This High School Student’s Misinterpreted ‘Ranch Day’ Costume Earned Her Some Hidden Valley Swag

Carson Haase is a senior at Brandon Valley High School in South Dakota, who never expected her snarky take on a homecoming outfit to blow up and go viral. Earlier this month, Haase’s school celebrated “Ranch Day,” which ostensibly seems like it would be a pretty common thing out in the Midwest, but instead of donning a cowboy hat, boots, and a plaid shirt, Haase instead constructed a bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing out of a large cardboard box from her friend’s father’s furniture store.

But beyond being a funny high school prank, Haase’s costume had deeper meaning to it. She told South Dakota’s Argus Leader that she wore it in part to honor of her friend Brittany Corcoran, who committed suicide back in March.

“She taught me a lot of things,” Haase said. “How to be strong in bad situations (and) that it honestly doesn’t matter what people thought because there will always be people that like you anyway.”

“I like to make jokes and stuff, but I was kind of nervous going into school,” Haase said. Then she remembered her friend Brittany. “I think that had a big influence on me actually wearing the costume … that stepping outside your comfort zone and being yourself is important,” Haase said. “Turns out, everyone absolutely loved it.”

Not only did Haase’s fellow classmates love her costume, but photos quickly started to make the rounds on social media, where it was liked, tweeted, posted to Instagram, and shared on Reddit and Imgur. So much so that eventually Hidden Valley caught wind of her stunt, and this week a box of Ranch dressing and other swag showed up at her house. And not only that, but Hidden Valley even made a $500 donation to a scholarship fund in Corcoran’s name.

Haase says that her friend did indeed love Ranch dressing, but more importantly: “She is the reason I think the way I do and that I have as much confidence as well. And I think that’s the important part, that I keep her living with me through the things I do now. … I know she is definitely laughing at me right now.” We’re sure she is.

(Via Argus Leader)