Though prom is still a few weeks away, most of the prama – asking dates, deciding tables, coordinating groups – has already played out since tickets had to be bought and tables reserved last week. Consequently, the past few weekends played out to be unofficial promposal weekends. This year’s promposals, however, included an unusually large number of juniors.
“Even seniors who aren’t dating juniors are still asking them,” said Andy Kilens, a junior who got asked to prom.
“Yesterday I went through the prom dress Facebook group and saw like 30 new juniors,” said Catherine Broton, senior.
One possible reason for this spike may be the fact that the two grades are closer than usual this year.
“There are definitely a lot more juniors going to prom than usual. I think it’s because the junior and senior grade just hang out a lot more than in the years past,” said Laena Carroll, a junior who also got asked to prom.
Another reason for the amount of juniors getting asked to prom may be the girl to guy ratio of this year’s class.
It seems like we have more guys than girls in our class, so the guys are asking juniors,” said Melissa Mohl, senior.
The influx of juniors raises questions on the integrity of the prom, which is technically meant for seniors.
“I don’t mind, but prom is supposed to be a senior thing, and I think that if so many juniors go, it will ruin it for them senior year,” Broton said.
Nevertheless, most of the seniors don’t mind having juniors at the prom.
“I think it would be better if seniors asked other seniors, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing for juniors to be there,” Kilens said.
“I think it is okay since most of the senior girls have dates. It’s better for a senior guy to have a junior date than no date,” said Mohl.
In order to maintain the tradition of a senior prom, many of the juniors going are treating the dance less formally than a senior would.
“I think the juniors that are going are just treating it more of a casual thing so that when senior year comes around, it’ll still be something special,” Carroll said.
