For the first time in at least eight years, no student was hospitalized due to alcohol-related incidents during the annual freshman semi-formal.

Last weekend’s dance was held at the Fernbank Museum of National History, as has been the tradition since 2007. More than 80 percent of the freshman class attended the event, totaling more than 1,000 students, the average for the traditional dance, according to Director of Residence Life Andy Wilson.

Wilson said that on average, four to five students are hospitalized during the course of the event and an additional four to five students are seen by Emory Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on site without being transported to the hospital.

While Wilson said he cannot know the exact reason behind the lack of alcohol-related incidents, he said this year’s more intentional programming may have played a role.

“The staff really invested a little more time and a little more energy than before, so there was more preparedness than in the past when it came to programming,” he said.

Wilson said that like years past, resident advisers (RAs) were required to plan a hall event as well as participate in a building event after the dance.

Some halls organized fashion shoots while others provided a mingling area complete with cookies, soda and mocktails.

Camille Bullock, a returning RA who lives in Complex Residential Center, said she used a bed sheet as a background to take prom-like photos and incorporated an alcohol education element to pre-dance programming.

Bullock provided shots of Coca-Cola to her residents and also provided a late-night meal.

Wilson said that most buildings provided a pancake or midnight breakfasts after the event in order to offer an alcohol-free activity when the students returned after midnight.

Bullock said she attributes the lack of alcohol-related incidents to the organization and planning of the event as well as the responsibility of the freshman class.

“I’ve found that this particular freshman class is very responsible,” she said. “In my experience, they tend to make good decisions more often.”

Matt Hall, residence hall director in Trimble Hall and the theme houses, said he did not see a large difference between the programming this year and in years past, but that Residence Life programs do facilitate freshman bonding in an alcohol-free setting.

Freshman Complex resident Elyse Albert said she enjoyed the residence-hall programming, but she does not think it deterred people from drinking.

“Generally, people are just going to drink it they’re going to drink. The programs are a nice idea, but I think it’s hard to prevent people who have a set plan to deter them from what they’re going to do,” Albert said.

Freshman Dobbs Hall resident Olivia Farley disagrees.

“Most people would have pre-gamed before, but since we were all doing stuff together as a hall in the parlor, I don’t think as many people pre-gamed,” she said.

Farley said she attended the programming because there was a lot of promotion surrounding the events and her friends were attending.

“After [the dance], they had pancakes, so it was an obvious choice to go get food,” she said.

Others, like freshman Dobbs Hall residents Judith Yi and Lydia Popp, chose not to attend the semi-formal.

“I thought it was just another dance, so I chose to go watch ‘300’ instead,” Popp said.

— Contact Kate Borger.