OPINION: Is prom worth the hype?
Illustration by Rebecca Klein
May 16, 2018
When it comes to stereotypical high school moments, there’s almost nothing that tops the idea of prom: the dresses, the limos, the promposals and the hours of preparation and buildup. Prom also causes a ton of stress, tears, drama and — of course — financial ruin. But there’s nothing wrong with that, because prom should be a night to remember, right?
Well, for many juniors here at West Essex, not so much. When it comes to prom, all the excitement that’s slowly built up actually gets thrown away.
“I think it’s funny people were stressing for months over a three-hour event,” junior Isaiah Jimenez said.
“Personally I was excited to go down the shore and just get out of there,” junior Christina Doud said.
Strangely, on the night of the big event itself, prom goes from being the best night of one’s life to an awkward three hour “dance” everyone is dying to leave. The final cue for the night is the slow dance — and here, as girls grab their heels and guys sling jackets over their shoulders, they make a mad dash out the door.
The promise of a weekend down the shore is really the main priority for most people attending the event. But if that’s the case, why are there issues with prom preparation when nobody seems to care?
“I think we all run to go down the shore because the best part is the bus and prom isn’t fun,” junior Ryan Rusignuolo said.
Students and teachers who helped plan the event are well aware of teens having a stronger urge to go down the shore rather than staying at prom.
“I do not care too much that everybody rushed out; the shore was a lot of fun,” junior Class President Chris Duthie said.
It seems like tradition builds up prom to be something bigger than it actually is. What people worry about are the pictures before prom; to look perfect for their Instagram post everyone sees.
“Honesty I was only looking forward to the pictures and getting dressed up,” junior Abby Rondi said.
Senior Zach Zerance went to prom both his senior and junior year. He felt going as a senior relieved the stress that came along with prom preparation, and ultimately let him have more fun. Going for a second time helps students realize it’s not just about going DTS.
“Second time was better because it wasn’t mine,” Zerance said.
Even I — a junior girl who dutifully spent weeks upon weeks prepping for the big night — found that as prom night was coming closer to an end, my interest in leaving grew stronger. Why, though? Probably because that’s how the mind of a 17-year-old works.
Growing up, we imagine prom being nothing but perfect, which is most likely why it’s so stressful. Unfortunately, over time we tend to build up the idea of a prom so grand it’s impossible to live up to.
If that’s the case, make an attempt to salvage the night instead of wasting it as if it never meant anything. Since you’re there, actually be there.
Otherwise, if you go to prom only to rush through it, just save yourself hundreds of dollars, skip the event and start heading down the Parkway.
