When did your High School have Prom, and has it moved earlier in the year?
Posted by TankDestroyerSarg@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 94 comments
I have a question, or two, for all my fellow Dandy Yankee Doodles: when you were in High School, when in the school year did you have Prom? I chaperoned last night for the High School my SO teaches at. Both of us thought the end of April was really early for Prom, and didn't it use to be in the last couple weeks of May?
GreenBeanTM@reddit
Sometime in May, same day as another school in our district and both always conflicted with a dance competition š all of the high schoolers would be anxiously waiting to get the schedules week of to find out if we could actually go to prom or not.
Footnotegirl1@reddit
Prom at my high school in the 80's was the weekend before the last week of school. So usually the very end of May. It was prom weekend, a couple of days of closing out classes and little fun events, the class trip to the local roller coaster park, Friday off, and then graduation on Saturday.
I have noticed that proms seem to be happening earlier and earlier. I suspect a good deal of that is that they are now rarely if ever held in the school gym or what have you (I mean, mine wasn't either, but I know some were) and there are only so many event spaces, so some schools probably have to go early.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
I no longer remember the date, but graduation was always at the end of May, and prom was shortly before that, so I'd say it was probably mid-May, maybe early May. But we certainly didn't have prom in April.
Bluemonogi@reddit
Some time in May I think.
According-Couple2744@reddit
We had ours in early May. It was in a formal ball room at a local performing arts theater. It was a very formal environment with elegant chandlers, gold accents, and marble floors.
TokyoDrifblim@reddit
About 15 years ago when I was in high school it was definitely at the end of April
RobotShlomo@reddit
They usually have it in May.
Apocalyptic0n3@reddit
Our schedule was:
Seems like the entire schedule is one week early nowadays (I graduated nearly 20 years ago, so it's unsurprising)
Temporary_Pie2733@reddit
It might be regional. My school (PA in the early 90s) was the first weekend in May. Iāve seen schools in CT in the last 10 years going late May.
nierauto088@reddit
Hell I didn't go we had our own party they wanted our parents to pay $100 for each child
few-piglet4357@reddit
May 5th, 1985. No idea why I remember that.
Reasonable-Company71@reddit
Hawaii: Class of '03, private school. Ours was always in April and our school year ended Memorial Day weekend.
_iusuallydont_@reddit
Early to mid May.
botulizard@reddit
Senior prom was in May during the week leading up to graduation. Junior prom was probably April if I remember correctly.
Narrow-Durian4837@reddit
The school year as a whole starts and ends earlier than it did when I was in school.
goblin_hipster@reddit
In southern Wisconsin in the late '00s, it was early May.
TillPsychological351@reddit
Ours was shortly before graduation, back in 1995.
I don't have a clue when they hold it now.
jamiesugah@reddit
I'm from PA, my prom was in late May (26 years ago).
Equivalent-Speed-631@reddit
Ours was in early May. Now it seems they are having them in April.
amm1981@reddit
Michigan, graduated in 2000,it was the end of May, the week before graduation
yellowrose04@reddit
Ours was in May.
Antitenant@reddit
Our school year ended in late June, so May maybe. This was in the mid 2000s.
kbivs@reddit
Graduated in 1987. My prom was the first week of June
quietly_annoying@reddit
Our prom was always the Friday of Memorial Day weekend and parents used to complain about it. I see that it has been moved to May 1 this year. My daughter's prom is on May 2 and her best friend's school is on the same night.
N_Huq@reddit
May. But there is much variation between each school district.
redditreader_aitafan@reddit
Ours was in April. Graduation was mid-May. Most schools where I have lived are out for the year by Memorial Day at the latest.
river-running@reddit
I think ours was in May.
blipsman@reddit
Our was always early May, about a month before end of school year.
sorrowsirenx@reddit
Ours was in mid May
xxxjessicann00xxx@reddit
Mine was early April and the same school had theirs yesterday. The seniors are also done with classes and graduate a couple weeks earlier than we did.
Otherwise-OhWell@reddit
April, probably? It was 20 years ago, I remember it, sorta, but not the date.
May would've been too close to graduation and nothing good happens in March.
Norwester77@reddit
Ours was in May; it was called āMay Danceā rather than āprom.ā
Courwes@reddit
Mine was mid April.
No_Importance_750@reddit
My prom is coming up on May 2nd.
Ok_Orchid1004@reddit
Donāt remember. Didnāt care then. Donāt care now.
Designer-Travel4785@reddit
Beginning of June, I think it's early May now.
Roborana@reddit
Mine was in mid May, 30 years ago. Our school year ended a week into June. The HS near me now has their prom at the end of April and the school year is over the week before Memorial Day.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
Ours was in May but school got out mid June. My sonās was last night but he is finished mid May.
Playful_Fan4035@reddit
Ours was pretty late in the school year, I think early May. They do seem to be doing prom earlier these days. I wonder if it might be competition for venues.
JustSomeGuy_56@reddit
I think ours was in late May. (I didnāt go), but it was warm enough that while the cool kids got half a day off to get ready, several of us outcasts cut school and went to the shore. The Principal accused us of not showing proper school spirit, and this unexcused absence go on our Permanent Record. (New Jersey, 1973)
Outside_Complaint755@reddit
Don't recall exactly when ours was, in the late 1990s, but I think we had it by mid-May. Ā I think they have started moving earlier for a few reasons: 1) less conflict with spring sports post-season competitions. 2) less conflict with AP and other testing 3) For those schools that have it off campus, probably less competition for venue space vs weddings.
