Prom season is here! This also means it is the season for your social media feed to be filled with absurd quantities of ‘promposals.’ If you’re not too sure what that phrase means, in simple terms, it is a way of elaborately asking someone to prom. These seemingly picture-perfect moments can be something as simple as a poster with a cute pun written on it or something as insane as having your prom interest’s name fly on the back of a plan as you ask the question.

Some of the first ‘promposals’ recorded in history were in 2001 when everyone’s focus did not gravitate to social media.  One of my favorites that I had read about was a guy asking his girlfriend to prom over the loudspeaker at the grocery store where they both worked and met.

In the beginning, promposals were kids having fun and being creative; now the pressure of asking or receiving a ‘promposals’ looms over everyone. It no longer feels like a simple and sweet meaningful question.  Nevertheless, this long-continued way of asking makes this seem like a tradition at this point, now that in 2022 it is still occurring. However, as times have changed the ‘tradition’ has as well, it has become a competition of who can make the biggest statement. And even more so, it has become less about this sweet moment of growing up and more of something to post on social media.

Not only has this simple and sweet moment become a bragable moment, but it has also become a bank breaker. In 2015, Visa credit card company surveyed that the average promposal cost $324. This has nothing to do with the rest of the expenses that come along with prom.

Still, want to plan a promposal? Here are some things to remember.  To save the embarrassment for the asker and the asked, some simple factors should be considered. Are both parties seemingly interested in going with the other? If this question can be answered with an enthusiastic yes, this is your first green light to a successful promposal. Another part of a successful promposal is knowing the person you are approaching with this question. If the person is not one for being put on the spot, then a poster board presented to everyone in a crowded school hallway or parking lot, isn’t going to be the way to ask. This person might answer yes, but if they say no it leaves you embarrassed and them having to look like the bad guy that rejected someone for prom.

In today’s time, the promposal can now be labeled a chore rather than something you wish to do.  It no longer feels like a memorable event but rather something to just hit post on. Sometimes people don’t want a big statement way of asking, it’s all about a special moment. I think in my hopeless romantic mind, being asked even at a stoplight would be good enough for me.