By Emily Scott
Copy Editor

As the ending months of the school year arrive so does the ever-so-important prom season. With empty wallets and overpriced dresses and tuxedos, prom is a hectic time of year for high school students. Balancing grades and planning a fun prom night can be difficult. Buying an extravagant and expensive dress that will be worn once, the guys being pressured to ask their date in some over-the-top way; just for the ‘perfect’ prom night. Figuring out all the little details of prom can be stressful and take away the sentiment of the dance. It has turned into a contest for the most aesthetic attire, or the best party. Is all this money and stress worth this one night or is it better just to not go?

Finding the money for all the prom necessities is one of the biggest obstacles. Deciding on a mode of transportation can be nerve-racking. Often people who said they rent a limo will fall through, and the price may end up being over a hundred dollars per person.“We had a plan for a huge group to go together in a limo and it all ended up not working out because people just couldn’t get a plan together,” junior Emily Seidel said.
For the girls, it can often cause low self-esteem in planning the perfect night. They spend months of planning and searching for the right dress; as well spending outrageous amounts of money on the dress, shoes, and hair.

“Looking for a dress that looks perfect can be challenging because there are so many factors that go into buying it…” junior Samantha Eckart said.

The media only portrays the glamorous aspects of the unforgettable night. They leave out the hardships that go into the small night; while glorifying the excitement of dancing with friends and looking good. The main concern for guys is finding a date and asking in some over-the-top way. After the date is found, it relieves some stress while adding more that goes into planning the event.

The financial concerns going into prom can be a burden on teens. While teens in high school often have jobs and financial independence, it can be difficult watching their entire paycheck go into just one expensive night. Sometimes parents will help in buying the girls’ dress or renting a tux. “I think prom is over-exaggerated because it’s hundreds of dollars for one night and I questioned whether it’s worth it until I got to the prom,” junior Molly MacDonald said after attending the junior prom on April 12th.

“Prom was a lot of fun but I feel bad for the girls who spend so much money on a dress they only wear once. For the guys, it’s pretty much straight-forward and simple; all we really need to get is a tuxedo which is still a little pricy,” junior Andrew Boyd said.

Prom is the one day of the year the school can come together- besides graduation- and enjoy themselves for a night of music and dancing. Prom is all of what is made of it. The night is about having fun, not stressing it. With prom season commencing, students of Neshaminy should not be concerned over the prom stresses and remembering it as it should be: a long time tradition with your closest friends.