A Promising Time of the Year

Prom: one of the most exciting times of the year. Students will enjoy a night full of dancing and fun. Girls get their hair done and wear beautiful dresses, while guys will be dressed in dapper tuxes. Couples will slow dance in each other’s arms. It is fair to say that prom is the biggest highlight of senior year. However, there is a certain element of prom that many people do not like.

Promposals

Promposals are extremely nerve-racking for a few reasons. First of all, the person asking may not know if the girl, or guy, will say yes. This puts a huge burden on the asker because he or she may rethink his or her decision to ask in fear of being turned down or embarrassed. On the flipside, the person being asked may not want to go with the asker; the person may not even want to go to prom at all, making them dread being asked. Also, the asker needs to plan out the promposal. The simplicity of the promposal will vary depending on how well the pair know each other. If the asker does not know the person they are promposing to very well, then a more simple plan is often necessary. But if the two people are very close, or even dating, then the plan may become more public and more elaborate. Third of all, people who are asking someone else to prom may run the risk of being privately rejected. Even after everything goes according to plan and they say yes, the person asked may not feel comfortable going with the asker. Lastly, people who want to ask someone to prom must ask before other people do. Promposing is a “first come, first serve” thing and may or may not get competitive. Try not to make things personal with other “suitors” and carry on.

Many people who are asked to prom do not realize how stressful it is to plan and prepare for a promposal. I personally asked my girlfriend to prom. People would tell me that I have nothing to worry about since I already knew what the answer would be. But they were very wrong. The entire time I was planning, I felt very stressed and anxious. I wanted to make her feel special, so I decided that a public promposal would be best so that people could share the experience with us. I knew that since she had a real passion for Asian Festival that I should ask her then. I wanted to prompose to her on stage during the performances, but then it dawned on me that that would be too hectic and time consuming for Ms. Kirtane’s liking. After consulting with Ms. Kirtane, I eventually decided to ask her during Japanese Fisherman practice in the dance studio. It was ideal because both of us participated in that together.

Once I figured out how I would do it, I was determined to make it one of the memorable moments of her life. I enlisted the help of five people and spelled out “P-R-O-M-?” on five different pieces of paper and, when the time came, instructed them to hold it up when she came into the room. I planned to hide behind them and appear with a bouquet of flowers after she saw the signs. Even though I was prepared and knew what the answer was going to be beforehand, I was still incredibly nervous. I was apprehensive that something was going to go wrong, such as her seeing us getting ready beforehand. The feeling of nervousness continued on into the day of the promposal. An hour before it was supposed to happen, it felt like my heart was coming out of my chest. I was extremely stressed out. In the end, however, everything went according to plan and it really did make her feel special. I would find out later that I had carried out the first promposal in the senior class.

To all the underclassmen who are eagerly waiting for prom, I give you this advice: Be a hundred percent sure that this is the person you want to go to prom with. Prom is a very special night. It would mean more to you and the person you are going with if you can share the wonderful experience with someone that means something to you rather than a complete stranger. So, when in doubt take a good friend of yours. The common stigma with asking someone to prom is that you must ask someone whom you find attractive. However, many people take their friends; since they already know them fairly well, and the night will be enjoyable. Also, try and prompose earlier in the year. I had a few friends tell me that the person that they were going to ask to prom got asked already and that they should have promposed earlier. I was the first to do it, and I did it in late February. Although this year’s senior class got to a late start on promposals, start planning the basics of your promposal around the holiday break in December. Lastly, make it special. Even though the main goal of the promposal is to get someone to go with you to prom, you want to make it special for them.

Anthony Rispoli
staff writer