Prom certainly looked different this year due to COVID-19. Students had to wear masks, there was no food, and students faced a high risk of quarantining if attended. This caused many students like senior Audrey Hereth to celebrate prom on their own.

“I decided not to attend the actual prom because I didn’t want to spend the money on the tickets with how Prom was being run,” Hereth said. “I also didn’t want to risk getting COVID-19 or having to quarantine with two weeks until graduation.”

Junior Lauren Walker explains that she would have preferred to go to the dance, but decided to stay safe instead.

“My group decided we did not want to go to the dance because of the risk of being quarantined or getting COVID-19 from the dance,” Walker said. “If there wasn’t COVID-19, I would have liked to go to the actual dance.

Many like Hereth decided to hold their own dances with smaller groups of friends.

“I went out with some friends during the day and then we met up with a bigger group to take pictures at Black Hoof Park and go out to dinner,” Hereth said. “My family decorated my house and after dinner, we had a dance inside my house and then watched a movie.”

On the contrary, some students like Walker choose a unique way to celebrate the occasion.

“We did all the normal things like pictures and dinner, but then we went bowling instead of going to the actual dance,” Walker said.

According to Hereth, she would have liked to see prom run differently if she were to attend.

“In order for me to have justified going to prom there would have to have been more time and people allowed,” Hereth said. “Also the venue and food would have had to be different.”

Having their own prom had many benefits. Walker enjoyed being able to operate on a more flexible schedule.

“Doing our own thing allowed us to have our own schedule,” Walker said. “We didn’t have to feel rushed because we weren’t going to the actual dance.”

Despite the impact of COVID-19, Hereth says she had an amazing experience.

“I don’t have any regrets about not going to prom at all,” Hereth said. “I had a really amazing night. I loved seeing everybody happy and hanging out with each other. I also loved going on a date and having that experience.”