Prom. A word when brought to mind brings most girls immense stress, most boys immense agony, and most parent’s wallets immense pain. It is supposedly “The greatest night of a high schooler’s life”. But in all honesty, what is with all the fuss about prom? It is only one day in the hundreds we spend in high school.

According to CNN, an average family spends roughly $700 to $1,500 a year on prom. In the past few years, party buses and limos have spiked the cost of the night up tremendously. But you can’t forget about designer dresses, tuxedo’s, getting your hair and makeup done, and that’s sadly only the beginning. However, money isn’t the only attribute causing the night to bring students and parents a major headache. The prom planning experience begins months before the actual dance. According to Senior Jaelin Rios, whose mom owns local Prom Store Rubi Jubi says, ”Prom is a great experience, but making it a huge deal 5 or 6 months prior isn’t going to make it better or more important. So the hype really isn’t necessary”. Borderline fights break out about who gets to go with who, and who gets included in this group or not. There is a vast amount of drama that coincides with attending prom. Grace Baker, a TG Junior, comments, “I think prom can be stressful for people who do not have a boyfriend or girlfriend”. There is serious worry with some students about their fear of not getting asked.

Prom is supposed to be a fun night where you get to dress up and celebrate the coming end of the school year with your friends. The unnecessary physical pain the topic of prom seems to cause some people completely defeats the purpose of the night. Go out, live it up, and make the most of this special night, but also realize this isn’t your wedding, nor should the events leading up to it turn you into a Promzilla.  

Happy Prom.