Staff Writers
In most schools, prom season is the most exciting time of the year, from promposals nearly every day to chatting with your friend about your dress and all your appointments.
That doesn’t seem to be the case in New Hope-Solebury this year.
Prom 2016 at NHS-HS seems to have more negatives than positives. Between the high prices and limited travel options, not many people are happy with the way it is turning out this year. Tickets are $20 more expensive than last year, which may not seem like such a bad thing, but keep in mind some people buy both tickets for themselves and their date. Prices can reach $310 a couple, at $155 each. The main reason prices have increased since last year is to incorporate the travel expenses.
Students don’t even have the option to invest in their own transportation at all. Prom attendees are required to arrive at 4:15 PM to travel on coach buses which depart at 4:30 PM.
“I’m pretty sure I wasn’t even in my dress by 4:15 last year, let alone preparing to leave for the venue,” says Brooke Black, a junior who attended prom as a sophomore in 2015.
All underclassmen are required to attend school the day of prom, or leave at 11 AM with parent permission. If the earliest students are allowed to leave is 11 AM, but they have to be at the school by 4:15 PM, then appointments must all occur within a limited timeframe.
Some girls may have appointments scheduled at a location up to an hour away from New Hope, while other girls may be lucky enough to have back-to-back appointments for hair and makeup at the same location immediately after they leave school.
Looking at best case scenario, that would still only leave them with an hour at most to get dressed and get to pictures. Prom is stressful enough, students don’t need the extra time crunch.
After the event, all buses leave at 10 PM, with no alternatives or exceptions. Desired departure time from prom can vary from one student to the next. Some may want to leave early to hit the beach for the weekend, while others may want to stay the entire four hours to get the full experience.
Although the prices of tickets are expensive, a majority of the upperclassmen would rather leave early and spend money on their own private transportation. This allows them the ability to leave prom when they please.
Prom should be something all high school students can look back on and enjoy the memory, but how can someone enjoy spending hundreds of dollars with little to no freedom while attending?
