By Fatimah Nouilati

Starting around February, high school students start to get stressed and overwhelmed by thoughts of prom, one the biggest events of the year. Prom is defined as a formal dance held by a high school where the senior class can come together and celebrate their senior year. But in more recent generations, it’s more of a hectic event that breaks the bank. Girls begin to go crazy over dresses while boys start asking their parents for money for the expensive tickets. Groups of friends stress over transportation, bus fees, and of course who to ask and how.

Money

While seniors are busy with college preparation and their final classes at WA, many students are working jobs after school and on the weekends. Now that prom season has rolled around, students have to start saving their weekly pays for the big event.

Students and even parents get tied into the pricy $100 hairdos, up to $500 (or more) dresses, $150 for tuxedo rentals, limousine and bus money, and all the extra stuff. With college coming up, it makes me stressed just thinking about all this money personally as a senior.

Some people go the smart way and go with some cheaper options. I’m guessing there are thousands of gorgeous dresses sitting in friend’s closets waiting to be worn again… for FREE. There is also the St. Catherine’s dress sale where people can donate and purchase cheaper dresses.

Obviously, everyone wants to look perfect at prom and this includes the hair. I understand the desire of the princess look, but honestly the hair stays in for the pictures and then up to $100 is down the drain within a couple of hours. Have a sister or a friend look up some at home styles and test them out before the big day. There is always the cheaper way to go, which could reduce the stress of prom a lot.

Dresses

The biggest worry that takes over girls thoughts is the dress. Where to get it? Where to get it altered? How much to spend? What shoes, jewelry, and hair will match? A big part of the dress picking process is now a Facebook group that is set up every year that every girl can post their dress in to debut it and to make sure no else will steal it.

People are not joking around with this whole dress business. I have witnessed the cattiness over social media over dresses. When my sister went to prom in 2009, I remember she arrived at the common to take pictures and there was another girl wearing the same dress. While they just laughed about it and took a picture together, girls these days would not dare let that happen.

If people are spending a lot of money on a dress, I understand that they would want it to be special. But if it isn’t your best friend that you are going to be standing with the whole night, don’t worry about it! The night is going to be filled with fun whether or not there is a girl with the same dress.

Promposals

Over the past decade, the way people ask others to prom has been ridiculously stressed. The most common questions floating around the lunch room and halls this time of year are, “Who are you asking,” “Who do you want to ask you,” and “How are you asking.”

Mostly the senior boys have this pressure of coming up with a creative prom proposal. In my high school career I have seen students cover others’ cars with sticky notes and shaving cream, while others are having their hockey team write “PROM?” on their shirtless bodies. I think it is fun to do something different and maybe a bit crazy, but I don’t think people should feel forced to go all out to ask a friend to prom.

People also get very anxious about who they are going to go with if they do not know by March or April. Ask any of your friends. At the end of the night after all the pictures and dancing, you are going to want to remember a fun night where you were surrounded by your closest friends.

From hairdos to who to ask, there are a bunch of ways to lessen the stress of prom. Allow the night to be what it is supposed to be instead of a crazy, expensive night. Do not just worry about who is wearing the same dress or how your date’s bow tie does not match. Be excited, dance, sing, eat, laugh, and enjoy the night of prom with your senior class.