By Kinga Frączkiewicz
The line of students buzzed with anticipation. Kalamazoo students dressed in their finest garb waited excitedly for the doors to Monte Carlo 2024 to open. Students greeted each other over the velvet ropes dividing the lines, welcoming guests, and introducing partners; the excitement was palpable.
Monte Carlo is a long-standing yearly tradition at Kalamazoo College in which faculty and students come together to enjoy a night of gambling, good food, and entertainment. The faculty and staff deal the cards and manage the tables: from poker to blackjack, to craps; there is plenty to do at Monte Carlo.
This year, entertainment was divided into different sections of the Hicks Center. Food and live entertainment were held in the cafeteria, prizes on the second floor, and most card games were located in the Hicks Banquet Hall. The division of entertainment left the centre of Hicks without music, filled with the rustle and bustle of excited students chatting and playing games.
The theme was Casino Royale: the 2006 James Bond movie where Bond plays against a master of poker, playing for high stakes to raise money. When asked about his impression of Monte Carlo, Alex Nam, a 21-year-old Kalamazoo College junior from Texas, said the event was “fancy, really nice” and that this year’s theme was “very fitting.”
When asked what they thought of Monte Carlo, Kalamazoo College freshmen Rebecca Pabello and Audrey Pegouske expressed both the upsides and downsides of the event. Pegouske noted that “It’s fun, but I think there needs to be more things to do for people that don’t want to gamble,” with Pabello pointing out the need for “better music too.”
Pegouske and Pabello enthusiastically agreed about the theme, with Pabello noting: “I like it, I think it really fits. The decorations for the theme fit, I think they did a good job decorating.” Black cloth was draped over the bannisters, with interchanging white or maroon fabric hung in intervals with green vines hanging over them. The decorations added to the fancy and expensive theme of Monte Carlo, making an elegant and understated backdrop for photos.
Clare Wren Catallo-Werner, a senior, said that “it might be the food” that was the best part of Monte Carlo, however, Catallo-Werner also enjoyed seeing people dressed up for the event.
Nam shares Catallo-Werner’s opinion, stating that “seeing my friends all spiffy, all dressed up” was his favourite part of the event. Pabello echoed this sentiment, saying “It’s nice to see everybody dressed up and hanging out.”
When I asked students what the point of Monte Carlo was, the overwhelming response was building community among students and teachers. Events like Monte Carlo offer the opportunity to foster community on campus; for one night, the pressure of ‘more in four’ is off.
“I feel like it’s a nice end to the year, like get everybody together and have fun,” said Catallo-Werner.
Leave a Reply