Orchestra relaxes with movie social

Orchestra+students+relax+by+finishing+the+day+off+with+a+movie+on+Friday+at+4%3A30+p.m.+The+social+was+an+opportunity+to+talk+and+connect+with+other+orchestra+students.

Provided by Katerina Yang

Orchestra students relax by finishing the day off with a movie on Friday at 4:30 p.m. The social was an opportunity to talk and connect with other orchestra students.

Christina Hua, Guest Contributor

The big screen of the auditorium. 

Poparella’s popcorn

A big and furry red animal. 

It’s the whole movie experience for orchestra students on Friday at 4:30 p.m. as they watch Turning Red

“I think we do [this] annually, but this is only my second year on this campus,” associate orchestra director Madison Waggerman said. “So there was probably a pause in between during covid school but we’re excited to do it again this year just like we did last year.”

For Waggerman, the best part of the social is rooted in the ease of it all. 

“[My favorite part of this is] that it is so easy, we get yummy popcorn,” she said. “The social kind of runs itself so as a teacher it’s nice.”

In the eyes of sophomore violist Kris Jensen’s, the social is a good experience for both people who are looking to interact with others, and people who just want to enjoy the movie and popcorn.

“It is a lot of fun, it’s a pretty chill, low-stakes way of getting more involved in orchestra because sometimes in other socials, there’s kind of this expectation that you’re going to have to talk to people and mingle,” Jensen said. “When you watch a movie, you don’t really need to do that. So if you’re worried about social interaction, the movie social is a really nice balance of going to watch a movie, but also having people around to interact with if you want to.”

When encouraging other students to join, Jensen focuses on the different ways to approach the social— and the social interaction that comes with it. 

“Definitely the fact that you don’t need to talk to people, is comforting,” Jensen said. “I tend to get nervous when I go to events and might not know people there and feel the pressure to talk but having a movie there it’s like a perfect excuse if you just don’t want to talk to someone.”

The movie and friends are one thing, but Waggerman is most excited for the attendance of the social and to see how many people come, though the location is a close second. 

“We are excited to share this space with theater,” she said. “And to have the opportunity to have it on the nice new projector, and we’ll really feel like it’s a movie theater.”