It’s the social event of the year: promposals have been documented, pictures have been taken, and now you’re finally pulling up to the venue. Everyone’s decked out to the nines, and anticipation is running high.
Prom is arguably one of the most highly anticipated traditions of a student’s high school career. It’s a rite of passage. Prom does many things to shape the social lives of adolescents everywhere: it teaches kids how to date respectfully (an art that has quite frankly been lost in the age of online dating), how to develop social skills on the whole, and even helps develop certain skills for when kids find themselves in more formal situations. But most importantly, it allows kids to express themselves in a new way and in turn be their best selves.
So the question is, why do we stop at high school?
Besides the ideas mentioned above, we could provide great opportunities for different kinds of learning if colleges started implementing proms as well. It would be a great way to raise money for the school, and we could use different aspects of prom planning and execution to teach higher levels of learning in colleges. For example, event management majors and accounting majors could use their skills to help with planning an event on a budget, music majors could play at the dance, or those in the culinary arts could see what it’s really like to cater a large event. It also gives opportunities for fashion majors like the ones we have here at Lasell University to showcase their talents by designing their own outfits!
For so many, prom was the highlight of the year. There was a big event for people to look forward to, something that generated buzz and formed friendships in the process. It brings a community together and often provides one last nostalgic hurrah for graduating seniors. Some may argue that it’s not for everyone, but the great thing about college is that people are far less judgmental; a college prom could really mean more fun for everyone.
The one thing my roommates and friends on campus miss from high school is prom. There is really no other opportunity to dress up so formally nor attend an event with everyone you know. It triggers a different type of excitement unlikely to be found anywhere else.
So get creative! Just because prom is a tradition doesn’t mean we need to keep it traditional. Use the benefits of higher education to create a prom like no other.