Student Ball of the Faculty of Informatics: Night at the Observatory
On Saturday 21 February, the Student Union of the Faculty of Informatics MU organized a social ball at the Semilasso Cultural Center. This year’s theme, “Night at the Observatory,” transported guests to an evening filled with stars, music and a festive atmosphere. The ball was attended not only by current students and alumni of the faculty, but also by members of the administration, faculty, and other guests.
The Student Ball is a traditional social event that allows students to meet outside of lecture halls and laboratories and enjoy an evening in a somewhat more festive setting than they are accustomed to during the semester. Unlike other faculties at Masaryk University, the Faculty of Informatics has not organized its own ball in recent years. The tradition was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and remained only a memory for several years. This year, the Student Union of the Faculty of Informatics took this tradition under its wing once again and brought the ball back to the faculty calendar.
The evening was kicked off by hosts Štěpán Lukeš and Valérie Taftová, who guided the guests through the first half of the ball. Musical entertainment was provided by the band Kantori, who gradually got the dance floor going throughout the evening. Between program segments, guests could also try their luck in the raffle. It offered both instant prizes and tickets for the midnight drawing.
The evening also featured two accompanying programs. In the first, the hosting duo invited Miss Congeniality of the Czech Republic 2023, Barbora Burešová—who is also a student at the Faculty of Pharmacy at Masaryk University—onto the stage. The brief interview complemented the evening’s social program and brought a slightly different atmosphere to the hall. In the second side event, guests could test their knowledge in a special quiz called “Star quIS,” which thematically tied into the astronomical atmosphere of the entire ball.
At midnight, the hosts returned to the stage one last time for the main raffle drawing. Four student winners took home valuable prizes, while the rest of the hall watched the drawing with bated breath. After the results were announced, the prizes were awarded, and brief congratulations were exchanged, the program gradually shifted into its informal segment.
This was kicked off by DJ OffBeat, who has become almost a traditional figure at faculty events. His set concluded the evening’s official program and transformed the ball into a nighttime dance party. Dancing continued until the early hours of the morning, and the last guests left the dance floor around 3 a.m.
Revived after a several-year break, the Student Ball of the Faculty of Informatics once again demonstrated that even amidst algorithms, projects, and deadlines, there is room at the faculty for social gatherings and a bit of a festive atmosphere. The organizers from the Student Union of the Faculty of Informatics believe they have successfully revived the former tradition and that the ball will once again become a regular part of faculty life.
Author: Štěpán Lukeš, Chair of the Student Union of the Faculty of Informatics, MU
Photo: FI MU
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