What comes to mind when thinking of Prom? When someone thinks of Prom they can either think of the most magical night of their high school career, or the worst night of their lives. Different staff members here at Esperanza High School reflect upon their personal experiences at Prom, giving many mixed responses. Some agreed that it was amazing while others classified it as a trainwreck. A history teacher here at Esperanza, Wes Choate, shared that his high school Prom was not a typical experience. He stated that his girlfriend at the time was playing a championship softball game the day of prom, so instead of going out to a fancy restaurant they “just stopped by McDonald’s on the way” to the venue. His date did not even have time to change her clothes, so all the softball players showed up to Prom in their uniforms. Despite not going to a fancy dinner, and not being all dressed up, he said it was most definitely the best night. When talking to another staff member, Amy Selof, her prom experience was a lot more traditional. Mrs. Selof and her date went to a restaurant that is now closed, called “Bobby Magees.” This seemed like a popular place to eat before prom. The music was a mix of 90s hip-hop, and pop music. According to Mrs. Selof, it was “the best night ever.” A notable aspect of 90s prom culture was the fashion choices made. She exclaimed that her prom dress was “a long hot pink dress” with “large black bows down the front.” A piece of advice she would give to students on the fence about going to prom. I think that on the fence about going to prom is to “not overthink it” and to just “go with your friends, take lots of pictures, and HAVE FUN!” A major event most high school students look forward to is Prom, so imagine the disappointment when you think you’re going to have the best night of your life and it turns into a trainwreck. Unfortunately for one of our Language Arts teachers here at Esperanza, that was a reality. Mr. Perez recalls that he and his date went to a very nice restaurant, Orange Hill. The dinner was great but the actual Prom is what went downhill. As he and his date were on their way to the boat in Long Beach, they got lost. Mr. Perez said that they were “so close to missing the boat.” Continuing on about the horrible night, he was telling us that his date was a Foreign exchange student from Brazil, and funny enough there was another foreign exchange student from Brazil too at the Prom. Unfortunately for Mr. Perez his time students ended up hitting it off and got each other’s numbers so they could hang out after prom. Just to think this night could not get any worse, after the dance he was going out to his truck and realized that it was broken into and all of his cassette tapes and a “killer sound system” was stolen. Honestly, it doesn’t sound like it was a great night. In the end, Prom is an iconic event in high school, and anyone who gets a chance should go. because according to what most of the staff here at Esperanza say, it can either be the best night of your life, or a funny story to tell your kids when you’re older. Either way, going to Prom is a must.