Opinion

HTH Prom: Not a Night To Remember

There are other ways to spend your night.

Ryan Rolle, A&E Editor

March 30, 2026

Ryan Rolle (’26) and Kaylin Merritt (’26) posing for prom photos.

Prom night. The major climax of countless coming-of-age movies. Whether it’s Mean Girls, where Cady splits the crown, or Never Have I Ever where Devi goes to the prom with Paxton, prom is supposed to be a place where magic happens and memories form. However, I feel like in recent years the actual event of prom has lost its charm, and there are ways to still envelop the magic of prom without paying so much.

Everyone knows, one of the most fun parts of prom is the after parties. Everyone in the grade gets together in more casual outfits and celebrates with friends. To me, the joy of these parties is more fun than the actual event. Also, parties often start before the actual prom ends, so everyone is kind of antsy about what time to leave and get to the party.

Also, with dinner and photos, it can become stressful to have all the time in a day to make all the plans work. Every homecoming and prom before, I have rushed through photos to make it to my early dinner reservation and hurried through dinner so I could make it to prom at a decent time. If you want good lighting for your photos and a nice, relaxed dinner, you’re bound to show up to prom at least 2 hours late.

Another reason prom has not been hitting for me personally is scheduling conflicts. I do club rowing, and while it’s not an official school sport, there are at least 15 girls on my team who attend Robinson and have a statewide regatta on the same day as prom. Last year, I got home at 5:15, and pictures were at 6. This year, by not attending, I will be able to take my time getting ready and still feel fulfilled with my friends and date.

Another aspect is getting a date. Whether going with friends or finding a date, either option can feel stress-inducing, especially because in big groups, some people may have a date and some may not, which makes things awkward and puts unnecessary pressure on having a date. If you have a fun dinner and go to an after-party, being a solidified group with dates will not be nearly as much of a problem.

Overall, prom has become increasingly expensive and puts a rush on many of your plans throughout that day. I think the getting ready and taking photos part is the only part of prom that I truly enjoy; going to the venue is not worth it in my opinion.

prom

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About the Contributor

Ryan Rolle, A&E Editor

Ryan Rolle is a senior at Robinson and is the A&E editor for the Knight Writers. This is her third year on staff. Rolle decided to join Knight Writers, as she always adored reading and writing and wanted to communicate her thoughts from pop culture to school issues, while also deepening her involvement with the school. “I joined when I was a sophomore and I decided to join because I’ve always had a passion for reading and writing and I thought it would be fun to be able to voice my opinion to the school while getting involved in something academic,” Rolle said. Outside of the school newspaper, you can likely find Rolle spending her free time on the water, rowing for the varsity team at the Tampa Bay rowing club. “Two of my closest friends have been rowing since sixth grade and our team is small, so they were asking new girls to come out and try it. So, my sophomore year I decided to give it a try, and I loved and have been doing it ever since,” Rolle said. Whenever she’s not rowing, Rolle greatly enjoys using her time making matcha and listening to various genres of music, with her tastes changing depending on the time of year. “I listen to different music genres throughout the seasons but right now, since it’s fall, I’m listening to a lot of Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead,” Rolle said. This being her third year on the Knight Writers staff, Rolle has formed many unforgettable experiences but of all the memories, her favorite has to be when she attended the Florida Scholastic Press Association competition last year in Orlando. “We got to stay near the SeaWorld for a weekend, and we just had so much fun entering competitions and hanging around the hotel,” Rolle said. Part of the class of 2026, Rolle plans to attend college after high school either furthering her passion in journalism by majoring in biology or furthering her passion in journalism by majoring in creative writing. “My biggest dream ever would be to get into Dartmouth and major in biology or journalism/creative writing with a minor in Spanish, then go on to become an orthodontist,” Rolle said. (Profile by Avani Madabhushanam)