Promposals, which began as a millennial tradition, are a ritual where students go to extreme lengths to ask one another to Prom. The first promposal recorded in a major newspaper was in 2001 in Dallas, Texas, when an employee at a local grocery store asked his girlfriend to Prom over the loudspeaker for all to hear.  

Promposals play a large role in the Princeton Day School community and have always been a source of excitement leading up to Prom in the spring. Beginning shortly after Valentine’s Day, PDS promposals have ranged from simple gestures to extravagant productions. In fact, the first one of 2017 was by junior Eric Sherman who began this process by promposing to his girlfriend, sophomore Charlotte Eisman. Sherman spelled out the word “Prom?” with the help of his friends and their hockey jerseys. This was an exciting way to kick off the season.

Last year, multiple memorable promposals took place. Then-junior Itai Fruchter set up signs throughout the school spelling out the ten things he loved about his girlfriend, senior Katie Sanderson. The signs led her down the senior hallway to a curtain of hundreds of carnations hanging from the ceiling while Fruchter stood playing the ukelele and singing. Another large-scale promposal was senior Isaac Rosenthal asking senior Devika Kumar during a pre-recording of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Later, as Rosenthal watched the show with Kumar, he appeared on television asking her to Prom while millions watched.

In a different style, then-junior Zach Izzard promposed to his girlfriend, Catie Higgins. Izzard used a coded message on a computer program that he designed. He then asked Higgins to test out the program and as she was going through it, it revealed the message “Will you go to Prom with me?” These are only a few examples of the effort and thoughtfulness that the upper schoolers at PDS put into their promposals.

At PDS, promposals can either be grand or simplistic, but they are all significant nonetheless. Whatever the magnitude, they make the event special. This year, there were many different promposals in a variety of styles and methods.

Now that Prom has come and gone, these Promposals, whether extravagant or simplistic, have now become memories and anecdotes to reminisce over. Those who both gave and received Promposals appeared at Center City’s Philadelphia Arts Ballroom in full-fledged formal wear on Saturday, April 22. The venue gave a sort of old-school charm to complement the new-school sense that Prom attendees brought. Complete with a photo-booth and raffle, the picturesque setting and exciting night could only have been described as a success. Prom really was the last bit of diversion for juniors and seniors before facing senior projects, dreaded AP exams, and finals. Nevertheless, although Prom may have just passed, it is never too early to get inspiration for next year’s promposals!