By Erica Moser, News Correspondent

The Student Alumni Association (SAA) and Resident Student Association (RSA) will present Snowball, an enchanting evening of dressing up, dining, and dancing for any college student nostalgic for prom Jan. 28. This year, Northeastern’s annual winter formal is at the Westin Copley Place and features the theme “A Midwinter’s Dream.”

“Our goals for the Snowball are really just to promote a night of fun, food and dancing away from Northeastern that the students can enjoy,” said Sarah Leahy, SAA president.

The event begins at 7 p.m., with a three-course dinner at 8 p.m. The meal includes soup, a chicken or vegetarian option for dinner and dessert.

“This is provided by the hotel completely, so it’s not catered by the dining hall, and it’s a nice change from what you end up eating every day,” said Nita Vaidya, RSA’s vice president for collaboration. Dinner lasts about an hour, and then the floor opens for dancing until the night ends at 1 a.m.

Tickets are $32 and can be purchased on the myNEU portal. Since the DJ will not take requests the night of the event, tickets come with instructions on how to request three songs. SAA and RSA will compile all the songs into a list and send it to the DJ beforehand. There are also options to request a vegan meal and to reserve a table for up to 12.

The ballroom at the Westin Copley holds 1200 people, and tickets, which are on sale until 5 p.m. this Friday, have sold out almost every year in the past.

Besides dinner and dancing, there will also be a 21+ bar downstairs and two photo-booths: One that is arcade-style with photo strips and one that uses a green screen with images of a winter wonderland.

“We really just promote it as kind of prom for college students,” Leahy said. “It’s a great way to get dressed up. It’s something different we’re doing that’s not every weekend … it’s really great to just get off campus, be in a formal setting, but with your college friends.”

SAA and RSA are particularly trying to market the event toward freshmen to get them more involved.

“It’s a great way for freshmen just to experience Boston, experience Northeastern,” Leahy said.
Despite this purported experience, some students simply do not feel the urgency to buy tickets.

“I have three more years to go; I don’t want to pay,” said Suzy Dolan, an undeclared freshman.
Middler communication studies major Julia Hickey said she will attend Snowball this year for the third time.

“You’ve got to try it once,” she said. “They’ve had really good DJs, food was good, and it was a fun excuse for everyone to pull out their prom dresses.”