When I think of prom the first thing that comes to my mind is the last hurrah or bash before before the year is over. Prom is like a celebratory synopsis of the end of your high-school career. Some first questions that pop into my mind are when was this idea set in stone? What does it emulate? What is the significance? Are there social links to this festive idea of adolescent celebration? What dominant social factors does prom bring out? If you consider not attending how are you seen by your peers? Why are drugs and alcohol such a big part of the event? Questions like this are just my initial thoughts on the subject but as I did some personal research it only lead me to thin deeper about the subject. "Proms first began in the elite colleges of the Northeast, taking their cue from the debutante balls of the rich and well bred. Middle class parents admired the poise and composure of debutantes and their escorts and began to institute formal dances as a means of instilling social skills and etiquette in their children. The dances were strictly chaperoned and were often restricted to only the senior class."("HIstory of Porm" 1-1)From this piece of information I find it intriguing that proms were first chaperoned and started at such an early age in time. As well I had a feeling that the whole idea of the prom was created by the students of the previous years as well as teachers and parents which I'm assuming were the chaperones. The entire idea that was created from college seniors was passed down to high school students early on, for instance in the 80's especially and to current day. Specifically I though it's crazy to realize just how prom has changed through the era's of evolution in time.
An insight that came to my mind when I was in class one day working in groups talking about the the topic at hand was a very interesting concept that I divulged from my thoughts.The concept that I thought of is specifically dealing with the topic of prom, the conquest of gathering materials of interest that have appeal and flaunting them to the best of their ability. Now the materials depend the eyes of the current social agenda of that time that is in fact appealing to the masses. "Today's proms have become expensive, all-night affairs, with after-prom activities often extending into the dawn of the next day. Stretch Hummers, fancy dresses, and glamorous ballrooms are now prom-night standards. Still, the prom has begun to relax a little in its dating requirements. While tradition still dictates that a boy ask a girl to the prom, more and more girls are beginning to take their prom destinies into their own hands and do the asking. Nontraditional couples are also becoming a more common sight at the prom. In practically every way, prom has moved beyond the days of strictly chaperoned, etiquette banquets to glamorous extravaganzas where nearly anything goes."("HIstory of Porm" 1-1) Prom now a days have come a long way from the proms of the past. The quote above is a great example of how prom are "suppose" to be and are like today. I even agree with how it was depicted here in the text. Almost every day I hear my peers talking about how they are driving in an escalade or chaffering a limo to have them be dropped off at the prom. They talk about this excessively almost everyday. Although my peers indulge themselves in these fantasy's yet to come true , these events are what really makes the prom experience maintain the one aspect that has kept it going since the late 1800's and that's "glamour". Glamour is what makes up the reasoning in even going to pro, some people take it very seriously and plan in advance what they are wearing and how they are getting there and then there are others that have the desire to experience it but do not harness the initiative to try as hard as ones whom care to an excessive extent. For instance in getting my suit today and its a monday and our schools prom is on a thursday. I have the initiative and have the same desire of glamour just as my peers but I do not have the same approach to the event. To me prom is something that is going to be an amazing synopsis to the end of our high school career and I plan on going out with a bang and experiencing it the way I choose to experience it, the lay back kinda way, no stress involved.
Citation:
"Pretty For Prom." HIstory of Porm 2006: 1-1. Web. 22 May 2011. <http://www.prettyforprom.com/prom-history.html>.
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