A Teen Tropical Paradise – Formal 2023 –

by Olive Pea

On a slightly breezy Saturday (May 6th to be precise), this year’s Teen Formal occurred. It started at 7:00, and ended at 10:00 at the San Ramon Community Center.

There were many large, round tables shrouded in black tablecloths located within the center of the room. They were surrounded by black folding chairs. At the entrance of the room, there were colorful leis that you could take on your way in. On one side of the room, there was a photo booth. It had a blue and white balloon arch over the top, and the backdrop was a picture of a beach on a tropical island. The backdrop was of a beautiful beach, completed with a blue and white balloon arch over the top. In front of the photo booth there was a ring light you could use for lighting when taking your photo.

There was a snack bar with snack items such as goldfish crackers, chocolate chip cookies, sandwich rolls, and more! Next to the snack bar, there was another table laid with drinks, such as lemonade, fruit punch, and various sodas. On the drink table there were tropical leaf and flower stickers to put on your cup, along with some fun straws that had paper sun umbrellas on them!

On the far side of the room, behind the dance floor, they hung navy blue curtains with lights streaming down in front of them, giving the area a soft glow. Above the dance floor, lots of jellyfish-lights lit up the ceiling. There were also colorful lights that illuminated the walls placed all around the room. Behind the DJ booth, three tiki totem poles stood in front of a blue and white silk curtain backdrop. Opposite of the DJ booth was a table filled with little card games.

Once everything had been set up and the guests arrived, the music started. Some teens grabbed games and played with their friends at the tables, some grabbed snacks, and some danced on the dance floor. After a few songs, there was an air guitar solo competition. For each team, the DJ played a different thirty-second guitar solo. Whoever received the loudest round of applause won a trophy and a party sized bag of skittles!