SPRING
Prom StressBY ADELAIDE KUNKEL ON MAY 16, 2014
Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Promenade, more commonly referred to as prom, is a formal dance, especially one held by a class in high school at the end the year. But what do these two words have in common? They are both commonly associated with debatably one of the most highly regarded and glitteringly generalized nights in one’s high school career.
Whether it stems from planning, expenses or dates, prom stress is evident in the lives and attitudes of many upperclassmen as prom grows near. For the junior class students who have been planning the theme, decorations and all things prom, prom stress has been growing since first semester. Junior Danae Cox shares her involvement with prom planning: “I haven’t been able to attend as many committee planning meeting as I would have liked to since I [have to be out of town] on the afternoons the meetings are always held,” Cox said. “But I am going to be helping set up all afternoon on Friday [before the Prom on Saturday] and try and do the most I possibly can since I can not help on Saturday.” Cox, along with many other juniors, has to take the SAT Saturday. “It definitely adds to my prom stress,” Cox said. “I have to be at the testing center at eight a.m. and I will probably be up pretty late too, so it should be interesting.” While Cox will spend a great majority of her day busy at the testing center, others will be frantically running around taking care of all those pre-prom rituals. For girls, there is an extremely lengthy list of primping routines that must be completed before their date picks them up. This can add a great deal of stress to the big day. “On Saturday, before I meet up with my group, I have to get my nails and hair done,” senior Mara Holland MacKenzie said. “I also have to do my make up. It’s all very exciting, but I also get a little worried thinking about it.” Unlike Mackenzie, sophomore Shiquilla Williams has not allowed the quickly approaching date to be a stressor for her. "I haven't even started looking [for a prom dress] yet," Williams said. "I'm not stressed about it either because every girl will be beautiful on prom night." In addition, many agree that although prom is severely stressful, it is well worth it. But what if you are attending a multitude of proms? Some lucky students get invited to other schools proms by friends. However sweet, a side effect of attending multiple proms is not only the doubled, and sometimes tripled, expenses, but also the growing amount of stress on the person. Junior Lacy Ellen Wicher shares her experiences with planning to attend several proms. “My good friend from Wilmington invited me to his prom, and a friend from Conley High School invited me to his, and of course I am going to Rose prom, and I am so excited,” Wicher said. “I do not know which one I’m most excited about, but I do know it is going to be expensive.” Wicher has developed a way to ensure she, and her mother’s wallet, stay as calm and stress free as possible. “For Rose prom, I am going to get a new dress and go all out because it’s actually my prom,” Wicher said. “For at least one of the other proms, I am planning to hopefully borrow some of my friends’ old dresses from previous years.” Wicher is maintaining a positive outlook on her busy prom season. “Although I have never been to prom myself, everyone I have talked to agrees that all the stress is worth it,” Wicher said. “I hope they are right.” HTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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