Prom expectations vs. reality:

Sam Klein Print Editor/Podcast Editor

Senior prom was held at the Planetarium on April 15, from 7:30 to 10 p.m., after a delay due to severe weather. The event was open to seniors and their guests.

Prom has been glorified in different types of media for years-- photos of prom on Instagram feeds or videos on TikTok, movies centered around the event, and the idea that it’s the defining moment for a class creates high expectations for the night.

“It kind of feels like one last big push for the whole grade…I feel like this is like the big last thing you do with your class before you graduate really,” senior Luke Hedenburg said.

For students, prom means months of planning-- including buying dresses and suits, coordinating with friends and scheduling out what the day will look like.

“Getting a spray tan, getting my nails done and talking to everyone in the group I’m going with to make sure we’re not, like, wearing the same dress,” senior Ellie Keegan said about how she prepared for prom.

Senior Spencer Willman said he began setting up arrangements for his tuxedo four months in advance. Others, like senior Kaz Bergman, said he rented his tuxedo two weeks before.

Despite its portrayal in media, students said they expected prom to be like most other school dances.

“Honestly, I expect it to be like the regular homecomings, where everybody just goes to say they went,” Willman said.

“I’m expecting it to be very crowded, very smooshed, a lot of people,” senior Maren Quentus said.

Despite their low expectations for the event, students said they were looking forward to other parts, such as getting ready and the attire. Long dresses are much more common at prom compared to other dances such as the Friendship Dance.

“We get to wear long dresses… That’s mostly what I’m excited for,” senior Annemarie Sweeney said.

“I’m excited to see everyone all dressed up, because I feel like that’s very rare, other than, like, homecoming,” Quentus said.

“The getting ready-- That’s always the most fun part,” Keegan said.

Others said getting ready was one of the more stressful parts of prom.

“Some of the prep stuff isn’t so fun, you know, because you want to hangout with as many of your people that you can and