Prom Chaos: How to survive it
One of the best parts of my high school experience has been getting to make friends at other schools. While I go to Indy, some of my best friends go to Riverside High School. Every year I attend both schools football games, events, and homecomings. Being an upperclassman this year, I got to plan prom with both my friend groups. While it got stressful coordinating rides, pictures and dinner plans, I enjoyed attending both proms.
The first prom in attendance was to Riverside's prom—a school I don't attend, but thanks to my best friends Shiva and Anisa, I got to be a “plus one” for the night. The evening began with an hour of intense picture taking at the Jefferson Memorial, while it did rain, ruining everyones hair-dos, we still got a couple salvageable group pictures. In a twist of tradition, we swapped a fancy dinner for the golden arches of McDonald’s, laughter filling the air more than any gourmet meal could. The dance itself was a whirlwind of events, and the night capped off at Shiva’s, where the afterparty was held.
A week after the Riverside prom, I attended the Indy prom (my actual school) with my friends Hannah and Elle. Here we took pictures at the Lincoln Memorial, it was FULL of prom-goers to the brim, but we eventually found a spot inside to take pictures. We had a fancy Hibachi-style dinner, full of knife tricks and catching various foods in our mouths. While the Riverside dance was alright, the Indy dance was unbeatable! The dance floor was alive, with all the upperclassmen in attendance.
Here are 5 of my tips for planning your next prom to ensure the perfect night:
Make your dinner reservations 3-5 weeks in advance. Keep in mind that many restaurants require reservation fees for big groups.
Book a reliable party bus/limo company for transportation. I can’t tell you how many groups busses malfunctioned and broke down, check company reviews! Make a spreadsheet to organize transportation payment fees for your group.
You don’t need an expensive dress to have fun! Amazon and Macys both have beautiful dresses at affordable cost. You can even ask other senior friends to wear their previous years prom dresses.
Plan out prom day with designated times. Making bouqets, getting ready, pictures, and dinner, all take up time. Make a schedule to keep everyone on track.
If you are going to an after party or drinking prom night, make sure to assign a DD. Either a friend, sibling, parent, or other trusted adult.
Whatever your prom plans are, make sure they safe and responsible for you and your friends!
