Jessica Payne and Maddie Baum share their views on attending prom:

Fancy dresses. Lots of money. Hair appointments. Lots of money. Limos. Lots of money. Did I mention that prom costs a ton of money? Why would we want to spend so much on only one night? Especially as a junior.

Personally, I really don’t see the point of prom. We stress out over getting a date, then we stress out over finding that perfect dress, then we stress out over whose sitting at our table, etc. I don’t know about you, but that is way too much stressing out for me.

We get ourselves all worked up about this one night, have extremely high expectations, then are completely disappointed when it doesn’t go as perfectly as we had wanted.

As a junior, I know that I still have next year, so I see absolutely no reason to go through this twice. Half of the people I know attending prom have openly admitted that they are only going because it seems like what they are supposed to do; they don’t even really want to. So just because it’s what everyone else does, we all have to rush out, spend all our hard-earned cash, and go as well? That seems a bit strange.

I’ll admit, I’m only going next year because I’m afraid I’ll regret it if I don’t. But, as for this year, whatever I plan to do that night, I know I’ll have just as much fun, and still have my money when it’s all over.

As we have all heard numerous times, “high school is supposed to be the best time of our lives”. But how can that be true if we don’t take advantage of the opportunities we are given. Now I’m not talking about going to every football game or even getting the best grades you can. I’m talking about going to prom. For most people they either love the idea of going or hate the idea. I love it.

The biggest argument heard around the halls is the money. Yes, prom takes money. It takes a ticket, a dress or tux, dinner, transportation and all of the other little things you need. But if you look at all of the little meaningless things that we buy like a McDonald’s burger or a soda every time you pass the vending machine, it all adds up. And those things don’t last. Prom however makes memories. Memories that will “last a lifetime.”

Now for my argument. Most of us live such monotonous lives: go to school, go to work, sleep, go back to school and then the occasional weekend night out. So I think it is completely reasonable to splurge once a year and get out and dance. Prom is the perfect opportunity. How many times do you get the opportunity to shop for a formal gown and get your hair done? I can tell you for myself it’s not often.