MACES seniors celebrated one final opportunity to be together before graduation at prom, “A Night of Luxury,” held at the White House Banquets & Event Center in Anaheim on May 16. The event brought students together for a night of dancing and celebration. Weeks before the event, many seniors started imagining a night filled with music, dancing, pictures, and memories that would last long after high school.
Xavier Guerrero, a senior, said he was most excited to spend time with his date and friends. “I hope the atmosphere is super lit and people actually dance and have a good time,” he said. Like many seniors, he stated his view of prom as “our last dance of high school.”
Other seniors shared similar expectations. Brianna Maguellal, a senior, hoped the dance would have a “lively almost euphoric atmosphere,” where students could sing, dance, and make unforgettable memories. Similarly, Erick Aranda, a senior, also hoped students would step out of their comfort zones. “I want to see everyone dancing,” Aranda said, “It’s a big night as a class altogether.”
For some of these seniors, prom had been something they looked forward to for years. Valerie Lima, senior class president, said movies and the childhood expectations made prom feel important growing up. “Prom has always been something I’ve looked forward to since I was a little girl because of shows and movies with the prom queen and king,” Lima said. As part of the senior board, Lima helped plan and contribute to the event since the end of her junior year, “I’m excited to see everyone’s reactions,” she said. Desteny Banderas, another senior, described the importance of prom to her, “I believe prom is very important to my high school experience as this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we all get to have before we leave high school.”
Despite the excitement, many seniors admitted they were nervous about details going wrong. Guerrero joked that his biggest fear was getting his all-white suit dirty, while Banderas worried about dress malfunctions and falling in heels. Others, like Maguellal and Aranda, were anxious about staying on schedule while getting ready.
However, once students stepped into the venue and saw the decorations, music, and crowd, many began comparing the reality of prom night to the expectations they had imagined for months. When asked to describe prom in one word, Aranda chose “elegance” and said the best part was seeing everyone’s different friend groups come together on the dance floor. Aranda noted one difference from his expectations, “What was slightly different from what I imagined was the design. I expected maybe more attention to some detail, but the venue still looked gorgeous,” he said.
Emery Madrid, another senior, said there was a positive atmosphere throughout the night. Madrid described the energy on the dance floor, “Everyone was dancing. We were just having a good time,” she said. She explained that one of the best parts of prom, “was just getting away from things like the phones and just being able to live in the moment.”
Maguellal also said the reality of prom surprised her in the best way possible. “I had a lot more fun than I thought I would.” she said. Although she originally imagined the atmosphere might feel awkward, she instead found it “warm and inviting,” she said.
Banderas said how the most unexpected part of prom was how quickly the night passed. “Many people usually talk about prom for months and then when it actually happens it goes by quickly,” Banderas said. Although the music was not entirely her taste because she enjoys older songs, “One thing I would change is the music selection. I personally enjoy older music and I would have liked to hear a variety of different genres and music taste,” Banderas said. Her comments showed that while many students enjoyed the overall atmosphere of prom, some felt the music selection could have been more diverse to appeal to different tastes among seniors. She also said one prom reality check is the stress of trying to make everything perfect, from pictures to getting ready on time. Her comments reflected how prom can feel more overwhelming in reality than students initially expect, especially with the pressure to make the night look and feel perfect. Despite the stress, Banderas said, “I had a great time seeing everyone dressed well for a dance, and I enjoyed my time with my date.”
Lima also reflected positively on the night, “It was even better than I expected,” she said. She expressed that the best parts were dancing with friends and hearing “throwback songs like ‘Beauty and a Beat’ by Justin Bieber” and finally seeing all the planning the senior board did come together.
Despite the nerves and stress leading up to prom night, these seniors agreed the event turned into exactly what they had hoped for, a memorable night filled with dancing, laughter, and one final celebration together before graduation, “I had lots of fun and had such a wonderful time,” Aranda said.
