Youth / OPINION : ‘Here Comes the Reality’ of Prom Night
DREW ZIMMERMAN
Senior, 17, Beverly Hills High School
Most seniors have dreams about their prom being a final night of fun with high school buddies. A final chance at friendship. A last night when boyfriends and girlfriends whisper promises that they’ll never forget one another. Images of dancing, partying and rebelling come to mind. Whether you’re Brenda or Dylan or Annette and Frankie, the bottom line is prom is supposed to be fun. Well, that was the fantasy, and here comes the reality. Welcome to Prom 101. I, like most of my friends, thought that prom would be no big deal. Now, with prom approaching, I have seen some of my closest friends turn into enemies because of prom.
First of all, the preparations and expenses are much more complex than meets the eye. The basics for prom are a dress and tux. Granted, this decision isn’t a difficult one. Guys just need to stay away from a turquoise bow-tie and cummerbund with a ruffled shirt, while girls need to find an elegant but basic formal dress. Then there is the dilemma of transportation. No, the problem is not over price and which company to use. Rather, the decision of who goes into what car causes the most bickering. For example, my five closest friends decided that we would be in the car together with our dates. However, some of our four dates made the same promise to be with their closest friends. Well, sit back and let the sparks fly. A week of biting insults and betrayal ensued, leaving close friends on non-speaking terms. Next is the problem of a hotel room. This has been even worse than the limo fiasco. Arguments have ranged from which hotel to choose to who will be in our room.
From a distance, I can’t help laughing at the controversy. We need to put this monstrosity known as prom into perspective. When you take away the flashy transportation and formal tone, prom is just another school dance. It is supposed to be an enjoyable experience that will remind me of the strong friendships made during my elementary and high school years. I wish that my friends and I could put aside the treachery caused by this dance and just have fun on our last night together.
SARAH PONTELL
Senior, 18, Beverly Hills High
Children in war-torn Bosnia are dying. A new hole in the ozone layer has been discovered directly over the United States, and just one year ago, our own city was burning in flames of frustration, anger and grief, but who am I going to go to the prom with? Although the analogy may be over-dramatized, unfortunately, among many students, this attitude is not far from the truth. Prom night, for some reason, has been elevated to the ranks of holiness, beauty and paradise--a promise of eternal bliss. We girls imagine we will be accompanied by a Prince Charming, who will put his jacket over a puddle for us, and we’ll marry, and live happily ever after. In truth, on the night of the prom, most seniors wind up drunk, tired and with the costs of clothes, tickets, limousines and hotel suites, up to $1,000 poorer. Some people feel that they should lose their virginity on Prom Night, erroneously believing this to be a certain “rite of passage.”
I do not intend to denounce the prom completely because that would be hypocritical. I’m looking forward to a fun night to be with all my friends and let myself go. The important thing is not to let the “magic night” be blown out of proportion. Chances are, your date will spill a drink on you and your feet will swell in your 4 1/2-inch heels, but everyone will have a grand old time. After four years of hard work and following directions, it will be wonderful to be in control and “rule the night.” But don’t expect your prince to carry you over the puddle; trust me, he’ll trip.
