For the first time in years, Lonestar had its fall convention at a hotel. Although there were many fun parts of the weekend, my favorites included our Friday and Saturday night programming. 

A couple of days before the convention, I was informed that we didn’t have a song leader available for the weekend, so one of my favorite regional staff members asked if I would be interested in song-leading services. I was more than happy to do so, and a few nights later, I found myself leading Shabbat services with some of my friends. For Havdalah, I was accompanied by one of my fellow regional board members who played the guitar while I sang, which was a cool touch on our last night on board together. I was really appreciative to get the opportunity to song lead, as it became one of the highlights of my weekend. 

However, my absolute favorite part of the convention was the awesome Silent Disco we organized on Saturday night. A few conventions ago, we had a Silent Disco planned, and at the last minute, the company bailed on us, so this one felt extra special- like it was a long time coming. At your typical large-scale Silent Disco, there would be three different DJs, one for each music genre. At ours, the regional board had the opportunity to make three different playlists, each a different genre, and we got to personally contribute songs to them, guaranteeing a fun night filled with good music, no matter which playlist you switched to. When you grabbed your headset and walked into the room, you were immediately transported to a different world filled only with happiness and fun. Screaming and dancing with my best friends for hours was truly an experience like no other. It was my favorite program we’ve ever had at a convention, and I hope to continue bringing that same energy to programming for Lonestar during my next term as Regional S’gan.

Overall, I think I prefer the fresh air and atmosphere of the camp conventions we are used to having but holding a convention at a hotel had its benefits and positives, so I’m glad I got to experience it in my BBYO career.