have you been”?
After much anticipation, John’s Christmas Megaformal went off without a hitch on Wednesday night. Beginning with a wonderful (or so I’m told) drinks reception in the Tristam room, students could converse with friends and high table guests over a glass of Prosecco or a soft drink.
At precisely twenty past six, formal guests were let in to find a seat amidst the crowded room; from first-year to doctoral students, Johnians gathered to celebrate one last formal meal before the holiday. Since this was a mega formal, it included more features than usual, including an impressive Christmas rendition from the John’s Chapel Choir. With a thunderclap of applause and bottles of wine opened, the night began.
While thoroughly enjoying the plentiful wine offered, I had to detach myself from a riveting debate over the starter dish (mozzerella sticks with garlic dip) being considered finger food to appreciate the fullness of the celebration.
As the meal progressed and conversations became ever so colourful, the more wine consumed, I learned that John’s postgraduates are more motivated than first-years to have a good time when one student spent twenty minutes using Google Maps to plan a bar crawl of twenty pub stops.
Over dessert, we heard a very entertaining speech from Vice Principal Rebecca Bouveng, toasting a successful term and wishing the college a wonderful holiday.
Once Johnians moved on to ambitious bar crawls or pints in the college bar, Leech Hall was quickly transformed into a silent disco where students danced into the night. Meanwhile, I managed to befriend many third-years by calling them first-years, witnessed cult-like activities in Dominique (the post room) before ending the night lost in Cranmer, wondering why a stairway leads into a brick wall.
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