TankDestroyerSarg@reddit (OP)
Those reasons make sense
crunchyfoliage@reddit
It was always the first weekend in May at my school (graduated in '06)
OkBiscotti1140@reddit
I graduated in the late 90s, every year prior to mine it was held the week before our graduation ceremony, so mid-June. Then the year before I graduated a bunch of kids showed up to prom obliterated and it was too late for any real form of discipline because grades were already finalized. So ours was moved to mid-April and it was cold af.
TankDestroyerSarg@reddit (OP)
I remember from about a decade after yours that our regular school year always ended like the first week of June, Seniors graduated the week before, and Prom was maybe second or third weekend of May.
OkBiscotti1140@reddit
Right. I suppose graduation was mid-June which would have made prom early June. Still way better than April with snow still on the ground.
TankDestroyerSarg@reddit (OP)
We were out on the Lake Michigan boat cruise until around 3 this morning. That was frigid if you went outside to go to another deck, or someone opened the door.
EvaisAchu@reddit
2nd half of April was when both the proms I attended were.
School always ended the last week of May for us so the last couple weeks wouldn't have been great timing.
minnick27@reddit
Junior prom was usually mid April, senior mid May. Also the freshman dance was February and Soph Hop was March.
BippidiBoppetyBoob@reddit
My senior prom was in May, but this was 20 years ago, now.
manicpixidreamgirl04@reddit
Mid to late June.
captain_ohagen@reddit
late June? did you go to high school in a prison?
SabresBills69@reddit
my state starts school generally after Labor Day , graduation is around the early 20s of June.
tevently many schools have moved graduation to be school classes end,senior exams the rest of the week, senior graduation, thrn following week are the rest of exams. some students might have an exam after graduation because their class might be heavy sophomore/ Frenchman class like Spanish 1 class.
manicpixidreamgirl04@reddit
Public schools here start after labor day and end during the last week of June.
MarqiMichelle@reddit
It was always Motherās Day weekend. Idk why they did that.
Weird_Squirrel_8382@reddit
That seems cruel honestly. Maybe prom prep wasn't as involved. My sister has been working all week for her girls prom, she didn't even get out of bed today.
Constellation-88@reddit
April. Always.Ā
Weird_Squirrel_8382@reddit
Our kids were the last week of April just like ours. I'm glad to have a weekend of peace before graduation.
ChickenNugs4Hugs@reddit
I graduated in 2018 and our prom was at the end of April. They wanted to do it in May but their preferred venue was booked for a wedding.
SabresBills69@reddit
it depends on when school ends. different areas of the country has grsduation at different times. some end rarly may, some go to late June.
its usually a few weeks before classes end.
kaywild11@reddit
April is most common in Nebraska. Sometimes March.
dehydratedrain@reddit
Ours (late 90s) was end of May. My son's (2 yrs ago) was the first weekend in June.
r2k398@reddit
In May. No idea when it is now.
MrLongWalk@reddit
Ours was Iate April or early May
TinyRandomLady@reddit
Same. Our school year didnāt end until like the 2nd week of June.
MrLongWalk@reddit
Same here, suburban Boston in the 2010s
shammy_dammy@reddit
Late May
rawbface@reddit
End of April for us I believe in 2003. Maybe the beginning of May, but there was still a lot of school left.
Mental_Freedom_1648@reddit
It was in June when I was in school, and I just looked it up, and it's still in June now.
Ok-Entertainment5045@reddit
Ours was late May
1235813213455_1@reddit
Always has been last week of April where I live. The School year is over by the last couple weeks in May so that wouldn't really work.Ā
Similar-Search-8508@reddit
Early May in 1980 yikes
SenseNo635@reddit
Late May, I think.
Ok-Possibility-9826@reddit
I wanna say it was after our finals but before graduation so like the third or last week of May? This was nearly 15 years ago.
CatchyUsername457@reddit
Mine is next week
nope-its@reddit
Ours was either last weekend in April or first weekend in May.
AP testing starts generally the first week of may so thatās not the best time to have prom in a lot of areas.
lnmeatyard@reddit
In 2000 it was May at my school. Not sure when prom is now
azulweber@reddit
Ours was early-mid May.
PurplePeony123@reddit
My prom was April 23rd, roughly 10 years ago. I only know the exact date because the internet keeps receipts š
TheSpeedyBee@reddit
30 years ago it was early May.
Suitable-Hornet2797@reddit
Our prom was in early May.
sneezhousing@reddit
End of may
smurphypup@reddit
Ours was early/mid May. Typically the same weekend as Mothers Day.
Hungover teenagers was the school's gift to the mothers lmao
Lower_Kick268@reddit
Idk I forget when mine did in 2023 and 2024, I never went lol
Murderhornet212@reddit
I think it was May or June. (1990s)
Limp-Plantain3824@reddit
Mid May I think. About a month before the end of school in New England.
spunkypunk@reddit
Ours was always the last weekend in April
soupdenier@reddit
Mine was always April-May.
This could also be a regional thing. My parents grew up in upstate New York, where the school year started and ended later than in the south. By mid-May, schools where I live (in the south) are staring exams. Some schools get out in May.
Puzzleheaded-Bee4698@reddit
My class did not have a prom.
Puzzleheaded_Lie6786@reddit
Ours was mid-May (late 90s)
JG723@reddit
Some time in May.
tsukiii@reddit
Pretty sure it was in May. This was 20 years ago, though. School schedules seem to have shifted over the years.
CPeeps323@reddit
It was the last day of school
melodyangel113@reddit
At mine itās on the last day of school! :) every year!