Paint strokes on a canvas. A marker squeaks on a poster. Money exchanged for flowers. A fresh breeze in the air when you walk up the porch steps. A look at the poster brings a rush of excitement as you think about the magical prom night.

For Ankeny High School (AHS), May 2nd brings prom. While Student Council is diligently planning the logistics, many students have a lot to plan themselves, from finding the perfect dress to asking their friends to prom. AHS students refuse to allow prom to fall anything short of extravagant.

Planning process

For some high schoolers, prom preparation starts months in advance. Students are very busy with extracurricular activities and jobs, which makes it difficult to find time to plan prom.

“I’ve had my prom dress since February, and I can’t wait to see it all put together and then hang out with my friends,” said junior Payton Culbertson. “When I go to prom or a school dance, everybody’s kind of just one big group, and it’s a dance party. And I like dancing.”

Girls, in particular, have the act of picking out a dress and hairstyle down to a science. Between homecoming, prom, and other formal events, they have a routine for preparing for the big night.

“I went to different stores, looked around, and ultimately decided to go with [a] brown dress. Now I’m starting to look at different hairstyles to do,” senior Olivia Harris said.

The planning process can look vastly different from person to person. There are lots of variables to consider, especially when attempting to coordinate with a large group of friends.

“I got fitted for my suit at Men’s Warehouse, and then I had to try and plan dinner, but I mostly just sat in group chats. I kind of let people choose [the] dinner location and picture spots, because there was a lot,” senior Ike Evans said.

American prom culture

American society has put expectations and pressure on high schoolers surrounding prom. There are societal standards about what to wear, how to ask someone to prom, and how much money to spend.

“There’s definitely a big fear of needing to make sure your dress is unique enough to stand out, but also not unique enough that other people will want it. When in reality, we’re not even going to think about in 20 years, that time where this random girl had the same dress as me,” Harris said.

Prom excitement and anticipation can stem from before even setting foot in high school. Television shows, movies, and social media play a huge role in the anticipation of prom.

“Disney shows make it such a big thing; it takes up an entire episode. Kids grow up wanting to be like a high schooler. Seeing them get dressed up for prom, and how much work and fun it was, made me look forward to it,” Culbertson said.

For most students, prom is a twice in a lifetime opportunity, and they want to make the most of it. Their goal is to make it the best night possible, a night to remember for the rest of their lives.

“Prom is something you can only experience while you’re in high school. You can’t be 24 and be like ‘wow, I want to go to prom,’ because that’s not an option anymore,” junior Taylor Zaugg said.

Prom brings a special tradition for high school couples: promposals. Students look forward to how they will be asked to prom, a prom tradition.

“I made a poster [based on] the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. I did that and then took it to her house and got flowers,” Evans said.

Reflecting on prom

Prom is a key event that teenagers look forward to all year long. High schoolers want to be able to reflect on prom in the future through a positive lens.

“I think in general, everyone looks back and it’s like, ‘Wow, we were dumb kids. We could have made this way easier on ourselves.’ But at the same time, you’re going to be thinking about how I had fun with my friends dancing. It’s going to be the big moments that stand out, rather than the stress,” Zaugg said.

Oftentimes, the buildup to prom is very stressful for students, and it can overshadow the dance itself. While preparing for prom, students have to balance the stress to view the night in a positive light.

“Having a fun experience and getting pictures is important. Then just going and actually having a good time and not being so worried about everything being perfect,” Evans said.

For some students, what they wear is a large part of their overall prom experience. Being able to get dressed up with friends is an appealing aspect of high school dances.

“I’ll look back and remember how much fun I had, and what you wear kind of plays a big part in that,” Harris said.

After months of planning, emotions can be intense. For this year’s prom, excitement and anticipation are high for the special prom night.

“You want to enjoy that moment. It’s something that’s special. The planning that goes behind it it’s a lot of ‘how can I make this the best moment for myself? Make it the best moment for my friends, make it the best moment for everyone around me.’ But also, have fun with my friends,” Zaugg said.