While many of my peers are renting their party buses and spending hundreds of dollars on dresses, I’ve decided to skip prom.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of having an end-of-high- school dance, but honestly I’d rather spend my money at about a thousand other places than at our high school prom.

After hair, makeup, nails, the dress, the tux, boutonnieres and corsages, a party bus, dinner, and the actual tickets, a high school senior can spend about $600 to over $1000. It turns out to be quite a lot of money for only one night.

The dresses that were chosen months in advance will be left in the closet for years after that night. Tuxes that were carefully chosen will be returned to the store never to be seen again. I don’t understand the point of spending so much money on one night.

The way I see it, the night will consist of a few hours of sweaty overdressed dancing and awkwardly posed picture with dates many people won’t remember or see in five years

Going with a group of friends does seem to be more fun, but you can always have fun with your friends somewhere not as expensive. Besides, getting dolled up to go dance with your friends in a room filled with people you’ve only seen around school but never talked to, seems unnecessary for the amount you’re spending.

I think the real reason prom seems to be so important is because of the hype movies and TV shows give it. The media creates unnecessary pressure to make the night super memorable and makes high schoolers think they did high school wrong if they don’t attend prom.

I don’t want to rain on anyone’s prom parade, but it seems like too much for one night.