From “Gossip Girl”
Goodbye Exams! Hello Prom! It’s that time of the year when boys nervously decide between white suits or black and girls flock from shop to shop to spot that winning prom dress! Hotels which are hosting these proms usually have rooms that are reserved by the students and the giggling teenagers check in early on the prom day itself to have enough time to prep themselves up.
Has prom always been this elaborate?
Proms used to be held in school gyms decorated with handmade banners and paper flowers. But end-of-school events are becoming more glamorous, not to mention expensive. So parents not only have to save up for their children’s college education but for these glitzy events as well.
Prom events are slowly carving a niche in the market and is expected to overtake the bridal industry soon. According to a survey conducted in Australia, girls spend about $1,300 while boys spend an average of $840 to prepare for what they consider to be the “biggest night” of their lives. Some students even work harder for the prom than for their final exams.
Blame pop culture!
Television series “Gossip Girl” and the highly-successful Disney movie series “High School Musical” influence the way teens want to attend their prom. But while teens are having an absolute ball at this event, parents are scratching their noggin over the locations of the whole thing: Hotels. A parent even suggested that schools should just organize something more practical and affordable like a simple dinner at school.
After all, a hall for dancing be it the school’s multi-purpose hall (that transforms into a cafeteria for the kids in the daytime) or a hotel ballroom is the same anywhere else isn’t it? The girl is going to close her eyes when the boy takes her in his arms and they rock to the beat of the music. Hence what’s with the lavish locations?
So folks, what do you think? Is it right for students to spend a lot for their proms or should they just have a simple event at school?