Atlantis Escapade Receives Mixed Opinions

Attendees win some, lose some at junior and senior prom

Jenna Edra

Staff Writer

At Craneway Pavilion in Richmond on May 16, dolled-up students flocked to the long-awaited prom, often seen as one of the biggest highlights of the year for juniors and seniors alike. Attendees’ high expectations were met with some hits and misses; one of the main complaints from students was the advertised yet missing photobooths and flipbooks.

“What I disliked about prom the most was the lack of both photobooths and flipbooks,” senior Julia Jen said. “I still had a good time without either, but the fact that they weren’t there after the promise that they would be was a pretty big letdown. Plus, I got tired after dancing for a long time in my heels and I would have liked to rest by taking photos or doing something that was still fun instead of just sitting down and watching people dance.”

Especially disappointed guests wanted partial refunds or some kind of compensation. However, leadership teacher Mr. Fulton, who worked with an event coordinator (as did the junior and senior prom commissioners) for prom, explained that students will not receive individual refunds.

“Our event coordinator dropped the ball as far as coming through with the photobooths and the flipbooks that she promised us,” Fulton said. “So she is giving the school a refund for that, so that money will go toward the junior and senior class.”

    Students also criticized the DJ for playing his own music, which some found unpopular or outdated, in lieu of their requests.

“Our council did have a Google Doc form [for students] to post songs that they wanted,” junior council publicist Tejas Priyadarshan said. “This playlist was approved by Fulton many times yet the DJ played his own mix, having most of the songs not being on this. Many of these songs were played at Homecoming and Winter Ball, so not playing them at prom especially was extremely disappointing.”

On a positive note, juniors and seniors appreciated the venue and the opportunity to spend quality time with friends.

“I loved the decor, the room, the space, the lighting, and the food,” junior Jose Llanes said. “Prom overall was very fun and an unforgettable experience.”

Many attendees, like senior Deep Das, cited their company as being the main source of their memorable time.

“I did enjoy prom overall but only because of, first and foremost, my date and second of all, the people I was with,” Das said. “Being around all my friends in an atmosphere like that was definitely going to be fun, regardless of any of the other drawbacks.”

Keeping a positive attitude, students enjoyed themselves and did not let any mishaps overshadow all that the special occasion had to offer.

“Experiences are what you make of them, and I was lucky enough to spend my prom in really great company,” senior Disha Dubey said. “It was easy to have fun with the people I spent time with, and I just went into it with a mindset to have fun no matter what. I can’t say that I have a lot to complain about prom. It must be really difficult to plan everything that goes into an event like this, and I’m pretty appreciative of what we did have, and I truly did have a pretty magical night regardless of any hiccups.”