As the anxiety of impending final exams looms over students, their futures may begin to appear bleak. Though end of the year activities like prom help provide a gleam of hope and a reason to persevere through the last months of the school year. The evening dedicated to making memories with friends and commemorating the past year of diligent studying is available for around one hundred ninety dollars. This amount may be jarring at first, partly because the cost of prom tickets has only increased.
Senior Maiah Garcia revealed the hesitancy she felt upon learning about the cost: “As someone who wants to go to the prom of other high schools, the price of ours makes it difficult to do so.” Despite this, she shared that she would still be at the event, as it is an experience she would not want to forgo. This shows the significance of prom as an irreplaceable high school tradition, even in the face of monetary setbacks. Her decision to prioritize the experience over its cost highlights the sentimental value associated with this event in a student’s life.
Contrastingly, another senior who chose to remain anonymous shared that the price of prom is preventing her from attending. “It’s not just the ticket,” she starts, “there is also the price of dresses, suits, and corsages.” This perspective shows the comprehensive financial burden associated with prom, as it extends beyond the ticket price itself. For many students, this event is accompanied by the additional stress of acquiring the perfect attire, making the prospect of attending this event especially challenging for those with budgetary constraints.
Offering insight about the reasoning behind ticket pricing, our school’s leadership president Kaelyn Garcia explained: “Students think they’re paying just to attend but in reality, we have to pay back the venue, cost of food, transportation and more.” She clarified that the overarching goal of prom is providing students “an opportunity to create life-lasting memories” and not to turn a profit, however, any additional revenue is “put towards…improving future events.”
Though finding a balance between affordability and paying back expenses is challenging, it also raises the question of when the price will be too much. From interviews with peers, it is evident that the price carries significant weight in students’ decisions, prompting many to reconsider. While factors like inflation explain the escalating costs, it is crucial to acknowledge that prom-goers are still adolescents; often without an income to afford the expenses. Now that the anticipation is shadowed by its cost, students must decide if the expenses justify the priceless experiences promised by prom.
