Exonians Perform at Karaoke Night
A rendition of “Country Roads” capped three hours of singing that oscillated from half-screaming to three-part harmonies. On Saturday, Nov. 2, the Office of Student Activities hosted a spirited night of karaoke featuring songs such as “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Toxic” and “Piano Man.” The event was organized by Assistant Director of Student Activities Kelly McGahie and had significant student turnout.
The event planning began when McGahie noticed a Saturday night with no activities in her calendar. “There was nothing to do that night…I wanted something for the students who weren’t overwhelmed—or were completely overwhelmed,” she said. “I wanted something that would let students come for the whole night or just for half an hour.” McGahie had a hunch that students would show, and they did in droves.
For this event, McGahie brought in a professional disc jockey. “The guy comes in with the lights, the sound system, all the songs [and] the video monitor,” she said. “It was just, ‘Click, click, click.’ Then, he sent me a contract. I hire a professional so I don’t have to worry about all that drama…Just like the kids, I just need something fun.”
To many students, this event was an opportunity to unwind. “Before, I was not going to do anything. It’s nice to be able to go from working really hard to just relaxing with your friends, hanging out,” prep Ming Thompson said. “Even if you don’t sing, you can still be present. It’s a social thing—a good alternative to work.”
While many in the crowd did not consider themselves singers, they found the courage to get up and perform. “I think it’s being with your friends that lets you get up there and be yourself,” lower Josh Morisette said. “You don’t have to be perfect. You can be bad, even. It’s just about having a lot of fun.” In the course of the evening, Morisette lent his voice to several group numbers.
Prep Charlie Holtz felt that the communal lack of skill allowed students to be more free with their singing. “I know that everyone else will be worse, which gives me the confidence to get up there,” he said. “It will be hilarious. I’ll make fun of myself, but it will be a blast.”
Even those who did not sing found a way to engage. “It’s more fun to be part of the atmosphere, enjoying other people having whatever this all is,” prep Asa Campbell said. “A lot of my friends are here, and I don’t enjoy a lot of attention on myself, which lets me just be here without singing and still enjoy myself.”
McGahie noted that students tended to pick a diversity of songs, rather than just new songs. “If we have a dance and a song is more than three weeks old, everybody’s like, ‘It’s so old! Who would listen to this?’” she said. “But I’m up there, and I know that someone is going to do ‘Sweet Caroline’ from Neil Diamond. All this stuff predates when I was in high school, and I love it.”
Lower Kate Mautz echoed McGahie’s thoughts. “I love singing older music—this is a great time to throw it back a little bit,” she said. “I know the words to older songs better, from a few years ago. I purposefully pick older songs to sing.”
Students attributed song choices to ones that would energize the crowd. “I want people to get hyped. That’s my main goal. That’s why I sang ‘I Want It That Way,’” lower Eric Obukhanich said. “It’s something that’s really exciting—songs that everybody knows.”
At first, this audience consisted predominantly of preps. “The crowd is overwhelmingly from the prep class,” prep Hannah Vogel said. “It’s very high energy. I think I saw someone dab—preps are going to be preps. But it’s all good.”
However, as the night went on, more and more upperclassmen began to appear. “I’m here because I was walking by and saw how much fun the preps were having,” senior Audrey Vanderslice said. “The energy makes me feel nostalgic. Throwback to prep year! It’s lit.”
The night soon became an opportunity for students of various grade levels to interact. “There are older people—it’s really great for inclusion. We’re preps, it feels good to be included with the uppers,” prep Jade Pierce said. “We feel accepted. People [joke about] the preps all the time. Now, they’re having fun with them, and it’s almost a relief—maybe if I see them, we can say hello.”
At the end of the day, McGahie organized the activity to offer students a break. “It’s nothing but silliness, which is exactly what this place needs more of right now,” she said.