Hocopropos have been a source of longing for PDS students for many years. Until this fall, PDS students were not permitted to do Homecoming Proposals. While the reasoning for this was sound—wanting to keep “proposals” solely for prom, making them an upperclassmen-only privilege—homecoming proposals are a big event all across American high schools. We see TikToks and Instagram stories of extravagant proposals, and it feels unfair that we have to miss out on the fun.
As an upperclassman who loves school spirit and bringing fun social events into the PDS community, I was all for the hocoproposals. The minute Gabby Kratee, Student Life Cohead, came up to me with a petition to implement hocopropos, I signed it as fast as I could. Even when I was in middle school at PDS, I loved seeing promposals and hearing about the most exciting ones that have happened at PDS in the past, so I was thrilled to hear about this petition.
However, not everyone feels the same as me: “They should just be for prom,” says senior Clara Grissom. She explained that she thinks homecoming isn’t a big enough event at PDS to do hocopropos. On the other hand, junior Ajay Sivukamar, our Upper School Student Council President, thinks that going through the process of getting permission to do hocopropos was “totally worth it,” and that “The procedures taken were for the safety of the students, and I think they were very thoughtful. But either way, it all comes down to the desires of the students.”
Despite the fabulous demonstration of a respectful and fun homecoming proposal during gathering by seniors Santino Cignarella and Justin Picado, they weren’t as popular as I’d wished. Hopefully, next year our PDS high school students will embrace the over-the-top poster-board decorating and bring this new PDS tradition to life!
