Why do we do prom? We have a prom for the same reason we don’t sit on the floor and live like cavemen. We are advanced. We have technology. We want to, and we can, so we do. It’s like the capitol in The Hunger Games, they had lavish parties because it’s fun and they wanted to and they could so they did.  We want to have the feeling of living a luxurious celebrity life as teens. That’s why we rent limos — to feel fancy.

American excessive lifestyle allows us to hold lavish, or semi-lavish parties for our reckless teens, so we do it.  If one thinks prom is unnecessary, they should ask themselves what IS really necessary? Nothing but the most basic, bare minimum — simple food, clothing and shelter. But we as a society have technologically and socially advanced and risen above the bare necessities.

Prom is part of American culture, tracing back to the early 1900s. Prom is the seniors’ last hoorah. Society rewards teens for finishing school, graduating, and moving on to college or a job. Prom is the big dance we get with the friends we went to school with, most of us for our whole lives. It creates memories, school spirit, nostalgia, and usually regret for those who don’t go.

Prom encompasses and ties together everything that high school stands for. It is a celebration and remembrance of all the good times and bad times. The wins, the losses, the football games the friends, the crushes, teachers, classes and dress up days. Tradition is a great part of American culture, and prom is the great tradition of the American school system.

Prom in all the cheesy movies. Girls (and guys) like the idea of getting dressed up and having a formal evening. The girls want a pretty dress just like they’ve dreamed of throughout all of fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th, and finally 12th grade. It has to be perfect. We can ask our crushes and have the “High School Musical”-esque prom night of our elementary and middle school dreams. Prom brings everyone together for one final night.

Prom is evolving. It used to be a banquet, it has inspired school dances and has now become a wondrous party with dinner. Recently, it has brought about the great promposal, now becoming a new tradition. You will always have those pictures or that poster. Or you’ll go viral on Twitter. Either way, it becomes a keepsake memory.

I admit, all the planning can be stressful, but usually, the planning is done by someone who WANTS to plan and participate. After it’s all said and done, that planning results in a magical night. We now have the “prom season” of getting dates, limos, and reservations arranged. Yes, prom can be disastrous, but usually, a good time was had by all.

Not all proms were made equal, but prom really is what you make it. You get to pick and choose between after-parties, after-prom, take a date, don’t take a date, dance, don’t dance, socialize, take pictures, go with friends, get a limo, take your own car, ask your longtime crush to go. The opportunities are ripe for the picking, and the choice is all yours. You pick what you do and control your own happiness! You can be a prom optimist or a prom pessimist.

Prom always seems like a great idea on paper. But in execution, prom has many problems that never get changed in favor of “keeping the tradition.”

For starters, prom is always expensive and the price becomes less and less justified with each passing year. The $85 ticket used to include a full dinner, today, prom gives the people attending nothing more than snacks to eat throughout the night which means dates will spend even more money on dinner outside the venue.

Prom’s expenses always outweigh any profit that could be made on the dance, which means even when they have the seniors sell chocolates or cookie dough or throw fundraisers, it really doesn’t do much but soften the hit the school’s taking on their wallet. The event’s also a nightmare from a liability standpoint. If students want to drink before the dance, there’s nothing that can really stop them, so if something like a DUI or a crash happens, it looks bad on the school.

While those who advocate prom claim the dance lets students live out their dreams they got when they first watched those 80s John Hughes movies or every TV sitcom in existence, it never really ends up being that good. What should be a magical night to remember ends up being a night of awkward dancing, making small talk and finding out where the after-party is. If a student isn’t the type to socialize with everyone and dance the night away, I would suggest spending $85 elsewhere.

Another glaring issue comes toward the end of the night when awards are given. Rather than honoring students for things like community service or just being a nice person, the awards are just a popularity contest. Awards are always going to be divisive no matter what the subject matter is, but when the categories feature things like “best sense of humor” or “cutest couple,” it adds another thick layer of drama on top of the always-present normal high school drama.
With outrageous prices, accountability issues and great drama, the only real reason that schools continue to do prom is to feed the delusions of grandeur had by a tired senior class.