Yelloween: A Night of Adjectives

By Megan Evershed

A major adjective that comes to mind when I think of Yelloween is ‘sparkling.’

The champagne was sparkling. Flutes were filled, then refilled, then refilled again. The clothes were sparkling. Leather shoes were shined, jewelry caught the light, and dresses shimmered. Frederic Mion’s smile was sparkling while he delivered the welcome speech to a roomful of enthusiastic cheers and claps. Everybody’s smiles, in fact, were sparkling as they lapped up the gorgeous atmosphere (and the Veuve Clicquot).

Another major adjective that comes to mind is ‘musical.’

The music of high heels on cobblestones. The music of glasses clinking. The music of laughter. But most importantly, the music that was beautifully performed throughout the night. The Vibes, our female acapela group, sang fantastic renditions of “Home” by Phillip Phillips, “No Diggity” by Backstreet and “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner. Chill Beanz followed The Vibes with a completely different sound. The band rocked out to “I Got Mine” by the Black Keys, “Layla” by Eric Clapton, and “Tous les mêmes” by Stromae. The crowd was also treated to an original composition entitled “Minicrit Song.”

A highlight of the musical portion of the night was when both groups performed Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” in incredibly different and exciting ways. The Vibes carried the song solely with their voices, blending altos with sopranos in a gorgeous medley of vocal harmonization. Chill Beanz chose a different tack. They accentuated the strength of their singers’ voices with bass and drums, making the song more rock ’n’ roll than acapela. The song was shared, and yet the diversity of its performance was an interesting and beautiful musical experience that showcased the talent of our campus musicians.

And if I had to choose another adjective to describe the night it would be ‘communal.’

One of the most wonderful things I found about the night was inclusivity. Everyone was mingling with one another. I talked to people I’d known since the beginning of the year and I talked to people I’d met only that night. Professors shared a glass of champagne with students. Our lovely librarian, Matthew Baker, chatted the night away. One red-haired professor was seen getting down on the dance floor with the best of them. Even the beloved owner of the boulangerie across the street made an appearance to the delight of the students who frequent the favorite Sciences Po lunchtime spot.

However, although the spirit at Yelloween was incredibly inclusive at the event, it was a shame that not every student could be there. This was the only drawback of the night, and one that I hope in future years can be rectified so everyone can enjoy such a wonderful evening.

Amazingly, we lived this night of adjectives as university students. How many colleges can you name that allow its students to dress up, drink champagne, and dance in a Palais? Not many. Yelloween is the kind of night you tell your friends back home about. It’s the kind of night you fondly look back on once you’ve left Sciences Po. It’s the kind of night you remember (well, depending on how many glasses of champagne you drunk).

So, if I had to choose a final adjective to sum up the night, it would undoubtedly be ‘memorable.’