The beautiful month of May, when seniors are scrambling to bring up their G.P.A., send in their final transcripts, and make plans for the summer.

They’re also scrambling to come up with the perfect promposal, if they have a prom date at all.

This year, I noticed seniors are going stag or trying to convince someone, last minute ,into going with them to prom. It was astonishing and sort of disappointing to see how many people would rather go to prom with someone they barely know than go by themselves with a group of friends.

 I agree that prom is a night to make memories with that special someone or friends you have made over the four years in high school.

I also think that we shouldn’t stress ourselves out over going alone and finding a date.

Not only do we have to worry about finding a date, we also have to worry about what we’re going to wear, how we’re getting there, where we’re going afterwards, and all these crazy things that won’t matter after prom. Prom is a stressful event. Friends begin to turn their backs on each other. I have even heard of couples breaking up so they don’t have to pay all the money to go. The days leading up to prom aren’t pretty ones, but finding a date is where it all starts.  

Last year, I remember telling my grandmother I would probably end up going alone to my senior prom. Then she went into an entire rant about how prom night is for couples and I can’t go if I went by myself as she did not see it as the lady like thing to do.

This resonated with me. I didn’t want my grandmother to be disappointed with me, so I desperately turned to different options.

I even tried looking up a prom date on a prom date rental site, but I didn’t have that type of money for a random person to take pictures with me. Plus it’s kind of creepy.

So there I was, contemplating my future, wondering if I’ll ever find anyone to go to prom with. But senior year came, and the month of April brought cute promposals. People who I didn’t realize  associated with each other were asking each other to prom. Of course I felt a little left out, but I came to the realization that having a prom date is not what prom is about. Times have changed since my grandmother was in high school.

Georges Azouri, Div. 658, did not plan on attending prom, but however thinks that people who choose to go alone should not be seen in a certain way.

“They should just be themselves. Your friends will be there, and you won’t be lonely. Going alone does not mean you can not have fun. Just remember to make it a night to remember,” Azouri said.

As I heard the words, “a night to remember,” I suddenly recognized that’s how prom was described my entire life. I started to wonder if that is even true. I’ve seen many movies that make prom out to be this big event and I’ve just sat back and watched these seniors put themselves through more stress. But going without a date should not be a huge part of this “night to remember.”

Lorena Grajeda, Div. 665, has a boyfriend who attends another school, and plans to go to prom without him. Grajeda believes that going stag is something to be proud of, “I think that they should take pride in the fact that they’re gonna look so good at prom, and they could do it by themselves. Of course going with a date is fine too, but major props to those who ask their friends or ask their family member to go with them.”

I suddenly didn’t feel too bad when Grajeda said this, I felt better even. I realize now that there are many couples going, but there are also many seniors going without a date, and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that they’re alone.

Friends and family mean the world to a lot of people. They’re always there for support and love you no matter what.

People who care about you, and most of them are life long friends. Don’t get caught up in the whirlwind of going alone. It’s not a bad thing at all. It means that there is no other person you’d rather go with than the people who made four years of high school bearable.

 Prom night is about being surrounded by love, and if you’re with a date or with friends, then you’ve accomplished that.

So congrats to the class of 2016. We made it!