Social Distancing At Prom

6 FT.

MHS Students Follow Proper Guidelines At Prom Last Weekend By Social Distancing On The Dance Floor

— Kelsie Hildebrand, Dictator

The juniors and seniors at Mandan High School were ecstatic to hear that prom was officially on. The students instantly started booking appointments and finding dates. “Once I heard I was able to go to my junior prom, I knew I wanted to spend the night with my best friend,” super senior Taylor Swift said. “Despite the guidelines, it was a magical night.” With the cancellation of prom last year, many seniors attended the iconic dance for the first time. Unfortunately, this special night was still affected by COVID-19 with the preconceived notion that masks would be required. “As a supervisor over the weekend, I was thoroughly impressed by how well the students distanced themselves from their friends and dates,” English teacher Seth Peterson said. “All the chaperone’s did an amazing job enforcing the rules for the safety of all attendees.” COVID-19 can not be taken lightly hence the need for social distancing and sanitizing at social gatherings. With the mask mandate at the function, many students bought matching, decorative masks due to the expectation of formal prom attire. “I bought two of the same pantsuits for my DIY mask,” Swift said. “If I was required to wear a mask, it better be stylish right?” The DJ played some bussin jams, which made it very hard for the students to stay away from each other. When the time came for all the couples to slow dance, everyone wore their masks correctly and consistently. “It was especially important for the students to follow the rules while slow dancing since they were so close,” Peterson said. “Some students even doubled up!” The students danced all night long until they were kicked out by administration. After the dance, many students went home because of the long day and ongoing pandemic. “Due to COVID-19, all my friends parted ways after the dance,” Swift said. “It was truly a spectacular night.” Parents and students filed complaints against the guidelines, but the number of cases has not skyrocketed because of the safety precautions MHS took. Granting that it was hot and musty, the students had a wonderful night. “While everyone complained about the masks and social distancing, the students were beyond grateful for the opportunity to go to prom,” Peterson said. “Administration strived for the event to happen because it truly was the cherry on top of a melted ice cream sundae type of year.”