From the excitement of “prom-posals” to the glitz and glamor of Mardi Gras masks and the allure of prom night, many seniors gather together to take a photo and remember this night of their last year in high school. Prom has long been regarded as a rite of passage and a major social event before seniors graduate from high school. With the help of movie magic, portrayals of the romanticized event have some excited to prepare and dress up for their first and last senior prom.
“At first, I really did not want to go to prom, but I had all of my friends convincing me because it’s a once in a life-time experience — you only get one senior prom at White Station — so I was like ‘I have to take this opportunity and just really make my senior year the fullest,’” Summer Cherry (12) said.
Prom began as an event for middle-class women who couldn’t afford to attend debutante balls in the 20th century, but it has evolved into an equally sought-after event where people can express themselves. Some people go all out by investing in custom-made dresses and rentable cars to try and look their best for their special night.
“I mean I can really only speak for my culture since I’m African American, or black, it is a really big thing in black culture to like show up [and] show out at prom,” Arielle Brent (12) said. “In my family, we take it really serious[ly], its always gotta be limos, chauffeurs, really nice dresses. We always spend a lot of money on prom and a lot of my family has been [to prom] multiple times … I think it’s a lot of black people, as well, that we all just take it and we just want to show out and be bougie and [dressed] up.”
Since prom is seen as a social event, some believe that one’s experience at prom could shift depending on the people you go with.
“I think that the people who you go [to prom] with definitely chang[e] your experience there,” Nadia Robinson (12) said. “If I went to a prom at Germantown and I didn’t know anybody there, and I just went with my friends, I don’t think I would have [had] the best time because I [don’t] know anyone around me — I only just know that one person. Going to prom at my school, and I knew just about everybody that was at prom, it was pretty fun, and talking to everybody, saying “hey girl, your outfit looks really nice” and all that, it was really cool to do that.”
With many dressing up in formal attire, some have been planning for prom months in advance. Brent advises not to set up appointments at the last minute to find an outfit. The process could take a while — especially if there are mishaps along the way.
“Start planning early because my first dress … turned out [to be in] the wrong color so I didn’t like it so then I got another dress, which is the one I wore to prom, but it got stuck in customs and it got delivered two days before prom started so then I was going to have to wear a third dress,” Brent said. “So there is no reason to stress yourself out; get everything planned months ahead. I mean I know you can’t book your hair appointment [and] your nail appointment but you need to get onto it.”
While some students meticulously plan for prom months in advance, others take a more relaxed approach, preferring to let things unfold naturally and enjoy the process.
“I say just wing it and it will turn out just fine — that’s what I did,” Cherry said. “I recommend winging prom so you don’t put too much emphasis on getting ready and stress out about it just for the day to not live up to your expectations. If you start with no expectations … you’ll never be disappointed.”
While some recognize and romanticize prom, others choose not to spend much money because they view it as a one-time event.
“I calculated [how much I spent on prom, and I spent] 1,035 dollars, [and] that’s a lot,” Brent said. “[The thing is,] I work, and the only thing that my mom bought was my dress, and then I paid for everything else, so I just tried to pick up a bunch of extra shifts … I do think [the money I spent on prom] … for a one-day [event] but I think it’s all about the experience as well. Some people don’t have that amount of money to be spending just [on] one event, so I can totally understand [so] I don’t think that many people were [spending] in the thousands, [but] I know people [who] were higher than me.”
At the end of the day, some people see prom as more than just a formal social event but a time to cherish high school friendships and experiences. Whether students plan meticulously or go with the flow, prom marks the closing chapter of their high school journey.
“My favorite part of prom was the afterparty,” Cherry said. “I feel like that’s where all of the fun happens. You can just debrief about the event and just chill and hang out with your friends … I love to connect with people.”
