Every spring, High school Seniors get to choose there venue of choice and then they turn the room into a glittering ballroom. Teenagers step out of the limousines in carefully chosen dresses and suits, cameras flashing across the double doors, and social media fills with polished photos of smiling couples and friends groups. To many, prom appears effortless as a magical evening wrapped in sequins, flowers, and magic.
On prom night, students step out of cars dressed in sequins, satin that is perfectly matched to the corsages they wear on their wrists. Parents crowding sidewalks with all their flashing cameras raised high trying to find that perfect angle trying to capture one of the most important times of a students high school moments. Social media fills with glamorous photos, smiling couples, and all the sparkling decorations all perfectly staged.
But behind all the elegant outfits and picture-perfect entrances lies a hidden world of planning, pressure that a photo cant show. For months before prom night arrives seniors are not only going through many life changes but there also planning their dresses, what their dates gonna wear, how thier getting to prom, who their getting ready with all this planning is never seen being done months in advance.
“I feel like this last stretch of school have been very stressful since the week of prom is our last real week of school. Everything is due the week of prom and obviously I want everything to be perfect the day of prom.  At least a month or a few weeks. I’ve been slowing getting makeup, jewelry and other things for the day of prom. “ Said Senior Riley Febbroriello.
One of the largest obstacles is that prom can place a financial pressure on families due to Coming into to prom season is the cost of a dress , makeup, shoes, hairstyling, transportations all aren’t free these all turn into a major expense for family.
“During prom, my mom keeps me organized and reminds me of certain things that need to be done like corsages and boutonnieres. My parents also pay for a lot of the supplies.” Said Senior Riley Febbroriello.
“my parents usually take care of getting the flowers i need, and making sure i have my appointments scheduled for prom”Said Senior Whitney Treubig.
Teens set this expectation that “everything has to be perfect “ because of the thougt of someone not liking their instagram post of their prom night.
The other piece of prom people dont see is the teachers and administrators are often focused on safety. Making sure everyone is their who is supposed to be, having a police officer there to make sure the night remains improvised and organized on what can be a crazy night.
The final days leading up to prom are often the most chaotic. Deliveries arrive late. Seating charts change repeatedly. Weather threatens outdoor photo sessions last minute emergencies become the most unavoidable threat whether thats a zipper breaking on a dress or the flowers dying right before photos these simple things can ruin a whole prom night.
“There’s always something going wrong” said Senior Katie Gardenr “But it always get figured out or fixed because the minor things dont matter has much as the actual night does”.
For the Students going to prom, prom is usually remembered through snapshots of photos , the slow dances, group phots and the endless laughter coming from every table. Yet for those teachers and administrators behind the senses prom shows something different its all team work and responsibilities and the pressure of will the students really make memories here that they will be able to carry with them as they walk out of these doors tonight.
As music echoed through the ballroom friday night and students crowded beneath the glowing lights, few stopped to think of the months of planning that really goes behind prom.
But when that final song plays and the students slowly exited into the night the people who helped build the evening were finally able to step back and see how much fun every students had and how much work they put in for theses kids to be able to carry memories.