Did you know that the first prom was started in the mid-1800s? Prom is short for the word promenade. It started at colleges and universities in the Northeast to promote social etiquette and manners in each graduating class.

According to Jovani, “Early citations of prom link it to the annual Ivy League tradition of presentation week during which formal dress and dancing accompanied a promenade concert.” Coming out parties and debutantes are similar to a prom as well. 

It’s quite true that prom preparation can get very expensive. The average girl will spend from $900 to $1,000 dollars on getting ready for prom, which can include hair and makeup appointments and, of course, the prom dress.

The average guy can spend from $100 to $150 and more on prom attire alone. Overall this can get pretty expensive for one person. However, the people attending aren’t the only ones spending a lot of money. On average, prom can cost the school up to $2,200 and more.

A lot of planning actually goes into hosting the prom. Bourbon County’s prom is actually coming up on Saturday, May 17.

I interviewed Ms. Garrison, who is in charge of the BCHS prom and all the planning that goes into it. The theme this year is Masquerade Ball. Ms. Garrison told me that planning a prom is like “planning a wedding.”

It takes a lot of planning and time to put together. Every little detail adds up, and it takes basically the entire year to plan our high school prom. When Ms. Garrison was in high school, she actually planned her own school prom. 

Overall, prom is a huge party for high school students around the nation. It can be stressful but it can also be very fun once students are there. Prom is meant to be a fun experience for the upperclassmen of high school.