As spring comes around, the long-awaited prom is creeping up and it is time to “prompose” to a potential date. The popular tradition evolves as students come up with more creative and extravagant ways to “prompose” to friends, crushes and partners. As the term “promposal” began to gain popularity, “promposals” started being filmed and posted on social media, gaining thousands of views and showing creative ways that people have asked out their dates to prom. 

“Promposals” can range from big romantic gestures to simply asking the question. However, the most traditional way students proposed is by using colorful posters and corny messages, paired with flowers, chocolates or other gifts. A simple and heartwarming “promposal” is a personal way to ask the question as the poster and gifts should be tailored to the person’s interests. Using a punchline relating to their favorite sports, songs, hobbies or a corny rhyme to ask the question makes for a simple, yet authentic “promposal.”

 While most “promposals” are done the traditional way, there has been a rise in more outrageous ways to “prompose.” With the growth of social media platforms, bigger gestures imitating a marriage proposal get posted and receive significant media attention, popularizing the practice. Though the gesture is often made in public on school campuses, the addition of being filmed and posted on social media has widely changed the execution of these proposals, as students have come up with bigger “promposals” merely for views. 

“The biggest change I’ve seen in promposals, since people started filming more, there’s more of an audience than there used to be,” FHS teacher David Heinke said.

Students go over the top when it comes to publicly “promposing” in front of large audiences on school campuses. Dance routines often make popular “promposals.” They require weeks of preparation of a corny dance routine in front of large crowds, but get a lot of public attention. Although there are many creative ways to carry out a promposal, most ideas include the question “Prom?” spelled out in large letters on a sign. With the use of friends and classmates, creating a chain of letters and delivering the message has become a popular way to “prompose.”

Although these big gestures sound like a fun idea, there is controversy around the idea of public “promposals” as the cameras and on-the-spot question puts pressure on the recipient. 

“I think it’s ridiculous because an audience puts an undue pressure on the person being asked, then they feel obliged to say yes,” Heinke said. 

When deciding to ask a potential date to prom, decisions about the time and place should be made depending on the person. The planning and execution of a “promposal” should be a fun surprise for the recipient, whether that means an outrageous and attention-drawing proposal, or a simple and meaningful poster. Being mindful of the pressure that is put on a person being “promposed” to is important in order to avoid awkward rejections.

Ultimately, there are plenty of ways to “prompose” and surprise a future prom date. Whether “promposing” to a friend or a date, it is a fun tradition and anyone would appreciate the formal invitation to prom.