Why prom should be seniors-only this year

Draining Webex lectures, socially-distant classrooms, canceled school banquets and non-existent pep rallies — after a senior year filled with disappointments, I found myself letting go of any remaining expectations in fear of being let down. 

I saw senior traditions I’d looked forward to my entire high school career — like the Choraliers’ trip, lancer day and senior service day — canceled. But just when I’d accepted that prom would most likely be virtual, StuCo announced their plans for an in-person junior and senior prom. 

Even though I’m beyond grateful that prom is happening, I find it frustrating that juniors are invited. Nothing against juniors, but between the lack of a prom last year and ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, a senior-only prom would make more sense.

To make prom more COVID-friendly this year only, StuCo created two 90-minute time slots between 7 and 10 p.m. and prohibited non-East students from attending. Students signed up for a time slot last week via Sign Up Genius, leaving some members of the senior class separated from the majority in the first slot due to limited space.

As seniors count down the days until graduation, we only have a short amount of time left with our friends and classmates. I think I speak for all of us in that we’d rather spend that time together than apart. By excluding juniors from this year’s prom, there would be no need for time slots, allowing us to enjoy our final school dance together as the class of 2021.

Also, this is seniors’ first and last chance to attend prom, whereas juniors will have another opportunity next year. Prom and other senior traditions next year will likely be relatively back to normal for juniors, so they should let us have this one event to ourselves. 

If juniors sat this one out, there would be far less attendees. This would allow for seniors worried about COVID-19 to feel more comfortable going, due to a lower risk of contracting the virus.

Not to mention, if prom were only open to seniors, we could have potentially been allowed to bring outside guests from other schools without there being too many attendees. Seniors with non-East-student significant others could have prom together, instead of having to celebrate alone or not at all.

Since junior StuCo plans prom and I’m sure the juniors planning prom wouldn’t voluntarily uninvite themselves, a senior-only prom is probably not going to happen. Even so, myself and many other members of the senior class wish that StuCo would reconsider.