The season of spring is an exciting time for everyone. The weather is warmer, the days are longer, and everyone starts to get a little taste of summer. This is also the time when events like spring break, where families might take a trip, and prom, where kids will spend a large chunk of change in one night. All of these events are important, and everyone should get to experience a trip on spring break, or an awesome night at prom. A somewhat rite of passage, prom seems to become a bigger and bigger deal every year.

The question that comes to mind is whether it has become too large of a deal. Preparations begin weeks in advance as people secure their dates, dinner, pictures, flowers, and a group to go with. It would be easy for a couple to spend over $1000 for this one night, between the dress, tux, flowers, dinner, and the tickets. This seems to be a ridiculously large amount to spend for one night of a high school dance. Yet it seems every year that people disregard this for the “perfect” night (which is never perfect, something WILL go wrong at some point).

Prom is stressful for everyone involved. From the teachers who are the sponsors, to the kids going, if someone is even remotely involved in the big event, they will be stressed heading into it.

As Alliance’s prom was held the weekend of April 24, I asked around the school people’s opinions about the whole experience, their excitement level, and various problems that they have already encountered. Junior Madison Hiemstra has been preparing for prom this whole year, helping with fundraisers, and regularly attending junior class prom meetings. “I am excited for prom,” said Hiemstra, “I have helped get everything ready, so it will be very cool to see it all put together, and everyone having a fun time.” When asked about any issues she has had, Hiemstra added that her dress that she originally wanted to wear came in and was too small. “It was frustrating because I had to find another dress that I could wear, but everything worked out.” This is just a small sampling of the stories that I have heard this year of problems that people are facing all because of prom.

From dresses not fitting, dresses not even coming in on time, to dates falling through, I have heard it all. And every time I hear a story of something going wrong with prom all it does is make me think that the event has become too big. People worry too much in general, and all worrying does is make everything that happens seem even worse than it is. Things always work out in the end after all.

This year’s prom should be enjoyable for everyone that attends. The junior class has been fundraising for over a year for this weekend, and all their hard work will surely pay off. It is important that people remember all the hard work that people have put into this night, and to remember to have a fun time, and not worry about everything going perfect.

After talking to my friends, and various people throughout the school, it has occurred to me that it isn’t that prom has become too big of a deal, but the problem is that everyone it too focused on having the “perfect” night. They are losing sight of the whole event, enjoying their time at prom and having a fun night with their friends should be the focus, not making sure everything goes perfect. It makes the night more enjoyable for everyone if the focus is on having a fun time and accepting that not everything will go perfect, after all, it never does.