For decades, prom has been considered the ultimate high school milestone—a night of glamour, dancing, and making memories with classmates before graduation. But in recent years, this once-iconic tradition and staple of senior year has lost its appeal for many students and strayed from its original purpose.
A common theme I noticed, both in my interviews with other students and in my own experience, is that the school-hosted dance is often the least memorable part of prom—and in many cases, students don’t attend it at all.
“I had a lot of fun at the actual event, getting to spend time with my friends and dance,” senior Anoushka Kanitkar said. “However, I had the most fun before the real dance—getting ready, hanging out with my closest friends, going out to eat, and taking photos was such a great time. I made a lot of memories and would definitely go again if I could.”
More often than not, students attend the dance for a minimal amount of time, and it’s usually just to check it off their bucket list.
“I think that prom is nice, but I feel that the bigger experience is going with friends and getting to be with them before and after,” junior Cross Stone said. “I’m happy I went to the dance and got to say I went, but I doubt I will go next year unless I’m with someone that really wants to go.”
Because social media has become a dominating force in the everyday lives of millions, especially today’s youth, there is an obligation for teens to take quality pictures and post online for big events such as prom.
“Social media has changed a lot of prom traditions,” Kanitkar said. “I know a lot of people, my friends and I included, had to block out time to take photos for our socials and find locations to take those photos in. People also tend to focus a lot more on the visuals of their prom experience rather than what they’re actually doing and whether or not they’re really having fun.”
While capturing photos can be a great way to cherish memories, it is equally as important to live in the moment, especially since prom marks the last major event of high school for seniors before graduation.
“It’s one of the last times you’ll get to have fun with everyone else in your grade,” senior Kaitlyn Grimes said. “You only get one senior prom.”
