By Tanner Anderson, Page Editor

Dollars, dresses and the date season are here for the next few weeks with the arrival of an ACU tradition: social club formals.

This year half the social clubs are traveling to places outside of Abilene, while the others plan to stay in town.

The women’s social club Sigma Theta Chi was the first social club to enjoy its formal in Austin on March 21. The women and their dates listened to live music, watched their for formal video and inaugurated new club officers at the Oasis restaurant that overlooks Lake Travis in Austin.

“We usually like to go outside of Abilene, and most of the girls are able to attend,” said Sylvia Tucker, junior accounting and finance major from Bellaire. “The best part of formal to me is the video; I’ll always appreciate the inside jokes.”

Other clubs are going or went to areas in San Antonio, Fort Worth and Dallas. Some clubs venture out for this elegant occasion, while others stay in the confines of Abilene; but regardless of the location, clubs usually partake in the same formal rituals. Many social clubs induct new officers, present a club video, hand out awards and commemorate the evening with a photograph.

Prices for the formals range from $40-65 a couple, not including gas and hotel expenses. But regardless of price and location, many social club members agree formal is a time to enjoy everyone’s company and reflect on the year’s events.

Men’s social club Sub T-16 will be dining on campus for its formal. After attempting to reserve the Hunter Welcome Center as well as the Teague Special Events Center, the men of Sub T-16 decided to keep it simple and stick with the Bean Sprout.

“We talked about going out of town; it was just too much trouble,” said Michael McCully, sophomore integrated marketing and communication major from North Richland Hills and Sub T-16 member. “It’s a good chance to come together as a community. I don’t know about other clubs, but you just can’t go wrong with the Bean Sprout; it just sounds tasty.”