Where the Wild Things Aren’t
Anna Diaz, Staff Writer
February 13, 2012
Filed under Opinion
Don’t break the bank on winter formal
As formal quickly approaches, the question that haunts many students remains, “is formal worth the steep price?” You have to take into consideration the different decisions that go into creating the “perfect” formal. While the total price for formal is large, the experience seems to be unforgettable. But when weighing the pros and cons, it seems like formal will also leave an unreasonable dent in your wallet.
First and foremost, finding a date can be challenging. Once that mission has been accomplished, a majority of girls will end up having to buy the ticket and potentially pay transportation fees for their dates as well.
Then comes the outfit. If you’re a girl, you have to find the perfect dress, the perfect shoes, and the perfect accessories. However, dresses aren’t the only pricey attire. For guys, tux rentals easily cost over $100 for only one night. When you put all of this together, you end up spending an insane amount of money.
And just when you thought you couldn’t possibly spend any more money, you also have to take into consideration transportation expenses. The peer pressure to arrive in a stylish limo or a party bus is overwhelming — and they aren’t cheap, usually costing $40 to $60 per person.
For the entire evening, the total amount adds up to $300 to $500 dollars, with some students spending even more. This amount just for a dance doesn’t make sense. Also, not everyone is financially stable at our school. There are many people who struggle with money and the pressure of having a nice dress or tux along with the additional accessories can be highly stressful.
However, choosing not to spend a fortune on a dance doesn’t mean you can’t have a fun night out. You can make plans to go ice skating or bowling with your friends — or even your “would’ve been date.” These are fun, alternative options to still have a fun time while everyone else is at formal. You’ll end up spending less money for a day at Disneyland or another amusement park than you would have for a pricey school dance.
So is just one night of fun worth all the money? I believe it’s not, but that doesn’t take away the experience. So, if you’re going to formal this year or the following years, try and conserve your money. Buy a cute but affordable dress, or rent a simple tux. Pull together a group of friends to carpool down to the zoo for an easy way to save money on transportation.
Formal may look like an expensive party at the zoo, but for some people, it is an important part of their high school experience. The choice is ultimately all up to you — try to have some fun no matter how much money you plan to spend.