Prom season is in full swing on the Main Line, and it is a frenzy as usual. With Malvern’s prom quickly approaching, the stress of preparing for the big night—or big nights at several schools—can be a bit overwhelming.
Villa Maria Academy students Kate Kimmel ’19 and Julianna Mattei ’18 both recently attended Villa’s Junior-Senior Prom at Ballroom at the Ben in Philadelphia on Friday, April 13.
When it comes to preparing for prom, both girls expressed some of their worries. For Kimmel, it was about how she looked and for Mattei, it was finding the right dress. They both agreed that the pressure to look their best can be a lot, but not to the point where it is overwhelming.
Both girls felt that going to prom can get expensive if they choose to overdo it, but can be manageable. According to Yahoo Style’s 2017 Prom Across American survey, teens spend a national average of more than $600 on prom, with the highest costs in the northeast where that cost approaches $700.
Villa students have some strategies for managing the costs. “Everyone at Villa kind of supports each other for prom, I know a ton of people who borrowed dresses from friends,” Mattei said.
When it comes to the actual event itself, the girls’ feedback was positive. Both girls enjoyed prom, and said that the extensive preparation is “pretty much” worth it. Kimmel especially loved all the Instagram pictures she got out of it. For Mattei, it was the dancing, even though she felt the music was “lackluster” this year.
Both Kimmel and Mattei added advice for Malvern students for any upcoming proms.
“Talk to your dates,” Kimmel said. Far too often, Kimmel sees Malvern students who are having fun with their Malvern friends, and not paying too much attention to what their date wants.
Mattei’s advice is about being punctual. “It’s not their fault, but I saw a lot of guys showing up late because of sports,” she said.
While prom season isn’t even close to being over, it is important to remember the whole point of prom, which is having a good time with your fellow classmates. Don’t get lost in all the minute details, and just enjoy yourself.
