Promposals, dresses, suits, stress. These are just some of the things one may expect when entering prom season. This year more than others, people are rushing to buy prom tickets in hopes of getting to experience the grand event known as prom. Because of the pandemic, juniors were not able to attend prom last year but as seniors this year, they are ready to embrace prom’s overwhelming culture.

While there are those that are excited to have the opportunity to experience prom, there are also those who are torn between attending or not. There are many pros and cons to list when it comes to deciding whether you will go, or choose to do something else. Here are some to consider if you find yourself conflicted.

Pros:

– Memories: You typically only get two chances to go to prom while in high school, so why not live it up? It will be a time where you can take pictures, hang out with friends and experience the prom you see in movies.

– Treat Yourself: Prom is one of those rare occasions where you get to dress up and pamper yourself! Take this opportunity to make that day memorable.

– Views: More times than not, high school proms are held at gorgeous venues. Taking pictures with friends at a nice venue would create fun memories you can always look back on.

– Dance!: Unload! Dance your stress away even if it is just for one night. Take this day to forget the amount of stress you have from school to unwind and have a night out with your friends!

Cons:

– Stress: You would usually have to plan everything out beforehand. Dress/suit, corsages, dinner, makeup, tailor. So many things go into getting ready for prom, and it can cause a lot of stress. Many people get ready as far as a month in advance. 

– Costly: Tickets usually cost $40-$80 just to be able to attend prom, and most proms do not cater food, so you would have to buy your own food before or after. Buying your dress/suit and shoes would also cost quite a bit of money depending on what you decide to wear. A lot of people also choose to do their hair or makeup done for prom, which can add more to the cost.

– Overrated?: Prom is viewed as a “picture perfect” event that a lot of teenagers dream about, but is it always as fun as movies/tv-shows depict it to be? Every prom is different, but there can be times when not everyone is having as grand of a time as we see on screens.

Of course, there are no rules that say you have to either attend prom or not, and stay home. Many have chosen to opt-out of traditional prom, and instead, create their own with a couple of friends. Whether it be having a fancy picnic, or going out to the city to explore and have a nice dinner, there are many ways one can still experience their own definition of prom.  

While there are numerous pros and cons to consider, the choice is ultimately left to your heart. I fully believe in the saying, “go with your gut.” Although it is good to calculate the pros and cons of a situation, it’s not always a bad thing to listen to how you feel deep down. Only you know what will make you the happiest. No matter what you choose to do, as long as you have fun, you should be fine