I set my hair in place and put on my new black heels. Tonight is the spring banquet. Every year around this time, BBC holds a free, semi-formal occasion for all the students. It’s kind of like prom without dancing, and way more fun. There’s great food, hilarious entertainment, lots of pictures, and the warmth of the BBC atmosphere.

 My best friend Bethany and I eagerly awaited the arrival of our male companions as we traded lip gloss and grabbed our tickets. While lots of people choose to have dates for this event, many go with groups of friends. I have done both and find that each is exciting in its own way.

 We pulled into the parking lot of a fancy banquet hall in Scranton and hurried inside to find all of our friends excitedly taking pictures and securing their seats at tables near the front. It was incredible to see everyone dressed-up and chattering with enthusiasm about their post-banquet plans. The dimly lit room made everyone appear to be glowing in the thrill of this one special night.

Nights like these are fun. It’s a perfect way to share a few more memories before the end of the year. Our focus isn’t on the clothes or how we look, but more so on cherishing our time together. It was sad to know that my senior friends won’t be here next semester, but banquet was the perfect and happy way to see them off.

I had a blast at banquet – and I have a hundred pictures to prove it.