The Social Disease Known as "Prom"

Prom. That one word evokes sighs and eyerolls from guys who’ve secured a date, and realized how much pressure comes with finding a limo, restaurant, and a tux that fits right; it causes involuntarily dateless boys to pick their cuticles and fidget with their ipods with nervous anticipation at the thought of asking that girl to the dance of all dances; it makes gaggles of girls squeal and wave their hands in delight as they prattle on about the “perfect dress they found”, the “strappy shoes that are UNBELIEVABLE” and the places they are going to get their hair done before the event; and lastly, it causes those of us who are impervious to the mental disorder known as Prom Fever to bite our cheeks, hold back our inputs, and wish they would change this subject so we could contribute to an actually stimulating conversation. I’ve been to prom. I’ve fussed about my makeup and finding a dress that wouldn’t fall when I was dancing. And while it was fun and a unique experience, I’m not anxious to repeat it again: I went to my boyfriends’ Senior Prom, and I’ve always believed you should only ever go to your or your significant others’ Senior Prom.

Before I moved to Alameda, I had never heard of a Junior Prom. Honestly, prom is supposed to be an experience that brings everyone together for one last time to commemorate their four years of high school. So why do we insist on having a Junior Prom? I am not personally against dances: in fact, I love any excuse to get dressed and have a great time with my friends. But I think that prom and the three months leading up to it is a very dangerous time. I’ve seen so many Facebook status updates about that looming day, and I’ve seen so many snap-shots of dresses on phones. Where have our heads gone???

Prom is a social disease; it spreads among high-schoolers like an STD. A couple of friends begin talking about that night in the back of math class, and they suddenly evoke day-dreams and doodles and mindless conversation through the hallways. There are so many factors involved with planning prom, I almost feel sorry for these people: undertaking such a feat for your JUNIOR Prom, only to have to do it again next year for the prom that actually MEANS something. And those people who tag along to both Junior Prom and Senior Prom every year of their high-school career: seriously? Don’t you want your own Prom to be a little special? And would you want underclassmen at your prom? Sorry Freshmen and Sophomores, but waiting a couple of years won’t kill you.