While many girls’ morning routines for prom include makeup and hair appointments, some Robinson students will be taking a different approach. Saturday, March 24, the day of prom, has many things going on in Tampa and lots of students will be including those events in their to-do lists that day.

Just some examples of the events are the March For Our Lives walk, Bark in the Park and the Pride parade in Ybor.

Starting the earliest that morning is the March for Our Lives walk, a nationwide protest that originated because of the Stoneman Douglas shooting. Students, parents and teachers alike will be walking to support positive change and inspire political officials to take some sort of action.

Kaki McNeel (’18) is one of the many Robinson students who are attending the march before prom. McNeel says she plans to get there around 9 a.m. and stay until noon, with her hair appointment not far behind at 12:30 p.m.

“Usually I don’t do anything in the morning,” McNeel said, “but it’s really important to me.”

The walk is from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will be at Kiley Gardens in Downtown Tampa. After an hour of performances and speeches, the march will run along Ashley Drive to the University of Tampa, then circle back across the river toward the Straz Center and end at the William F. Poe Parking Garage on 800 N. Ashley Drive, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Right across from the walk will be the annual Bark in the Park event located at Curtis Hixon Park. Bark in the Park is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is filled with dogs, food and music.

The goal of it is to support and raise money for the Humane Society to help dogs all across Tampa Bay. At 1:30 p.m., there is a mile long walk, Walk for the Animals, along the riverwalk to support and raise funds for the animals.

The time for Bark in the Park could possible cause more conflict with prom preparations.

But Ainsley Mischka (’19), the secretary of Pre-Vet, an animal based club at Robinson, is not letting prom get in the way of her plans to go to the Bark in the Park.

“I’m making it a priority to go and be involved with my club and my community,” Mischka said.  “I’m planning on taking my dog and participating in the mile long walk to help raise money for the Humane Society.”

Despite having prom only a few hours after the event, she does not seem worried.

“Taking three hours out of my day to support a good cause is better than worrying about how I’ll get ready for prom,” Mischka says.

Starting at 1 p.m, the 4th annual Tampa Pride Diversity Parade will be taking place in Ybor. There will be floats and a marching band to watch, but pride-goers will arrive early at noon to see a special ceremony.

Olivia Rivera (’18) is one of many Robinson students looking forward to pride.

“Me and my friend Alexis are going to go watch, catch beads, and have a good time,” Rivera said.

Rivera plans to get there around 11 a.m. and leave around 2 p.m., giving her the time she needs to prepare herself for prom.

“It’s a tradition to go for me,” Rivera said, “I’m gonna [sic] make sure I have enough time to get ready, but it’s really important to me that I go.”

Despite having one of Robinson’s biggest dances on March 24, it clearly doesn’t stop students from putting aside time and effort to do something they are passionate about.

“I would rather take a part of my day to help someone else out before I go off and have a good time at prom,” Mischka says.