Prom night is the most anticipated high school tradition which people look forward to for years on end, but somehow the night never seems to fulfill students’ high expectations. For student athletes especially, the excitement often comes mixed with extra stress. There’s always something getting in the way of allowing them to fully let go and enjoy the night, whether it be rushed appointments due to practice times, transportation timing situations, or even major obligations such as playoff games. I hope that someday future students, especially student athletes, can experience prom without any added stress, and simply enjoy the night for what it’s meant to be.

With prom falling initially on the same day as many sports teams’ state tournament games, students were left to choose what to prioritize: the sport they’ve dedicated their time to for months, even years, or the night they’ve looked forward to for years. After grueling sports seasons, these games which determine the fates of each athlete’s season are some of the most important ones they’ll ever play. There were many uncertainties which came into play, whether it was what time to make hair appointments, how to possibly take pictures in such little time, or how to make it to prom promptly, the chaos which surrounded the night took away from the exciting anticipation. Student’s had to nervously approach the day with the worry that their seasons will be over in the glimpse of an eye, just hours before the dance begins. Though it’s no one’s fault but the NJSIAA, it would be appreciated if the athletic director and coaches were able to continue to work together in the future to organize sufficient times for the games to be played, so that student athletes can be assured ahead of time that they’ll make both school sanctioned events. This is something which the girls and boys lacrosse coaches have made a priority, and were successful in doing as their games were scheduled for the day before prom, despite the NJSIAA requirements. Along with this, in the future prom could be even more seamless if it wasn’t planned for the end of May or the beginning of June, just because these conflicts are bound to happen knowing that seasons are wrapping up. By planning ahead and prioritizing students, we can ensure both athletic competition and the joy of celebrating the end of senior year are well balanced, so that no student athlete has to choose between the sport they love and the night they’ve been dreaming of.

With the new requirement of school sponsored bussing starting last year, students are now forced to take the bus to and from the prom venue. This gives rise to several problems, as athletes who do have games will arrive late and face challenges getting to prom on time, especially since the school-mandated bussing does not align with their schedules. With student’s able to take personal transportation years before, many of them utilized “party buses” with their friends, which were scheduled for specific times so that they could take photos with their group and then make it to prom efficiently afterwards. Now, with this not allowed, and the combination of the inconvenient sports schedule for teams like baseball, student’s are finding it extremely difficult to make the bus times. After paying a massive amount of money for a ticket which includes transportation, the impacted student athletes and their dates are going to unfortunately be moments behind the rest of their class, especially with the early bus time of 4:30. Moving forward, if there was an open conversation facilitated between the school administrators, coaches, students, and parents, this would help create a more flexible transportation plan which supports and includes all students, leading to an even greater prom experience for all.

Prom is intended to be a great celebration for students to appreciate the hard work and memories of the past four years. With challenges of conflicting sports schedules and transportation rules, stress is woven through the experience of planning, leaving students in a big puzzle. Students care so much about balancing their priorities of sports, friends, and traditions, and there is so much potential to make prom an even greater, more seamless experience for all. Moving forward, a little more flexibility and communication could go a long way in helping every student truly enjoy prom the way it’s meant to be. Class administrations and coaches can work together to create flexible solutions that allow all students, especially athletes, to fully enjoy prom without sacrificing their commitments. By prioritizing students’ needs, we can ensure prom truly becomes the memorable, stress-free celebration it sets out to be.