Prom is often seen as a highly anticipated and fun event, however, making plans to go to prom can be stressful.

The answer entails a great deal of preparation, which students admit can be costly and time consuming. “I had no idea how much tux rentals cost on top of everything else, such as the ticket itself. I had to sell my comic book collection just to buy a tuxedo,” confessed Justin Jett (17’). Similarly, many girls can attest to the struggle of obtaining a dress. “Buying the dress months before prom is definitely important because you want enough time to make sure that it’s perfect,” shared Brittany Renfro (18’).

For other girls, such as Callie Maginnis (17’), making a dress is a fun, yet sometimes-onerous facet of preparing for the big event. “It’s really a doubled edged sword when it comes to prom. For me, I love making my own clothes, so sewing and stitching together a dress from scratch is fun. It can sometimes be tedious too if I’m occupied doing something else, such as homework or horseback riding,” expressed Maginnis. On top of trying to get a suit or dress, there are other factors that come into play as well, such as coordinating with friends before the big event. “Honestly, I really had no idea about how much planning is involved in going to prom. On top of finding a dress, I had to talk with my really close friends about where we wanted to meet up before going to prom. We ultimately agreed that my house was the best place to hook up because it’s on the way to Greenbelt,” stated Jaelis Rodriguez (17’).

Similarly, Julia Rivenburg (17’) agreed with Rodriguez when she said, “Prom prep really is stressful because it sneaks up on you out of nowhere!” Rivenburg continued, “My boyfriend and I are meeting up with a few good friends beforehand, and we’re probably going to get something to eat. We also felt like being fancy so we ordered a limousine. It was quite pricey, but we think that it’ll be worth it.” Overall, there is no doubt that a lot of time and effort on behalf of the students goes into preparing for the big night. With prom being right around the corner, it is safe to assume that most students have thought about clothing, plans with friends, and means of transportation. However, the procrastinators out there still have until the 29^th to get ready.