Prom is all about finding the perfect date to spend the night with. This search is all about the perfect prom proposal (promposal for short). Promposals are seniors’ last chance to show off their creativity and try to score a date to the dance. Although the variety of promposals is limitless, on every almost promposal “PROM?” can be found. Seniors have been known to spend months working on a breathtaking promposal for their prospective dates. Although this process is often long and requires hard work, promposals are a fun end of the year treat. Senior Sally Yi said, “I love watching the promposals at the end of the year. I have been waiting for four years for a promposal, so this time of year is really exciting. There is also a lot of suspense. I know that a lot of girls are curious to see who will ask them to prom.”
Junior Amy Xiao said, “I loved the way Prabhu promposed to me. He drove over one afternoon in his ridiculous green car and his friend rang my doorbell. When I looked out of my door, there was Prabhu with a sign that read, ‘Wanna taco bout PROM?’ It was clever because he gave me chipotle, which is the reason for the ‘taco.’ His promposal really showed his creativity.”
Food seemed to be one of the most popular ways to score a date to prom. Senior Nadine Puzzito said, “I asked my date to prom with homemade cookies! I cut them out to make letters and laid them out on his kitchen table. When he walked in, he was so surprised to see ‘PROM?’ written in big cookie letters on his table. His smile was perfect.”
Some promposals were a group effort in which many friends came together to help one person ask their date. Senior Rajesh Bhayana said, “I was lost at first for a promposal. So I enlisted the help of one of my good friends. She became my promposal agent and she got a group of friends together to help me. We decided to use neon colored posters that read, ‘Will you go to with me?’ It was a little confusing at first, but then I showed her that I had macarons that read ‘PROM?’ It was a really great moment, especially because all of our friends came to support us. One thing I have really loved about East is the closeness of the friendships I have made here.”
Senior Matt Mangione said, “I got a group of friends to help me with my promposal. I wanted to decorate her car with post-its that said “PROM?” However, to write out all of those post-its and stick them to her car would take hours! Instead I asked my closest friends to help me out. Her car looked awesome. Her car is black, but with all of the post-its it was hard to see the actual car! She was so surprised!”
Some promposals were not planned far in advanced, and instead done on passion in the moment. Senior Megan He said, “I promposed on the day of my last track meet. While we were on the bus home, I told my friends about how badly I wanted him to be my prom date. My track teammates are such a supportive family, and they convinced me to ask him. They offered to help, and ten minutes before the bus arrived at school we drew up a plan. All we had were a dry erase marker and a lacrosse ball, but we made it work. I wrote for him to come out of the locker room on the lacrosse ball and rolled it in. We wrote out “PROM?” on our stomachs and waited outside of the boys’ locker room. When he came out, we all lifted our shirts and laughed. He said yes! I have been ecstatic for prom ever since.”
For some girls, the wait leading up to a promposal can be long and suspenseful. Senior Alyssa Flaschner said, “I think that all senior girls started thinking about their prom date at the beginning of the year. So, in a way, the wait for a promposal started in September. But the most suspenseful part of the wait is in May and June. Lucky for me, my date asked in early May, so I didn’t have to wait as long. He surprised me after work with balloons and a really pretty sign that read ‘PROM?’ I loved it! I also appreciated how he asked so early. It made me feel really special.”
Promposals are a chance for the gentlemen of East to show off their romantic side. Senior Gina LaDuca said, “I thought I saw some lights on at my house when I pulled up one night. As I came closer I noticed that there were lights on my garage. I thought ‘Hmm that’s strange’ but I didn’t realize that it was a promposal until I was right in front of my house. On my garage in lights read, ‘PROM?’ It was the perfect night. Out of the darkness came my boyfriend with flowers. He is the best in the planet!”
For many students, prom is the last chance to ask out their secret crush. An anonymous senior said, “I spent three and a half years crushing on one girl. I never had the nerve to ask her out, but I always dreamed of going to prom with her. When promposal season rolled around, I took a deep breathe and made my move. It worked and I couldn’t be happier!”
Promposal season is an exciting end to a great four years of high school. After a successful promposal, many seniors begin to look for the perfect dress/tuxedo. The night begins with a great date and stunning outfit, and always ends with many fantastic memories made.
by Kiran Garg
