I swear I try not be too negative of a person, but how can I be expected to write positively about Prom of all things? I personally believe that that Prom is extremely overrated. Last year, I was conveniently saved from having to attend the “night of all nights.” I had to make a choice between going to the National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle, Washington or my junior Prom. Let’s just say that Seattle was beautiful and I have no regrets.

Upperclassmen used to tell me “Prom is the best night of your life” and “You’ll regret it forever if you don’t go.” All I can say is that those are both lies. I certainly hope Prom isn’t something I will be dwelling on when I’m 50.  Everyone tries to glorify Prom because no one wants to face the reality that it isn’t really all it is made out to be. TV shows and movies are to blame for making kids think that Prom is sublime. In reality, I’ve learned from my friends that Prom is awkward and uneventful.

The biggest problem I have with Prom is how overdramatic people are and how expensive it is. For my date and I to attend Prom I had to pay $150. Is my money going towards renting the hall? Because I would be just as content having the dance in our school gymnasium if it meant me spending less of my money. Overall, Prom has really put a dent in my bank account, and I’m sure it has for others.

Some girls spend their money getting their hair and makeup done, but my other required purchases makes this impossible for me to accomplish. I have to buy a dress I’ll never wear again, shoes, a boutonniere, an after party costume and decorations. Party City probably makes a lot of money this time of year. I have realized the reason no one sees kids riding around in limos to Prom or spending money on anything extravagant is because no one can afford to do that anymore.

Prom is not as cool as it is made out to be and shouldn’t be something kids stress about. The after party is all people care about anyway because the dance itself isn’t even enjoyable. The perfect theme and location for the after party is required for Prom to be labeled a success in students’ eyes. Honestly, I wish I could just skip the dance and go straight to the after party so I can be with my group of friends without being forced to listen to an awful playlist of music while dressed in uncomfortable clothes. I think Prom would be more fun for me if there wasn’t so much pressure for it to be an “out of this world” night.