Every year in the spring, high schools across the United States host prom. Prom is considered one of the biggest events of the school year and is usually open only to juniors and seniors, though underclassmen can go if they are invited by an upperclassman.
What Happens at Prom?
What happens at prom can vary from school to school, but in general there is a dinner, dancing, and prom court. Other activities will depend on the school as well as where the event is hosted. Some students may also participate in events after the dance has ended, but this is largely dependent on how late prom runs as well as any curfews set by parents.
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The Venue
The venue that prom is held at can affect what happens at prom. Though prom can be held in a high school’s auditorium or gym, some high schools may find more intriguing venues such as botanical gardens, riverboats, aquariums, or even the local zoo.
If your school’s prom is hosted at one of these unique venues, then you will often get to explore that venue. For example, if prom is hosted at a botanical garden, you may be able to walk around and enjoy the different displays of plants and flowers.
Proms with unique venues are often more interesting since there’s more to them than just dinner and a dance. Not to mention, taking photos with a botanical garden, beach, or river as a backdrop is a lot more aesthetic. The downside is that when prom is held at such venues, tickets may be more expensive.
The Dinner
For other dances, such as homecoming, it’s common for friends to get together and enjoy dinner at a restaurant before heading to the dance. At prom, however, dinner is included in the experience.
Most schools will have prom catered. In some cases, prom may even be hosted at a restaurant. How the dinner is served will depend on the school and catering choice.
Buffet style is a common choice, especially for schools with a large student body. However, if your junior and senior class is small, then the dinner experience may be more similar to dining at a restaurant, though your options may be limited to three or four choices.
The Dance
Dancing usually takes place after dinner is served. There will be a DJ playing music so you and your friends can dance the night away. Dancing is considered to be the main event, and it’s a great opportunity to show off your prom dress as you hit the dance floor; just make sure you choose one you can easily dance in, like these prom dresses.
Many schools have a prom committee that creates a playlist for the DJ, and songs will usually be a mixture of fast-paced, upbeat music as well as slow songs. You may even hear popular songs from TikTok that you know the dances to.
Prom Court
Some schools do not have a prom court because they view it as a popularity contest that is ultimately bad for their students’ well-being. If your school does do prom court, then you will be able to vote while you’re at school. Most schools only allow seniors to be prom king and queen, but they may also have a prince and princess title for juniors.
The winners of these titles are announced during prom. After this, the elected king and queen (and prince and princess) may share a dance.
What Happens at Prom: Potential Other Activities
Though dinner and dancing are the main focuses of prom, some schools will set up other activities for their students to participate in. Photo booths or specially decorated areas for photo taking are popular. Though not as common, schools that go the extra mile may hire caricaturists, temporary tattoo artists, henna artists, or face and body painters.
What Happens After Prom
Prom is often an all-night event for many teens, and after the party is over, they may keep it going with friends by enjoying other activities. Of course, this all depends on how late prom itself runs as well as curfews set by parents.
After-proms activities usually include things like going out to eat at a diner that’s open late or midnight bowling. Some students may have sleepovers after prom where they stay up late watching movies, gaming, or just discussing anything exciting that happened that night.
Prom Is What You Make of It
Though the activities at proms can vary, you can expect dinner and a dance. Whether you go with a date, friends, or even solo, it doesn’t matter as long as you have fun. The experience is what you make of it!
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