The UHS Homecoming dance was hosted on campus this year. Due to Homecoming being a large in-person event, the safety protocols and concerns towards COVID-19 encouraged the high school dance’s move from the original location of AV Irvine back to UHS’ campus.

Some students were originally apprehensive about how satisfying an on-campus dance would be compared to past off-campus dances.

“At first, I was kind of hesitant about going because homecoming was at school and I didn’t know if it would be worth it, but I was so happy I decided to go,” senior Lilli Behpoor said.

However, many concerns over the spread of COVID-19 remained, especially since masks were not required at the dance.

“I do think masks should have been required because everyone was so close together for moshing and dancing,” senior Micah Lee said. “We still have unvaccinated students, so masking would have been the safest option.”

While the close proximity to one another provoked worry amongst students and staff, UHS as a whole remained optimistic and strived to do as much as possible to remain safe.

“At first, I was worried about COVID-19 because I knew that people might not have their masks on, so I kept mine on as best as I could and just tried to have fun,” Behpoor said.

Ultimately, despite the location change, many students were still eager to attend the school event and made it enjoyable with friends, photos, and dancing.

“Homecoming would not have been memorable if it weren’t for my friends,” Behpoor said. “The best memories I made came from dancing with my friends, belting out the song the DJ had picked with our entire hearts, and having a hoarse voice the next day.”