Why Freshmen Are Not Going to Prom

Prom is coming up in a few weeks. It is being held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on May 19th, with tickets starting at 440RMB this week. I noticed the lack of freshman and sophomore participation, with a total whopping amount of five freshmen. I interviewed a few people to find out why they chose not to go.

Not Enough Money

Many people mentioned how they believed it was a waste of money to go, and how they could not afford it. A sophomore mentioned that in his freshman year, he hung out with friends at Grandview Mall and saved a lot of money. He talked about how if prom was 3 hours long, it would be 150RMB per hour. If they hung out at the mall, they would not spend as much. If all their friends came to prom, it would be over 1000RMB per hour, and they would not be doing anything but sitting at tables and chatting, which they could easily to at a mall. Many students also did not seem very happy about having to spend over 440 RMB for 3 hours of entertainment.

No friends/ people to ask

Freshman Henry Y. explains that because many of his friends are not going, the event would not be enjoyable at all. Marco L, another freshman, said the following words, “No one likes me and I don’t have friends.”

Dressing fancy is too much work

Prom has a formal outfit requirement. The people I interviewed did not seem passionate about having to dress up wearing fancy dresses or put on make up for only three hours. A freshman mentioned how costly prom dresses and suits were.

Don’t have the time to spare, don’t find it interesting

Some students mentioned how with finals coming up, they would rather have those three hours to sleep or study. They mentioned that all you do is sit there, eat and chat. Another junior mentioned that they found it boring from what they’ve heard.

Prom. Is it a waste of money, or is it a social event for all to attend?