My First Prom Experience

Pictured above to the right is foreign exchange student junior Sadia Shafique.  This was her first time attending prom, and the story is about her experience.

Pictured above to the right is foreign exchange student junior Sadia Shafique. This was her first time attending prom, and the story is about her experience.

Sadia Shafique

Before I came to the United States, I had only heard about prom. I thought it would be the same as the farewell activities we have at my school in Pakistan, like speeches, lunch, and a time to hang out with friends. It lasts about three hours. But on April 11, I learned that prom was totally different.

In the weeks leading up to prom, I was excited for it. People told me about the “huge party” of prom. I chose a long, orange dress that matched the flower I wore on my wrist. This was the first time I dressed up this way. I joined up with a group of friends for pre-prom.

I was surprised it was huge party. Everyone was looking so different and beautiful.  Next was grand march, which felt like being a model in the spotlight with a huge audience. There was so much laughing, joking, and feeling like a superstar.

Next came the dance. My favorite songs were the group dances because it was so fun to dance with friends.  For food, volunteer parents fed us Subway sandwiches, ice cream, and pop.  I enjoyed every single moment of that evening.

The part that I liked the most was after prom, when the seniors were hypnotized. I saw that for the first time and it was so awesome. The seniors followed the hypnotist and the things he said like, “You are a gibberish rapper.”

Overall it was one of the best days of my life. We don’t have this type of huge party in my school in Pakistan.

I am definitely going to miss all the moments that I have spent here with my friends, and remember every single memory I have made here.

I knew that Christin Hitz from Germany was also experiencing her first prom.  She said,“I really liked prom because it is a fun activity the school community can be involved in.”

She said that in her school in Germany, “We start taking dancing classes in 9th grade. At the end of the year we have a formal dance where we show what we have learned. It is a competition to show who learned the most and who is the best dancer.’’

“It was a lot of fun, I would like to go to next years prom too as a senior.” The thing she liked the most was after prom, and to watch the seniors being hypnotized. She said she has never seen it before so it was a new, great experience for her. At the end she said, “It was a lot of fun and it was definitely a day to make a lot of memories.”