"To some, prom is considered the best night of high school. It is supposed to be a magical night, but what really is prom?" - Aeryon Jackson
To some, prom is considered the best night of high school. It is supposed to be a magical night, but what really is prom? All the movies show prom as a mandatory social event, and something to go all out for--but what does this new generation think about prom? Is it worth all the hype? Are teens still feeling pressure to meet the expectations that society has set out for them when it comes to prom?
OSA vocal student, Genesis Chambers, has been to prom three years in a row and has even higher expectations this year as a senior. Since she’s been those other three times throughout her high school years, she doesn’t think attending her Senior Prom is mandatory. It’s not even something she’s really looking forward to.
“I guess I’m looking forward to it a little bit,” she said in a lackluster tone. “It’s just not that big of a deal, but I am excited to see my friends’ outfits.” Chambers was not completely aware of the theme of the prom this year, but after asking around she was able to discover that the theme was “A Night Under The Stars”. “Oh, yeah...I guess that’s it then,” she confirmed nonchalantly.
This year Chambers does not have a date, but she’s not flying solo either. She’s going to take the dance floor by storm with her best friend, and even though she didn’t experience a promposal herself, she told me about one of the best ones she’s seen here at OSA. “It was two years ago. People were lined up down the hallway and everyone handed her a rose as she walked down,” she continued the story in awe. “He was standing at the end with a sign that asked her to go to prom with him.”
Aside from the social expectations, prom can be pretty expensive. Last year she spent $700 on prom, but she assured me that it was worth it.
Literary Arts student, Charlie Stuip, went to prom as a junior and will be going again this year. Her expectations are not too high, but she does expect to have fun. She’s looking forward to prom but mostly for postprom, which if you guys didn’t know (because I didn’t), is the party taking place after prom.
Just in case you were wondering, Stuip was asked to the prom by a close friend of hers. It was in class when someone was giving a presentation and her friend included a slide in the presentation that read, “Charlie will you go to prom with me?” Stuip gave the lucky girl the answer she wanted. While her promposal was heartwarming, Stuip informed me that it was not the most extreme promposal to happen at OSA.
It was years ago at a school assembly. Vocal Rush sang a song to the girl and the guy got down on one knee and had a big sign. “How do you say no in front of the whole school?” she asked comically. Stuip was also not a big fan of the prom theme, “A Night Under The Stars.” “How do you even capture that?’’ she asked in disbelief. She will be attending prom this year, but she does not think prom is mandatory to attend, especially as a junior. She believes prom is a moment to celebrate all of your time together with your friends. Stuip was not able to tell me how much she spent on prom this year, but she was able to round last year up to only $143. Very Impressive. “Thrift town,” she proudly informed me.
This year is Theatre student, Leon Jones Jr.’s first year going to prom. As part of Student Leadership, he is helping plan this very big event, so he’s expecting it to be really fun with both students and teachers. When asked if he’s looking forward to it he replied, “Yes, most definitely.”
Jones Jr. was able to inform me of why the theme “A Night Under The Stars” was chosen. “This is our third year using Eve’s Waterfront, which is near Jack London where you can see the actual stars,” he went on to explain the prom theme. “Basically the experience of enjoying music with friends under the stars.”
He doesn’t think attending prom is mandatory as a junior, but definitely for your senior year. He will also be flying solo this year and just hanging out with friends. When it comes to promposals, Jones Jr. loves the idea of the old 80s theme with the boombox outside the house playing the person's favorite song, and asking them to prom. He also didn’t put too big of a dent in his wallet, only spending about $150 on prom.
This year is not Literary Arts senior Danielle Griffith’s, first year at prom. She does not have higher expectations for this year because she went to two different proms at different schools, so it was two totally different experiences. However, she is also totally looking forward to prom. “I don’t get glammed up often so when I do, I’m going to send it,” Griffith said cheerfully.
This year she will be using her date guest pass, but not for herself. She's letting someone else use her pass so they could invite another person, but she doesn't know the person at all. The night could be a night spent with friends, but she’s not completely sure. “I honestly just walk in and figure it out from there,” she laughed. While she did not do a promposal herself, she did see her friend do one that she thought was very cute. “She had the whole class hold up pieces of paper that spelt out prom,” she continued to explain. “It was really cute. A little friendship thing, I loved it.”
The theme “A Night Under The Stars” was not too astonishing for Griffith either. “Yeah it was pretty low baller. Like, yeah, it’s “A Night Under The Stars”, but every night is a night under the stars,” she joked.
Griffith does not think prom is mandatory to attend for some people, but to her it is a “Rite Of Passage.” She understands that some people get uncomfortable due to the crowd and that prom could be too expensive. This year she spent $770-800.
It is also Literary Arts student, Justin Walton’s, first junior prom. He’s expecting to have a good time and he’s really looking forward to it.
He did ask his friend to prom, who is now his girlfriend, and it was one of the most thought-out promposals. “She’s a real Harry Potter geek and fan, so I bought her a stuffed owl. I bought the owl because in Harry Potter the owls deliver all the messages to the students because they don’t have other ways to contact humans,” he explained happily. Walton bought a stuffed owl and wrote a letter in Harry Potter print asking her to prom. Now out of all the promposals I’ve heard about at OSA this has to be one of the best, and Walton would agree. “Not to be cocky or anything, but I’m going to have to put mine in,” he laughed.
