Prom is one of high school’s most memorable events, and many individuals spend their high school years anticipating the fun and magical experience that prom typically brings.
However, you may be confused about when prom is held in high school and wondering when you can expect to start preparing for your high school’s prom. Our article gives you these answers and more as we discuss when prom is and high school and how to get ready for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
What Is Prom?
Prom, short for promenade, is a popular school dance typically held by high schools for junior (eleventh grade) and senior (twelfth grade) students. The dance celebrates the transition of high schoolers to the next phase of their life, and it is typically characterized by elaborate dance themes and formal or semi-formal attire.
At some proms, a prom king or queen will be announced, typically decided after several months of voting open for all students within the high school.
Proms became an event around the 1920s, and they were historically used as a way for students to celebrate their transition out of high school. They typically reinforced social norms, such as believed gender and race roles, but this quickly grew out of fashion as the years went by and social norms became more accepting.
Today’s proms are simply a fun dance for high school students to celebrate the transition points of their lives, and there is no longer an expectation of social etiquette or certain behaviors at prom, besides dancing and having fun with friends.
Within recent years, the tradition of prom has spread to other countries, such as the UK where a summer ball is thrown by many schools to celebrate graduating students. Around the United States, prom is an event that many individuals highly anticipate and spend months preparing for.
When Will My High School Hold Prom?
Every high school is different, which makes it difficult to pinpoint an exact date for when your high school will hold prom. However, most proms are held within the months of April and May – these months are after the end-of-year exams that the majority of students need to complete, yet ahead of graduation dates that are set for the outgoing high school class.
You will need to check with your high school directly for the anticipated prom date, or you can pay attention to when proms are typically held in your high school to make an informed guess about when your prom will take place.
What Should I Know About Prom?
Prom is an exciting event, though there are a few things that you should know so you can properly prepare for this dance.
• Students typically organize prom, and, depending on which grades of students are allowed to attend your high school’s prom, preparation such as selecting a prom committee will begin in tenth or eleventh grade.
• Your high school’s prom committee will decide on themes and venues, and manage ticket sales for your prom.
• You will typically be expected to wear a formal gown or semi-formal dress to prom. though many students choose to wear jumpsuits or another formal outfit if dresses aren’t their favorite thing - Sherri Hill offers both dresses and other outfit types in their collection.
• Male students typically wear suits or tuxedos to prom.
• You will need to purchase your prom tickets a few months ahead of time.
If you have any questions about prom, or you wish to join your high school’s prom committee, speak with the teachers who typically supervise prom for your grade or volunteer yourself to be in charge of organizing this event.
How Do I Get Ready for Prom?
Getting ready for prom typically takes a few months to make sure you have everything in order – this often feels overwhelming, which is why we give you a list of steps below to help you complete everything you need ahead of prom.
1. Purchase your prom tickets when they become available – this step is important to make sure you can attend your high school’s prom.
2. Vote on the prom theme or review the details about your high school’s chosen prom theme and venue.
3. Select your prom dress or suit according to the prom’s theme and what you most feel comfortable wearing the night of prom.
4. Trial run your prom outfit, including shoes, hairstyles, accessories, and makeup a few weeks ahead of prom to make sure everything fits and matches.
5. Make plans with your friends for before prom and after prom and ask someone to attend prom with you if you are interested in going with a date.
We recommend making a list of the items you need to complete ahead of prom and proceeding down it a few months before prom, especially when it comes to finding your prom dress or other prom outfit. You might need tailoring and time to find the perfect dress, and you don’t want to be left without a gown on prom night.
Making the Most of Your Prom Night
Prom is one of the most memorable events of high school, and many individuals look forward to their prom night. Whether you are helping to organize your school’s prom or you are simply attending with friends, it’s important to make the most of your prom night with fun plans and lots of dancing.
Make sure that you double-check with your high school directly to find the exact date of your prom, and then prepare yourself for a night of fun.
