Esperanza awaited anxiously, enthusiastically

By Staff Editorial     9/30/10 7:00pm

As homecoming approaches, so does the annual Esperanza, girls-ask-guys dance (see story, page 5). Offering Rice students a rare chance to dress up and revisit the high school glory days of proms and homecoming dances, Esperanza is traditionally an anticipated event. The past two years have both sold out their allotment of 1,000 and 600 tickets, respectively. This year's number of available tickets has been set at 800; although this is a sizable increase from last year's allotment, there is still concern that this year's Esperanza will fail to accommodate all of those that wish to attend, especially with yet another enrollment increase in this year's freshman class pushing Rice's population to 4,000 undergrads.Furthermore, the decision to host the dance off campus is one worth second-guessing. The 2008 edition of Esperanza, often dubbed as the most successful incarnation of the event, was hosted on campus. Yet, the Rice Program Council has elected to move away from this proven formula for the second year in a row. The Thresher hopes that Minute Maid Park's distance from campus doesn't make university-provided transportation unfeasible. While frequent shuttles are slated to bring students to and from Minute Maid Park, there is a great possibility that wait times will make the classy event a mess for many partygoers. In addition, the Thresher hopes that the privileged students who are able to drive to the dance have the luxury of complimentary parking around the stadium.

Nonetheless, the Thresher would like to commend RPC for thinking outside of the box, and the hedges, in its choice for a venue, even though an on-campus event may have attracted more students. Furthermore, the split pricing - $25 for over-21 guests and $15 for underage guests - is a great system to ensure that students receive equivalent value for their ticket purchases. On Oct. 15, we look forward to enjoying an evening of quality food, drink and dancing. Or, at the very least, we hope to gain a heightened appreciation for Rice's on-campus parties.

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