Like most, the prom theme did not shock him much, but he’s sure he’s going to have a great time regardless. As a Junior, he does not think attending prom is mandatory but he does thing people should go.
Walton spent close to $500 on prom, and when asked if it was worth it he responded, “I guess we’ll find out.”
OSA vocal student, Genesis Chambers, has been to prom three years in a row and has even higher expectations this year as a senior. Since she’s been those other three times throughout her high school years, she doesn’t think attending her Senior Prom is mandatory. It’s not even something she’s really looking forward to.
“I guess I’m looking forward to it a little bit,” she said in a lackluster tone. “It’s just not that big of a deal, but I am excited to see my friends’ outfits.” Chambers was not completely aware of the theme of the prom this year, but after asking around she was able to discover that the theme was “A Night Under The Stars”. “Oh, yeah...I guess that’s it then,” she confirmed nonchalantly.
This year Chambers does not have a date, but she’s not flying solo either. She’s going to take the dance floor by storm with her best friend, and even though she didn’t experience a promposal herself, she told me about one of the best ones she’s seen here at OSA. “It was two years ago. People were lined up down the hallway and everyone handed her a rose as she walked down,” she continued the story in awe. “He was standing at the end with a sign that asked her to go to prom with him.”
Aside from the social expectations, prom can be pretty expensive. Last year she spent $700 on prom, but she assured me that it was worth it.
Literary Arts student, Charlie Stuip, went to prom as a junior and will be going again this year. Her expectations are not too high, but she does expect to have fun. She’s looking forward to prom but mostly for postprom, which if you guys didn’t know (because I didn’t), is the party taking place after prom.
Just in case you were wondering, Stuip was asked to the prom by a close friend of hers. It was in class when someone was giving a presentation and her friend included a slide in the presentation that read, “Charlie will you go to prom with me?” Stuip gave the lucky girl the answer she wanted. While her promposal was heartwarming, Stuip informed me that it was not the most extreme promposal to happen at OSA.
It was years ago at a school assembly. Vocal Rush sang a song to the girl and the guy got down on one knee and had a big sign. “How do you say no in front of the whole school?” she asked comically. Stuip was also not a big fan of the prom theme, “A Night Under The Stars.” “How do you even capture that?’’ she asked in disbelief. She will be attending prom this year, but she does not think prom is mandatory to attend, especially as a junior. She believes prom is a moment to celebrate all of your time together with your friends. Stuip was not able to tell me how much she spent on prom this year, but she was able to round last year up to only $143. Very Impressive. “Thrift town,” she proudly informed me.
This year is Theatre student, Leon Jones Jr.’s first year going to prom. As part of Student Leadership, he is helping plan this very big event, so he’s expecting it to be really fun with both students and teachers. When asked if he’s looking forward to it he replied, “Yes, most definitely.”
Jones Jr. was able to inform me of why the theme “A Night Under The Stars” was chosen. “This is our third year using Eve’s Waterfront, which is near Jack London where you can see the actual stars,” he went on to explain the prom theme. “Basically the experience of enjoying music with friends under the stars.”
He doesn’t think attending prom is mandatory as a junior, but definitely for your senior year. He will also be flying solo this year and just hanging out with friends. When it comes to promposals, Jones Jr. loves the idea of the old 80s theme with the boombox outside the house playing the person's favorite song, and asking them to prom. He also didn’t put too big of a dent in his wallet, only spending about $150 on prom.
This year is not Literary Arts senior Danielle Griffith’s, first year at prom. She does not have higher expectations for this year because she went to two different proms at different schools, so it was two totally different experiences. However, she is also totally looking forward to prom. “I don’t get glammed up often so when I do, I’m going to send it,” Griffith said cheerfully.
This year she will be using her date guest pass, but not for herself. She's letting someone else use her pass so they could invite another person, but she doesn't know the person at all. The night could be a night spent with friends, but she’s not completely sure. “I honestly just walk in and figure it out from there,” she laughed. While she did not do a promposal herself, she did see her friend do one that she thought was very cute. “She had the whole class hold up pieces of paper that spelt out prom,” she continued to explain. “It was really cute. A little friendship thing, I loved it.”
The theme “A Night Under The Stars” was not too astonishing for Griffith either. “Yeah it was pretty low baller. Like, yeah, it’s “A Night Under The Stars”, but every night is a night under the stars,” she joked.
Griffith does not think prom is mandatory to attend for some people, but to her it is a “Rite Of Passage.” She understands that some people get uncomfortable due to the crowd and that prom could be too expensive. This year she spent $770-800.
It is also Literary Arts student, Justin Walton’s, first junior prom. He’s expecting to have a good time and he’s really looking forward to it.
He did ask his friend to prom, who is now his girlfriend, and it was one of the most thought-out promposals. “She’s a real Harry Potter geek and fan, so I bought her a stuffed owl. I bought the owl because in Harry Potter the owls deliver all the messages to the students because they don’t have other ways to contact humans,” he explained happily. Walton bought a stuffed owl and wrote a letter in Harry Potter print asking her to prom. Now out of all the promposals I’ve heard about at OSA this has to be one of the best, and Walton would agree. “Not to be cocky or anything, but I’m going to have to put mine in,” he laughed.
Like most, the prom theme did not shock him much, but he’s sure he’s going to have a great time regardless. As a Junior, he does not think attending prom is mandatory but he does thing people should go.
Walton spent close to $500 on prom, and when asked if it was worth it he responded, “I guess we’ll find out.”
