Most juniors and seniors have been waiting for this time of the year, prom season. This formal gathering of high school students is a cultural and traditional event which has been around for many years. Connor Casale said “It will be my last time enjoying a high school dance”, so she is excited as well as everybody else.

Historians believe that prom dances started in the 1800s even though at that time it was just a normal college dance. At the beginning of the 20th century, prom started to spread to high schools. It became a tea dance where students wore their best attire. After a few decades, it was an annual class banquet. Parents thought that introducing a dance to young adults would be a great idea to have them get used to formal events and get more social skills. Students were then wearing party outfits, dancing and being chaperoned. The event really became what it is nowadays in the 50s. The US was getting richer as well as the schools which could afford to rent a place instead of using a gym and to make the dance more extravagant. The competition between students to have the best dress, car or to be prom queen also increased at that time.

The name “Prom” comes from “promenade” which is the march of guests at the beginning of a ball. The prom attire has always been the same. Guys wear a dark tuxedo and sometimes a colored tie which matches their date’s dress. Girls usually wear a long dress with jewelry, heels and perfume. Some get their hair, nails and makeup done by professionals. They also have a corsage given by their date and they give the boy a matching boutonnières.

The fashion varies a little bit every year, so the trendy colors or designs change but the outfits have been and will probably stay traditional. For many girls, looking good and feeling confident is really important. According to Junior Grace Philop, “It’s a great occasion to put a lot of effort and justify to spend money on physical appearance.”

Between the preparation, the outfit, dinner, tickets and the rent of a car, prom costs a lot and is usually paid by parents. According to a survey made by VISA, parents pay for 73% of the expenses and the total cost is about $900 per student for one night. Mason Garifi a senior wants to make memories with friends and he stated “The money is worth the experience and that’s what I value.”

So even though Prom is an event that requires money and thoughts, it is the conclusion of the year, a great occasion to take somebody on a date or the end of a high school career. Fossil Ridge HIgh School Prom will occur on April 30 from 8 to 11pm, tickets will be sold next Tuesday for $35. Remember, you only get to go if you are an upperclassmen, or if you get asked by an upperclassmen.  Enjoy it as much as possible, nobody regrets any of it!