Our Last Summer in Greece: Prom 2023

Central High School held its annual prom on May 6, 2023, from 7 pm to 11 pm. The dance was held in the I-Hotel which also provided the catering.

The theme for this year’s prom was “Our Last Summer in Greece”, which resulted in polarizing opinions amongst the students. Junior Lin Gilbertz from Centennial High School felt that everything was on theme, but also thought that many people did not dress for the theme. “They just dressed in what they feel confident in,” she said. Others felt that the reason students weren’t on theme was because it was announced late. “The theme at first, I heard, was going to be 70’s…and then [the student council] said ‘It’s actually going to be Vegas’, and then they publicly released it and they said, ‘Actually it’s a night in Greece,’” Junior Julia Hopkins said. “People [had already] bought their prom dresses.” Some students like seniors Gen Martin and Lily Wedig were confused by what the theme meant. “It feels ominous, like a threat,” Wedig said. “And the tickets just say Last Summer,” Martin added. 

Food and music were also things students had a lot of opinions on. Sophomore Gavin Brown and Senior Laynie Ritchie thought the music wasn’t good, while Senior Erin Cowan believed that the music was better than last year. “Last year, I feel like we couldn’t dance too much,” she said. Senior Sarah Jacobson wished there was more variety in the music selection. “I feel like every dance I go to, whether it be prom or homecoming or spring fling, the music is always the same,” she admitted. “I wish they would switch it up more and play some older songs.” There were several students who felt the dance floor was too small and cramped. For the most part, students did not dislike the food. “The food is actually good. I liked the food, especially the macaroni and cheese,” prom king Mekhi Christmon said. “I was told the food was going to be [bad]; I came prepared,” Hopkins said. “And it’s been pretty good.” One complaint when it came to dining was the lack of reserved seating. “I feel like a lot of people couldn’t sit with their groups which was kind of sad,” junior Samaira Sandil said. 

Close to 9:00, Mekhi Christmon and Meg Rossow were announced as prom king and queen. Rossow was surprised she won. “It was really unexpected; I didn’t think of it at all,” she said. “But it was really nice.” This was Christmon’s second crown this year as he also won homecoming king in the fall. “It feels great, taking two crowns in one year,” he said. 

For most newcomers, prom was better than expected. “People look amazing and I like the vibe,” Sandil said. “Honestly I was looking forward to taking pictures with our entire group more than the actual dance. [My boyfriend] and I went as dates so that was fun, going as dates to a dance.” Junior Maddie Bigler preferred going with friends. “I don’t have a date and I like it better,” she said. “I don’t have to babysit anyone.” Some first-timers thought prom met their expectations. “[Prom is] kind of dull,” Wedig said. When asked why people decided to go to prom for the first time, many felt like it was an essential part of high school. “[It was a] rite of passage for me,” Lily said. “I haven’t been to a prom before, ever, so I was excited to go for the last year.” Sandil agreed with that sentiment and said, “It’s like the typical high school experience.” All the juniors, when asked, said they would definitely go to prom again. 

A lot of people going to prom for a second time thought it was an improvement from last year. Senior Alex Curry felt that this year’s prom was more fun than last year’s, and said, “It feels like a real prom experience.” Jacobson agreed with this sentiment. “I’m personally having more fun at this one than my junior year because last year I didn’t have a group to go with,” she said. Rossow felt like prom this year was more enjoyable because “as seniors we didn’t take it as seriously as we did last year.” Gilbertz went to Central’s prom her sophomore year last year and talked about the difference between that year and this year. “Last year was a different experience for me since I was a sophomore going with a junior, so I didn’t know many people here. But this year, there are more people in my grade so I know a lot more people,” she said. 

A lot of seniors felt sentimental about this being their last prom. Cowan and Curry felt that their last prom felt special to them. Curry said, “This year I came with a date, and that’s never happened to me before. It just feels like a genuine prom experience.” Cowan said, “It’s the last time we can do this. I’ve been enjoying myself a little bit more than last year too.” A lot of seniors found the experience to be “surreal”. “This is the last time I’m going to wear a dress like this and see all these people for the most part,” Rossow said. For Christmon, realizing that this was his last dance made him feel like he was having “an out-of-body experience”. The finality of the event stuck with Jacobson. “I’m never going to have this experience again,” she said. “It makes me a little sad but I feel like this is a great way to finish off my senior year.”

It seemed that overall, people enjoyed their prom experience for the opportunity to dress up and spend time with friends. Christmon rates the experience an “8/10.”