Prom, A Night to Remember
As the school year nears the end, most high school seniors are looking forward to the very day they have been waiting for for the last four years- prom.
Prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance held at the end of the year for high school students, though most proms are restricted to juniors and seniors. Many students across the nation attend the annual prom held by their schools, as it is known to be a major event among high school students. After four vigorous years of studying, and with college just around the corner, numerous students who seek to make the night perfect make many preparations prior to the event. Female students often purchase extravagant dresses while the male students prepare their tuxedos and matching ties. Most of the time, students pair up with a date of the opposite sex, and gather up with their friends at a park or someone’s house for photographs before leaving for the dance. It is also a tradition for the male students to give their dates a corsage to wear, while the female students give their dates matching boutonnieres.
While prom could be a great way to celebrate the last few days of high school, many students spend hundreds of dollars in preparation for this event. Pricey prom dresses, hair styling, limousine renting, and other costs make prom one of the most expensive high school events.
“I spent more than $500 for prom,” senior Maddie Elen from Saugus High School said. “It seems pretty normal these days for you to spend so much money, because it’s such a huge event.”
According to NewsObserver, the cost of attending prom in the United States in 2012 averages more than $1000 per family. The traditionally high costs of prom, as well as strict school rules or other contestable aspects of prom prompt some students to organize an anti-prom dance, or morp, at their schools.
“My school has both a prom and a morp each year,” said Madison Suh, a junior at Valencia High School. “Morp is definitely looser, with the less strict dress code and rules as compared with prom.”
However prom remains an extremely popular event each year, despite some oppositions to its high costs. While many schools have already held their Prom this year, many other students are looking forward to the upcoming event they have dreamed of for so long.
