WOODBURY- Even though prom is in May, many fail to realize that the stress starts right when students enter the high school doors for the first time as a freshman. 

NHS senior and class of 2025 president,  Lily Kiernan has been under pressure about making prom perfect for everyone for years. 

“It could get stressful when you start having to worry about your other classmates’ opinions on what you worked hard to do,” says Kiernan, one of the prom council members who determined this spring’s prom site in 2021.  Choosing the venue was one of Kiernan’s first steps. “Knowing that we have a smaller class, we didn’t need as much space, so we picked the Aqua Turf.”

Kiernan’s decision to have prom at the Aqua Turf has come with positive reviews from her fellow Class of ‘25 classmates. 

“It’s a very pretty place,” said NHS senior Julia Longoria. “I’m glad it’s at a nice venue this year.”  

Much like Longoria, junior Elizabeth Bositis is happy that her first prom gets to be at the Aqua Turf.

“I know prom is going to be great because the place is nice, so I’m not worried,” said Bositis. 

Overall, the class council is putting in the work to make it a happy night for everyone even if this night is still months away. 

The class council’s dedication to make our last year a blast, doesn’t go unnoticed. 

“They have done a good job and they have done a lot of work to make us happy,” said senior Samantha Kostka who is proud to have strong leadership to assist in planning all the special senior activities that the Class of 2025 experiences. “I think we are in great hands for prom.”

Beyond Kiernan’s and the Class of 25’s work to ensure prom night is memorable, individual prom attendees have been busy with their own personal prom details now that the calendar turns to January, but for some, one detail is especially important: dress shopping. 

Senior Ashely Blood is already on the hunt for her dress.

“You want to make sure you have the dress so it’s smart to go early,” says Blood.

 For seniors like Blood and others who will be enjoying their second prom night, getting the details of a dress right aren’t just important, they’re critical. Prom dress shopping becomes a personal competition. 

“I definitely want something different,” says Blood, who like many of her fellow Class of ‘25 peers, wants to outdo her previous junior-year look. 

While all this sounds exciting to prom attendees, dress shopping is fun until you find the dress you love and see the price tag. This year’s dresses range from $80-$600. Senior Haley Sarandrea knows how expensive prom day could be.

 “It’s hard because when you find a dress you really like and it’s really expensive, you get stuck and don’t know what to do,” says Sarandrea. 

Currently, most of the senior class’ worries are related to paying college deposits, FAFSA applications, and the calculus of affording a degree following June’s graduation. The surprise expense of prom is something students should be prepared to navigate considering its rising costs. 

“I feel a little nervous about prices,” says Sarandrea. “I’m trying to save for college at the same time, but I want to have a good prom.” 

Even though the dress is the most expensive part, so many other expenses are thrown into the mix including getting nails done, makeup, hair, shoes, and even how you’re getting to get to prom. 

With spring semester on the horizon, NHS’ focus will inevitably move toward prom, and so too will the anticipation of the affording the memorable night. For many seniors who experienced last year’s prom, part of this year’s solution involves a more modest approach to prom budgeting. 

Unfortunately, too many seniors this year regret spending so much for their junior prom experience. Senior Lana Manganello feels that guilt of her dress not being worth the money. 

“I made a big mistake,” says Manganello. “My prom dress should not sit in my closet forever, I regret it, I wish I got a cheaper dress” 

No one wants to feel that regret of feeling like they spent too much money on something that they felt wasn’t worth it in the end. 

Underclassmen should take note on how to properly shop for the perfect dress without having to carry the guilt of spending too much for one night.

“Even though the few months leading up to prom are stressful,” said Longoria, “the one thing you don’t regret doing is going with your friends.”