Prom is supposed to be one of the most significant events in a high school student’s career. 

From a young age we hear stories about it, we watch movies about it, and our social media pages are bombarded with people showcasing their outfits.

But approaching junior year, I had always heard that BHS proms were underwhelming. Graduates complained that this event, usually a core memory of one’s high school experience, was nothing but just another dance that went on for far too long. 

So in the months approaching prom, I readied myself for a night filled with bad food, bad music and bad attitudes all around.

However, to my surprise, prom was anything but a disappointment. On the contrary, it was the best prom experience I could have asked for. The venue, DJ and food at both prom and after prom exceeded expectations and left everyone with smiles on their faces.

Prom was held May 17 at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Cleveland. 

Students arrived at the venue by 7:45 p.m. and were greeted with an impressive display of decorations and lights along with a big sign that read “What A Night”—a line from the movie “Mamma Mia!” which was the theme of the evening. 

The tables were already plated with salads, bread, butter and a piece of cake. There was a bar by the entrance serving non-alcoholic drinks. Just outside the entrance was a table filled with additional snacks, including fruit, crackers and cheese.

At first, the environment was slightly awkward, and the music wasn’t very engaging, which caused a lot of people to stay close by their tables and eat. As the night progressed, more people started dancing–including me–yet it was cut short as dinner was served.

Dinner consisted of three different meal choices: beef, chicken or vegan–which consisted of rigatoni pasta with tomato sauce. My friends and I were all pleased with the food. 

As dinner ended, more people made their way onto the dance floor, and the dancing didn’t end until the music was turned off. The music was fun and kept people on the dance floor throughout the whole night with only a couple breaks to drink water, use the bathroom, or take cute pictures at the photobooth. 

After the DJ played his last song, it was time to change into PJs–which was the after prom theme. 

This year’s prom, just like previous years, was held at WhirlyBall. I have heard that in previous years after prom wasn’t bad, but the enthusiasm and energy was always pretty low. However, this year I felt as if it was probably the best part of the night. 

We enjoyed bowling, laser tag and whirlyball and had a nice surprise of a second dinner, which consisted of euro waffles, pizza and exquisite fries. I tried every activity and had a really great time. 

Between the great venue, delicious food, engaging music and fun activities, I can easily say that prom surpassed my expectations. I am thankful that I was able to experience such a fun night and hope our senior prom is just as good.