PHEMELO RADIKELEDI

WHAT AN ASTROTASTIC NIGHT the Grade 10 Social was! The Grade 10 classes had come together to organise their first major event – the 2019 Astro World social. With the assistance of Mrs Seugnet Pieterson, Mr Eric and Mr Braam van Wyk, the event allowed all who attended a taste of what was meant by Travis Scott when he said, ‘It’s lit’.

Astro World… a peculiar theme if you are not up to date with the latest music albums and artists. After a grade vote, the theme began to take form. The idea of having such a popular music album as a theme, was intriguing. The question was how it could be reflected throughout the event.

The idea kept brewing for about four and a half months before the actual night. The serious parts of the organising were however only done at the beginning of the third term and some discussions were still held three days before the event! With the grade RCL members – Gabbriella Marais and Kgosatsana Mabalane – at the forefront of organising and decision-making, the Grade was split into various committees. This was done to accommodate everybody’s ideas and so that decisions could be reached faster. The RCL members were also in charge of presenting the various ideas to Mr Van Wyk.

Mrs Pieterson, form teacher of the Grade 10s1s, displayed consistent interest and patience towards the Grade by going beyond the call of duty to keep everyone on the same page as well as helping to come up with solutions to some of the greatest challenges. Mr Eric – the school’s bus driver – was always there when learners needed to travel around half of Bloemfontein to find things needed for the decorations committee as well as for the tuckshop and food committees.

Of course the event did not go off completely without a hitch. According to four of the grade 10s who were in charge of committees and who actively helped within those committees, communication amongst grade members during the planning was the most difficult part of the event. Making sure everybody was heard and their ideas were brought to the table and carried out as far as possible, was what head of the decoration committee, Marloné Surtees, found the most difficult. Almost all of the meetings were marred by some form of miscommunication. A larking issue that was never addressed, according to Kgosatsana Mabalane, was the one of holding people accountable for their actions or rather lack thereof.

From as early as 10 o’clock on the morning of D-day, Grade 10s of various committees worked together to put the finishing touches to the Jubilee Hall and the quad. At 17:30 the first guests began walking into the venue. From that moment multiple issues began popping up like unwanted weeds in a flower garden. Not having enough space in the tuckshop for all the fryers, guests not being allowed at the gate because they were late and the worst of the problems … the music. The DJ’s playlist went from over 300 songs to just under 150 songs, because the vulgar or inappropriate nature of many of the songs had not been considered. Tension inside the DJ booth rose to such an extent that what could have been described as humid air suffocating all those inside the booth.

The games that were played, which enabled interaction amongst all those who attended the event, made the social unique. Lines of people waited to play table tennis and … was also very popular. The tuck-shop plan worked like a charm and was supported enthusiastically. People had great fun on the dance floor and everyone in the Grade eventually felt that all the hard work had come to fruition.

When asked for advice on planning a social in the future, the Grade 10s gave different tips: work together, select proper leaders and take everybody’s opinion into consideration!