Another Columbus High tradition lost to Covid-19 is making a comeback this year: The Holiday Social.
The Holiday Social is a "requirement in the Social Education component of our program," says Magnet Coordinator Ms. Hood. This means that students are required to attend.
This event is also used as a means to teach proper etiquette to CHS students. In the days leading up to the social, students are taught proper etiquette from Writer's Workshop teacher Mrs. Willis.
"What silverware goes with what? How do you start a conversation?" These are just a few of the questions that can be answered from these etiquette classes, according to Willis.
Students are taught information that they can "take into the real world," she adds.
The program usually consists of a dinner, along with performances from the chorus and orchestra, speeches from students, and ends with pictures and socializing with the rest of the student body. Two freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are assigned to each table.
This year's social will be structured similarly to the Homecoming Block Party: one night for underclassmen and one night for upperclassmen.
Two students from each class will be seated at a table, and like in previous years, the seating will be randomly chosen by the holiday social committee, not students.
In regards to Covid-19 precautions, students are required to wear masks during the entire event except when they are eating.
Additionally, the number of people will be "reduced by 50%" according to Hood. This arrangement will allow for distance between students while they are unmasked and eating.
"Diners will be spaced with about 3-4 feet between them and diametrically opposite each other at the tables," Hood adds.
Upperclassmen who have attended the social before express positive sentiments about the new changes to the event.
"I think this [arrangment] will help to make it easier to talk to people at my table and avoid general awkwardness. I also plan on going because I enjoyed the social my freshman year, and I don't want to miss out like last year," remarks junior and cross country runner Lawson Ragan.
Some students also express concerns about the effectiveness of the precautions in place for this event.
"Even though the school says that we're going to be a certain distance apart, there's no way they can enforce that with all the kids at the event," says sophomore Abinav Sethuram.
The date for the social is December 15th for freshmen and sophomores and the 16th for juniors and seniors. Students arrive at 6:30, the event will start at 7 p.m., and will end around 9.